Home Technology Inventory IE129

IE129-Circular Reno/RENO

Circular Reno

Description

Modular retrofits made using agricultural crops like straw, miscanthus and hemp

Sector

A1.6Support activities to agriculture and post-harvest crop activities

Needs/ Problem statement

The building sector is one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions in Europe, and traditional retrofitting methods rely heavily on carbon-intensive materials such as concrete, steel, and petrochemical-based insulation while vast amounts of underutilized agricultural by-products (e.g., straw, hemp, miscanthus) are available across regions.

Objective

To demonstrate and scale modular retrofit solutions using bio-based materials—specifically straw, miscanthus, and hemp—for façades and roofs in social housing. The project aims to reduce embodied carbon, improve energy efficiency, and establish resilient local value chains linking farmers, manufacturers, housing providers, and authorities.

Bioeconomy fields

Crop residues and perennial plants✓

Designer crops for optimised biomass contentnull

Algae biomassnull

Waste or recycled materialnull

Microbial assisted processingnull

Biorefineries null

Feedstock

Biomass

Outcomes and final product

Bio-based modular façade and roof panels, improved energy performance and reduced GHG emissions through deep energy retrofit of social housing units

Mobility

Static

Value chains

1
2
3

3 - High potential - Significant arisings of feedstocks available currently.

C Sink

1
2
3

3 - High potential - strong potential for carbon sequestration at the feedstock and product level).

Intended user

multiple stakeholder groups across the construction, social housing, agricultural sector

Complexity of the process

1
2
3

3 -complex application

Final user

Farmer✓

Forester✓

Researchernull

Advisornull

NGO✓

Training organizationnull

Processor or retailer✓

Consumer✓

Public Authority + LAG✓

Othernull

Economic sustainability

1
2
3

3 - High potential - Expected to bring at least 3 significant economic benefits.

Social sustainability

1
2
3

3 - High potential - Expected to bring at least 3 significant social benefits.

Environmental sustainability

1
2
3

3 - High potential - Expected to bring at least 3 significant environmental benefits.

Added value

Very low
Low
Intermediate
High
Very high

Energy & Heat = Very low

Equipment maintenance costs (€/year)

null

Investment cost (€)

2-8M

Operational costs (€)

null

Return of investment (€)

null

Return of investment (Year)

null

Coherence with BBioNets

1
2
3

3-green

Country

IE

Official website

https://www.koreretrofit.com/circular-reno-project

OG Region

IE06Eastern and Midland

Geographic Scope

European

Focus Area

FA 5C: Facilitating the supply and use of renewable sources of energy

Key words

Circular economy, incl. waste, by-products and residues

Main source of funding

Other EU research funds

Period

2023-2026

Duration (months)

36

Number of partners by type

Farmer:

null

Forester:

null

Advisor:

1

Researcher:

1

NGO:

null

Processor or retailer:

9

Training orgaznization:

null

Consumer:

4

Public Authority:

2

Other:

null

Status

Ongoing

TRL

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

TRL 5 – technology validated in relevant environment (industrially relevant environment in the case of key enabling technologies)

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Views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Executive Agency (REA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.