During the cold season we tend to spend more time in our warm flats and houses making ourselves comfortable. We at CLIB took this as an opportunity to take a closer look and turn our scientific magnifying glass on the field of sustainable interior design. We wanted to explore in our webinar how innovative materials, design principles, and cross-sector collaboration can shape a more sustainable interior sector, and whether any market-ready solutions exist.
To kick things off, Tatjana Schwabe-Marković and Peter Stoffels introduced the topic and showed how several projects at CLIB currently have an interface with the furniture sector. In addition to the Triple-S project, which specifically considered this area as an interesting interface for biotechnology, the Interreg DE-NL project Realise-Bio touched on the production of sustainable materials and the valorisation of biogenic residues. This is also where the COUNTLESS and LIGNOFUN projects come in, which are specifically dedicated to the valorisation of lignin side streams. Via three innovative processes, numerous prototype applications, and experienced partners along the entire valorisation value chain, these projects will provide lignin-based aromatics for applications such as sustainable adhesives and coatings, as well as flame retardants.
After the introduction, it was time for four presentations from academic research institutes and start-ups.
Wilfried Sailer-Kronlachner presented the activities at Wood K Plus and described the challenges and quality requirements involved in the search for new bio-based binders and adhesives in wood panel production. He also presented the efforts of the SUSBIND and SUSBOARD projects, which are investigating 100% bio-based and formaldehyde-free alternatives to fossil amines in adhesives based on surplus sugars.
The start-up Eudemia was part of a pilot project in Realise-Bio and worked on producing modular and fully compostable furniture from bio-based side streams. In their presentation, Chris Baumhöer and Jonas Finkeldei presented their vision of furniture design that is circular from the outset and showed how clever design decisions and the right material partnerships can meet these criteria.
Annalisa Moru from Squim presented MOGU, a composite based on fungal mycelium that can be used for interior design products and architectural surfaces. As mycelium composites, these products are not only extremely variable in growth and form but can also be tailor-made for a wide range of applications based on bio-based materials.
Finally, Andreja Kutnar from the New European Bauhaus Academy and the InnoRenew CoE introduced wood adhesives and their role in interior design. She pointed out that when using wood as a construction material, obvious fire safety regulations must be followed. These include the use of fire retardants, which are based on ammonium polyphosphate. While this meets the safety regulations, unexpected side effects marring the visual aspect of interior design can occur: wood veneers can change colour. She emphasized the need for better interaction and collaboration, but also for an approach where the risk in using new materials is shared and covered by all actors – architects, construction companies, and insurers.
Many thanks to all participants and especially to the speakers for this excellent webinar.