Research staff of the AdMaS Center of the Faculty of Civil Engineering of the University of Technology in Brno led by prof. Petr Hlavínek, received another one-year project financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic in early 2024 entitled “Implementation of elements of blue-green infrastructure into green wall systems of buildings” from the Strengthening the capacities of public universities in developing countries program.

This project is a continuation of already implemented projects to strengthen the capacities of public schools in Bosnia and Herzegovina i) Use of biochar as materially transformed waste for extensive green roofs (solved in 2022) and ii) Innovative use of biochar in the substrate and underlying layers of green parking lots (solved in 2023). Thanks to this currently presented project, the implementation cycle of blue-green infrastructure elements will be conceptually closed, which will subsequently become a comprehensive implemented project with a demonstration of good practice in the implementation of blue-green infrastructure elements in an urbanized area in accordance with the principles of the circular economy.
The main goal of the project is to strengthen and deepen knowledge of current findings in science and research in the sense of transferring experience from the Czech Republic (University of Technology in Brno, Faculty of Civil Engineering, AdMaS Center) to Bosnia and Herzegovina (University of Banja Luka, Faculty of Agriculture) in the area implementation of selected elements of blue-green infrastructure (rainwater management for irrigation of green infrastructure) into the building system, taking into account the application of innovative growing substrates into the system of green building walls.

New research at the AdMaS center reveals the perspectives of energy and material utilization of cellulose sludge

The AdMaS research center is currently focusing on technical and legislative solutions for the use of cellulose sludge (CK) through pyrolysis, which enables obtaining biochar as a solid residue, as well as pyrolysis oil and gas. At the same time, the research deals with finding ways to effectively implement the solid carbon product from the CC into agriculture or the blue-green infrastructure of cities. This research direction opens up new possibilities in the field of energy and the production of carbonaceous materials, bringing a wider perspective for the use of pyrolysis products.

The emphasis of research is generally placed on the material transformation of waste with the aim of preparing it for further use in accordance with the principles of the circular economy. The first line of research focuses on obtaining cellulose fibers from CK and the subsequent impact on cleaning processes and management of sludge products. The second direction of research deals with pyrolysis technologies for thermal treatment and utilization of CK, which can contribute to more efficient management of biodegradable waste.

The state environmental policy of the Czech Republic, linked to European legislation, will have an impact on the owners and operators of WWTPs, who will prepare to increase the efficiency of sewage treatment, but especially to use waste as a resource. As part of the material transformation of waste to

in the form of the product, it will be necessary to redesign and reconstruct not only the primary stage of treatment at the WWTP, but also the subsequent secondary biological stage of wastewater treatment and, last but not least, the sludge management.

 

You can read how the student of the doctoral program perceives involvement in these research activities here (in Czech): www.zvut.cz

On Tuesday 21.11. students of the Brno EKO Gymnasium came on an excursion to the AdMaS Center. During the morning, they had the opportunity to visit the laboratory of the THD Institute, where they could use experiments to verify the strength of concrete, the reaction of the material to fire, or to look at images of materials from an electron microscope. They also got hold of various materials that are used today in the construction of buildings.

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The representatives of the VHO institute also showed them the waterworks based laboratory with examples of problematic sewage systems and the pyrolysis unit, in which sewage sludge and other waste materials from the WWTP are processed into biochar. Practical use of biochar coud be seen in the cconstruction of green parking spaces and innovative substrates used in the sowing of lawns on the open area of ​​P3.

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the premises of the center, the students also looked at an outdoor installation where green roofs and facades and wall-mounted solar panels are tested, at the production space of the Plastic Guys start-up, where waste plastic is processed into practical items for interiors, or at the robotics and 3D printing laboratory.

 

“Circular wastewater management in the context of 4 countries: concepts, approaches and technologies”
3rd workshop Brno, Velké Bílovice and Lednice, Czech Republic

The resolution of the international project Reg. No. 22220131 with the financial support of the Visegrad+ Grant of the Visegrad grant financial mechanism has shifted in time again, and on October 3-7, 2023, the third meeting of the project solvers took place. This time the meeting took place in the Czech Republic, the main part of the program and the presentation of individual topics took place in Velké Bílovice, in Brno a tour of the activities and laboratory facilities of the AdMaS regional center was arranged.
Once again, the topics dealt with by the solving team were presented and discussed. In principle, the topic of circular management of wastewater from various sources (not only wastewater from wastewater treatment plants, but also rainwater and other polluted waters from urbanized areas), was also confronted with crisis management and the relationship to adaptation measures related to climate change. During the entire meeting, the impacts and solutions in individual V4 countries were discussed. The topics suitably complemented the first two workshops.
Complete presentations and other materials from the first and second workshops are available on the website https://www.circularwastewater.eu/
As part of the discussions, the need for the preparation of a joint international project emerged, which would evaluate technical solutions for adaptation measures to climate change in urbanized areas and prepare a technical-economic-social evaluation of the impacts of the implementation of the new Municipal Wastewater Treatment Directive (e.g. in terms of energy self-sufficient sewage treatment plants water and solutions for removing organic micropollutants, microplastics and other substances from wastewater).
Representatives of the universities of 4 countries of the Eastern Partnership, i.e. the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia, and the university of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which represents the country of the Western Balkans, are collaborating on the project.
The project is co-financed by the governments of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia from Visegrad grant No. 22220131 “Circular wastewater management in the context of 4 countries: concepts, approaches and technologies” from the international Visegrad Fund. The mission of the fund is to promote the ideas of sustainable regional cooperation in Central Europe.

 

 

 

 

 

Research staff of the AdMaS Center of the Faculty of Civil Engineering of Brno University of Technology led by prof. Petr Hlavínek, received another one-year project financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic in early 2023 entitled “Innovative use of biochar in substrates and underlying layers of green parking lots” from the Strengthening the capacities of public universities in developing countries program.

The main goal of the project is to strengthen and deepen knowledge of current findings in science and research in the sense of transferring experience from the Czech Republic (University of Technology in Brno, Faculty of Civil Engineering, AdMaS Center) to Bosnia and Herzegovina (University of Banja Luka, Faculty of Agriculture) in the area the use of a solid carbon product – biochar, produced from waste organic materials through pyrolysis/torrefaction technology for its subsequent use within the blue-green infrastructure of urbanized areas in accordance with the principles of the circular economy – specifically for the implementation of biochar in the substrates and cash layers of green parking lots.

The impact of project activities mainly assumes:

• preparation of the Ph.D. curriculum structure program with the University of Banja Luka,
• supplementing the education of university students and teachers in the area of the circular economy and their specific examples,
• increasing the qualifications of teaching and scientific-research workers and students in the field of blue-green infrastructure, specifically green parking lots, their innovative substrates and underlying layers including biochar,
• increasing intensive cooperation in research – implementation of biochar in the substrates and underlying layers of green parking lots in order to increase water retention, reduce surface runoff and create better microclimatic conditions in the built-up area,
• continuation of the evaluation of the findings from the testing of previously installed green roofs, solved in the framework of the previous project “Using biochar as materially transformed waste for extensive green roofs”,
• joint publication activity in the field of blue-green infrastructure.

From 28th till 31st May 2023, the first work trip of the research team took place to the University of Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina. As part of the international project solution, 3 experimental green parking lots were built, where the structural layer includes plastic grids made from waste (recycled plastic) and biochar (made from organic waste). Monitoring was installed (sensors in the body of the parking lot, Wi-Fi camera installation). Furthermore, there were meetings and partial negotiations with the management of the Institute and the University with the aim of starting work on a memorandum between the BUT in Brno and the University of Banja Luka. Expert training in circular economy and blue-green infrastructure for water management and biochar implementation took place. At the same time, the Faculty of Civil Engineering BUT was introduced and the possibilities of further cooperation were presented.

The currently resolved project follows on from the already initiated cooperation between the two educational and research institutions. The built green parking lot at the University of Banja Luka represents one of the elements of the blue-green infrastructure of cities and municipalities – its effectiveness will be monitored in the long term.

A “trunk” of three green parking spaces before installation; mounted grates made of recycled plastics

  

Completed three green parking spaces before grassing including installed monitoring system and signage

 

A snapshot of the construction and installation of the monitoring system

 

Sampling of experimental green roof modules built in 2022

Project REVOZIM for water recycling and waste management

 

In the AdMaS Center at the Faculty of Civil Engineering of the Brno University of Technology (BUT), the project REVOZIM – Recycling of water and waste within the green infrastructure of cities was completed last year. The project should help with technical solutions and strategies in the field of water and organic waste management. This area is more demanding for smaller towns and villages with up to 10,000 inhabitants than in the case of large cities, as they have limited human and financial resources for creating their own concepts. This opens up space for the involvement of research institutions.

 

Sewage sludge produced by wastewater treatment plants (WTP) is one of their essential waste streams. Following the conditions set by the new waste legislation, it is clear that some of the existing ways of using and removing CK will no longer be possible, and technologies for its efficient processing are still being sought and verified – optimally in the form of its material use in the sense of its useful properties, i.e. the content of nutrients and organic substances, but possibly also from the point of view of its energy potential.

One of the potential solutions is the thermal processing of sewage sludge into a solid carbonaceous residue/product intended for further use – biochar/biochar. The obtained product then appropriately combines the preservation of the original useful properties and adds a new one – stable carbon with an increased specific/specific surface area.

In the AdMaS Center, a proven technology for the production of a solid carbonaceous product, i.e. biochar/biochar, was processed by the process of microwave torrefaction, i.e. weak microwave pyrolysis, with regard to its material transformation.

 

In cooperation between the research teams of the BUT in Brno and the Czech Technical University in Prague, two useful samples were developed: Substrate for green roofs and Substrate for laying gravel carpets. The technical solutions of both useful samples are based on the use of recycled aggregate and biochar, i.e. pyrolyzed stabilized sewage sludge. The specific recycled material of both types of substrates is biochar. It can be produced in different ways from different organic wastes. In biochar, organic substances are stabilized and when they are added to the soil or substrate, their decomposition is significantly slower than in the case of organic matter that has not been stabilized.

 

You can read the entire article in Energie21 magazine issue 02/2023.

 

 

The addressed sub-project REVOZIM – “Recycling of water and waste within the green infrastructure of cities” aimed to address the needs of smaller cities with up to 10,000 inhabitants. residents and municipalities to comprehensively solve water and waste management and improve the quality of life in accordance with the principles of Smart City and the principles of the circular economy.

Tomáš Chorazy, Michal Novotný, Tomáš Macsek, Petr Hlavínek, Jakub Raček, Brno University of Technology, Faculty of Civil Engineering, AdMaS center, e-mail: chorazy.t@fce.vutbr.cz