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