LIFE and Resource Efficiency

LIFE and resource efficiency
Decoupling growth from resource use

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use
European Commission
Environment Directorate-General
LIFE (“The Financial Instrument for the Environment”) is a programme launched by the European Commission and co-ordinated by
the Environment Directorate-General (LIFE Units - E.3. and E.4.).
The contents of the publication “LIFE and Resource Efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use” do not necessarily reflect the
opinions of the institutions of the European Union.
Authors: Gabriella Camarsa (Environment expert), Justin Toland, Eamon O’Hara, Tim Hudson, Wendy Jones, Ed Thorpe, Christophe
Thévignot (AEIDL, Communications Team Coordinator). Managing Editor: Hervé Martin, European Commission, Environment DG,
LIFE E.4 – BU-9, 02/1, 200 rue de la Loi, B-1049 Brussels. LIFE Focus series coordination: Simon Goss (LIFE Communications
Coordinator), Evelyne Jussiant (DG Environment Communications Coordinator). Technical assistance: Audrey Thénard, Nicolas
Tavitian, Agnese Roccato (Astrale GEIE). The following people also worked on this issue: Alban De Villepin, Federico Nogara,
Simona Bacchereti, Santiago Urquijo-Zamora, Sylvie Ludain (Environment DG, LIFE Environment and Eco-innovation Unit), Carina
Vopel, Jonathan Murphy (Environment DG, Communication Unit), Robin Miege (Environment DG, Green Week Task Force).
Production: Monique Braem (AEIDL). Graphic design: Daniel Renders, Anita Cortés (AEIDL). Photos database: Sophie Brynart.
Acknowledgements: Thanks to all LIFE project beneficiaries who contributed comments, photos and other useful material for this
report. Photos: Unless otherwise specified; photos are from the respective projects.
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Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2011
ISBN 978-92-79-19764-2
ISSN 1725-5619
doi:10.2779/74370
© European Union, 2011

Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged.
Printed in Belgium
Printed on recycled paper awarded the EU Ecolabel

FOREWORD
R esource efficiency is a cross-cutting issue that affects our daily lives and economy. We rely
on natural resources to provide us with shelter, food, employment, quality of life and a host of
other services. In order to protect the long-term availability of these resources, we need to take care
to use them wisely in sustainable ways. For this to happen, new approaches are required, approaches
that need to involve long-term considerations aimed at achieving a better balance between economic,
environmental and social interests.
Hervé Martin
The LIFE Programme has been at the forefront of such moves to promote more resource efficient
Head of Unit – LIFE Environment
and Eco-innovation solutions for today’s environmental challenges, and a large portfolio of good practices in this area has
Directorate-General for
been gathered by LIFE since its launch in 1992. A sample of some of these approaches is highlighted
the Environment,
European Commission in the following LIFE Focus brochure, which presents some of the practical actions being implemented
throughout the EU.
Topics featured in the brochure span the full sustainable development spectrum and aim to illustrate
how LIFE’s broad remit is able to assist a multitude of different environmental activities in a variety of
different contexts. Public, private and voluntary sector organisations throughout Europe have all used
LIFE co-finance for good effect and the results of their efforts are explained in the following articles.
Over 120 LIFE projects are featured, which demonstrates the critical mass of knowledge that is held
by the Programme in key fields such as waste management techniques, water conservation methods,
energy efficiency options, and lower impact transport. Between them, the LIFE projects that are spot-
lighted in this brochure offer many opportunities for readers to build their own capacity for helping to
shape and safeguard a more resource efficient future for Europe.
R esource efficiency has a central part to play in Europe’s 2020 strategy for growth and jobs, and
accordingly the European Commission is launching a number of far-reaching new initiatives
in this area. But for many of Europe’s front-runners, greening our society is already a reality: not only
governments and large companies, but local actors and small innovative companies too are commit-
ted to the idea, whose strength often comes from the grassroots level. Businesses and organisations
have understood that improving efficiency and innovative products, processes and business models
Robin Miège affords valuable opportunities for increased productivity and growth.
Green Week Task Force
Directorate-General for While individual companies and organisations can often achieve simple gains in efficiency without
the Environment
massive investment, making sure that good innovative ideas actually reach the market can require
European Commission
substantial funds. The LIFE+ programme can play a key role here, helping ensure that a shift to a
resource efficient Europe becomes a reality, and acting to relieve or prevent future scarcities of essential
resources such as energy and water. I am pleased to be able to say that by providing real-life solutions
to real-world problems, the best LIFE practices featured in this brochure are an important inspiration
for policymakers, and that moreover, these examples reflect areas where we are considering future
policy action.
A solution to a problem is merely anecdotal, unless the message can be shared. But when best prac-
tices become better known, major changes can result. That’s why communication has always had a key
role to play in LIFE – and why publications such as this are so important for policymakers and actors
on the ground. This LIFE Focus publication is only one part of LIFE outreach – check out the 2011
Green Week conference and exhibition, and the LIFE and Green Week websites for more examples of
good practices being shared.

CONTENTS
Introduction......................... 3 Water efficiency................. 29 Food and beverage

resource efficiency............. 51
Building a resource Water - an essential
efficient Europe.....................3 component of LIFE............. 29 LIFE turns food for
thought into action..............51
Production processes........... 5 Sustainable transport......... 33
Agriculture and ecosystem
LIFE producing resource A cleaner and more
services.............................. 55
efficient industrial growth......5 efficient transport system....33
LIFE aids agriculture to pre-
MEIGLASS brings
Energy efficient buildings... 37 serve resources ..................55
new LIFE to waste glass ....10
LIFE helps boosts the Conservation agriculture
energy efficiency of EU reduces soil erosion in
Eco-products and
building stock......................37 Andalusian wetlands...........59
eco-design......................... 13
Taking the risk out of
LIFE conserving resources in
resource efficiency Green Public Procurement
product design, production,
investments.........................41 and Green Skills................. 62
use and disposal.................13
LIFE shows the
LIFE helps drive greener Fish and marine environmental benefits
tyre making..........................18 resources............................ 43 of GPP.................................62
Protecting Europe’s fisheries
Lifecycle thinking............... 21 Project list.......................... 64
and marine resources . .......43
Lifecycle thinking - a key
No discards, zero waste......46
thought of LIFE....................21
Available LIFE Environment
ACADEMY: managing Land use and planning....... 49 publications....................... 69
the lifecycle of complex
Planning for a more resource
products..............................26
efficient European
landscape............................49

Building a resource
INTRODUCTION
efficient Europe
The concept of resource efficiency emphasises a need to use the Earth’s limited
resources in a sustainable manner. For Europe to have a vibrant economy and a high
quality of life, we need a sustainable base of raw materials and resources. However,
our economic growth patterns continue to exert increasing pressures on EU resource
bases. As such it is becoming more and more important that we improve our ability to
live, produce and consume within the limits of our ecosystem.
T he EU’s Europe 2020 Strategy for

growth sets the priority of moving
to a more resource efficient, green and
affects all aspects of our daily lives.
Hence, coordination is needed at EU
level as well as in Member States at
tainable resource use habits. Resource
efficiency is as relevant for Europe’s
urban areas as it is to rural communities
competitive economy. Under the Europe national, regional and local levels. Prac- and the wider countryside. Everyone is
2020 strategy, the Flagship Initiative for a tical action at Member State level will be affected by the environmental challenges
resource efficient Europe has been intro- particularly important and the subsidiarity that we face and everyone can make
duced to help the EU achieve sustainable principle remains essential to ensure that their own positive contributions to help
growth by ‘decoupling’ economic growth appropriate solutions are put in place at achieve the Flagship’s goals.
from increasing resource use. appropriate times, in appropriate ways,
in appropriate places. Uptake of these resource efficient
The Flagship Initiative sets out a vision approaches can be assisted by raising
for a more resource-efficient economy by Empowering the participation of private awareness of the long-term benefits that
2050. It proposes new policy initiatives sector stakeholders, citizens, consumers are possible from adopting sustainable
that will stimulate greater innovation for and NGOs is also fundamental for turn- approaches. There are many examples
short-term and long-term economic and ing around Europe’s increasingly unsus- of how the wise use of environmental
environmental benefits. It also allows
for the development of a set of tools
The LIFE programme has a long track record of innovative approaches for building
for policymakers to drive and monitor a resource efficient Europe
progress.
The Flagship recognises that resource

efficiency is a cross-cutting issue that
COM (2010) 2020 Communication from the

Commissions Europe 2020 – A strategy for
smart, sustainable and inclusive growth
COM (2011) 21 final A resource-efficient
Europe – Flagship Initiative under the Europe
2020 strategy
The proposals that have been adopted
are: Energy 2020: A strategy for competitive,
sustainable and secure energy, Energy infra-
structure priorities for 2020 and beyond – A
Blueprint for an integrated European energy
network and Tackling the challenges in com-
modity markets and on raw materials
The Flagship Initiative for a resource effi-
cient Europe provides a long-term framework
for actions in many policy areas, supporting
policy agendas for climate change, energy,
transport, industry, raw materials, agriculture,
fisheries, biodiversity and regional develop-
ment. Links to the key proposals can be
found at http://ec.europa.eu/resource-effi-
cient-europe/

assets can strengthen the resilience of This will require a mix of instruments that energy, transport, industry and agricul-
INTRODUCTION
our economies and secure growth and act together in complementary ways to ture are all also needed to facilitate the
jobs by boosting competitiveness. At help increase the stability and security resource efficiency Flagship objectives.
the same time, resource efficiency has of energy supplies whilst halting energy Eco-innovations not only come from
been shown to help drive down costs, production systems that impact most technological advances, but by apply-
improve productivity, stimulate innova- negatively on the environment. Waste ing new business models and novel
tion, and support employment, espe- minimisation is also seen as central to ways of thinking.
cially in growth areas such as the ‘green the EU’s resource efficiency agenda. By
technology’ sector. increasing recycling rates the pressure Incentives can further assist a speedy
on primary raw materials will reduce. uptake of these multi-level structural
Timing for wider adoption of resource Furthermore, improved waste manage- changes in consumer behaviour and pro-
efficient principles is important as pres- ment systems can ensure that valuable duction patterns. Incentives can come in
sures on our resources rise in line with materials are reused, thereby reduc- different forms and more policy empha-
increases in wealth and population ing energy consumption and green- sis on measures that ensure commodity
growth in an ever industrialising world. house gas emissions from extraction prices reflect the “full cost of resource
This is one of the core global challenges and processing. use to society” will help market forces
that must be faced now. If we do not act promote resource efficiency.
assertively in the present the problems Other pieces of the resource efficiency
will be exacerbated and tackling them jigsaw relate to industry and consumers. Resource efficient LIFE
will become even more difficult in the These primary stakeholders need to be projects
future. mobilised to make them less dependant
on the availability of certain resources The LIFE programme has a long track
Action on all levels and so less vulnerable to supply con- record of pioneering effective approaches
straints and volatile market prices. Attrac- for building a resource efficient Europe.
Recognising the multi-level complex- tive alternatives are required to convert LIFE has generated a vast portfolio of
ity of resource efficiency, the Flagship’s this rhetoric into reality and stakeholders know-how in resource efficiency meth-
mandate stretches across a far reaching need to possess the capacity to make ods for a diverse range of beneficiaries.
remit of material resources, including the necessary changes.
metals, minerals, food and feed, air, soil, LCA approaches, skills transfers and
water, biomass and ecosystems. Lifecycle analysis (LCA) can help make eco-innovations feature prominently in
products and services more ‘material LIFE’s wide-ranging portfolio, which con-
Some of the main objectives refer to efficient’ by reducing energy demands tinues to find new ways of lightening and
enhanced energy efficiency. Here the and lowering raw material inputs. Tech- lessening our environmental footprints
Flagship aims to achieve a transition to nological improvements, via eco-inno- in order to achieve a more resource effi-
a resource and carbon efficient society. vations, in high impact sectors such as cient Europe.
LIFE projects have developed techniques that increase recycling rates, thereby reducing pressure on primary raw materials Photo: Justin Toland and LIFE06 ENV/IT/000332

LIFE producing resource

efficient industrial
growth
Policy on resources needs to take account of the value chain and the full lifecycle of
resource use. How products are produced is a key part of this. The LIFE programme
has been at the forefront of efforts to implement resource efficient and innovative pro-
duction processes at all stages of the lifecycle, from extraction to end-of-life.
O ver the past 10 years resource

productivity has improved 2.2%
per year. This is largely due to efficiency
include actions to address resource
efficiency.
Water efficient
manufacturing
improvements in production, as well as Effective planning of production proc- For instance, tightening water supply,
the increasing role of services in the esses can ensure that a range of caused by competition for water, could
economy. However, market rewards for resources are used more effectively. mean disruption of production processes
production changes and further impetus Resource efficient production is not or higher input costs, with severe eco-
to resource efficient and eco-innova- merely desirable, however: it is becom- nomic damage. This highlights the vital
tive production processes are needed ing increasingly essential. importance of water efficiency in produc-
to reduce dependency on raw materials tion processes, something that the LIFE
and to encourage optimal resource use LIFE funding has helped resource efficiency
programme has helped implement across
and recycling. in production processes across a wide a wide range of industrial sectors.
range of industrial sectors
The European Commission proposes a The ‘wet process’ stages of textiles pro-
Photo: LIFE99 ENV/IT/000034
fresh approach to industrial policy that duction are extremely water intensive
puts competitiveness and sustainabil- (typically requiring 4 litres/kg of fabric
ity centre stage. “The whole value and produced) and generating large volumes
supply chain must be considered, from of discharged wastewater. Treatment and
access to energy and raw materials to reuse of this water would not only reduce
after-sale services and the recycling stress on water resources for industry,
of materials.” The upcoming review it could also increase the availability of
of the Sustainable Consumption and drinking water in some areas. Since most
Production and Sustainable Industry textiles producers are small and medium-
Policy Action Plan foreseen in 2012 will sized enterprises, they often lack the
COM(2008) 397 final on the Sustainable Water Conservation in Textile Industry,

Consumption and Production and Sustainable Muhammad Ayaz Shaikh, Assistant Profes-
Industrial Policy Action Plan sor, College of Textile Engineering, SFDAC

resources to implement state-of-the-art

PRODUCTION PROCESSES
environmental procedures. However,

several LIFE projects have shown how
this can be achieved.
In Italy, the PROWATER project (LIFE04

ENV/IT/000583) developed prototypes
for effluent treatment and reuse in pilot
sites at four textiles plants. Wastewa-
ter was treated using physical-chemi-
cal processes (coagulation and lamel-
lar sedimentation or flotation) and
innovative membrane technologies.
These techniques exceeded targets for
removal of surfactants (62%, against a
target of 50%) and colour (98%, against
a target of 85%), whilst also meeting
targets for the removal of other pollut-
Photo: LIFE05 ENV/E/000285
ants, such as chemical oxygen demand

(COD) and total suspended solids
(TSS). The treated wastewater was then
reused in production processes includ-
ing fabrics softening, reducing overall
water consumption by 40%. If imple- The LIFE RESITEX project demonstrated how water savings can be achieved in the
mented across Europe on an industrial textile sector
scale, the PROWATER team calculates
potential water savings of 44 million A subsequent Italian textiles sec- ried out to ascertain which effluents were
m3/yr. The technology can also reduce tor project, BATTLE (LIFE05 ENV/ potentially reusable and which were not.
costs and has a payback time of five IT/000846), attempted to design and Based on this analysis, the most cost-
years. Enhanced cost effectiveness will demonstrate a new best available tech- efficient technology for water reclamation
help generate new employment oppor- nique (BAT) for efficient wastewater was selected and different water reuse
tunities for European industries and reuse in the textile industry. An analysis schemes were designed for cost/benefit
also improve competitiveness against of production processes at Stamperia comparisons. A pilot plant was then con-
low-wage textile producing countries di Martinengo, a medium-sized textile structed to demonstrate the applicability
and enhance green credentials. finishing factory in Lombardy, was car- of the technologies in practice. This plant
treated some 500 m3/day of process efflu-
ents, producing 374 m3/day of recovered
The HAGAR project reduced consumption of high-quality water for the marble extraction
water on average. Most significantly, the
industry in Hebron
project’s findings also fed into the proc-
Photo: LIFE05 TCY/GA/000115
ess for developing new BREF reference

guidelines for the textiles sector, helping
improve water efficiency across the EU.
Efficient water use was just one aspect of

LIFE RESITEX (LIFE05 ENV/E/000285),
a Spanish textiles industry project that
developed and tested best available
techniques (BAT) for waste management
that could be applied to all textiles sub-
sectors. The key output of the project
was a guidebook: “Procedure for Waste
Management in the Textile Sector”, which
provided advice on good management
practices (e.g. how water savings can be
made by moving from light to dark colours
during a production cycle); selection and
substitution of chemicals; equipment and
new technologies; and ways of minimis-

Significant reductions in the use of chemicals, water and energy were achieved in the tanning sector thanks to the N.E.S.S project
ing resources and making use of recycling The plant now discharges 8 000 m3/day aims to demonstrate the effectiveness
opportunities (including guidance on how of wastewater that can be recycled and of replacing polluting and potentially
to recover and reuse printing pastes or used in agriculture and industry. carcinogenic chrome tannage with an
rinsing water and how to use biological environmentally friendly ‘oxazolidine’
sludge on agricultural land). The N.E.S.S. project (LIFE04 ENV/ tanning agent combined with other veg-
IT/000414) implemented process etable or synthetic agents. The project
The guidebook developed by the RESI- improvements at a factory in Italy spe- will promote its ‘chrome-free’ leathers to
TEX project will help Europe’s textiles cialising in the skin finishing stage of the tanning, footwear and upholstery com-
SMEs reduce their waste, and keep tanning production cycle, drawing on the panies in Spain, Italy and Slovenia.
costs down while complying with envi- BAT developed by the earlier LIFE GIADA
ronmental legislation, something that will project (LIFE00 ENV/IT/000184). The Resource efficiency from
be increasingly important as the sector redesigned finishing line achieved signifi- beginning to end-of-life
faces greater competition from low-wage cant reductions in the use of chemicals
producers in China and India. (95% - and consequently a 28% reduc- There is a window of opportunity for
tion in emissions of volatile organic com- the EU to influence production and
Helping leather look pounds), water (up to 75%) and electric- resource standards in developing coun-
better ity (up to 95%), as well as in the amount tries through EU market compliance
of waste sludge generated (up to 98%). standards. This obliges countries aim-
The same could also be said of the Working conditions were also improved ing to enter the EU market to comply
leather/tanneries industry which, with thanks to noise abatement measures with these standards. LIFE, through its
LIFE’s assistance, has begun taking (cutting acoustic pollution by 85%) and Third Countries strand, has provided an
steps to decouple its resource use from the introduction of water-based, rather impetus towards this goal. For instance,
its economic growth. Improving water than solvent-based colours. Finally, the the HAGAR project in Gaza (LIFE05
efficiency was again the goal of a LIFE process improvements also reduced TCY/GA/000115) worked closely with
project in Lorca, Murcia (LIFE02 ENV/ operating costs and the time required the Italian marble industry to estab-
E/000216), where some 40% of Spanish for skin finishing. lish new environmental procedures in
leather production takes place. LIFE sup- Hebron municipality and address prob-
port enabled the construction of a bio- A current LIFE Environment project in lems associated with the treatment of
logical water treatment plant that used Spain (LIFE08/ENV/E/000140) is simi- debris, sludge and water from marble
ultra-filtration and reverse osmosis tech- larly implementing process improve- extraction. Measures such as the con-
niques to bring tannery effluent within ments that should make more efficient struction of a prototype plant for recy-
legal limits and enable its safe disposal. use of resources. The OXATAN project cling industrial wastewater and separat-

Photo: LIFE02 ENV/UK/000140

The INWATCO project developed innovative techniques and a Good Practice Guide for integrated management of groundwater, which
are important tools for implementing the EU Water Framework Directive
ing calcium carbonate have contributed regions of Europe where coalfield drain- gains at the initial phase of production
to a reduction in the consumption of age is a major consideration and has (extraction). Yet, equally LIFE is playing
high-quality water, as well as limiting attracted widespread interest. its part in the development of a resource
pollution in soil and underground reser- efficient economy based around recy-
voirs from the stone sludge. Poor materials management leads to cling and reuse of end-of-life products.
significant wastage in the economy, The OXATAN project is one good exam-
Another LIFE project that tackled the with great economic cost. Improving ple of this; another is ELVES (LIFE05
environmental impacts of extraction material efficiency requires lifecycle ENV/E/000317), a Spanish project
industries was INWATCO in the UK and value chain perspectives. We have that developed a system for separat-
(LIFE02 ENV/UK/000140), which dem- already seen how the LIFE programme ing metal alloys from end-of-life vehi-
onstrated and evaluated innovative is helping to realise resource efficiency cle (ELV) engines and reusing them in
techniques and procedures for inte-
grated management of groundwater INWATCO demonstrated that groundwater systems that interact with mine workings can
resources in former coal mining areas. be managed to ensure good water quality
A river basin catchment-scale demon-
stration project took place in Wake-

field (UK), with supporting activities in
Romania, to assess the applicability of
the project methodology to all major
European coal mining regions. Data
from INWATCO’s comprehensive water
sampling and analysis programme were
used to evaluate potential minewater
management options and the relation-
ship between minewater systems and
the wider surface water and groundwa-
ter content. This information fed into
a Good Practice Guide on integrated
water resource management in former
coal mining regions. The guide is an
important tool for implementing the EU
Water Framework Directive in the many

kcal/tonne of product, a massive con-
tribution to resource efficiency.
LIFE continues to work to improve the

energy efficiency of other areas of the
metals industry and elsewhere, for
instance, by helping companies develop
new, energy and resource efficient prod-
ucts that could lead to widespread proc-
ess improvements. The LIFE Green Bear-
ings project (LIFE06 ENV/NL/000176)
is just one example. An estimated 50
billion bearings are installed in machin-

ery worldwide. This means that even
small frictional power savings per bear-
ing amount to enormous global - and
European - power savings. LIFE Green
Bearings introduced thin film lubrication,
lightweight polymers and improved seal
‘Chrome-free’ leathers for tanning, footwear and upholstery companies in Spain, Italy and technologies (e.g. hard seal coating) to
Slovenia will be produced by the OXATAN project deliver energy reductions of 30-70%,
depending on the bearing and load.
new auto parts and engines. A facility an innovative cold-drawing system for Project beneficiary SKF calculates that
capable of treating 33 000 tonnes/yr of the production of steel wire rod that has a 50% implementation of its Energy
ELV engines with 99% efficiency was drastically cut energy consumption and Efficient Bearings among existing cus-
built, kickstarting a new market in the the production of dangerous chemical tomers would reduce energy consump-
process. The LIFE co-funded factory is wastes. If the techniques developed by tion by 4 000 GWh/yr and disposal of
able to recover more than 5 100 tonnes this LIFE Environment “Best of the Best” waste lubricants by 4 million tonnes/yr in
of aluminium per year, decreasing EU project 2008-2009 were implemented Europe. The substantial energy savings,
dependence on foreign raw material throughout Italy, a country that proc- reduction of lubricant use and increase
imports as a result. esses 1.7 million tonnes/yr of steel wire of product longevity are also calculated
rod, it would lead to environmental sav- to bring economic benefits to customers
The benefits of energy ings of 72 000 tonnes/yr of water con- in less than five years.
efficiency sumption; 6 400 tonnes/yr of sulphuric
acid and 1 900 tonnes/yr of hydrochlo-
A part of a machine designed to reduce
Improving the energy efficiency of pro- ric acid production, and a reduction in friction between moving parts or to support
duction processes has been one of the energy consumption of some 430 000 moving loads.
success stories of the LIFE programme,
particularly for the most energy-inten- Energy Efficient Bearings could reduce energy consumption by 4 000 GWh/yr and disposal
sive sectors such as the metals indus- of waste lubricants by 4 million tonnes/yr in Europe
try. For instance INCOCAST (LIFE05
Photo: LIFE06 ENV/NL/000176
ENV/D/000185), a “Best” LIFE Envi-

ronment project for 2007-2008, sought
to demonstrate the effectiveness of
an alternative process to the cold-box
technique used by most foundries for
casting aluminium. The project signifi-
cantly reduced energy consumption,
emissions, deposits and wastewater
through its ‘inorganic warm box’ cast-
ing technique and laid the foundations
for the future use of this method in the
mass production of more resource effi-
cient aluminium engine blocks and cyl-
inder heads.
The Italian New ESD project (LIFE04

ENV/IT/000598) developed and tested
10
MEIGLASS brings new LIFE

to waste glass
This groundbreaking Italian LIFE project has established the first factory in Europe tur-
ning the unwanted waste fraction of recycled glass bottles into raw materials for the
glass container, ceramics and bricks industries.
R ecycling of glass bottles is now

a long-established practice in
Europe. Yet the average citizen is prob-
centage is likely to increase as the hollow
glass industry demands oven-ready cullet
that will enable it to produce containers
ence processing mined minerals, in 2003
the Italian company SASIL SpA began
trials of a new process that promised to
ably unaware that recycled glass produc- with even greater resistance to thermal revolutionise the raw material use of the
ers also generate significant waste. Some shock and mechanical stresses. “If the glass container industry, with significant
23-25% of glass from public collection glass industry wants better quality cullet it resource efficiencies all round.
points is rejected by the glass container has to reject more,” says Dr. Piero Ercole,
industry and sent to landfill because of scientific and technical director of the As project manager Paolo Bertuzzi
impurities in the cullet (the technical name MEIGLASS project and president of ATIV, explains, SASIL’s aim was to clean the
for crushed waste glass that is ready to be the Italian technical association of glass reject cullet and then grind and sieve it
remelted into new bottles etc). This per- producers. Drawing on its long experi- into pieces of 70-800 microns (0.07-0.8
mm) – so called ‘glassy sand’ – which
Project manager Paolo Bertuzzi explains more about LIFE MEIGLASS could be melted without problems during
glass container manufacturing.
Photo: Justin Toland
With the support of LIFE, SASIL was

able to invest in upgrades to its facility in
Brusnengo, Piedmont, that would allow
it to implement its new process on an
industrial scale. LIFE co-funding was to
be invested in three areas: a wastewater
treatment plant; a pyrolysis plant gener-
ating heat and power from waste plastic
separated from the dirty cullet during
glassy sand manufacturing; and in prod-
uct development and testing.
SASIL’s new water purification plant

offers significant resource efficiencies,
11
Less resources, more
quality
LIFE MEIGLASS has generated sig-

nificant environmental benefits. These
include a reduction in the amount of
cullet going to landfill of some 20 truck
loads per day (from 25% to 2%). The
180 000 tonnes/yr of waste cullet now
reused by SASIL means that 300 000

tonnes/yr less material needs to be
mined for the glass container industry, a
significant raw material saving. Further-
more, every tonne of glassy sand used
Washing is one part of the process of turning reject cullet into glassy sand
in the furnace saves 300 kg of CO2. This
means in 2008, SASIL helped the con-
as it allows the company to recycle 90% another example of the resource effi- tainer industry avoid generating 43 500
of its process water, greatly reducing ciency of the MEIGLASS process, since tonnes of CO2, equivalent to taking 26
the need for fresh water during glassy it is made up of pieces of less than 70 000 cars with a Euro 4 engine off the
sand manufacturing (just 10% of the microns which would float on the surface road for a year.
process water - lost through evapora- and reflect heat if melted in a furnace for
tion - must be replaced). glassmaking. Instead, these fine gran- Other benefits of using glassy sand
ules are separated by an air stream and include the fact that it has a chemical
Following teething problems with the mixed with feldspar for sale to the ceram- oxygen demand (COD) 10 times lower
initial design, SASIL plans to start up its ics industry, where they are used as an than standard furnace-ready cullet (a
pyrolysis plant in 2011. The oil and the gas alkali carrier. A further 5% of production, a COD of 100 mg/l as opposed to 1 000
generated by the low temperature plant water suspension of very fine sand mixed mg/l) and 25 times lower than that of the
(450-500° C ) will feed a turbine that will with clay, is sold to the brick industry. cullet rejects.
generate 2 MW of heat for SASIL’s drying
processes and 1 MW of electric power. The process is very flexible, allowing Increasing the quantity of glassy sand
SASIL to change the ratios of glassy and has also been found to reduce the energy
Most significantly though, LIFE support ceramic sand in line with market needs. consumption in the furnace per kilo of
has been used to optimise the technical The company is also building on the LIFE glass produced by some 5%. “The melt-
quality not only of glassy sand, but also MEIGLASS project by investigating the ing furnace’s specific energy consump-
of two other products generated by the possibility of mixing the fine particles tion is reduced by about 0.67% for each
process of cleaning and grinding of dirty (under 70 microns) with larger granules percentage of glassy sand used instead
cullet - ‘ceramic sand’ and ‘brick sand’. to allow even more cullet to be returned of natural raw materials,” notes Dr. Ercole.
Ceramic sand, which accounts for some to the glass industry. The first test results Furthermore, as Mr. Bertuzzi indicates,
25% of the output of SASIL’s plant, is are “very promising” says Dr. Ercole. “decreasing the amount of ceramic
stones is a big challenge for glass fac-
Project beneficiary SASIL SpA is capable of producing up to 200 000 tonnes/yr of glassy tories - with glassy sand they obtain this
sand for the glass bottle industry effect.” Trials show that with 3% glassy
sand and 47% furnace-ready cullet,
there were an average of 0.24 ceramic

stones/tonne of glass pulled; when the
mix was changed to 18% glassy sand
and 32% furnace-ready cullet, the ratio
of stones dropped to 0.09/tonne of glass
pulled.
Significantly, tests have shown that

glassy sand can also improve the quality
of glass containers. Results from the field
indicate that when 25% glassy sand is
used in the batch, the internal pressure
resistance of bottles is 9% higher under
the same thermal and forming condi-
tions. “Glassy sand also enables better
12
let to improve its properties and allow

colour separation of glass (which does

not happen at source in Italy). In addi-
tion, one of SASIL’s existing customers
is now aiming to recover civil demolition
waste glass and car windscreens and
use glassy sand to produce flat glass.
“This is a very important development,”
says Dr Ercole. “Very little flat glass is
recycled today.”
SASIL is looking to develop other, new,

resource efficient products and proc-
esses from waste glass. Now, with
further support from LIFE, the NOVEDI
project (LIFE07/ENV/IT/000361) sees
With LIFE support, SASIL SpA has established the first plant in Europe capable of the company in the process of devel-
generating new raw materials from waste cullet oping a lightweight insulation material
made from art and mosaic glass, light
control of oxy-reduction reactions and at events in Croatia, Finland and even bulbs, cathode ray tubes and compu-
consequent higher consistency both in Vietnam (by project partner Joanneum ter screens, all forms of glass that can-
colour and in infrared light absorption,” Research), as well as in Italy. “Other not be used to make glass containers
explains Dr. Ercole. The result, he says, is firms can learn from how SASIL per- because of their high lead and fluorine
that “there is more consistent behaviour suaded the glass industry of the benefits content.
of the glass in forming processes thanks of glassy sand,” believes Dr. Ercole.
to the improved chemical and thermal With the VALIRE project to recycle
homogeneity.” As a sign of its success, sales of glassy incinerator residues into high-value
sand have increased from 6 235 tonnes building materials (LIFE08/ENV/
Spreading the message in 2003 to 144 337 tonnes in 2008, and IT/000421) also in the pipeline, SASIL
SASIL’s factory is today capable of pro- is showing just how far it is possible to
Results of the MEIGLASS project have ducing 200 000 tonnes/yr. The company take resource efficiency in manufactur-
been widely disseminated, with sev- is also looking to extend its resource ing. As CEO Lodovico Ramon is keen
eral articles in technical journals and efficient process into new areas, includ- to stress: “Waste is the raw material of
local newspapers, and presentations ing the washing of furnace-ready cul- the future.”
After MEIGLASS, NOVEDI: Paolo Bertuzzi shows off a display about SASIL’s latest LIFE
project
ITALY
Project number: LIFE06 ENV/IT/000332
Title: Minimising the Environmental Impact
of GLASS recycling and glass container
production
Beneficiary: SASIL SpA
Contact: Paolo Bertuzzi
Email: cbertuzzi@sasil-life.com
Website: http://www.sasil-life.com/
Period: Dec-2005 to Dec-2009
Total budget: e6 065 000
LIFE contribution: e1 144 000
13
LIFE conserving resources

in product design,
production, use and
disposal
Current patterns of consumption and production have significant environmental
impacts, including the emission of greenhouse gases, pollution and the depletion of
natural resources. Much can be done to make consumption and production in Europe
more resource efficient. LIFE has an important role to play in supporting EU actions
and proposals to improve the environmental performance of products and to stimulate
demand for more sustainable goods and production technologies.
I t is estimated that over 80% of

all product-related environmen-
tal impacts are determined during the
Plan (July 2008) provides a framework to
improve the energy and environmental
performance of products and to help
As many of the following LIFE project
examples show, the efficient use of
resources (whether for production, use
design phase of a product. Against this consumers make better choices. Build- or disposal) can be good for business
background, eco-design aims to reduce ing on earlier EU policies and initiatives, as well as for the environment, particu-
the environmental impacts of products, it includes extensions to the scope of the larly as the global market for environ-
including energy consumption, through- Eco-design and Labelling directives and mental industries is expected to grow
out their entire lifecycle. Ecolabel Regulation, as well as significant to €200 billion by 2020.
revisions to the voluntary eco-manage-
Apart from changing the user’s behaviour, ment and audit scheme (EMAS II). Saving energy … and
there are two ways of reducing the energy valuable resources
consumed in products: labelling to raise A European Commission review of the
consumer awareness of the real energy Action Plan is expected in 2012, includ- LIFE has provided financial support to
use in order to influence buying decisions, ing assessment of the new Eco-design enterprises across Europe seeking to
such as labelling schemes for domestic Directive (2009/125/EC), which has been explore more energy and resource efficient
appliances; and energy-efficiency require- extended so that it covers not only energy- production methods and processes.
ments imposed on products from the using products (EuPs) on the EU market,
early stage of the design phase. such as computers, televisions, boilers,
and industrial fans; but also energy-related
EU action products (adding products that don’t con-
sume energy during use, but have an indi- 1 http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleases
Action.do?reference=MEMO/08/
The EU’s Sustainable Consumption and rect impact on energy consumption, such 507&format=HTML&aged=0&language=
Production / Sustainable Industries Action as taps and window frames). EN&guiLanguage=en
14
strated that small quantities (1-10%) of

ECO PRODUCTS AND ECO DESIGN
sludge from wastewater treatment plants

could be mixed with the clay material
traditionally used to produce bricks.
According to the project beneficiary, the
concept, which replaces conventional
gas-fired boilers with biomass heaters,
could result in 6% potential net energy
savings for the ceramics sector.
Two other ongoing projects targeting,

respectively, the greening of window-
making and the cleaning sector, are

also looking to substantially reduce
their use of natural resources. The Slov-
enian UNISASH project (LIFE07 ENV/
SLO/007100) is aiming to develop a new
type of environmentally friendly manu-
An Italian LIFE project, EWG, developed a technology to decorate ceramic tiles that facturing process suitable for PVC, wood
reduces wasted glaze and energy consumption and aluminium windows. It is aiming to
reduce consumption of raw materials by
20-35% per unit. This should equate to
The ceramics sector, where the finish- ceramic tiles that cut energy consumption energy savings of 20-40% per unit. Cost
ing process in particular is associated in half, eliminated the need for water and savings from these environmental ben-
with significant environmental damage, reduced to zero any resultant pollution. efits are also expected through reduced
has been the focus of several successful production costs.
LIFE projects. The Italian EWG project, Energy efficiencies were also shown by
(LIFE04 ENV/IT/000589) demonstrated Eco-Ceramics, (LIFE05 ENV/E/000301), The French CISDP project (LIFE08 ENV/
a new clean technology for the decora- as part of its innovative waste manage- F/000481) is promoting the implementa-
tion of ceramics on flat and textured sur- ment concept targeting the re-use of tion of a sustainable development pro-
faces using a soft roll that is able to adapt sludge as a raw material for the structural gramme for the country’s cleaning com-
itself to the surface’s shape. A pilot plant ceramics industry. The project demon- panies. The programme contains more
reduced wasted glazes by 98% and
waste caused by printing faults by 8%. A manufacturing process for PVC, wood and aluminium windows that reduces raw materials
Its implementation generated a reduction consumption is currently being demonstrated by the Slovenian UNISASH project
in energy consumption of up to 76%.
Photo: LIFE07 ENV/SLO/007100
Another cleantech project in this sector,

Microfinishing (LIFE02 ENV/IT/000052)
developed a new, dry finishing process for
2 A Best LIFE Environment Project winner

2006-07
15
than 50 concrete actions targeting the

conservation of natural resources and
preservation of the environment through
reduced water consumption and pollu-
tion, less waste and improved recycling.
Furthermore, 50% of all employees will
receive training thus creating green skills
in this sector.
Energy-efficiencies
In refrigeration
Domestic fridges and freezers have

increased in energy efficiency by more
than 40% in the past decade or so,
thanks in part to the introduction of the
Energy Label Directive (92/75/EEC).
Photo: LIFE05 ENV/DK/000156
However, the commercial world has been

slow to make the same advances.
The Austrian PROCOOL project, (LIFE03

ENV/A/000002) organised a Europe-
wide competition among manufacturers
to promote innovation and show that
With CO2REF, energy consumption of refrigeration units is 4% lower than with an HFC
hydrofluorocarbons (HFC)-free, energy-
system
efficient and cost-effective commercial
appliances can be successfully pro-
duced. Entrants were set strict criteria, which included recycling potential and Reducing waste
repair-orientated designs. and emissions
3 A Best LIFE Environment project winner
2007-08 Eight leading manufacturers, repre- As well as demonstrating resource and
senting 30% of the European market, energy efficiencies, many innovative LIFE
entered the competition. Seven prod- projects have also shown important reduc-
ucts finally met the competition’s tough tions in emissions and waste. A number
stipulations. The winning entries incor- have also reported significant economic
porated enterprising solutions that benefits from the more efficient manage-
Photo: LIFE03 ENV/A/000002
found immediate markets for their ment of resources previously wasted.

new designs. All showed an energy
saving of up to 50% compared with A particular focus has been the metal
standard products, and also avoided industries, traditionally associated with
harmful refrigerants and insulation very high environmental impacts. For
materials, while comfortably meeting example, the Italian Clean-Deco project
standards on noise levels. (LIFE00 ENV/IT/000213) developed a
cleantech solution for the replacement of
Meanwhile, the Danish CO 2 REF the highly polluting process of galvanising
project, (LIFE05 ENV/DK/000156) metals using physical vapour deposition
investigated the use of CO 2 as a (PVD) technology. This has resulted in the
greener refrigerant alternative to elimination of chromium wastes and a sub-
HFCs and then successfully intro- stantial reduction in the use of dangerous
duced it in a pilot supermarket sys- chemicals: chromium trioxide (CrO3) by
tem. Initial results showed reduced 100%; hydrogen chloride (HCl) by 30%;
energy consumption of around 4%, and sulphuric acid (H2SO4) by 90%.
as well as service cost savings of
15%. Significantly, the system has Europe’s aeronautics sector was the
proved to be a commercial, as well focus of a high-profile French project,
as a technical success, with 26 units
in operation and a further seven on 4 A Best LIFE Environment project winner
order (2008). 2005-06
16
that all vehicles must contain the high-

est-possible proportion of recyclable

materials.
An earlier LIFE project in Italy, Use

and… re-use (LIFE99 ENV/IT/000034)
developed an innovative system to
avoid the substantial amounts of waste
generated in the packaging of fruit
and vegetables. The project designed
recyclable plastic boxes, which can be
folded and re-used up to 30 times. The
scheme included a processing centre

to handle the cleaning, re-use and
recycling of the boxes, and computer
software to track their journeys. At the
beginning of the LIFE project in 1999,
the beneficiary (CPR system) was a
Packaging producers have made better use of raw materials by recycling plastic from small cooperative with 900 000 boxes,
vehicle factory waste 47 members and a handful of staff.
By the end of the project, the coop-
(LIFE05 ENV/F/000062), targeting the ENV/E/000106) successfully recycled erative had 355 members, between
development of a less polluting tech- plastic from vehicle factory waste to them using over 5 million boxes, sav-
nology for aircraft panel manufactur- produce pallets. The recovered mate- ing not only 50 000 tonnes/yr of pack-
ing. Implemented by Dufieux Indus- rial is a highly transferable process, aging waste but also €6.5 million/yr in
tries, a new Green Advanced Panels which has enabled the beneficiary, a waste disposal costs. Importantly, the
(GAP) mechanical milling process was manufacturer of linings for car interiors, scheme has continued to grow. Today
designed to replace the chemical milling to turn its waste (previously all sent to it has over 950 members and 12 mil-
processes conventionally used for the landfill) into a 100% recoverable, re- lion boxes that are used a total of 110
machining of complex-shaped panels, usable and recyclable high-quality million times/yr. This saves more than
a process that produces large volumes plastic. The success of the scheme 100 000 tonnes/yr of waste, 100 Mwh/
of toxic sludge. Independent analysis also has particular relevance within the yr of energy and €13 million/yr in waste
suggests this project could generate motor industry, where EU directives disposal costs. The company is now
significant water and chemicals sav- concerning end-of-life vehicles require present in all Italian regions and tens of
ings, a 57% decrease in electricity jobs have been created. Yet the project
consumption, and cuts in emissions of 6 A Best LIFE Environment project winner cost only €1.5 million (with €600 000 of
greenhouse gases (6 200 tonnes/yr of 2007-08 EU co-financing).
CO 2) and volatile organic compounds
(850 tonnes/yr). Together with a 16 The results of the RECIPLAS project will help the motor industry comply with
000-tonne/yr reduction in the amount EU directives on end-of-life vehicles
of waste produced, the project makes
an important contribution towards the

implementation of the integrated pol-
lution prevention and control (IPPC)
Directive (91/61/EC).
Packaging, wood and

paper solutions
Two LIFE projects have focused

their activities on helping packaging
producers make better use of their
resources and raw materials. The
RECIPLAS project in Spain (LIFE03
5 A Best LIFE Environment project winner

2007-08
17
ance with environmental legislation, the

overall goal is to help manufacturers in
this sector reduce their environmen-
tal footprint through awareness of the
legal requirements they need to meet.
An alert system will be set up to inform
companies of relevant environmental
Photo: LIFE09 ENV/ES/000454

legislation.
A lifecycle approach
Finally, the Integrated Product Policy

(IPP) approach has contributed signifi-
Construction materials will be produced from household waste wood products, such as cantly to the development of environ-
furniture, doors and floors with the WOODRUB project mental policies in Europe in the areas of
product design, use of natural resources
Another innovative project aiming to bel scheme in its early days. When the and management of waste.
show significant resource savings is project was launched in 2003, only a
the ongoing WOODRUB project in handful of Hellenic textile firms had Reflecting this lifecycle approach is
Spain (LIFE09 ENV/ES/000454), which been awarded an Ecolabel in recog- the Luxembourg LIFE+ ECO2 Tyre Tech
is looking to develop construction nition of the good environmental per- project (LIFE09 ENV/LU/000390) just
materials from household waste wood formance of their product or service. underway, led by European and world-
products (furniture, doors, windows, The project was particularly successful wide tyre producer, Goodyear (see
floors, etc) and used tyres. This re-use in promoting the benefits of the Eco- pages 18-20). Another important IPP
initiative will provide wood/tyre pro- label to an audience that was largely project targeting the automobile indus-
ducers with a new ‘end-of-life’ route, sceptical (mainly due to a lack of infor- try was the French EDIT project (LIFE00
and offer public and private construc- mation and knowledge on how to par- ENV/F/000593). The project success-
tion firms with a more environmentally ticipate). It produced a best practice fully developed lifecycle assessment
friendly product option. Moreover, the guide, established an eco-consultancy (LCA) methodologies and support
planned new products will operate as and successfully guided four textiles software tools for the management of
carbon sinks – increasing the carbon companies through the process. Its vehicle components. The approach
storage in buildings using the products main achievement, however, was to involved key stakeholders: carmakers,
and replacing other, less green, building show how the Ecolabel with its guar- parts’ manufacturers, and raw material
materials. antee of greener credentials, can pro- suppliers; and covered all stages of the
vide a competitive edge to Greek, and product lifecycle, including end-of-life
The manufacture of paper has a sig- other European textile manufacturers, issues.
nificant environmental footprint both who are increasingly under pressure
upstream (where raw materials are from lower-cost garments imported 90% of European footwear companies
acquired and processed) and down- from China, and cheaper raw materials will be involved in the SHOELAW project
to improve their environmental perform-
stream (waste-disposal impacts). Recy- from countries such as Turkey.
ance and compliance with environmental
cling obviously reduces this impact.
legislation
One of the earliest LIFE projects to tar- Another voluntary initiative is currently
get this sector (LIFE95 ENV/IT/000393) being investigated by a Spanish-led
was implemented by Italian specialist project to encourage more environ-
paper manufacturer, Favini. The com- mentally friendly practices among
pany tested the use of various bio- Europe’s footwear manufacturers.
waste materials (e.g. pomace, algae, SHOELAW (LIFE08 ENV/E/000147) is
apple peel) to develop 100% recycla- seeking to develop an e-platform for

ble paper of the same high quality as environmental self-diagnosis among
its other products. Results included a 50 companies in five European
10% saving in trees and a 12% saving countries: Spain, Italy, Portu-
in energy consumption. gal, Greece and Slovenia.
These countries jointly
Voluntary actions represent 90% of Euro-
pean footwear companies.
A Greek LIFE project, ECO-TEXTILE Focusing on improvements
(LIFE03 ENV/GR/000204) helped in environmental standards
spread awareness of the EU’s Ecola- and the promotion of compli-
18
There is growing awareness among Europe’s man-

ufacturers that opportunities for greater resource
efficiencies can bring both economic as well as
environmental gains. Two LIFE projects demon-
strate opportunities for sustainable growth through
the development of greener materials for tyres.
These materials will help to reduce the environ-
mental impact of tyres, could avoid or mitigate
problems of ever-scarcer resources and costly
raw materials and also contribute to improved con-
sumer safety.
LIFE helps drive

greener tyre making
R oad transport generates over

20% of all CO2 emissions in the
EU, with passenger cars responsible for
traditional non-renewable fillers, such
as petroleum-based carbon black or
mineral-based silica, used in tyres for
project’s second component consisted
of an in-depth analysis and modification
of the tyre structure, aimed at minimis-
more than half these emissions. Further- their reinforcement properties. The new ing energy loss through rolling resistance
more, because of a significant increase biofiller would be made from renewable while the vehicle is in motion.
in traffic, CO2 emissions from road trans- resources (a new starch-based mate-
port have risen by more than 20% since rial), thereby reducing its environmental A final phase was to incorporate the
1990. This represents a major concern to impact and allowing reductions in CO2 developed new material and use the
the EU, which aims to achieve an aver- emissions during its production. The results of the optimisation of the tyre
age CO2 emission for new cars of 120 structure to develop prototype tyres to
g/km by 2012 and 95 g/km by 2020. The Fuel consumption was reduced by 5-6% be tested at the beneficiary’s technical
contact of rolling vehicle tyres with road thanks to the environmentally friendly facilities in Luxembourg. After this, the
tyre design
surfaces creates a drag force known as best prototypes were sent to BMW for
the ‘rolling resistance’. Any reduction further testing under real life conditions.
achieved in rolling resistance means
lower fuel consumption and related CO2 The project successfully achieved all its
emissions. goals over the 42 month project period.
A new Bio Tyre with a ‘BioTRED’ com-
Thus the overall aim of the 2005-09 LIFE pound was developed (see box), and
BioTyre project (LIFE06 ENV/L/000118) the tyre structure optimised. Thanks
was to demonstrate the technical and to these actions, the project was able
economic viability of an environmentally to gain a higher than targeted - 34%
friendly tyre design that achieves a sub- - reduction in rolling resistance, with-
stantial reduction in rolling resistance of out any loss in safety, vehicle handling
up to 30%. performance or longevity.
Coordinated by Goodyear Luxembourg A major difficulty for the project team,

SA, the partnership project also involved according to principal engineer, Chris-
Italian company, Novamont, and German tian Kaes, was to achieve this ultralow
car manufacturer BMW. Its first compo- rolling resistance in the two-year time
nent was to develop an alternative to period for prototype optimisation and
19

Partner BMW expects to use BioTyres in new car models, and there is considerable interest from other vehicle manufacturers
technological validation. From a tech- cars and in use. The beneficiary estimates eration: the absorption capacity through
nical point of view, this was a “big that a 30% decrease in rolling resistance photosynthesis of the corn starch being
challenge… It was very, very difficult corresponds to a 5%-6% decrease in greater than the CO2 rejected during its
to reduce the rolling resistance, while fuel consumption. Considering a typi- transformation process into a biofiller. In
keeping all the other performance cal average run distance in Europe of 40 contrast, the production of carbon black
parameters expected by our custom- 000 km/yr run by 1 million BioTyres, this is a significant source of greenhouse gas
ers,” he explains. would mean a saving of the equivalent of emissions.
80 000 tonnes/yr of CO2. Moreover, the
Reducing CO2 emissions production process of the second gen- An additional benefit is that BioTyres
eration of biofiller developed in the LIFE incorporate the beneficiary’s ‘run on flat’
The main environmental benefit of Bio- project has an even more positive CO2 (ROF) technology, which means vehi-
Tyres will come once they are fitted to balance, compared with the first gen- cles only require four tyres (no spare)
– another resource saving and weight
Italian partner Novamont used nano-particles of corn starch to produce the new biofiller reduction that should help to keep costs
to reinforce tyres down for motorists, as well as improving
safety (by maintaining car control after
Photo: Novamont
sudden air loss).
Importantly, since the project finished,

Goodyear has moved from pilot phase
into production. Partner BMW currently
foresees using BioTyres in new car mod-
els (e.g. for the 2012 BMW 3-Series) and
there has been considerable interest
from other vehicle manufacturers.
Project manager Georges Thielen says

the close cooperation of the partners
played an important part in its suc-
cessful outcome. In addition, European
Commission support via the LIFE pro-
gramme was “very important”, he says,
20
as it provided a European platform for

the product. For BMW, it demonstrated DEVELOPING THE ‘BIOTRED’ FILLER

the carmaker’s commitment to sustaina-
Italian partner, Novamont, a specialist in the production of bioplastics
ble technologies via its ‘EfficientDynam-
from renewable raw materials of agricultural origin, was responsible for the
ics Programme’. And for all partners,
it will help meet the policy objectives development of the new industrial biofiller. Made from nano-particles of corn
highlighted in the EU’s 6th Environment starch, it is designed to partially replace the non-renewable fillers such as
Action Programme and the Flagship Ini- carbon black and silica.
tiative under the Europe 2020 Strategy.
As well as producing and testing experimental grades of biofiller (more than
80 new materials in total), Novamont was also responsible for validating the
Building on the experience of the first
project, a new LIFE+ ECO 2 Tyre Tech second generation of BioTRED filler, in order to provide the project beneficiary
project (LIFE09 ENV/L/000390) is with sufficient materials to produce the first tyres for testing. The aim with
underway, coordinated once again by these new grades was to significantly improve the tyres’ rolling resistance while
Goodyear Luxembourg. The 2010-14
maximising the renewable raw material content in the biofiller, thereby improv-
project brings together three partners
of the tyre supply chain from material
ing interface properties, reducing weight and minimising costs.
supply (Rubber Resources - The Neth-
erlands), tyre production (Goodyear) to
car manufacturing (BMW). Importantly, all the targets concern- The project also seeks to improve tyre
ing improvements to the tyres (rolling performance during use, and is targeting
Its aim is to develop environmentally resistance, noise, etc) are well above a 40% rolling resistance reduction; 25%
sustainable tyres incorporating innova- the upcoming EU regulations concern- weight reduction; 25% mileage improve-
tive green materials from recycling or ing safety and environmental efficiency ment; and a 3dBA noise reduction.
renewable origin and weight-reducing of tyres and as such are also likely to
tyre designs. All lifecycle stages of the enable suppliers to benefit from the The expected improved environmental
activities involved during the manufac- new rules governing tyre labelling i.e. tyre performance will be tested on both
turing, as well as the use and recycling a system of A-G grading information conventional and electric cars under
of tyres will be improved and further for customers (along the lines of the EU various driving conditions. Finally, the
developed. A lifecycle assessment (LCA) Energy Label). project is also expected to contribute
study will be carried out with a targeted to the end-of-life phase by providing
reduction of 35% over all life stages As with the LIFE BioTyre project, the new new processes for the recycling of large
consortium will work jointly towards the quantities of used rubber goods.
validation and first industrialisation of
the tyres. Furthermore, the project will
also contribute to the main objectives
of the EU REACH legislation by reduc-
ing emissions and exposure risks during
fabrication into soil, water and air, while
maintaining principle climate change
objectives.
The goals in relation to tyre manufactur-

ing are to introduce:
• R ecyclable materials (derived from
LUXEMBURG
used rubber articles);
• New renewable source materials from Project number: LIFE06 ENV/L/000118
wood (e.g. lignin, cellulose); and
Title: Development and validation of ultra
• New chemicals for tyre vulcanisation low rolling resistance tyres with environ-
and ageing protection with low envi- mentally friendly resources
ronmental impacts and improved tyre Beneficiary: Goodyear Luxembourg SA
mileage.
Contact: Georges Thielen
Email: georges.thielen@goodyear.com
1 Regulation (EC) No 1222/2009 of the Euro- Period: Dec-2005 to May-2009
pean Parliament and of the Council of 25
November 2009 on the labelling of tyres with Total budget: e12 393 000
respect to fuel efficiency and other essential
parameters
21
Lifecycle thinking
- a key thought of LIFE
The resource efficiency of a product or process can only truly be understood by con-
sidering its whole lifecycle. LIFE projects have raised awareness of this, produced
improved tools for implementing lifecycle assessments and demonstrated the impor-
tance of eco-design and end-of-life management to resource efficiency over the life-
cycle.
W hether a process or product

uses resources efficiently can-
not be assessed by looking at the natu-
mental analysis. Importantly, LCAs seek
not only to highlight where resource
efficiency gains can be made, but also
another stage. Similarly, LCAs seek to
ensure that impact burden is not simply
shifted from one form of environmental
ral resources consumed during operation ensure that apparent environmental impact to another. It is the overall envi-
alone. Natural resources are used as raw gains at one stage of a product’s life- ronmental balance of the whole lifecycle
materials in the production of the origi- cycle do not create greater costs at that is important.
nal parts and are consumed during their
collection, treatment and transportation. Lifecycle assessments, eco-design and end-of-life management have also been the focus
Further down the chain, marketing and of LIFE funding
distribution, and the treatment and dis-
posal of products at the end of their life,

all consume natural resources.
To improve resource efficiency, policies

and practices therefore need to take
account of the value chain and the full life-
cycle of resource use for any process and
product, considering upstream and down-
stream activities. Evaluating the impact
and costs of products and processes from
cradle to grave in this way is the concept
of lifecycle thinking. Yet, the complexity
of this and the number of actors involved
can be a major obstacle.
Lifecycle Assessment (LCA) is a meth-

odological tool that applies lifecycle
thinking to create a quantitative environ-
22
There are clear theoretical resource effi-

LIFECYCLE THINKING
ciency benefits to be had from apply-

ing a lifecycle approach to material and
product management. It can help identify
synergies and trade-offs within intercon-
nected elements of a product’s lifecycle.
It can also highlight which element of a
product’s lifecycle is the most inefficient,
or draw attention to previously over-
looked resource use associated with a
product. A lifecycle approach can thus
inform changes in policy or practice that
make a real difference to overall environ-
Photo: LIFE04 ENV/DE/000047
mental impact and be a key to the trans-

formation towards a resource efficient
economy.
Lifecycle thinking
in policy
The RESOLVED project demonstrated new recycling methodologies for thin film photo-
voltaic panels to produce valuable raw materials with a purity of 99.99%
LCA is increasingly used in sustainable
business decision-making and environ-
mental policymaking, already playing a authoritative guidance for policymakers tion and production, with particular focus
key role in EU policies in areas such as and businesses on how to conduct an on the de-coupling of environmental
Integrated Product Policy (IPP), sustain- LCA to quantify the emissions, resource impacts from economic growth.
able consumption and production and consumption and environmental impact
waste legislation. of a product. These documents provide Indicators of resource efficiency,
detailed technical guidance on all steps of resource productivity and consumption
ISO 14040 provides a standardisation LCA. The EU, through the Joint Research – ‘baskets-of-products’ - can be used
framework for LCA that covers the defini- Centre (JRC), is currently developing to monitor the environmental impacts of
tion of the goals and assessment param- lifecycle-based indicators to measure relevant goods and services consumed
eters of an LCA, lifecycle inventories progress towards sustainable consump- by EU citizens as well as the transition
(LCI), assessment of the inventory data
in LCIA and interpretation of results.
One of the 23 different strategies that the DANTES project produced using existing tools
and methods for environmental assessment, such as LCA
The Commission communication on
European IPP (COM(2003)302) recog- Photo: LIFE02 ENV/S/000351
nises that the lifecycle of a product is

often long and complicated and that Identify information Information for
there cannot be one simple policy meas- required for decision decision-making
ure for everything. A range of measures
are needed to encourage and stimulate
actors as diverse as designers, manu- Information Comprehensible
facturers, retailers and consumers to requirements information
improve their environmental perform-
ance. These include obligatory measures,
Break down
such as substance bans and voluntary Interpret
the information
ones, such as environmental labelling. the acquired
requirements into
information
tools & methods
The EU has created and developed an Tools &
important information source for LCA Methods Info
practitioners, providing lifecycle inventory
data from a range of European business
sectors. The first edition of the Interna-
Basic
tional Reference Life Cycle Data System information
(ILCD) handbook was published in March
2010. The handbook consists of a series
of technical documents that provide
23
LIFE projects have been at the forefront use and developing understanding of the
LIFECYCLE THINKING
of challenging these obstacles, raising tools amongst municipalities and other
awareness, developing tools to facilitate decision-makers. Over 100 sustainable
implementation and carrying out ground- building projects were then assessed and
breaking lifecycle assessments. improvements identified with designers,
architects and developers. Environmen-
LIFE and lifecycle thinking tal performance improvements of 15%
tools were achieved, particularly by facilitating

improvements in the preliminary design
LIFE projects have worked to raise stage.
awareness of lifecycle thinking and pro-
vide practical tools and guidance on how The Spanish project FENIX (LIFE08
LCA can be used to make real resource ENV/E/000135) has been working since
efficiency gains in often complex sectors 2008 to develop an easy-to-use tool for
LIFE EQuation used LCA tools in the of the economy. obtaining LCA results for the specific
construction industry with over 100 sus- context of packaging waste. The project
tainable building projects being assessed The Swedish DANTES project (LIFE02 expects to provide public authorities with
and improvements identified
ENV/S/000351) demonstrated and tools for tackling waste management and
assessed new tools for environmental to create an Iberian network of experts
towards more sustainable consumption sustainability, including lifecycle assess- in LCA and waste management. The
behaviour. They can also help assess the ment and lifecycle cost. As well as aware- project highlights the need to ensure that
impact of policy measures with regard to ness, the project provided analysis of measures to improve the management
more environmentally sound goods and how to use the methods and tools within of waste do not consume more natural
services. companies to assess resource efficiency resources than they save, a key principle
and other environmental information. The of the lifecycle approach. LCA is impor-
Waste management indicators, covering project website also provides businesses tant to make sure that there is an over-
the entire waste management chain, are with a guide to the lifecycle information all resource efficiency benefit from any
designed to help the EU monitor how they need to make improved environ- waste management system, as well as
technological progress and changes in mental decisions. ensuring positive overall economic and
the amount of waste result in reduced social outcomes. Data from the project
environmental impacts. They will also The LIFE EQuation project (LIFE00 will also be fed into the ELCD to help
highlight material and energy resources ENV/NL/000808) optimised innovative complete this European database.
saved via better waste management. LCA tools for the construction industry
in the Netherlands, Belgium and the UK. An interesting tool for encouraging life-
However, there are still some gaps in Through practical application, the project cycle thinking is the use of eco-labels
understanding and lack of expertise in team optimised an advanced computer awarded for environmental performance
the implementation of LCAs and IPP, model for calculating environmental of the whole value chain. The Italian
which limit the impact of the lifecycle con- impact and an environmental assessment LIFE project Aqualabel (LIFE03 ENV/
cept on resource efficiency. A number of method for homes, making them easy to IT/000333) sought to develop such a
The FENIX project aims to provide public authorities with tools for tackling waste management and to create a network of experts in LCA
24
LIFECYCLE THINKING
Photo: LIFE04 ENV/GR/000110
The ECOIL project developed a groundbreaking LCA for the olive oil industry providing an analysis of the whole olive oil lifecycle, from tree
cultivation to waste management
quality and environmental management providing tools for future LCAs. It also mental success stories within the pro-
label for water distributed in waterworks established Product Category Rules duction chain. The project thus helped
systems, according to ISO14024 stand- (PCR) and Environmental Product Dec- stakeholders identify where they could
ards. The project identified wastewater larations (EPD) for both office desks and provide improved environmental perfor-
treatment, water sanitisation and pump- cooker hoods, showing how lifecycle mance and where they could demand it
ing operations as the processes in the thinking can promote improved resource from others, particularly from their sup-
water supply cycle with the greatest efficiency for these specific products in pliers.
environmental impact. It produced a the furniture industry.
manual outlining the measures nec- At the opposite end of Europe, LIFE
essary for overall certification with an A Greek LIFE project, ECOIL (LIFE04 OSELCA in Estonia explored LCA for
eco-label from the relevant environ- ENV/GR/000110), developed a ground- oil-shale electricity production and
mental bodies. The project thus pro- breaking LCA for the olive oil industry in energy intensive products (LIFE03
vided awareness and practical under- Spain, Cyprus and Greece. It provided ENV/EE/000194). It was the first large-
standing of how water supply systems analysis of the whole olive oil lifecycle, scale application of LCA in Estonia and
can improve their resource efficiency from tree cultivation to waste manage- has been a benchmark for other indus-
throughout the lifecycle of the water. ment, enabling comparisons of resource tries in the country to follow. Led by a
use at different stages of the lifecycle. major energy company, it compared the
LIFE and LCA in specific This showed where optimisation could resource use of electricity generated
contexts be possible and highlighted environ- from oil-shale with that produced from
LIFE projects have been particularly The LCA for oil-shale electricity production and energy intensive products used by the
instrumental in showing how LCA tools OSELCA project has set a benchmark for other industries in Estonia
can be used in specific business con-
Photo: LIFE03 ENV/EE/000194
texts and sectors.
Linking with European Integrated Prod-

uct Policy (IPP), the Italian project LAIPP
(LIFE04 ENV/IT/000588) worked to
show how LCA could be implemented
in the furniture industry. It ran pilot
actions including LCAs and Product-
Oriented Environmental Management
Systems (POEMS), aiming towards ISO
certification, in six companies. It suc-
cessfully optimised three LCA software
programmes for different types of user,
25
hard coal and biomass. It also looked
LIFECYCLE THINKING
at the significant impact of the energy
source used on the total resource effi-
ciency of a random product - in this case
a wooden weatherboard. It successfully
demonstrated that energy production
will often be one of the most significant
Photo: LIFE07 ENV/P/000639

factors of a product’s overall resource
efficiency.
LIFE projects such as ECOIL and

OSELCA have used lifecycle thinking
to show how stakeholders can improve
Electrovalue is looking at effectively extracting and exploiting raw materials from waste
the resource efficiency of their industry,
electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE)
not just by improving their own perform-
ance, but through their choice of sup-
pliers. Energy-intensive products can lifecycle. Some of the greatest efficiency of possible products and developed
transform their resource efficiency by gains can be achieved by extracting pilot eco-brands and eco-marketing
using green energy. Such modification resources from a product at the end of with four rural enterprises. The project
of purchasing decisions based on sup- its life for re-use rather than sending showed how successful grassroots
pliers’ environmental performance could them to landfill or incineration. Equally, rural entrepreneurship can be encour-
be crucial in implementing Europe’s IPP environmentally aware design can avoid aged using LCA to identify opportuni-
by creating market pressure for more all manner of inefficiencies downstream, ties for resource-efficient products that
resource efficiency throughout the sup- such as high resource use from transpor- can be marketed as such. Thinking from
ply chain without the need for prohibi- tation and waste management. A number the design stage through the lifecycle
tive legislation. of LIFE projects have looked at how to of a product can raise the awareness of
implement eco-design and effective end- designers, investors and consumers to
LIFE, eco-design and end- of-life strategies to improve a product’s promote resource-efficient products.
of-life resource efficiency over its lifecycle.
IPP TEL in Greece (LIFE04 ENV/
One of the key messages of the lifecycle The Rural LIFE Design project (LIFE00 GR/000138) conducted LCAs and car-
approach is that particular consideration ENV/FIN/000656) implemented IPP in ried out tests on telecommunications
needs to be given to resource efficiency rural SMEs by promoting tools for eco- products to identify the major costs
at the beginning and end of a product’s design. The project conducted LCAs and challenges of efficient end-of-
life management. It used its analysis
to demonstrate how eco-design of a
IPP TEL used LCAs to demonstrate how eco-design of a modem could avoid some of the
modem could significantly improve its
challenges of its end-of-life management
overall resource efficiency. It proposed
eco-label criteria for modems based on

these findings.
Improved end-of-life management for

high-technology products could have a
big impact on overall resource efficiency.
The German project, Resolved (LIFE04
ENV/DE/000047), demonstrated an
environmentally friendly process for
extracting the valuable raw materi-
als from thin film photovoltaic panels.
In Portugal, LIFE Electrovalue (LIFE07
ENV/P/000639) is looking at effectively
extracting and exploiting raw materi-
als from waste electrical and electronic
equipment. Both projects are demon-
strating how high-tech practical meas-
ures taken at the end-of-life of certain
products can make a major contribution
to improving resource efficiency overall.
26
LIFECYCLE THINKING
ACADEMY: managing the life-

cycle of complex products
Environmental management systems (EMS) have improved the environmental perform-
ance of many companies. However, their benefits can be limited by the complexity of
products’ production and lifecycles. The LIFE ACADEMY project has demonstrated how
EMS can be successfully applied over the lifecycle of an extremely complex product
- aircraft.
E nvironmental Management Sys-

tems are typically applied at site
level. This means that an installation is
the impact of practices at one site on
environmental performance elsewhere
in the production chain. For example,
limitations of its existing environmental
efforts at achieving EMAS certification
at its sites. “Improved management was
assessed for the environmental impact an aircraft could be built with a material essential to put environmental perform-
of all the activities taking place there. that is resource efficient in its extraction ance at the core of Airbus’s strategy. Yet,
However, in complex industries such as and treatment, but which implies high traditional approaches were not enough;
the aeronautical sector, many sites are resource use in its maintenance or end- we needed to look at the full lifecycle
involved in the lifecycle of the product. of-life treatment downstream. of the product,” explains ACADEMY
It is possible to achieve high environ- project manager Bruno Costes.
mental standards at each site and still Developing a new
fail to optimise overall product resource approach - SPOEMS Isabelle Delay, one of the project leaders
efficiency. within Airbus, highlights the importance
The major European aeronautical of the lifecycle approach for a complex
Applying environmental assessments company Airbus - with around 52 500 product: “Environmental assessment at
at site level fails to take into account employees worldwide - recognised the one site revealed that volatile organic
27
be acquired and shared between sites.
LIFECYCLE THINKING
“Importantly, this meant that the sites
were now speaking a common environ-
mental language and developing consist-
ent ways of reporting,” notes Ms. Delay.
This was an essential precondition for
enabling the company to calculate the
overall environmental impacts and costs
of a product across its various sites.
ACADEMY then carried out two pilot

Lifecycle Assessments on aircraft within
the Airbus fleet. To make the process
manageable, these used a customised
and streamlined approach to LCA, cov-
ering the more important aspects of
the aircraft’s production and lifecycle
- design, procurement, manufacturing,
transport, in service operations (includ-
ing maintenance), end-of-life and recy-
Eco-design is crucial for resource efficiency
cling and collating the data from the site-
specific monitoring processes. What it
compound (VOC) emissions were a key Site and Product Oriented Environmen- provided was a new understanding of
environmental concern. However, there tal Management System. This aimed to the environmental impact of the aircraft
was only so much that could be done tackle the complexity of carrying out throughout the company and through-
to tackle this at that site. The best way the Lifecycle Assessment (LCA) of an out its life, beyond traditional addressed
to reduce VOC emissions is to choose aircraft by involving as many sites as challenges such as noise and in-flight
materials in the design phase that do possible in an integrated environmental emissions.
not create the problem.” assessment of the product’s lifecycle.
The impact of the SPOEMS
Airbus applied for LIFE funding to run Airbus expanded the internal application approach
the ACADEMY project (LIFE04 ENV/ of EMS to cover an impressive 93% of
FR/000353) and set about creating a its network of 16 production sites, pro- Implementing SPOEMS did not sud-
new tool, which it named SPOEMS - gressing in stages so that learning could denly solve all Airbus’s environmental
Assessments were carried out throughout 16 Airbus production sites, covering 93% of its network
28
challenges. However, it has provided environmental certification ISO 14001 Space Company (EADS), of which Airbus
LIFECYCLE THINKING
the means to implement an ongoing following a company-wide audit by is a part, has made a firm public commit-
process of environmental review and DNV in December 2006. This was both ment to “a continuous assessment of its
improvement. According to Ms Delay, an aerospace industry first and one of environmental performance throughout
“SPOEMS has been a real catalyst for the broadest environmental manage- the lifecycle of its products, so as to find
the identification of possible improvement certifications ever made, covering out the best way to improve it.”
ments in the production chain.” It allows the whole company, including design,
the company to have a vision of the procurement, manufacturing, transport, The LIFE ACADEMY project lives on in
overall production process and better and in-service operations (maintenance, Airbus through its strategic commitment
identify where and how the most sig- aircraft end-of-life and recycling). “What to use SPOEMS to become a leader in
nificant efficiencies could be accom- we have achieved is unique,” believes the aeronautical sector on eco-effi-
plished. Mr Costes. “It is the first demonstration ciency, combining environmental and
of how Integrated Product Policy (IPP) economic objectives. The company has
One of the key achievements of the can be implemented at this scale.” gone on to use SPOEMS to enhance
LIFE ACADEMY project was to suc- resource efficiency in its production
cessfully engage all levels of Airbus in Another major achievement of ACAD- processes by developing environmental
the SPOEMS approach and create new EMY has been to create momentum for innovations. These include the use of a
internal momentum for environmental improved environmental management in greener, chemical-free milling process
improvement. Right up to the highest the wider aeronautical industry. Impor- for fuselage panels; more environmen-
levels of management, this has improved tantly, the SPOEMS approach to lifecy- tally friendly painting processes; and
the ability of the company to communi- cle thinking was widely disseminated by steps to minimise energy and water con-
cate on environmental issues, helping the national aerospace trade associa- sumption during the production cycle.
to identify synergies and spread good tions of France, Spain and the UK, and For its aircraft product line, Airbus con-
practice. Additionally, SPOEMS has had the chamber of commerce in the French tinues to work on quieter and more fuel
an impact beyond the company by help- region of Midi-Pyrenees. efficient jetliners, and on clearly defined
ing the procurement team identify where and targeted short and long-term envi-
changes to contracts with suppliers can There is increasing recognition in inter- ronmental targets and has renewed its
substantially improve overall resource national aeronautical companies of the EMS certification with Bureau Veritas.
efficiency for a product. importance of environmental issues as Airbus also complemented ACADEMY
a driver towards sustainable develop- with another LIFE project - PAMELA -
The achievements and ongoing com- ment and how SPOEMS can anticipate looking at a Process for Advanced Man-
mitment of Airbus to improved environ- environmental trends and regulations. agement of End-of-Life Aircraft (LIFE05
mental management was recognised by The European Aeronautic Defence and ENV/F/000059).
The LIFE ACADEMY project has helped AIRBUS improve the overall resource efficiency of
its product
FRANCE
Project number: LIFE04 ENV/FR/000353
Title: ACADEMY - Airbus Corporate
Answer to Disseminate Integrated
Environmental Management System
Beneficiary: Airbus S.A.S.
Contact: Bruno Costes
Email: bruno.costes@airbus.com
Website: http://www.airbus.com/
innovation/eco-efficiency/
Period: Sept-2004 to Aug-2007
29
Water - an essential
component of LIFE
Water is one of the most crucial natural resources - for both human activities and eco-
systems. Yet pressures on clean water supplies in Europe are only increasing. More
efficient use of available water is a major policy challenge. LIFE has shown ways for-
ward with pioneering projects on reducing demand for water and making better use of
existing supplies.
W ater is life, sustaining eco-

systems and regulating our
climate. But it’s a finite resource, and
strain on our resources. In a ‘business
as usual’ scenario, water consumption
by the public, industry and agriculture
A variety of approaches are being used
at EU level to preserve Europe’s waters.
Legislation, market instruments, moni-
less than 1% of the world’s freshwa- would increase by 16% by 2030. Cli- toring, research and awareness raising
ter is accessible for direct human use. mate change will add to the problems can all make a contribution.
Competition for water poses a growing of water scarcity and droughts. On the
risk to the economy, communities and other hand, it is estimated that some In 2000, the EU introduced the Water
the ecosystems they rely on. If climate 20-40% of Europe’s available water is Framework Directive (WFD), the most
change keeps raising average tempera- being wasted (through leaks in the sup- ambitious and comprehensive piece of
tures across Europe, water is expected ply system, dripping taps, unnecessary EU legislation ever approved in water
to become even scarcer in many areas, irrigation etc.). policy. Taking a genuinely European
so it is vital to find solutions to protect
this resource. LIFE has contributed to preserve Europe’s waters with innovative approaches
and technologies
An adequate supply of good-quality
water is a pre-requisite for economic

and social progress, so we need to save
water, and also to manage our available
resources more efficiently.
Water scarcity in the EU is most acute

in the south, but by no means limited to
these areas: most Member States have
suffered episodes of drought since 1976,
and many now report frequent water
scarcity problems and over-exploited
aquifers. But demand for water con-
tinues to rise across Europe, putting a
30
2012. The Blueprint will foster a move

WATER EFFICIENCY
towards prevention and preparedness

with a view to ensuring a sustainable
balance between water demand and
the supply of clean water, taking into
account the needs of both human activ-
ities and of natural ecosystems.
As the importance of water efficiency

becomes increasingly apparent, les-

sons and knowledge can be drawn
from the innovative approaches taken
by numerous LIFE projects. These
have already been at the forefront of
investigating and developing new and
Measuring the river flow using an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) effective means of reducing water loss,
improving natural recharge of ground-
approach, it establishes a management demand-side measures, e.g. water-sav- water supplies, reducing demand and
system based on natural river basin dis- ing, water efficiency improvements and reducing waste.
tricts rather than regional and national water-pricing, have been exhausted.
boundaries. The aim is to bring together LIFE improving the supply
all water managers – from governments A 2009 EU policy paper on adapting to of clean water
to local communities – the public and climate change highlights the need for
all affected sectors to safeguard ground further measures to enhance water effi- As much as 50% of water wastage in
and surface waters, and achieve good ciency and to increase resilience to cli- some areas of Europe is the result of
ecological status by 2015. mate change. This approach reinforces leaky infrastructure. In addition to the
the consistency of measures taken at waste of resources and economic cost,
In 2007, the EU put forward a Com- both EU and national level, and sets the leaks can have additional impacts on
munication addressing the challenge scene for further European action. groundwater quality. LIFE projects have
of water scarcity and droughts. The specifically tackled water loss from the
Communication identified seven policy The policy on water scarcity and supply infrastructure in different con-
initiatives that had to be addressed if droughts will be reviewed by 2012, texts through the introduction of tech-
Europe was to move towards a water- together with the assessment of the nologies to detect leaks more rapidly
efficient and water-saving economy. Member States’ plans for managing and better regulate water flow, cost-
Europe’s river basins, as required by effectively increasing the effective sup-
EU policy related to water scarcity and the Water Framework Directive, and ply of clean water to households and
droughts is based on the principle of a the review of the vulnerability of water businesses without having to explore
‘water hierarchy’. This means that addi- resources to climate impacts and other new sources of water.
tional water supply infrastructure, such man-made pressures. These evalua-
as water transfers or desalination plants, tions will contribute to the Blueprint to The RAKWANET project (LIFE00 ENV/
should be considered only when all Safeguard Europe’s Waters planned for EE/000922) in Rakvere, Estonia showed
that significant water savings could be
Water losses were decreased by introducing an innovative detection system in Estonia achieved in ageing Soviet-era infra-
structure with a moderate investment.
Photo: LIFE00 ENV/EE/000922
The new system reduced the time taken

to detect leaks from around six days to
three and introduced a computerised
calibrated hydraulic model of the water
network. By enabling quicker interven-
tion, water losses were decreased from
37% to 21% of total extraction.
The Pump And Leakage Management

project PALM (LIFE09 ENV/IT/000136)
is a new Italian project taking a similar
approach. It is introducing the latest
acoustic technologies to detect leaks
and a calibrated hydraulic model to
31
optimise water flow and close valves to
WATER EFFICIENCY
control leaks.
Another Italian project, TRUST (LIFE07

ENV/IT/000475) has directly tackled the
challenge of over-exploited groundwa-
ter, which threatens the long-term sup-
ply of clean water. It is working at river
basin level to coordinate macro-actions
for artificial aquifer recharge using
excess surface waters, notably caused
by floods. The project is demonstrating
a cost-effective means of maintaining
natural water sources over time to meet
usage needs. It is also introducing cli-
mate change predictions into river basin
management to meet future, as well as
existing, challenges.
A different approach to making bet-

ter use of available water resources is
to find cost-effective and environmen-
tally friendly means of cleaning water

sources to a sufficient standard for their
use or re-use. The Dutch project VER-
BAL (LIFE03 ENV/NL/000467) success-
fully tested innovative vertical-flow reed
beds for filtering surface water. It demon-
strated that, in a closed system of mildly The TRUST project is introducing climate change predictions in river basin management
polluted urban surface water, it could
reduce phosphate levels to below 0.05 ter backwash water from the process LIFE reducing demand
mg/l, making the water not only suitable of cleaning frequently used filters in for clean water
for swimming and water sports, but also groundwater treatment. The project was
providing a cleaner source for drinking able to recover 99.85% of the water in Dealing with limited water resources
water production. drinkable form through the use of sub- does not necessarily require dramatic
merged membrane modules, effectively solutions. As a number of LIFE projects
An earlier German LIFE project (LIFE98 increasing the remaining supply of clean have shown, significant progress can
ENV/D/000509) looked at re-use of fil- fresh water and reducing waste. be made by encouraging and enabling
households, businesses, farms and
A German project demonstrated a process to recover 99% of backwash water and use it public bodies to use only the water
as drinking water that they need, saving this valuable
Photo: LIFE98 ENV/D/000509
resource and saving money and, in

agriculture, often leading to better end
results.
The least technical means of reducing

demand is increasing public aware-
ness of the need to save water and of
how small gestures, such as turning
taps off when not in use and taking a
shower rather than a bath, can reduce
water consumption considerably. The
Eco-Animation project (LIFE07 INF/
UK/000950) has produced a series
of cartoons aimed at teaching young
children about key environmental mes-
sages including the importance of pre-
venting water wastage.
32
The city of Zaragoza in Spain has used

WATER EFFICIENCY
LIFE funding to turn itself into a demon-

stration ‘Water Saving City’, particularly
for other countries in southern Europe.
The city applied for LIFE funding
(LIFE96 ENV/E/000509) to run a mas-
sive awareness campaign. This used
the full range of media and promotional
tools to encourage households, busi-
nesses and public authorities to reduce
their water consumption.
The project gave practical guidance

on how to save water and persuaded
more than 140 companies to market
and/or give discounts on water-saving
products. It increased the sale of exist-
ing domestic appliances with built-in

water savers by 15% and saw use of
water meters and water-saving taps
increase 400% and 600% respectively.
The number of households practising
water-saving measures doubled and
over 1 billion litres of water were saved An innovative watering system developed by the OPTIMIZAGUA project has brought great
efficiencies in the irrigation of crops and parks
in 1998 alone.
A number of partners in Zaragoza Such approaches demonstrate how tems for using non-drinking water in
sought to build on the progress made water efficiency policies can be imple- appropriate applications, such as street
by the LIFE project and further initiatives mented without negative side-effects. cleaning and watering gardens.
followed. A second LIFE project, OPTI-
MIZAGUA (LIFE03 ENV/E/000164), An innovative Dutch project, Maas- Water efficiency
used sensors to detect moisture in soil tricht Water (LIFE00 ENV/NL/000790), in agriculture
and weather conditions, and combined worked to introduce a system of inte-
it with knowledge of the water needs grated water management for a cluster We have already seen how LIFE fund-
of different crops and grass. This ena- of eight industries. It sought to meet ing has helped reduce water abstraction
bled an automated watering system to existing demand using less total water. for agriculture. Another Spanish project
provide only the amount of water nec- Although unable to achieve all its objec- HAGAR (LIFE02 ENV/E/000210) also
essary on any given day, replacing the tives, it found synergies between indus- introduced modern technologies into
previous safety-first approach of erring tries - for example one industry using the irrigation systems to calculate the real-
on the side of too much water (for fur- wastewater of another - which reduced time water requirements of plants and
ther details see pp 43-45). overall water consumption. It favoured thus avoid over-watering. The project
use of water from the River Maas rather extrapolated the results from 12 pilot
The EcoAnimation project worked with than already stressed groundwater sup- fields and concluded that this optimisa-
children across several European countries plies and prevented the discharge of tion of water use throughout the river
to evaluate the content of cartoons con-
nitrates into the water system. basin could restore natural aquifers and
cerning water
wetland areas in its catchment, thereby
Photo: LIFE07 INF/UK/000950
The Dropawater project (LIFE02 ENV/ contributing to European biodiversity

E/000183) sought to tackle all sides objectives and international commit-
of the water efficiency question in the ments such as the Ramsar Convention
water-stressed Spanish exclave of Ceuta on Wetlands.
(North Africa). Demand in 3 800 houses
was reduced by 10% through the intro- The experiences of these and other LIFE
duction of state-of-the-art water meters. projects point the way to achieving water
Water supply efficiencies were achieved efficiency improvements and implement-
by checking pipes metre-by-metre for ing the EU’s water hierarchy, as well as
leaks, a process which saved more than achieving complementary European
double the money it cost, through saved objectives around water quality and
water. The project also introduced sys- water-based ecosystems.
33
A cleaner and more

efficient transport
system
LIFE projects are at the forefront of demonstrating successful approaches to imple-
menting EU legislation on sustainable transport. LIFE innovations contribute directly to
efforts to promote cleaner and more resource efficient transport systems, as well as
to reducing transport demand.
T he transport sector is a major con-

tributor to resource use in the EU,
not only in term of the significant use of
improving the efficiency of transport
systems, vehicles, mobility and logis-
tics, and by promoting a modal shift to
cient, secure and competitive transport
system by 2050 that removes all obsta-
cles to the internal market for transport,
non-renewable fossil fuels, but also in more sustainable transport options and promotes clean technologies and mod-
terms of the environmental impact of the transition to clean technologies and ernises transport networks”.
emissions from the combustion of these renewable energy sources. This is under-
fuels and the impact on habitats and the lined in the “Flagship initiative under the EU transport policy currently addresses
landscape of transport infrastructure. Europe 2020 strategy”, which foresees a some of these issues. A binding target of
reform of the trans-European networks
In contrast to other sectors of the econ- for transport and states that the future
See COM (2011) 21 Communication on
omy, progress in reducing these envi- Transport White Paper will “present a A resource-efficient Europe – Flagship initia-
ronmental impacts has been slow. The vision for a low-carbon, resource-effi- tive under the Europe 2020 Strategy
transport sector still depends on fossil
fuel for around 97% of its total energy LIFE projects have contributed towards a low-carbon, resource efficient and competitive
requirement and improvements in the transport system
sector’s energy and emissions intensity
have not been sufficient to offset growth

in transport volumes. The development
of new transport infrastructure, particu-
larly in the newer Member States, also
continues to put pressure on habitats
and biodiversity.
Technological improvements need to be

made to transport systems to achieve a
more resource efficient Europe. Transport
is important to Europe’s economy, but
its environmental performance has to be
improved by reducing transport demand,
34
a 10% share of renewable energy sources

S U S TA I N A B L E T R A N S P O R T
in transport by 2020 has been agreed

as part of the EU’s Climate and Energy
package, which also sets targets for a
20% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG)
emissions (below 1990 levels) and a 20%
reduction in primary energy use by 2020.
In addition, a binding target was set to
reduce transport fuel GHG intensity (car-

bon per unit energy) by 6% by 2020
Legislation setting energy and emission

performance standards for new pas-
senger cars, heavy vehicles and rail-
way transport has also been adopted. The PARFUM project combined innovative technologies for clean vehicles for city logistics
On the demand side, this is supported and public transport
by initiatives to promote the market for
clean and energy-efficient vehicles. EU sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and ENV/GR/000359), a project that tested
air quality directives (in particular Direc- oxides of nitrogen, particulate mat- the potential benefits, and barriers to
tive 2008/50/EC), which set limits for ter and lead concentrations in ambient market uptake, of cleaner and more effi-
air, provide further impetus to efforts cient engine technologies.
to improve the environmental perform-
Directive 2009/28/EC on the promotion of
the use of energy from renewable sources ance of the transport sector. Promoting a Monitoring the energy performance of
Directive 2009/30/EC on fuel quality ‘modal shift’ from roads and air transport hybrid vehicles in the city of Thessa-
Regulation (EC) No 443/2009 setting
emission performance standards for new towards more sustainable travel modes loniki (Greece), the project showed that
passenger cars as part of the Community’s is also an important component of EU fuel consumption was 52% lower in a
integrated approach to reduce CO2 emissions
transport policy. hybrid car than in a comparable con-
from light-duty vehicles
Directive 88/77/EEC On the approximation ventional car during use in urban areas
of the laws of the Member States relating to Mapping the route ahead and 27% lower on the motorway. Similar
the measures to be taken against the emis-
sion of gaseous pollutants from diesel engines reductions in CO2 emissions were also
for use in vehicles On the approximation of A good example of how LIFE Environ- observed. A survey of users of the test
the laws of the Member States relating to the
ment has demonstrated successful vehicles found that while most would be
measures to be taken against the emission
of gaseous pollutants from diesel engines for approaches to improving transport effi- willing to use a hybrid car, the vast major-
use in vehicles ciency is LIFE IMMACULATE (LIFE02 ity would only buy one if it was the same
Directive 97/68/EC on the approximation
of the laws of the Member States relating to price or cheaper than a conventional car
measures against the emission of gaseous in the same category. The project sub-
and particulate pollutants from internal com- Regulation (EC) No 1382/2003 on the pro-
bustion engines to be installed in non-road motion of clean and energy-efficient road sequently carried out a detailed cost-
mobile machinery transport vehicles benefit analysis of different measures to
provide financial and non-financial incen-
tives to help boost the market.
The MHyBus LIFE project aims to develop and test a first prototype hydro-methane bus
LIFE PARFUM (LIFE06 ENV/D/000477)

looked at the potential of different clean
vehicle technologies (electric, hybrid,
natural gas, methane) for city logistics
and public transport, focusing in partic-
ular on the cities of Bremen (Germany),
Padova (Italy) and Rotterdam (Nether-
lands). Modelling and monitoring car-
ried out during the project showed the
disproportionate environmental impact
of heavy duty vehicles (HDV), which only
represent some 10% of city traffic, but
can contribute up to 50% of harmful
emissions.
The project demonstrated the potential

of the different technologies to reduce air
35
tovoltaic electric recharging sub-stations
and two biodiesel processing plants,
which together will provide sufficient
energy to power the two buses.
Encouraging behavioural
change

Encouraging a shift to more sustainable
modes of transport is a key component of
EU transport policy. The LIFE SIDDHARTA
project (LIFE03 ENV/IT/000319), suc-
cessfully demonstrated the benefits of
introducing a ‘demand responsive’ pub-
The ECOBUS project collected cooking oil to produce some 323 000 litres of bio-diesel to lic transport service on two urban bus
fuel 264 buses in Valencia routes in the city of Genoa (Italy). The
existing diesel-powered buses on these
pollution, especially in urban hot spots, In Portugal, the OIL PRODIESEL project routes were replaced with methane-run
but it also highlighted the importance (LIFE05 ENV/P/000369) also successfully vehicles, which were then operated “on-
of support measures and incentives to developed an integrated system for the demand” (i.e. the passenger would enter
encourage the wider uptake of these collection and recycling of used cooking journey start and end points via phone or
technologies. oil. Located in Oeiras, a small town on the Internet and a computer system would
outskirts of Lisbon, the LIFE project estab- then match the request to the vehicle in
Hydrogen also offers considerable poten- lished 20 collection points and developed the best way).
tial as a clean and renewable transport fuel a prototype 1 000-litre biodiesel process-
when produced from renewable sources. ing plant. The fuel produced was tested in The new service was then promoted
Recognising this potential, the MHyBus the municipal transport fleet, demonstrat- with an awareness-raising campaign, to
project (LIFE07 ENV/IT/000434), which ing both energy and cost savings. encourage private car users to switch to
is being implemented by the Region of public transport. The pilot scheme, which
Emilia-Romagna (Italy) aims to develop Recycling of waste oil is an important ran from June 2004 to September 2005
and test a first prototype hydro-methane component of the ETRUSCAN project showed an increase from 40% to 63%
bus, powered by a fuel blend of up to (LIFE08 ENV/IT/00042), which also incor- in the numbers of daily public transport
20% hydrogen and 80% natural gas. porates the use of solar power in order users within the target zone.
to demonstrate, not only the potential for
From the frying pan increased use of renewable energy in the Modal shift was also the aim of the
to the fleet public transport system, but also the pos- GESMOPOLI project (LIFE05 ENV/
sibility to source all of this energy locally. E/000262), which established on-site
Focusing on the production of transport The project will develop two hybrid bus partnerships to promote sustainable
fuel from recycled material, the LIFE prototypes. It will also establish two pho- mobility in six industrial parks in the
ECOBUS project (LIFE02 ENV/E/000253)
demonstrated the potential for producing The ETRUSCAN’s project prototype urban bus also incorporates solar power
biofuels from used cooking oil. The project
established a collection system involving

800 commercial establishments, as well
as three collection points for domestic
waste oil. The waste oil collected was
then processed to produce bio-diesel,
which was mixed with conventional die-
sel to power the city’s bus fleet. During the
project, around 800 000 litres of cooking
oil was collected to produce 322 654 litres
of bio-diesel that was used to fuel 264
buses, displacing an equivalent amount
of conventional diesel. As an additional
result of the project, the beneficiary sent
Valencia City Council a proposal to estab-
lish, at local level, regulations for manag-
ing the used cooking oil.
36
region of Catalonia (Spain). Mobility plans

were produced for each estate and pilot
actions were carried out to promote and

demonstrate the benefits of car pool-
ing and alternative modes of transport.
Cleaner and more efficient

transport over water
EU transport policy actively encour-

ages a modal shift to transport over
water as a more sustainable alternative Photo: LIFE03 ENV/NL/000474
to road or air transport. However, it also

recognises the considerable scope for
improving the environmental perform-
ance of water-based transport, which
is still largely reliant on diesel or heavy
fuel oils. The smallest liquid natural gas carrier in the world was built by the LNG project which
reduced CO2, hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxide emissions
The LIFE LNG Tanker project (LIFE03
ENV/NL/000474) built and delivered the ment, an SME that manages heavy lift Power-assisted by an electric motor run
smallest liquid natural gas (LNG) carrier cargo shipments worldwide, the project from a fuel cell, the ship commenced
in the world, the 1 100 m3 Pioneer Knut- succeeded in developing the SkySails- service in August 2008 on Hamburg’s
sen, which operated on short sea water- System: a fully automated towing kite Alster lake.
ways in Norway for a 41-week demon- and a wind-optimised routing system,
stration phase. Compared with a diesel which is designed to be used in addition Integrated approaches
alternative, the ship demonstrated a to the ship’s propeller. The first proto-
30% reduction in CO2 emissions, a 60% type was tested in 2008 and during its Bringing together a combination of dif-
reduction in hydrocarbon emissions and maiden voyage energy savings of more ferent approaches, the CATCH project
an 80% reduction of NOx. The success than 20% were achieved, equivalent (LIFE02 ENV/UK/000136) successfully
of the project led to an order for three to daily savings of some 2.5 tonnes of demonstrated the potential of inte-
similar vessels from Gaz de France. fuel, or more than €500, according to grated strategies for reducing the envi-
the project beneficiary. ronmental impact of transport. Focusing
LIFE WINTECC (LIFE06 ENV/D/000479) primarily on the city of Liverpool (UK),
demonstrated an innovative wind pro- Another German project, ZEM/SHIPS the project combined actions to reduce
pulsion technology for cargo vessels. (LIFE06 ENV/D/000465), developed the transport demand, such as walking
Implemented by Beluga Fleet Manage- first hydrogen-powered passenger ship. and cycling initiatives, with the deploy-
ment of clean fuels and hybrid buses.
LIFE WINTECC used an automated towing kite for propelling cargo ships The project’s evaluation showed that
the wider implementation of the project
actions throughout the city would result

in emissions reductions of 50 939
tonnes/yr of CO2, contributing directly
to the EU GHG reduction targets, as well
as targets for air quality and the use of
renewable energy sources.
The LIFE RAVE project (LIFE02 ENV/

IT/000106) also successfully demon-
strated an integrated “slow mobility sys-
tem” in the city of Novara, Italy. Led by
the city council, the project combined
the creation of protected pedestrian
areas, cycle paths and bicycle parking
with the introduction of fast, low-emis-
sion buses and intelligent traffic lights.
These measures were complemented
by a strategy to discourage the use of
motorised vehicles.
37
LIFE helps boosts

the energy efficiency
of EU building stock
Europe’s buildings offer many possibilities for making positive contributions to the
objectives of the EU’s resource efficiency Flagship, particularly via improvements in
energy performance. A variety of LIFE projects have been active in this area and their
results are helping Europe’s buildings steer a more sustainable course.
A s much as 40% of EU energy

consumption and 36% of EU
CO 2 emissions are associated with
complement goals in DG Environment’s
Resource-efficient Europe Flagship to
improve energy profiles of buildings.
with these strategic ambitions and an
interesting array of LIFE projects have
been helping the EU building sector
buildings. Resource efficiency prin- pave the way to a more energy efficient
ciples are therefore highly relevant Bold targets have been set across the EU future. Furthermore, as of 2013, all Mem-
for Europe’s building stock. Efforts to so that by 31 December 2020, all new ber States will have to set their minimum
improve the energy efficiency of both buildings shall be nearly zero-energy energy performance requirements based
existing and new built premises pro- consumption buildings. New buildings on a lifecycle assessment, ensuring opti-
vide significant opportunities for miti- occupied and owned by public authori- mal cost efficiency.
gating negative climate change effects. ties will have to comply with the same
Bettering buildings’ energy efficiency criteria by 31 December 2018. Signifi-
performance can also make useful con- cant structural challenges are involved
tributions to improving energy security,
and simultaneously generate employ-
ment in related sectors.
Policy approaches for strengthening

Photo: LIFE00 ENV/A/000243 and Markus Reiseinberger
resource efficient building practices

are promoted through the Directive
on Energy Performance of Buildings
(2002/91/EC) and its recast (2010/31/
EU). This sets common Member State
standards and certification require-
ments for important energy consump-
tion factors such as heating, lighting,
insulation, and air conditioning sys-
tems. The directive’s objectives closely
38
ENERGY EFFICIENT BUILDINGS

Energy efficiency in heating and cooling was demonstrated thanks to an innovative methodology for sustainable school buildings
Systematic and simplified ing design methods for schools. The improved energy efficiency, estimated
approaches result was a methodology on sustain- at 35-50% for heating, and 25-30% for
able school buildings that was tailored cooling.
Directive 2002/91/EC calls for strong to the particular needs of Mediterranean
methodological approaches to improve countries. The new methodology holds Another example of a beneficial
energy efficiency in buildings. Several strong demonstration value for other resource efficiency methodology being
different LIFE actions have addressed parts of the region and is especially introduced by LIFE can be seen in
this requirement. For instance, for the relevant for improving the performance the EQuation project (LIFE00 ENV/
transnational LIFE project SB-MED of existing buildings. By incorporating NL/000808), which showed that energy
(LIFE04 ENV/GR/000137), partners from factors such as alternative cooling tech- performance gains of 15% were pos-
Greece, France and Germany joined niques, appropriate materials, natural sible by adopting sustainable design
forces to collate, adapt and apply best shading and renewable energy the new approaches. EQuation was nominated
practices in European sustainable build- methodology creates cost savings from as a “Best” LIFE Environment project in
2004-2005 (see pp 21-25).
Wood and straw used for wall insulation helped the S-HOUSE project cut energy con-
sumption Award schemes are often useful for
identifying and disseminating good
Photo: Monique Braem and LIFE00 ENV/A/000243
practices in resource efficiency meth-

odologies, and LIFE’s SUSCON project
(LIFE05 ENV/GR/000235) ran a series
of competitions to encourage eco-
friendly construction techniques among
public and private sector stakeholders.
This work formed part of the project’s
wider actions involving the design of
computerised systems for reducing the
environmental impact of construction
works. The software developed during
the LIFE project represented an innova-
tion in Greece and Cyprus because it
provided for the first time a full-scale
39
application of Integrated Product Policy

(IPP) and sustainable construction tech-
niques (combining energy efficiency with
land use, low impact materials, water con-
servation, health and safety and economic
performance criteria).
The results of these LIFE-funded works
Photo: Monique Braem and LIFE00 ENV/A/000243

directly support high level EU initiatives
such as the Action Plan for Energy Effi-
ciency and will of course remain valuable
for helping the resource efficiency Flagship
navigate the challenges that lay ahead.
Eco-innovations
In addition to promoting more simpli-

fied and systematic approaches to
Austria’s S-House built an ‘eco-office’ from renewable and recyclable raw materials
resource efficiency, the Flagship also
underscores the importance of speed-
ing up and spreading eco-innovations. concrete walls. To add to this material tion uses substantial amounts of energy
The LIFE programme has been at the efficiency, the S-House also featured a and accounts for some 5% of world-
vanguard of such new thinking, through large, south-facing glazed facade and wide annual CO2 emissions.
projects such as Austria’s S-House stone flooring to capture heat, as well
(LIFE00 ENV/A/000243), which built an as a prototype biomass stove capable The project aimed to lower the volumes
‘eco-office’ from renewable and recy- of storing and regulating energy. of concrete required for conventional
clable raw materials. Extensive use of facades and walls through the intro-
wood and straw for the outer panelling Material efficiency duction of high-tech textiles that could
and wall insulation helped cut energy reinforce cement mixes and create
consumption by 9 kWh/m2/yr compared The German INSU-SHELL project stronger, thinner walls (reduced from
with a standard house. It also helped (LIFE06 ENV/D/000471) focused its the standard 70 mm to a more ‘material
save raw materials, using only 10% of attention on the issue of ‘material effi- efficient’ 10 or 20 mm). This raw mate-
the amount of natural resources that ciency’ in order to reduce the impact of rial efficiency offers the prospect of sig-
would have been needed for standard the concrete industry - cement produc- nificant associated energy savings.
E C O - CAMPS Photo: LIFE04 ENV/FR/000321
The French ECO-CAMPS proj-

ect (LIFE04 ENV/FR/000321) demon-
strated a series of resource efficient
eco-design innovations tailored to the
needs of campsite managers. The proj-
ect showed how energy consumption
of chalet heating could be cut by 60%
and of camping appliances by 28%
when chalets were made more energy
efficient through improved insulation,
natural lighting, solar power and roof
planting. Europe’s camping sector has
experienced a resurgence in recent
years and this LIFE project will help
spread the word about how to build
energy efficient, eco-friendly camping
facilities.
40
RENEW BUILDING
A lot of effort has been invested in improving the energy efficiency
potential of new buildings but Europe’s existing building stock is badly in
need of solutions to boost its energy performance. LIFE’s RENEW BUILDING
Photo: LIFE02 ENV/A/000285

(LIFE08 ENV/A/000216) tackles this challenge by strengthening the environ-
mental capacity of the renovation sector. Concluding in 2012, RENEW BUILD-
ING is facilitating knowledge transfers about energy and resource efficient
construction materials and providing training in sustainable renovation skills
among target groups in the renovation trade that are often difficult to reach,
An Austrian project validated considerable
energy savings with green construction such as micro businesses and SMEs.
techniques
This new know-how builds on a grow- More data on material efficient techniques ing applied research into intelligent home
ing library of data from LIFE projects will soon be available from the ongoing technologies, renewable energies and
demonstrating effective energy efficient EDEA project (LIFE07 ENV/E/000805), methods for reducing gas, heat, dust and
building techniques. Notable among which aims to improve knowledge about light emissions.
these is Austria’s LIFE BBMpassiv resource efficiency in social housing
project (LIFE02 ENV/A/000285) which developments. The project seeks to show Knowledge building
validated a series of green construc- how appropriate design of new products,
tion techniques during its investment in along with suitable application of exist- As noted earlier, LIFE has been and will
the development of a multi-functional, ing products, can considerably improve continue to be an invaluable source for
multi-storey administration building. the environmental performance of build- helping public, private and NGO sectors
The result has been the creation of a ings. It aims to do this without increasing develop new know-how on energy and
‘passive house’ that requires only 14 costs beyond the scope of social hous- other resource efficiency components.
kWh/m²/yr of heat thanks to the use of ing schemes. To this end, the project has Building knowledge about cost-effec-
hemp and cellulose insulating material. built an ‘experimental’ house, a social tive ways to achieve a resource efficient
The energy efficient building, which pri- housing facility that is acting as a ‘living Europe is considered vital by the EU and
oritises airtight fabrics, could save 75 laboratory’ for testing and demonstrating will play a long-term role in helping the
000 kg of CO2/yr in comparison with a resource efficient approaches for low-cost Flagship sail towards its goal of a sus-
conventional building. homes. Here, the EDEA team is conduct- tainable horizon.
The EDEA project is improving knowledge about resource efficiency in social housing developments
41
Buildings’ capacity to store and regulate energy affects their efficiency ratings, and

LIFE funds have been used to help offset financial risks involved with finding eco-inno-
vation solutions for new types of resource efficient building materials that can reduce
European energy bills.
Taking the risk out of

resource efficiency
investments
T rends in building techniques over

recent years have seen a boom
in the use of prefabricated, lightweight
buildings provide more stable internal
temperatures and they tend to have
lower heating or cooling costs.
state, and in doing so releases the stored
(latent) energy back into the room.The
result is a natural passive solution that
and modular constructions. This trend does not require air conditioning.”
is especially strong in the housing sec- Market trends for lightweight build-
tor where wood and metal frame buildings with low thermal mass have hence Despite the energy efficiency potential
ings are faster and cheaper to build than created an escalating environmental of PCMs, their wider use in the past had
concrete or stone alternatives. These problem that conflicts with practical been hindered by application problems.
modern techniques can reduce the cost and policy requirements for increased Dupont set out to tackle this issue by
of construction but they often remain energy efficiency and improved energy developing a user-friendly PCM panel
environmentally flawed in terms of the balances. that could be easily installed in any build-
building’s ‘thermal mass’. ing, especially lightweight, quick-build,
Lightweight materials prefabricated structures.
Thermal mass is the ability of a building with a high thermal mass
to absorb and store heat. Buildings that Risk reduction
contain a lot of dense material, such as A LIFE project based in Luxembourg
concrete or stone, are able to soak up has helped develop an innovative solu- A lack of market demand for PCM build-
heat or light energy and store this within tion for this problem. The EFFERNERGY ing panels represented a large risk for
the walls, floors and ceilings. Buildings project (LIFE06 ENV/L/000121) was led DuPont. LIFE support is able to help
made of materials such as wood and by the Buildings Innovation department companies bridge such risk gaps and the
metal cannot soak up and store as much of the private sector firm DuPont, and programme’s role in this area is acknowl-
energy and have a lower thermal mass. LIFE support helped the company work
with SMEs to design a new type of light-
Placement of the innovative thermal-mass
Rooms in low thermal mass buildings weight building material that exhibits a panels made of a wax-polymer blend
therefore heat up quicker during hot high thermal mass.
weather and become colder faster in win-
ter. They are less energy efficient because “The key to our eco innovation is a
they consume new energy each time the ‘Phase Change Material’ (PCM) which
room needs to be heated to a comfort- changes its form at different tempera-
able temperature, or cooled down using tures,” explains Wim Maes, DuPont’s
air conditioning units. Heating and air Contract Operations Manager for
conditioning appliances are the largest Europe. “We have produced a thin flat
users of energy in Europe’s buildings. wall panel that contains an internal layer
of special wax. When the temperature
Buildings with higher thermal mass are in a room increases above 21 degrees
able to better absorb heat energy from Celsius the wax in the PCM panel starts
solar or indoor sources. They store to absorb heat energy and slowly melts.
the heat and release it when the room If the room temperature drops to below
temperature drops, as part of a natural 21 degrees the liquid wax material then
passive energy cycle. These types of starts to change its phase back to a solid
42
Other options for increasing uptake of

this type of eco-innovation lay with the

insurance certification systems that are
required for building materials. Before
builders can start a construction project
they normally need to get insurance to
cover their work and insurance compa-
nies seek assurances that the products
being used in a building are safe. All new
products need to be certified for insur-
ance purposes and so the energy sav-
ing benefits available from PCM panels
EFFENERGY improved the thermal performance of existing buildings
could also be accelerated by help from
the product certification bodies. DuPont
edged as a highly useful tool by benefici- important lesson from the project – think have found this certification process slow
aries. Mr Maes reiterates this and says, ahead and start work early on determining and expensive. “It’s been difficult for us
“Research and development money at product specifications. as a large company, so imagine how chal-
DuPont is very competitive but with the lenging it might be for smaller companies
help of LIFE we were able to raise enough Overcoming obstacles with similarly good eco-innovation ideas,”
financial support to get our project started. says Ms. Koster.
Without LIFE’s help the eco-innovations In addition to the issue of defining speci-
we have introduced to the building market fications, a number of other time-con- In conclusion
might never have gotten further than the suming obstacles were overcome by
drawing board. The LIFE project helped the project, and these offer some useful Examining the EFFERNERGY project
us overcome the period when we didn’t insights for decision-makers involved in highlights the facts that energy storage is
have an income.” promoting resource efficiency at regional, a core part of energy efficiency, and that
national and EU levels. For example, PCM is an excellent solution for energy
Ulrike Koster from DuPont explains fur- EFFERNERGY has shown how building storage in modern building methodolo-
ther, “It’s not about creating a new mate- codes can hamper the uptake of PCM gies. In 10 years time we might expect
rial that will land in an existing market. It’s panels because “the official methodolo- that this approach could be much more
about creating a new solution with new gies for calculating energy performance common, and this may be in part attrib-
material landing in a non-existent market. do not know PCM yet,” explains Jacques uted to the risk finance provided by LIFE
LIFE helped us to define a market strategy Gilsent, DuPont’s marketing manager. to help DuPont and its partners produce
for commercialising the initial eco innova- “They know concrete and they know the industry’s first ever user-friendly PCM
tion idea of the PCM panel.” stone, so if you are builder and you want building panel.
to get the energy efficiency of your build-
Commercialising PCM ing validated you can only use conven-
tional materials.”
Much of the project’s €1.51 million of LIFE
co-finance was spent on the prototyping This issue still represents a serious obsta-
phases for the PCM panels. Most of this cle to the energy saving benefits of PCMs
money was used by the SME and aca- and only the regulators can change the
demic partners from France and Greece system. As each Member State has its
that were involved in testing the PCM own building regulations, each Member
materials. Notable among this work was State has the power to make the changes
LUXEMBOURG
the development of new software to deter- needed for promoting more energy effi-
mine the specifications of the panel. cient building materials. “The main driver Project number: LIFE06 ENV/L/000121
for changes in the industry continues
Title: EFFENERGY - Energy Efficient
Without defined specifications the new to be the official rules and legislation,” Building Systems
product would not be able to be adopted stresses Mr. Gilsent. Thus, a review of
Beneficiary: DuPont Luxembourg
by the market. Thanks to the work started building regulations and certification sys-
Contact: Wim Maes
under LIFE and continued after-LIFE, in tems by decision-makers could encour-
2010, DuPont made software available age the industry to change its behaviour. Email: wim.maes@lux.dupont.com
for the trade that includes PCM specifica- Wim Maes believes this “is in the inter- Website: http://www.effenergy.dupont.com
tions. Building designers and their clients est of everyone who wants to change the Period: Dec-2005 to Nov-2008
can now check the energy efficiency and energy bill of the EU”. As part of any such Total budget: e5 610 000
thermal comfort of a building that includes review, the role of subsidies could be con-
the PCM panels. DuPont says this was an sidered.
43
Protecting Europe’s
fisheries and marine
resources
Overfishing, pollution and unsustainable coastal development present a serious threat
to the EU’s marine environment and coastal areas. LIFE projects are actively contribut-
ing to the implementation of EU policy to tackle these issues, testing and demonstrat-
ing new tools and approaches for protecting and conserving our marine resources,
including fish stocks.
E urope’s coastal and maritime

areas are central to its wellbeing
and prosperity. Oceans and seas cover
negative impacts of climate change on
coasts and the marine environment.
The ecosystem approach of the Marine
Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD
- see box) allows for the sustainable
more than half of EU territory and mari- If the resilience of our marine ecosys- use of goods and services, such as fish
time regions are home to about 40% tems is continually undermined, the stocks and other resources (biological
of the EU population. These areas also potential to provide important resources resources, minerals, ecosystem services
generate some 40% of EU GDP, with and services – ranging from food pro- and renewable marine energy sources).
economic activities focusing on areas vision to climate change and erosion These marine resources, many of which
such as shipping and shipbuilding, abatement to bioremediation of waste are still unknown, have a high potential
fisheries, offshore energy and coastal and pollutants, as well as tourism and and can be used in applications such as
and maritime tourism. The exploita- aesthetic enjoyment - will also be com- pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, biotech-
tion of mineral resources, aquaculture, promised. nology, bio-engineering/bionics, food
blue biotechnology and emerging sub-
sea technologies are also increasingly
The Baltic MPAs project worked with fishermen to gather data on fishery by-catch
important sectors.
Photo: Markus Vetemaa and LIFE05 NAT/LV/000100
Facilitating the co-existence and devel-

opment of these different sectors, while
also protecting the marine environment
on which they depend, is an increas-
ingly important challenge for the EU.
Overexploitation of fish stocks, pollu-
tion from land and sea-based sources,
and unsustainable development now
represent a major threat. These prob-
lems are further compounded by the
44
production and processing. The careful

FISH AND MARINE RESOURCES
exploitation of some minerals and renew- THE EU’S INTEGRATED MARINE POLICY
able energy resources may also relieve The European Union, through its Integrated Maritime Policy (IMP),
pressure on land-based ecosystems
aims to promote the sustainable use of oceans, seas and coasts. The IMP
and reduce dependency on resources
fosters interaction between all sea-related sectors and policies in the EU,
outside of the EU. Furthermore, marine
and maritime technologies, resources in particular transport, fisheries, customs and the protection of the marine
and services serve as catalysts for inno- environment.
vation, competitiveness and, ultimately, Adopted in June 2008, the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (2008/56/
blue growth and jobs.
EC) represents the environmental pillar of the IMP. The directive aims “to
achieve good environmental status of the EU’s marine waters by 2020 and
There are ways to guarantee resource
efficiency of our seas in the future, such to protect the resource base upon which marine-related economic and social
as by promoting sustainable fishing tech- activities depend.” The directive provides for Member States and non-EU
niques, minimising discard and by-catch countries to cooperate within European Marine Regions to develop and
practises, developing technologies that
implement strategies to achieve this goal.
exploit marine resources sustainably,
and by preventing marine litter and pol-
lution. LIFE funded projects have a key seeks to increase production of, and is working closely with stakeholders from
role to play in demonstrating how this is develop a market for, ecological mari- several Member States to test collabora-
possible in practice. culture products by promoting ecologi- tive methodologies for implementing an
cal certification. It will create a directory ecosystem approach in the Celtic Sea.
LIFE in our seas of German mariculture and establish a Like other EU seas and oceans, the Celtic
and oceans regional committee on sustainable mari- Sea is under threat from a variety of exter-
culture, leading to a draft White Paper nal pressures (climate change, fisheries,
LIFE projects are at the forefront of and a code of practice. food cultivation in the open ocean, chemi-
developing and demonstrating innova- cal pollution, shipping, construction and
tive approaches that contribute to the Testing an ecosystem dredging, coastal development, recreation
effective implementation of EU policy on approach in the Celtic Sea and tourism).
the marine environment. These projects
address a wide range of issues, including An ecosystem-based approach to manag- The project will bring together stakehold-
the conservation of fish stocks, combating marine resources is a key component ers and government representatives and
ing marine pollution, preserving habitats of the MSFD. This approach involves the will lead to the development of agreed
and biodiversity, and the application of integrated management of land, water mechanisms for implementing an ecosys-
an ecosystem approach to managing and living resources in a way that pro- tem approach to managing and overcom-
marine resources. motes conservation and sustainable use ing these pressures.
of resources in an equitable way. It is now
The LIFE ECOSMA project (LIFE07 ENV/ widely recognised as the best means of Recycling solid waste
D/000229), for example, is looking at managing and governing activities affect-
ways to promote more sustainable aqua- ing the marine environment. Contributing directly to the implementa-
culture as a means of relieving stress on tion of the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy,
wild fish stocks and improving water Contributing to knowledge in this area, the the Integrated Maritime Policy and the
quality in the Baltic Sea. The project PISCES project (LIFE07 ENV/UK/000943) Waste Framework Directive, the 3R-FISH
project (LIFE07 ENV/E/000814) aims to
improve the quality of marine waters and
Stakeholders are testing new methods for implementing an ecosystem approach
in the Celtic Sea seabeds, and prevent marine litter in com-
pliance with the “nothing overboard” and
“zero waste in ports” principles. This will

be achieved by promoting the correct use
of equipment and by minimising the envi-
ronmental impact of solid waste from the
fishing industry (polystyrene, fishing nets,
lighting devices, batteries) by promoting
collection and recycling.
The project will support the reuse and

recycling of devices and equipment used
by the fishing industry in selected ports
45

Photo: Michele Lischi and LIFE06 NAT/IT/000050
The sustainable use of coastal areas in two Italian regions will be ensured through the active involvement of fisheries associations, tourism
operators, NGOs and local authorities
in Galicia (Spain). Project actions include project (LIFE06 NAT/IT/000050) aims to It also defined management measures
the collection and recycling of disused safeguard and restore nine Sites of Com- for fishing activities to reduce by-catch of
nets and expanded polystyrene, and the munity Importance (SCIs) in the coastal sea turtles. The results show the poten-
collection and treatment of some 1 400 zones of Lazio and Calabria (Italy), which tial value of modifications to fishing gear
batteries). These innovative systems for are under threat from human activities. when it comes to reducing by-catch.
the management and recovery of waste, Project actions are focusing on priority The project’s approach to preparing and
throughout the entire lifecycle, will also aim habitats such as Posidonia beds, Coastal implementing its management plan has
to recover secondary raw materials, thus lagoons, Coastal dunes with Juniperus also provided valuable lessons for other
reducing use of primary raw materials. spp, and Dunes with pine forests. marine SCIs in the EU.
Preserving marine habitats An important aspect of the project is the Making more resource efficient use of
and biodiversity involvement of local fisheries associa- by-catch and discards, a priority for EU
tions, tourism operators, environmental policymakers, was also the subject of
The Baltic MPAs project (LIFE05 NAT/ NGOs and local and regional govern- LIFE BE-FAIR (LIFE05 ENV/E/000267),
LV/000100) provided a scientific basis ment in ensuring the sustainable use of and the follow-up project, FAROS
for the designation of Natura 2000 sites coastal areas. (LIFE08 ENV/E/000119), which are the
in the marine territories of Estonia, Latvia subject of a feature article on the fol-
and Lithuania by proposing seven new An earlier LIFE project also explored lowing pages of this section.
marine protected areas (MPAs) and con- effective approaches to managing Nat-
ceiving management plans for six of ura 2000 sites. In the context of increas- Measures for the protection of birds were
them. The project gathered data from ing pressure from urbanisation, tourism updated thanks to a Portuguese project
fishermen on species (seals, birds and development and other human activities,
Photo: LIFE98 NAT/P/005275 and S. Mendes
non-commercial fish) caught in their the LIFE Zonas costeiras/Açores project

gear, complemented with information (LIFE98 NAT/P/005275) sought to
from independent project fishing activi- develop and implement integrated man-
ties. Hydro-dynamic modelling was used agement plans for coastal and marine
to assess the impact on marine habitats habitats in the Azores (Portugal).
from the dumping of dredged material
and other activities. The project also The project focused in particular on five
implemented measures to assess and marine SCIs and seven Special Areas of
reduce the impact of fishery by-catch on Conservation (SACs). It also proposed
target bird and mammal species (such as the designation of new protected areas
the struggling populations of ringed seal, under national law. Notable successes
Pusa hispida). of the project included the adoption of
new regulations on whale watching, a
Focusing on managing areas already des- reduction in by-catch, and the updating
ignated for protection, the Co.Me.Bi.S. of measures for the protection of birds.
46
No discards, zero waste
Promoting a more efficient use of fisheries resources was the main aim of the LIFE BE-
FAIR project, which developed and tested new approaches for managing and reusing
fishing industry waste and by-catch.
A pproximately 85 million tonnes of

wild fish are harvested globally
each year. Of this, an estimated 27 million
New uses for fishing
industry waste and
by-catch
efficiently reuse fish resources (discards
and by-catches) which represent poten-
tial food resources and sources of basic
tonnes - almost one-third - is discarded, or compounds for the medical and pharma-
thrown back into the sea. In line with EU objectives of “no dis- ceutical industries.”The first stage of the
cards” and “zero waste”, the LIFE BE- project involved an assessment of the
The remaining ”target” catch is then sub- FAIR project (LIFE05 ENV/E/000267)
ject to on-board processing, which cre- sought to develop new commercial uses A prototype for the extraction of fish oil
ates significant quantities of waste, such for fishing industry waste and discards from fish livers was designed for use
as heads, bones, guts and skins. This is by piloting innovative waste and discards onboard
also usually returned to the sea. More pre-processing and valorisation prac-
waste is produced on-shore as a result tices, both on-board fishing vessels and
of the activity of fishing ports, auctions, also on-shore in a dedicated pilot plant.
fish traders and processing plants.
“The idea behind the project was that
This combination of discards and waste everything harvested from the sea should
represents a serious threat to the sustain- be treated as a valuable product, always
ability of the fisheries sector, contributing bearing in mind that resources are limited
not only to a depletion of fish populations and that fishing activities must become
and a change in the overall structure of sustainable,” explains Luis Taboada
marine trophic webs and habitats, but Antelo, LIFE project team member.
also to the accumulation of pollutants “We are wasting valuable biomass from
and the spread of parasites in the marine which we can produce secondary raw
environment. materials. The aim was to find ways to
47
In France, the results showed a discard

rate of about 13% for Atlantic fisheries
and 31% for the Mediterranean. Sar-
dine fisheries in the Mediterranean had
a discard rate of over 50%, because of
the presence of mixed banks of sar-
dines and anchovies.
According to information gathered in

Portugal, crustacean and demersal fin-
fish trawl fisheries were found to have
high discard rates, although the values
could be quite variable, according to
the season, fishery and boat type. The
Samples of chondroitin sulphate produced from fish cartilage highest rates (up to 60% for fishing
trawlers and 70% for crustacean trawls)
activities in selected fisheries in Spain, and significant volumes of discards and were found in the Algarve.
France and Portugal in order to deter- waste being dumped back into the sea.
mine the amount and type of discards For example, Spanish trawlers operat- An assessment of activities on land
and by-products being generated. ing in the North Atlantic, which targeted also revealed high levels of waste pro-
Greenland halibut, also caught grenadier, duction. At the port of Vigo (Spain), for
“This was essential to understanding the white hake, witch, American plaice, red- example, the local fish auction pro-
feasibility of processes that we would fish or skates, shrimps, yellowtail and duced 10-14 tonnes/day of fish waste,
examine later,” says Mr Taboada. even flounder and cod. Waste material while waste generated by fish process-
generated included viscera, heads and ing amounted to some 35% of the total
The results showed a wide variety of trims of the target species, all of which fish catch.
fish species being caught as by-catch were thrown overboard.
In France, it was estimated that in 2005,
Hyaluronic acid (HA) can be extracted from the vitreous humour of certain fish species, some 215 000 tonnes of waste was
such as swordfish or tuna generated as a result of fish trade and
fish processing activities. This mostly
comprised of fish heads (40%), fish
bones (27%) and viscera (25%).
New guidelines and

incentives for resource
efficient fishing
Taking account of the types and amounts

of discards and waste generated, the
project team developed a “Good-Prac-
tice Manual for the Recovery, Handling
and Classification of Discards and By-
Products”. This manual includes pro-
posals for appropriate management
practices, on-board and on-shore, with
recommendations for preserving and
pre-treating discards and sub-products.
The guidelines for on-board activities

focus on two types of fishing vessels;
trawlers and long-liners. However, these
can easily be adapted to other fishing
vessels, fishing gear or types of catch.
While the manual was an important start-

ing point, the project team also recog-
nised that to translate this into practice,
48
The first is the irregularity of supply,

because of the variability of the types

and quantity of waste and by-catch.
And the second is the link to the market,
which has yet to be established.
According to Mr Taboada, “it was not

possible to address these issues within
the timeframe of the project. This is why
we developed the follow-up LIFE FAROS
project (LIFE08 ENV/E/000119), which
aims to put all the pieces together; to
create a network and to establish the
link to market.”
At the port of Vigo in Spain the local fish auction produced 10-14 tonnes of fish waste
per day FAROS will also look at the introduction
of new on-board technology to retrieve
there had to be incentives to make it eco- as a complement to other sources, it was real time data on fish being harvested.
nomically attractive. found to have potential. This will facilitate the generation of maps
of activity and resources at sea, and will
“Keeping discards and waste on board The prototype for the extraction of fish also help to predict areas where rates
implies a cost, as it takes up space that oil from fish livers was designed for use of by-catch and discards are likely to
could be used to store fish with an eco- on-board and the shipowner’s union of be higher, so that these areas can be
nomic value, so you have to create an Vigo (ARVI) has agreed to test it on its avoided or closed off during spawning
incentive and demonstrate that fisher- vessels. periods or if numbers of certain fish spe-
men can gain some economic return cies have dwindled.
from this,” insists Mr Taboada. The water reduction unit was also
designed for on-board use, where it could “The first thing to keep in mind is to try
To address this issue, the project devel- help to reduce the volume of discard and and avoid by-catch, but if this is not
oped four different prototypes which waste by crushing to obtain a dry cake. possible then let’s exploit it and make
were used to demonstrate the potential Mr Taboada reports that “this prototype sure we use marine resources more effi-
to produce commercial products from is already being used in France and there ciently,” concludes Mr Taboada.
fish wastes and by-catch: is also interest in Vigo.”
l ��
A mechanical device to extract vitreous The multipurpose prototype worked by
humour from fish eyes; extracting collagen from fish skins to
l ��
A fish oil extractor to obtain oils from obtain a purified gelatine that could then
fish liver on-board; be used as a food supplement. The same
l ��
A water reduction units; and process can also be used to produce
l ��
A multipurpose prototype for gelatine chondroitin sulphate (CS), a substance
extraction/chondroitin sulphate/en- used, for instance, to treat rheumatism.
zyme processes. “This can be extracted from the cartilage SPAIN
of fish such as ray or monkfish,” explains
A preliminary assessment of the market Mr Taboada. “Only about 20% of a ray is Project number: LIFE05 ENV/E/000267
potential of the different products was edible, so at present the remaining 80% Title: Benign and environmentally friendly
also carried out. is waste that can be transformed into a fish processing practices to provide
valuable resource.” added value and innovative solutions for
a responsible and sustainable management
Hyaluronic acid (HA) can be extracted
of fisheries.
from the vitreous humour of certain Establishing links to market
Beneficiary: The Consejo Superior de
fish species, such as swordfish or tuna.
Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
Used in the treatment of bone disease The project clearly demonstrated a
Contact: Antonio Álvarez Alonso
and in cosmetics, this was found to be resource efficient approach, showing the
the product with the highest commercial potential to add-value to discards and Email: antonio@iim.csic.es
value (up to €100 000 per kg). The mar- waste, and the willingness of fishermen Website: http://www.befairproject.com
ket opportunity for HA produced exclu- to implement the guidelines and adopt Period: Nov-2005 to Nov-2008
sively from fish was found to be limited the prototype equipment, as long as it
because of the low concentration of this was economically feasible. However, two
LIFE contribution: e909 000
compound in fish vitreous humour, but key challenges remain.
49
Planning for a more resource

efficient European
landscape
Expanding cities and changing lifestyles demand an ever-increasing supply of natural
resources and energy. LIFE Environment projects are providing support at national,
local and regional levels for European Union strategies that promote more resource
efficient land use and planning in Europe.
T he way we use our land space

can have major impacts on envi-
ronmental conditions and resource con-
land use and planning, has emerged as
an important concept in the development
of a more resource efficient European
land use and planning policy at all levels:
the results are also highly transferable to
both larger and smaller regions of Europe,
sumption. These impacts can be direct, landscape. Several LIFE projects have municipalities, and also to companies or
such as the destruction of natural habi- explored this concept. For example, the organisations in the context of their envi-
tats and landscapes, or indirect, such Finnish ECOREG project (LIFE02 ENV/ ronmental management systems.
as increasing the amount of traffic on FIN/000331) demonstrated how eco-
our roads - leading to more congestion, efficiency monitoring, and the integra- A second Finnish project, Green Valley
air pollution and greenhouse gases. In tion of environmental, economic and (LIFE02 ENV/FIN/000319) developed
Europe, land use planning and man- socio-cultural dimensions into sustain- a resource efficient land use plan for a
agement decisions are usually made able development can be implemented substantial new housing development in
at local or regional level. However, the at a regional level.
European Union has a role to play in
The eco-efficiency of land use in Kymen-
ensuring Member States take environ- The project developed a series of eco- laakso improved thanks to LIFE funding
mental concerns into account when indicators for the development of the
Photo: LIFE02 ENV/FIN/000331
putting together their land use devel- region of Kymenlaakso on the coun-
opment plans. try’s southern Baltic coast, which were
later included in a Regional Plan. The
LIFE has been actively supporting indicators showed that the overall eco-
Europe’s local or regional authorities to efficiency of Kymenlaasko improved
develop their land use planning strate- between 1995 and 2002.
gies in a more resource efficient way.
The project’s findings are relevant to the
Eco-efficiency development of more resource efficient
Eco-efficiency, combining the ecologi- 1 a ‘Best LIFE Environment Project’ winner

cal, economic and social dimensions of 2005-06
50
Salo. The plan included specific actions The Coastal Woodlands project (LIFE02
LAND USE AND PLANNING
e.g. favouring the procurement of ‘green ENV/S/000355) demonstrated the appli-

electricity’ and the enhancement of envi- cation of ICZM, focusing on the Baltic
ronmental aspects in the public procure- Sea coastal zone woodlands of Finland,
ment of the participating municipalities. Sweden and Estonia.
Stakeholder consultation led to greater Surveys carried out by the project on the
public involvement in the planning stage cultural, social and environmental value

and thus significant uptake of the com- of these woodlands, as well as studies of
pleted dwellings. different forestry management activities,
resulted in the development of integrated
Landscape management aspects also inventories and maps for the project area.
delivered some 60 small-scale plans for This new information was used in the
biodiversity, semi-natural habitats, land- stakeholder consultations in the recom- Tools to aid strategic urban planning
scape improvements and water protec- mendations for ICZM in the Baltic Sea. were developed by the DIVERS project
tion. Furthermore, by involving the area’s
cattle farmers, who play an important role The findings highlighted the cross-cutting
in maintaining meadows and thus contrib- aspects of coastal management encom- Urban dimension
uting to biodiversity, the project was able passing sustainable forestry, agriculture,
to recommend changes to the application tourism and development planning. Europe is highly urbanised, with four out
of EU agri-environmental support that Moreover, the project demonstrated bet- of every five of its citizens living in towns
were subsequently adopted by regional ter use of legislation for nature protection or cities. The challenge for policy-mak-
and national environmental authorities. and rural planning as well as helping to ers is to come up with a sustainable and
stimulate more environmentally-con- integrated approach to urban develop-
Another success was the promotion of scious attitudes toward land use. ment and management that works in har-
environmental training, which resulted in mony with natural systems rather than
the establishment of two new enterprises Spatial planning tools against them. A number of LIFE projects
targeting innovative waste management are furthering the EU’s Thematic Strategy
technologies. Spatial planning information is essential for on Urban Development, which targets a
good environmental management deci- more integrated approach and supports
ICZM a priority sion-making and avoidance of conflicts. action at local level.
in EU planning
There are many different producers of For example, the Spanish-led DIVERS
Integrated Coastal Zone Manage- such planning tools, but data are often project (LIFE02 ENV/E/000176) devel-
ment (ICZM) is about managing coastal restricted by reasons of cost or acces- oped tools and a shared database to
resources and coastal space by joining sibility. The high-profile ENVIFACILITATE aid strategic urban planning towards a
up all the different policies which have an project (LIFE04 ENV/FI/000304) tackled model for a more sustainable city. Piloted
effect on coastal regions. this problem – designing accessible, tech- in five cities – in Spain, Greece and Italy
nologically sustainable and user-friendly – the project has a high demonstration
mapping tools for shared environmental value, as the strategy and methodology
ICZM focusing on the Baltic Sea coastal spatial planning information. is applicable to any city.
zone woodlands was applied in Finland
The tools provide users with access online Another Spanish project – GALLECS
Photo: LIFE02 ENV/S/000355
to the most recent data. They allow maps - (LIFE02 ENV/E/000200) developed a
and databases to be overlaid to give a clear Strategic Plan for a rural area on the out-
representation of spatial data with the doz- skirts of Barcelona to address the phe-
ens of alternative data layers available. nomenon of urban sprawl. The project
promoted more sustainable land use,
The project contributed towards several renewable energy and more efficient
national and international environmental water irrigation systems to demonstrate
information systems. It also supported the that it is possible to achieve environmen-
networking of planning information actors tally, socially and economically sustain-
at regional level; and developed an inter- able development in transition zones on
active tool to allow the public to partici- the edge of cities. As a result, the project
pate in the regional planning process. was able to strengthen the rural area’s
function as an ecological buffer zone
2 a ‘Best of the Best’ LIFE Environment between the urban fringe and the coun-
project winner 2007-08 tryside beyond.
51
LIFE turns food for thought

into action
There is significant scope to produce and consume our food and drink in a more
resource efficient manner. EU policy initiatives in this regard have been supported on
the ground by a number of innovative LIFE Environment projects.
I n the globalised economy and

interlinked environment, the EU is
increasingly affected by global changes
The LIFE programme has played an
important role to date in helping to
implement these policy objectives
in resources, climate, material availability across the EU-27 and in neighbouring
and food prices. These issues are likely countries.
to become more pressing, with a pro-
jected increase in global demand for food Improving resource use in
of some 70% by 2050. Steps taken by food production
the Commission at EU level to address
climate change can also contribute to A plethora of LIFE Environment projects One of the earliest LIFE projects to target
improving global food security. have been dedicated to helping food wine production (LIFE99 ENV/E/000349)
and beverage producers make better took place in the Rioja region of Spain.
Key areas of policy intervention in the use of their resources and raw materials. This high-profile demonstration project
food and beverage sector have included The wine industry has been a particular was developed by the Rioja Economic
improving resource use in production focus, given its growing importance and Development Agency (ADER), the Rioja
and avoiding food waste. geographic spread. Water Board and the regional govern-
ment in order to develop an environ-
Resource use in the food and beverage sector has improved with LIFE funding mentally sustainable and economically
viable model applicable to the entire
wine production process. Key areas for

resource efficient production that the
project focused on included: measures to
reduce the use of environmentally-harm-
ful pesticides in vine cultivation; improved
water treatment and use (including a pilot
wastewater treatment plant); investigat-
ing the potential for re-using grape by-
products (e.g. pomace); and integrating
wine production into sustainable urban
and rural management. The most notable
outcome of the project was the agree-
52
SUSTAINABLE CONSUMPTION AND

PRODUCTION OF EUROPE’S FOOD AND DRINK
FOOD AND BEVERAGE
As the European Food Sustainable Production and Consumption Round

Table in January 2011 highlighted, food and drink industries have an impor-
tant part to play in a science-based, coherent approach to sustainable
consumption and production in the food sector, one that takes into account
interactions across the whole food chain.
The round table, co-chaired by the European Commission, set out the fol-
lowing three key objectives:

• To establish scientifically reliable and uniform environmental assessment
methodologies for food and drinks;
• To identify suitable tools and guidance for voluntary environmental com-
munication to consumers and other stakeholders; and
• To promote continuous environmental improvement measures along the
HAproWINE seeks to integrate waste
whole supply chain. management and Lifecycle Assessment
tools into the wine industry
ment of the wine companies to fund the animal feed, and transform the remain- the Tsiakkas Winery in the west of the
largest multi-winery effluent treatment ing waste into natural organic fertiliser country. It is hoped that this will have an
plant in Europe, the Station District of by composting. This LIFE Environment important demonstration effect, since
Haro. “Best of the Best” project for 2007- many Cypriot wineries still spread their
2008 has attracted much interest from untreated effluent in fields, thereby pol-
The Rioja project found that better han- wineries keen to improve the resource luting groundwater resources. Halting
dling and storage would be required to efficiency of their production processes the decline of soil fertility and improv-
make commercial re-use of wine by- and develop financial viable uses for their ing water quality are EU-level goals for
products, knowledge that was widely by-products. Two Greek wineries that did reducing risks to future agricultural pro-
disseminated, including at Green Week not participate in the project have already duction and food security.
2000. The Greek DIONYSOS project implemented its methods.
(LIFE03 ENV/GR/000223) has drawn Meanwhile, the HAproWINE project in
on this learning to successfully build a Two ongoing LIFE projects are looking to Spain (LIFE08 ENV/E/000143) seeks to
pilot plant for processing winery solid build on these earlier success stories. integrate waste management and Lifecy-
waste. The project was able to recover cle Assessment (LCA) tools into the wine
high added-value polyphenols (used in The WINEC project in Cyprus (LIFE08 industry, including promoting the reuse
food supplements and cosmetics), use ENV/CY/000455) is developing an envi- of winery wastes and creating a certifi-
the slurry wastes and sludgy waste- ronmental management system (EMS) cation scheme to help consumers make
water to produce high nutritional value and wastewater treatment plant for more environmentally-friendly choices.
This lifecycle approach chimes with the
goals of the European Food Sustainable
High nutritional value animal feed was produced from winery wastewater
Production and Consumption Round
Table (see box).

Improving resource efficiency through an
LCA approach was also the goal of the
ECOIL project (LIFE04 ENV/GR/000110)
(see pages 21-25).
Showing the way

to efficient production
The EU produces around half of the

world’s potato starch, a process that
uses large amounts of water and energy.
The LIFE New potatopro project (LIFE04
ENV/DK/000067) aimed to develop a
novel energy efficient process for potato
protein extraction on an industrial scale.
53
FOOD AND BEVERAGE

Reductions in energy and water use were achieved through a Closed-Loop Blanching method
This new process, designed by Danish A second good demonstration of in raw materials, as well as reductions
beneficiary, Karup Kartoffelmelfabrik, resource efficiency in the potato in energy and water use, transport and
would also made more efficient use of processing industry is provided by CLB overall emissions.
raw materials. (LIFE05 ENV/NL/000035), a Dutch LIFE
project that developed an innovative new A closed-loop water treatment process
Results were impressive: by transform- method of blanching chips (French fries). was also the goal of another Dutch project
ing fruit water to high-value protein, the CLB stands for Closed-Loop Blanching, targeting the dairy industry. LIFE ‘Dairy,
starch factory was able to take steps a method that is designed to avoid the No Water!” (LIFE03 ENV/NL/000488)
towards producing fertiliser concentrate negative environmental impacts – waste achieved significant improvements in
and biomass for energy production, as energy and water – and loss of potato resource use in a cheese factory in
well as towards treating process water solids (some 10-30%) of industry stand- Hogeveen by extracting whey water and
for reuse in the production process. ard hot water blanching processes. The reusing it as process water. Although the
CLB project achieved significant savings plant did not become totally self-sufficient
The beneficiary’s new factory, co-funded
by LIFE, features a more efficient heating An innovative treatment process produced water efficiencies in a Dutch cheese factory
and heat exchange system for the proc-
ess, as well as better decanting and dry-

ing of the end product. These improve-
ments have resulted in energy savings of
some 60% and a 40% reduction in water
consumption.
The new facility also removes 55-60% of

the nitrogen load from the wastewater.
The waste product, containing phospho-
rous and potassium, can then become
a useful secondary raw material, as it is
dried and sold as fertiliser sludge. The
factory also now has a system for sepa-
rating the potato proteins into fractions
and is attempting to produce a new
product with a low solanine content (the
substance that turns potatoes green).
54
in water, as planned, it did reduce water

FOOD AND BEVERAGE
intake from 825 million to 275 million

litres/yr, reduced wastewater by 255 mil-
lion litres/yr and eliminated the use of
groundwater. In addition, energy savings
amounted to some 7.8 Kton of CO2.
Reducing water consumption and asso-

ciated impacts of wastewater treatment
(such as sludge and odour emissions)
was also the goal of the Spanish JELLY
project (LIFE04 ENV/ES/000224), which
applied the EU’s Integrated Pollution Pre-
vention and Control (IPPC) guidelines to
the manufacture of gelatine from pig skin.
The improvements instigated by the JELLY

project have cut the time needed for the
whole process from 60 hours to 10 hours.
Water savings are equivalent to the aver-
age consumption of a town with 6 000
inhabitants, with significant reductions in
Best practice models and materials on waste prevention were tested in households in
energy consumption, solid waste by-prod-
Helsinki
ucts and odour emissions. Final product
quality is also higher because the gelatine
is exposed to higher temperatures for Tackling food waste of waste they produced by purchasing
less time. Other important achievements eco-goods and services achieved an
include an investment payback time of It is not only food and beverage pro- average reduction of 120 kg (34%) in 12
3 years 3 months and the discovery that ducers that LIFE has targeted, the pro- months. The LIFE project also helped
blood, proteins and fats contained in wash gramme has also played a leading role reduce the average residual waste per
waters could be recovered and converted in the drive to avoid food waste among inhabitant of Deux Sèvres by 9.9% in
into valuable products made from these consumers. Wastage leads to more three years (from 314 kg per inhabit-
secondary raw materials. A new company imports and exports of food, driving up ant in 2005 to 283 kg per inhabitant in
– Proca Ingredients S.L. has been set up commodity prices, increasing instances 2008) as well as raising awareness of
by the beneficiary and a project partner to of ‘land grabbing’ of agricultural land in the need to conserve resources and
exploit this opportunity. developing countries and putting more reduce waste.
pressure on the environment. An esti-
mated 179 kg/capita/yr of food is wasted The purpose of the WASTEPrevKit project
Families who took part in the IDEAL 79
by the food processing industry, whole- was to work, test, disseminate and adopt
project reduced the amount of waste
they produced by purchasing ecogoods salers, caterers and households. A large best practice models and materials on
and services part of this wastage could be avoided, waste prevention. It was expected that
especially at household level. The this would lead to a reduction in the
French IDEAL 79 project (LIFE05 ENV/ amount of waste in the test area. The
F/000063) and WASTEPrevKit in Finland target groups were households, schools,
(LIFE05 ENV/FIN/000539) are just two day care centres, vocational institutions,
examples of pilot schemes that are help- public administrations and enterprises
ing to mainstream resource efficient food in the Helsinki Metropolitan area. Infor-
consumption practices. mation campaigns were supported by a
diverse range of project actions, includ-
IDEAL 79 took practical steps to reduce ing the development of teaching materi-
waste in Deux Sèvres, distributing an als, the extension of an existing waste
eco-consumer’s guide to 160 000 homes benchmarking service, and a two-year
in the department and providing incen- pilot waste reduction project involving
tives (e.g. price reduction vouchers) households in the Viikki-Latokartano
Photo: LIFE05 ENV/F/000063
to switch to purchasing eco-products area of Helsinki. Results were positive

and services. Sales of eco-products in (for instance, families taking part in the
large supermarkets increased 19% as pilot scheme reduced mixed waste by
a result. Nine families who took part in 9% and biowaste by 22% on average)
a pilot scheme to reduce the amount and are readily transferable.
55
LIFE aids agriculture

to preserve resources
Europe faces many challenges on the path to resource efficient agriculture and eco-
system services. The LIFE programme is helping to demonstrate ways of improving
water efficiency, reducing soil erosion and mitigating and adapting to the effects of
climate change, in line with EU policy goals.
O ne of the main challenges that

the EU faces is how to reform
the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)
efficient use of our resources, as fore-
seen with the CAP reform that is under
preparation.
while guaranteeing the same or higher
production levels, as the following exam-
ples illustrate.
so that Europe continues to contribute
to food production and to increasingly The LIFE programme has led the way in Water efficient
deliver environmental improvements, demonstrating agri-techniques that have agriculture
preserving soil fertility and other eco- efficiently helped to preserve resources
system services, avoiding deforestation Agriculture accounts for 70% of global
and promoting rural areas and liveli- 2 See COM (2010) 672 final The CAP towards freshwater consumption and water scar-
hoods. 2020: Meeting the food, natural resources city issues have affected 17% of EU ter-
and territorial challenges of the future http://
eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ. ritory. The changing climate will further
At present agriculture and food produc- do?uri=COM:2010:0672:FIN:en:PDF reduce the availability of water in the
tion are continuing to challenge envi-
ronmental resources, sometimes creat- The AGRICARBON project will demonstrate that conservation agriculture can reduce
ing disservices, even with the ongoing GHG emissions and adapt farming techniques to new climatic conditions
reform’s requirements for ‘cross-com-
Photo: Aixa Sopeña and LIFE08 ENV/E/000129
pliance’ (i.e. the requirement that farm-

ers respect environmental, food safety,
phytosanitary and animal welfare stand-
ards, in order to receive their direct pay-
ments). Hence more steps need to be
taken towards sustainable agricultural
practices that preserve and make an
1 Management practices in agriculture can

create disservices such as nutrient run-off,
sedimentation of water bodies, pesticides
poisoning, soil erosion, water depletion,
desertification and loss of habitats and
biodiversity
56
LIFE AND THE International Year of Forests (IYF)

As the world’s forest resources are under threat from deforestation, fires and pests, the United Nations has declared
A G R I C U LT U R E A N D E C O S Y S T E M S E RV I C E S
2011 the International Year of Forests (IYF). Through its LIFE programme the EU has supported and continues to support
initiatives to preserve the resilience of forest resources.
The Climforisk project (LIFE09 ENV/FI/000571) will map changes in future forest growth and carbon mitigation potential
and changes in the susceptibility of forests to drought and selected biotic disturbance (pests/pathogens). The system will
be used to develop maps and indicators that will support decision-making by public officials and forest managers.
Forest biomass provides a carbon store and is important for mitigating climate change. The LIFE Bioenergy & Fire Prev.
project (LIFE09 ENV/ES/000450) aims to develop new forest management tools and approaches to minimise the risk
of forest fires by reducing the amount of ground-level waste biomass in forest areas. It will also evaluate the potential
of biomass as a source of renewable energy and rural employment.
driest areas of Europe. The OPTIMIZA- The project demonstrated great results in the technical, hydraulic and administra-
GUA project (LIFE03 ENV/E/000164) terms of efficiency - 40% water savings tive management of El Vicario’s ‘irriga-
demonstrated efficient ways to reduce compared with traditional irrigation sys- tion community’ and helped optimise
water consumption in irrigation cultures tems (20 000 m3 in only 4 hectares). the management of the entire river basin.
(cereals – wheat and maize – and grass) Stakeholders (including farmers) were
by developing a prototype that com- Mediterranean countries use some 70% trained to use the gEa system, which, in
bined traditional rainwater collection and of their water for irrigation purposes trials, saved some 1 087 000 litres when
storage systems with “smart irrigation” and the average loss is high in an area used on only two fields. This gives a
systems. Rainwater is used for irriga- already faced with issues of water scar- good idea of the extent of water savings
tion, thus reducing the consumption of city. The Spanish gEa project focused on that could be achieved if the technology
water from public supply networks, with improving water efficiency for irrigation were to be used extensively.
the irrigation system adjusting the water in El Vicario (LIFE05 ENV/E/000313). It
intake according to the crop, soil type, developed an automated online system Lack of information, insufficient exper-
weather conditions and availability of for real-time reading of meters, control tise and scarcity of financial and human
water. The prototypes are wind and solar of water quality, regulation of water con- resources sometimes make it difficult for
powered, giving the project an energy sumption and detection of leaks. This farmers to undertake actions or to find
efficient dimension as well. decision-support tool helped improve innovative technologies to reduce water
The OPTIMIZAGUA prototype achieved notable water efficiencies by combining combined rainwater collection and storage systems
with “smart irrigation”

57
The terracing system developed by LIFE PRIORAT increases vegetation cover and thus a better drainage system for rainwater
use. The AQUA (LIFE09 ENV/IT/000075) these problems, the PRIORAT project water consumption by 85%. The project
project aims to work with stakeholders (LIFE05 ENV/E/000330) developed a methodology allowed for a higher level of
from agriculture and agri-industry to “Mountain Viticulture Sustainable Man- productivity and economic benefits also
produce and disseminate a “Water Sav- agement System” which introduces derived from reduced water, energy and
ing Kit” that will demonstrate how to a terracing system that - aside from chemical consumption.
anticipate environmental threats such as improving landscape conservation and
water scarcity, as well as to respond to the organic content of soils - allows veg- Soil erosion
eventual emergencies, such as subsid- etation cover to be increased by 80%.
ence and droughts, based on a ‘cradle The increased vegetation produces a Conventional agricultural techniques
to cradle’ approach. better drainage system for rainwater, can lead to soil erosion, water pollution,
which in turn significantly reduces soil loss of biodiversity and reduced carbon
Mountain viticulture can lead to water erosion. Furthermore, subsurface drip sequestration. Some 18% of EU terri-
exploitation and soil erosion. To address irrigation systems were installed that cut tory is affected by soil erosion, which is
particularly severe in the Mediterranean
Conservation agriculture techniques such as vegetation cover improved soil quality in because of the prevalence of steep
the Doñana National Park slopes, dry periods followed by high
precipitation and conservative farming
Photo: LIFE00 ENV/E/000547 and Audrey Thénard
practices.
The ALMOND PRO-SOIL project

(LIFE05 ENV/E/000288) demonstrated
the benefits of cultivating almond trees
to prevent desertification, soil erosion
and the abandonment of land in rural
areas. The project increased soil fertility
and biodiversity (via enhanced organic
matter content and microbial activity),
reducing erosion and improving the
soil’s physical structure, stability and
water holding capacity.
Another Spanish project, DOÑANA

SOSTENIBLE (LIFE00 ENV/E/000547),
tackled the problem of soil erosion on 33
pilot farms covering 318.9 ha by apply-
ing conservation agriculture techniques
such as vegetation cover to improve soil
58
protection and diminish soil erosion and

the run-off of water and fertilisers. The

result was an improved conservation
status of the Guadiamar River.
In the UK, the Sowap project (LIFE03

ENV/UK/000617) replaced ploughing
with zero-till or non-inversion tillage to
reduce soil erosion and enable cover

crops during winter that improved soil
structure and enhanced soil biodiver-
sity. The results reduced run-off by as
much as 90%, particularly during heavy
rainfall, and cut soil erosion by 95% on
light sandy soils. Soil function was also A Spanish project demonstrated how cultivating almond trees could prevent desertifica-
improved, as shown by higher soil car- tion and soil erosion
bon, nitrogen and moisture together with
increased invertebrate biodiversity. climate agenda. LIFE projects are show- age the agro-forestry sector in Galicia
ing what can be achieved by improving (Spain) to become involved in activities
Climate change energy efficiency, biomass and renew- that support adaptation and mitigation
able energy production, and the protec- measures. The project aims to promote
The agricultural sector’s potential to tion of carbon in soils. the use of renewable energies and bio-
mitigate, adapt to and reduce green- fuels, recycling, the establishment of
house gas (GHG) emissions needs to be The Changing the Climate project energy efficiency measures, a shift to
developed to meet the EU energy and (LIFE07 INF/E/000852) aims to encour- organic farming and the use of climate-
adapted crops, as well as encouraging
farmers to adopt sustainable manage-
ment alternatives.
AGRICULTURE AND
THE NATURA 2000 NETWORK The Acciòn Agroclimatica project
Agriculture has a major influence on the Natura 2000 network and its sur- (LIFE09 ENV/ES/000441) will develop
roundings. Intensive farming techniques and bad agricultural management tools for carrying out energy and GHG
audits on farms, and for identifying the
can produce pressures on the conservation status of habitats and species,
most suitable crops and best practices
whereas other forms of agriculture can be essential to managing extensive for mitigation and adaptation to climate
areas of valuable habitat. change. Ultimately it aims to develop a
Reforms of the CAP and the Rural Development Regulation (2007–2013) have diagnostic software for energy balances
introduced policy tools and measures that have improved the integration of and GHG emissions and demonstrate
general practices for each farming sec-
biodiversity considerations into farming and forestry practices across the EU.
tor to reduce energy use and GHG emis-
New rural development measures under Pillar II have also supported farming sions by 10% to 40%.
and forestry activities that are beneficial for wildlife.
The CAP reform, foresees that, in the future, environmental measures should CO2 emissions in farming come mainly
be tailor made to fulfil the needs of regions and local areas such as Natura from ploughing, which causes soil car-
bon loss. The LIFE+AGRICARBON
2000 and high-nature-value (HNV) farms and the functions of intensive and
project (LIFE08 ENV/E/000129) encour-
extensive farming practices will have to be revised. ages the uptake of conservation agri-
culture (CA) techniques that can reduce
Photo: Gabriella Camarsa and LIFE04 ENV/ES/000269
GHG emissions and the adaptation of

farming techniques to new climatic
conditions resulting from global warm-
ing. Through the sink effect of CA, the
project aims to fix an additional 0.60-
1.50 tonnes of CO 2/ ha/yr on farms,
a 20% reduction in CO 2emissions. In
addition to reducing energy consump-
tion, the project also aims to quantifi-
ably improve soil quality.
59
Photo: José Fernando Robles
Conservation agriculture
reduces soil erosion
in Andalusian wetlands
The Spanish Humedales Sostenibles (‘Sustainable Wetlands’) project showed how LIFE
can contribute to the conservation and efficient use of natural resources, taking into
account the needs for landscape preservation, flood protection, carbon storage, good
water quality and control and protection of biodiversity.
A ndalusia has a rich and diverse

natural heritage, especially in
terms of wetland habitats: some 17%
The aim of the LIFE ‘Sustainable Wet-
lands’ project (LIFE04 ENV/ES/000269)
was to demonstrate the application of
The LIFE project involved 33 farmers
in a pilot scheme showing how con-
servation agriculture (CA) techniques
of Spanish of Spanish wetlands are agricultural practices that used resources can drastically reduce soil erosion in
located in the region. These dynamic such as soil and water efficiently in order the catchment areas of the wetlands. A
ecosystems are also fragile and can to improve the conservation status of Geographical Information System (GIS)
be negatively impacted by soil erosion Andalusian wetlands, whilst increasing was used to select the areas for the trial
caused by the intensive agricultural awareness amongst farmers of the impor- and to help farmers choose the best soil
practices typically used in the Mediter- tance of Natura 2000 sites. “We wanted management systems and crop rota-
ranean. Such practices can increase soil to demonstrate the decisive role that agri- tions in accordance with the physical
loss and reduce the fertility and ability culture can play in protecting our natural characteristics of their farms. Demon-
of soil to absorb CO 2, leading to the resources and in providing us with impor- stration plots covering 60 ha were estab-
loss of water content in the soil, nutrient tant ecosystem services,” explains project lished in the surroundings of wetlands in
run-off and loss of biodiversity. manager José Fernando Robles. Utrera, Osuna-Lantejuela, Gosque and
60
Lebrija-Las Cabezas. There, with train- ily impacted the area’s wetlands caus- From the farmer’s point of view, produc-
ing and guidance from the Technical ing siltation. “Our land suffers from tion levels are what matters most. Mr.
Office for the Promotion of Conserva- soil erosion and I was very interested Cortines, who eliminated soil tillage and
tion Agriculture, the farmers tested tech- in learning techniques for optimum soil applied direct sowing on his demonstra-
niques including minimum or no tillage, management,” says Juan Cortines, tion plot of 6 ha of sunflowers, is pleased
the maintenance of harvest residues on a local farmer who participated in the to note that “over the three years during
soil surface, direct sowing and vegeta- LIFE project. “Soil is one of the primary which I applied the techniques, the pro-
tion cover for arboreal crops. In addition, resources that allows us to produce in duction levels remained the same and in
the project produced a guide to CA tech- the long run. Without it we would have some cases they increased.”
niques that was disseminated to Andalu- no agriculture in this area.”
sia’s agricultural community. The farmland of Osuna also suffers from
One of the most important tasks, believes soil erosion. Here, another local farmer,
Conservation Agriculture project technician Emilio Cuberos, was Pedro Baena, applied CA techniques on
in action to train farmers how to produce in com- 25 ha of olive groves and wheat fields.
pliance with the Natura 2000 network “Before introducing the techniques sug-
Farms located in Lebrija have clay soils and make them understand the impor- gested by the project, the land would
that are significantly exposed to soil tance and value that wetlands represent lose up to 4 cm/ha when it rained,” says
erosion. The run-off of soils has heav- in terms of biodiversity. Mr Baena. “That is equivalent to 400
tonnes/ha/yr that will never be recov-
ered.” This soil erosion also caused silta-
Osuna’s farmland would lose up to 400 tonnes/ha/yr of soil through precipitation
tion and sedimentation of the neighbour-
Photo: José Fernando Robles

ing wetlands.
To reduce the soil erosion in his olive

groves, Mr Baena added vegetation
cover. According to Emilio González,
General Secretary of the European Con-
servation Agriculture Federation (ECAF
– a project partner), “This produces the
effect of filtering water more rapidly so
that it does not remain on the surface,
thus reducing run-off and siltation. Fur-
thermore, the vegetation impedes the
loss of water.”
Preserving resources and

enhancing biodiversity
The project’s technical team monitored

each of the demonstration plots and
compared them with plots where conven-
tional soil management techniques were
continuing to be applied. The results in
terms of soil erosion were impressive. For
example in the wetland area of Laguna
del Gosque, soil erosion decreased by 1
022 tonnes/yr for olive groves, by 1 489
tonnes/yr for corn/cotton crops and by 1
811 tonnes/yr for wheat/sunflower crops
in comparison with soil losses uses con-
ventional farming techniques.
Other benefits noted during monitor-

ing included a reduction in run-off and
an increase in the hydric content of the
soil where direct sowing was employed.
By avoiding tillage and, by maintaining
harvest residues on the surface, the
61
Photo: Gabriella Camarsa
Project manager José Fernando Robles explains how soil erosion has caused the siltation and sedimentation of neighbouring wetlands
organic content and fertility of the soil it requires greater professional skills to countries of the Mediterranean, but
was increased, while the carbon content apply the soil conservation techniques throughout the EU. The uptake of sus-
in the soil was found to have increased correctly. “More than half of the 33 farm- tainable practices that make efficient use
by 1 tonne/yr. ers are still applying the techniques of our natural resources by farming com-
today. Some have not been able to invest munities will provide European citizens
The decrease in soil erosion was reflected in the direct sowing machinery, how- with quality, value and diversity of food
in less siltation of the wetlands, where a ever, more simple techniques are being and ensure the long-term future of EU
significant increase in biodiversity was applied in the area and this is creating agriculture and rural areas.
also observed. Organic matter in the interest amongst the farming commu-
soil is the main food source for micro- nity of Andalusia even four years after
organisms, which thus benefits all other the project has ended,” notes Mr Robles
organisms in the trophic chain (insects, proudly.
mammals, birds, e.g. flamingos, etc). The
increase in vegetation cover on some of Achieving further
the demonstration plots also meant more resource efficiencies
hiding and nesting places for fauna, as
well as more food, thus enhancing the Ultimately the project has demonstrated
biodiversity of the area. how CA techniques can be applied to
make more efficient use of resources
Green skills and economic (mostly soil and water), avoiding the SPAIN
benefits deterioration and sedimentation of pro-
Project number: LIFE04 ENV/ES/000269
tected wetlands whilst preserving biodi-
The techniques applied by the project versity and enhancing production. Title: Humedales Sostenibles - Integrated
management of agriculture in the surround-
were shown to reduce production costs
ings of community importance wetlands
significantly (since no machinery was “The project will facilitate the adaptation (sustainable wetlands)
required to till the soil). “We have calcu- of farms to the new context established
Beneficiary: Asociación Agraria Jóvenes
lated that the savings are between 40 and by the Natura 2000 Network and the Agricultores de Sevilla (ASAJA-Sevilla)
60 euros per hectare per year for annual future CAP reform,” says Mr. Robles. “It
Contact: José Fernando Robles del Salto
crops in southern Europe,” says Mr. Rob- has demonstrated how CA techniques
Email: jfrobles.life@asajasev.es
les. This compensates for the investment can be easily adopted to preserve our
in machinery for direct sowing. natural resources, which are the basis of Website: http://www.humedales.org
thriving agro-ecosystems.” Period: Oct-2004 to Oct-2007
The LIFE funded project was also a clear Total budget: e1 087 000
demonstration of how green skills in the Such techniques are in the midst of a
LIFE contribution: e541 000
agricultural sector can be created, as phase of expansion, not only in all the
62
LIFE shows the environmental

benefits of GPP
One way of favourably influencing Europe’s unsustainable use of its natural resources is
to encourage one of its largest consumers, public authorities, to adopt common green
criteria for purchasing such goods as computers, stationery (paper), vehicles and fur-
niture as well as fuel, food and electricity.
P ublic authorities have great

purchasing power – spending
around 17% of the EU’s gross domestic
ice groups, and also adopted a new
procedure for the development of GPP
criteria in 2010. The aim is to make the
The role of LIFE
LIFE projects have aimed to raise

product – and their choices about the process more transparent and partici- awareness of GPP and promote the use
goods and services they purchase not patory and enhance synergies among of GPP criteria by establishing regional
only have a significant impact on the the various eco-innovation labels that networks and developing and imple-
environment directly, but also greatly are already in place. menting tools for joint procurement
influence the market for those goods practice. For example, the Italian GPP-
and services by boosting green busi- Criteria help public authorities choose net project (LIFE02 ENV/IT/000023)
nesses. the best environmental products on
the market whilst minimising verifica-
As a result, greening the performance tion requirements and costs. In the The GGPnet project produced a 300-page
handbook for public administrations
of public authorities – or Green Public future, the way forward may be to put
Procurement (GPP) as it has come to in place mandatory Green Public Pro-
be known – is an area that has received curement to support targeted areas of
much attention from legislators and innovative, resource efficient goods.
policymakers in the EU. This approach could remove barriers
to innovation, such as when public
For GPP to become more widespread, procurement of water delivery services
clear and verifiable environmental cri- gives preference to well-tested solu-
teria for products and services must tions, rather than resource efficient
be established that are compatible ones.
between Member States. A level play-
ing field will boost the single market, A forthcoming Communication from the
reduce the impact of goods and serv- European Commission’s Directorate-

ices on the environment and lead to a General for the Environment (DG ENV)
more efficient use of resources. To date, will point to the scope for procurement
the Commission has developed EU to drive innovations that can improve
GPP criteria for 18 product and serv- resource efficiency.
63
GREEN SKILLS
created a network of politicians and The European Commission identifies the lack of ‘green skills’ – i.e.
GREEN PUBLIC PROCUREMENT AND GREEN SKILLS

executives in the Province of Cremona expertise and competence in the use of green technologies – as a specific bar-
to spread awareness of the potential of
rier to innovation. Green skills are needed to develop new technologies, more
GPP at all administrative levels.
resource efficient processes and new working methods. EU 2020 initiatives,
The GPPnet project trained staff in such as “Youth on the Move”, and “Green Skills” will be addressing these
charge of public purchasing to identify issues, but further action specific to resources may also need to be taken. LIFE
products and services with lower envi- projects have shown that providing green skills benefits job creation.
ronmental impacts, and to introduce
For example, the Spanish ELVES project (LIFE05 ENV/E/000317) created 11
environmental criteria into purchasing
procedures, widely disseminating the permanent positions for trained staff involved in the separation of metal
concept of resource efficiency through alloys from end-of-life vehicle engines. The green skills employed in this
GPP in so doing. To facilitate the train- process are having a significant environmental impact in terms of waste
ing process, the project produced a reduction and recycling of materials, since the alloys are reused in new
300-page handbook that contained a
engines for the automotive sector.
step-by-step outline of how environ-
mental criteria can be introduced into
a public administration’s purchasing
procedures, including ways of elimi-
nating administrative burdens that may
impede the adoption of GPP. The guide-
lines contained in this handbook, which
were used for calls for tender during
the project, demonstrate EU policy in
action and could be used as examples
for future common GPP guidelines.
The Province of Cremona is continuing

its GPP activities after the end of the
LIFE project. The legacy of the GPPnet
project is evident in other regions too. A
National Working Group on GPP, based basis for a future mandatory implemen- To monitor the success of this project
on the experiences of the project, was tation of GPP. and other initiatives, the Commission
established in Bologna in 2005. The has proposed two types of indicator:
body is spreading the good procedures Moreover, the project produced a quantitative indicators to assess the
determined during the project to local tool for testing joint procurement progress of the policy and its impact
and regional authorities throughout approaches to overcoming market bar- on the supply side; and impact-ori-
Italy. riers for green purchasing in Europe. ented indicators allowing assessment
Such a tool will help meet the policy of the environmental and financial gains
In line with the Commission’s emphasis objectives highlighted in the EU’s 6th made. A 2009 study tested this meth-
on common criteria for GPP, the group Environment Action Programme. odology. Further evaluation will take
of tools for assisting GPP implemen- place in 2011, and statistical data will
tation developed by the LIFE LEAP Lack of information remains an obsta- serve as the basis for setting future tar-
project (LIFE03 ENV/UK/000613) are cle to further take-up of GPP. The gets for GPP implementation.
transferable across Europe. In fact, 11 ongoing GPPinfoNET project (LIFE07
local authorities in five Member States INF/IT/00041), is demonstrating ways The figures are impressive. A saving of
were partners in the project. Launched of tackling this problem in Italy, and the equivalent of 60 million tonnes of
at the EcoProcura conference in Barce- with the potential to be transferable to CO2 is achievable if all public authori-
lona in 2006, the LEAP Toolkit consists the EU as a whole. By the end of the ties across the EU demanded green
of eight tools for implementing GPP. project, it aims to have ensured that at electricity (equivalent to the emissions
The tools outline a five-step implemen- least 30% of local authorities that have of 6.5 million Europeans). The Commis-
tation process, give examples of good joined regional networks will have pub- sion estimates that environmental build-
practice, set out standard specifications lished green tenders and implemented ing construction could lead to similar
for key products, and detail evaluation actions that favour the adoption of GPP result. Large CO 2 reductions can also
priorities and the promotion of a green within their administrations: just one be achieved through the use of energy-
market. Most importantly in terms of example of how LIFE is furthering the efficient computers, and greater water
resource efficiency, the criteria devel- goal of resource efficiency by encour- use efficiency could result in consider-
oped by the project could be used as a aging the widespread adoption of GPP. able savings.
64
Project list
The table below provides the complete list of LIFE projects on resource efficiency mentioned in this
publication. For more information on individual projects, visit the online database at:
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/project/projects/index.cfm
Project Reference Acronym Title Page

Production processes
LIFE04 ENV/IT/000583 PROWATER Sustainable water management in the textile wet industry through 6
an innovative treatment process for wastewater re-use
LIFE05 ENV/IT/000846 BATTLE Best Available Technique for water reuse in TextiLE SMEs 6
LIFE05 ENV/E/000285 RESITEX Alternatives for waste volume reduction in the textile sector through 6
the application of minimisation measures in the process and in the
consumption.
LIFE02 ENV/E/000216 Development of a new salt water purification system in the tanning 7
sector for reuse
LIFE04 ENV/IT/000414 N.E.S.S. New Eco Spray System 7
LIFE00 ENV/IT/000184 GIADA Integrated Environmental Management in the tannery district of 7
Chiampo Valley (Italy)
LIFE08 ENV/E/000140 OXATAN Environmentally friendly oxazolidine-tanned leather 7
LIFE05 TCY/GA/000115 HAGAR Environmental action for the sustainability of natural resources 7
through recycling of water and sludge frm marble production
LIFE02 ENV/UK/000140 Inwatco Integrated Water Management in former coal mining regions 8
LIFE05 ENV/E/000317 ELVES Development of a system for high-quality separation of metal alloys 8
from end-of-life-vehicle engines and its reuse in new engines and
components for automotive sector
LIFE05 ENV/D/000185 INCOCAST Demonstration of environmentally friendly aluminium engine block 9
Core Package casting (CPS) using an inorganic binder
LIFE04 ENV/IT/000598 New ESD New ESD (eco-sustainable drawing) system, environment-friendly 9
to process steel wire rods / by-products, eliminating the current
pickling practice and the related chemical fumes possessing a high
environmental impact substituting the ...
LIFE06 ENV/NL/000176 Green Bearings Demonstrating innovative technologies that significantly improve 9
the environmental performance of bearings
LIFE06 ENV/IT/000332 MEIGLASS Minimising the Environmental impact of GLASS recycling and glass 10-12
container production
LIFE07/ENV/IT/000361 NOVEDI No Vetro in Discarica (No glass in landfill): demonstrating innovative 12
technologies for integral recovery of glass rejects actually landfilled
LIFE08/ENV/IT/000421 VALIRE Valorisation of incentration residues 12
Eco-products and eco-design
LIFE04 ENV/IT/000589 EWG New clean technology for the decoration of all kinds of ceramic 14
surfaces, whether flat or textured, with a minimal use of raw noble
materials
LIFE02 ENV/IT/000052 Microfinishing A new dry process of microfinishing of gres porcelain and natural 14
stone surfaces, which will substitute the stage of smoothing/
polishing, drastically decreasing the environmental impact of this
stage, to aim for a sustainable development
LIFE05 ENV/E/000301 Eco-Ceramics Ecological ceramics optimization. Alternative to sludge disposal 14
LIFE07 ENV/SLO/000710 UNISASH Resource efficient, Universal Window Sash 14
LIFE08 ENV/F/000481 CISDP Cleaning Industry Sustainable Development Programme 14
LIFE03 ENV/A/000002 PROCOOL Development and successful market penetration of HFC-free and 15
eco-efficient cold appliances for the commercial use
Best projects “Best of the Best” projects

65
PROJECT LIST
LIFE05 ENV/DK/000156 CO2REF Development and demonstration of a prototype transcritical CO2 15

refrigeration system
LIFE00 ENV/IT/000213 Clean-Deco Development of a clean coating technology pvd for decorative 15
applications on metal components in place of the traditional
(galvanic) coating technologies
LIFE05 ENV/F/000062 GAP Clean alternative technology to chemical milling: demonstration of 16
technical, environmental and economic performance of mechanical
milling for the machining of complex shaped panels used in the
aeronautical and space industries - GAP (Green Advanced Panels)
project
LIFE03 ENV/E/000106 RECIPLAS Integrated reusable plastic crates and pallets, eliminating package 16
waste, for sustainable distribution of everyday commodities in
Europe.
LIFE99 ENV/IT/000034 Use and … re-use Use and ... reuse. The “processing centre” in the logistics of 16
packaging of fresh fruit and vegetable products.
LIFE09 ENV/ES/000454 WOODRUB Utilisation of recovered wood and rubber for alternative composite 17
products
LIFE95 ENV/IT/000393 New raw materials from agri-food and industrial wastes: sugar 17
paper, orange paper, smog paper
LIFE03 ENV/GR/000204 ECO-TEXTILE Introduction and Promotion of the ECO-LABEL to the greek textile 17
industry
LIFE08 ENV/E/000147 SHOELAW Promotion of Environmental Legislation among European Footwear 17
Industries
LIFE09 ENV/LU/000390 ECO2 Tyre Tech Development and validation of ecologically sustainable tyres 17
through lifecycle enhancing technologies
LIFE00 ENV/F/000593 E.D.I.T Eco Design Interactive Tools 17
LIFE06 ENV/L/000118 BioTyre Development and validation of ultra low rolling resistance tyre with 18-20
environmentally friendly resources
Lifecycle thinking
LIFE02 ENV/S/000351 DANTES Eco-Efficiency evaluation of new and existing products (DANTES) 23
LIFE00 ENV/NL/000808 EQuation Demonstration and dissmeination project for stimulating architects 23
and local governments to build sustainable with help of innovative
design tools
LIFE08 ENV/E/000135 FENIX Fenix-Finding regional environmental lifecycle information on 23
packaging waste management through flexible software tools and
databases
LIFE03 ENV/IT/000333 Aqualabel Environmental certification of water resource distributed by 23
waterworks systems.
LIFE04 ENV/IT/000588 LAIPP Dissemination of IPP tools in the furniture industry 24
LIFE04 ENV/GR/000110 ECOIL Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) as a decision support tool (DST) for 24
the eco-production of olive oil.
LIFE03 ENV/EE/000194 OSELCA Introduction and Implementation of Life Cycle Assessment 24
Methodology in Estonia: Effects of Oil Shale Electricity on the
Environmental Performance of Products
LIFE00 ENV/FIN/000656 Rural LIFE Design Eco-design and marketing model for rural products and services 25
LIFE04 ENV/GR/000138 IPP TEL Integrated Product Policy in the Telecommunication Sector 25
LIFE04 ENV/DE/000047 Resolved Recovery of Solar Valuable Materials, Enrichment and 25
Decontamination
LIFE07 ENV/P/000639 ELECTROVALUE Electric and electronic eco-assembly alternatives for the 25
valorisation of the end-of-life products in the recycling
market
LIFE04 ENV/FR/000353 ACADEMY Airbus Corporate Answer to Disseminate integrated Environmental 26-28
Management System
LIFE05 ENV/F/000059 PAMELA Process for Advanced Management of End of Life of Aircraft 28

66

PROJECT LIST
Water efficiency
LIFE00 ENV/EE/000922 RAKWANET Demonstration Activities for the Reduction of Water Losses 30
and Preservation of Water Quality in Over-dimensioned Water
Distribution Network in Rakvere Town, Estonia
LIFE09 ENV/IT/000136 PALM Pump And Leakage Management 30
LIFE07 ENV/IT/000475 TRUST Tool for regional - scale assessment of groundwater storage 31
improvement in adaptation to climate change (TRUST)
LIFE03 ENV/NL/000467 VERBAL The Vertical Flow Reed Bed at Leidsche Rijn. A natural way to filter 31
urban water.
LIFE98 ENV/D/000509 Reuse filter backwash- Reuse of filter backwashwater from groundwater treatment for 31
water drinking water purposes with a submerged membrane system
LIFE07 INF/UK/000950 Eco-Animation Eco-Animation: a cutting edge cartoon to raise awareness on 31
climate change and sustainable use of natural resources among
European children
LIFE96 ENV/E/000509 Zaragoza Zaragoza: water saving city. Small steps, big solutions 32
LIFE03 ENV/E/000164 OPTIMIZAGUA Demonstration of water saving for watering uses through the 32
experimentation of artificial
LIFE00 ENV/NL/000790 Maastricht Water Demonstration of integrated total water management for a cluster 32
of 8 industries, implementing a centralised water supply and a semi
collective WWTS and resulting in substantial ground water and
energy savings
LIFE02 ENV/E/000183 Dropawater Durable Regions On Peripheal Areas for Water Reduction 32
LIFE02 ENV/E/000210 HAGAR Tools of self-management for water irrigable in the overused hydric 32
systems
Sustainable transport
LIFE02 ENV/GR/000359 IMMACULATE IMprovement of Urban Environment Quality of Air and Noise Levels 34
by an Integrated, Cost Effective and MUlti-Level Application of
Clean Vehicle Technologies
LIFE06 ENV/D/000477 PARFUM Particulates, Freight and heavy duty vehicles in Urban 34
Environments
LIFE07 ENV/IT/000434 MHyBus Methane and Hydrogen blend for public city transport bus: 35
technical demonstrative application and strategic policy measures
LIFE02 ENV/E/000253 ECOBUS Collecting used cooking oils to their recycling as biofuel for diesel 35
engines
LIFE05 ENV/P/000369 OIL PRODIESEL Integrated Waste Management System for the Reuse of Used 35
Frying Oils to Produce Biodiesel for Municipality Fleet of Oeiras
LIFE08 ENV/IT/00042 ETRUSCAN Under the Etruscan sun - Environmental friendly Transport to 35
RedUce Severe Climate change ANthropic factors
LIFE03 ENV/IT/000319 SIDDHARTA Smart and Innovative Demonstration of Demand Handy Responsive 35
Transport Application to improve the quality of the urban
environment
LIFE05 ENV/E/000262 GESMOPOLI Integral mobility management in industrial estates and areas 35
LIFE03 ENV/NL/000474 LNG Tanker Demonstrating the effective and safe use of liquid natural gas as fuel 36
for ship engines for short-sea shipping and inland waterway transport
LIFE06 ENV/D/000479 WINTECC Demonstration of an innovative wind propulsion technology for 36
cargo vessels
LIFE06 ENV/D/000465 ZEM/SHIPS Zero.Emission.Ships 36
LIFE02 ENV/UK/000136 CATCH Clean Accessible Transport for Community Health 36
LIFE02 ENV/IT/000106 RAVE The Green Ray of Novara 36
Energy efficient buildings
LIFE04 ENV/GR/000137 SB-MED Enhancing transferability of innovative techniques, tools, methods 38

and mechanisms to implement “sustainable building” in the
Mediterranean region
67
PROJECT LIST
LIFE00 ENV/NL/000808 EQuation Demonstration and dissemination project for stimulating architects 38
and local governments to build sustainable with help of innovative
design tools
LIFE05 ENV/GR/000235 SUSCON Sustainable Construction in Public and Private Works through IPP 38
approach
LIFE00 ENV/A/000243 S-House S-House: innovative use of renewable resources demonstrated by 39
means of an office and exhibition building
LIFE06 ENV/D/000471 INSU-SHELL Environmentally Friendly Facade Elements made of thermal 39
insulated Textile Reinforced Concrete
LIFE04 ENV/FR/000321 ECO-CAMPS Eco-design and eco-engineering of buildings, amenities and 39
accommodations in campsites
LIFE02 ENV/A/000285 BBMpassiv Multifunctional company and administration building with logistics 40
and cultural centre in passive house standard in sustainable timber
construction
LIFE07 ENV/E/000805 EDEA Efficient Development of Eco-Architecture: Methods and 40
Technologies for Public Social Housing Building in Extremadura
LIFE08 ENV/A/000216 RENEW BUILDING Demonstration and Dissemination of Climate and Environmental 40
Friendly Renovation and Building with Renewable Resources and
Ecological Materials
LIFE06 ENV/L/000121 EFFERNERGY Energy Efficient Building Systems 41-42
Fish and marine resources
LIFE07 ENV/D/000229 ECOSMA Ecological Certification of Products from Sustainable Marine 44

Aquaculture
LIFE07 ENV/UK/000943 PISCES Partnerships Involving Stakeholders in the Celtic sea Eco-System 44
LIFE07 ENV/E/000814 3R-FISH Integral management model of recovery and recycling of the proper 44
solid waste from the fishing and port activities
LIFE05 NAT/LV/000100 Baltic MPAs Marine protected areas in the Eastern Baltic Sea 45
LIFE06 NAT/IT/000050 Co.Me.Bi.S. Urgent conservation measures for biodiversity of Central 45
Mediterranean Sea
LIFE98 NAT/P/005275 Zonas costeiras/Açores Integrated management of coastal and marine zones in the Azores 45
LIFE05 ENV/E/000267 BE-FAIR Benign and environmentally friendly fish processing practices to 46-48
provide added value and innovative solutions for a responsible and
sustainable management of fisheries.
LIFE08 ENV/E/000119 FAROS Integral networking of fishing actors to organize a responsible 48
optimal and sustainable exploitation of marine resources
Land use and planning
LIFE02 ENV/FIN/000331 ECOREG The Eco-Efficiency of Regions - Case Kymenlaakso 49

LIFE02 ENV/FIN/000319 Green Valley Operation model of environmental management in Salo region 49
LIFE02 ENV/S/000355 Coastal Woodlands Integrated Coastal Zone Management in Woodlands by the Baltic 50
Sea
LIFE04 ENV/FI/000304 ENVIFACILITATE Integration of spatial environmental information across different 50
themes, scales, resolutions and uses : added value of facilitating
mechanisms
LIFE02 ENV/E/000176 DIVERS Information, Competitiveness and Sustainability in Urban System 50
LIFE02 ENV/E/000200 GALLECS Demonstration project on land use and environmental 50
management of the physical planning in Gallecs as a biological
and stable connector in the fringe space of Barcelona
metropolitan area
Food and beverage
LIFE99 ENV/E/000349 Business, environment and wine: from the winegrape to the bottle. 51
Vertical integration of the environment in the wine production
process and horizontal optimization of resources

68
PROJECT LIST
LIFE03 ENV/GR/000223 DIONYSOS Development of an economically viable process for the integrated 52
management via utilization of winemaking industry waste;
production of high added value natural products and organic
fertilizer
LIFE08 ENV/CY/000455 WINEC Advanced systems for the enhancement of the environmental 52
performance of WINEries in Cyprus
LIFE08 ENV/E/000143 HAproWINE Integrated waste management and life cycle assessment in the 52
wine industry: From waste to high-value products
LIFE04 ENV/GR/000110 ECOIL Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) as a decision support tool (DST) for 52
the eco-production of olive oil
LIFE04 ENV/DK/000067 New potatopro Novel energy efficient process for potato protein extraction 52
LIFE05 ENV/NL/000035 CLB Demonstration of a closed loop blanching system for the potato 53
processing industry
LIFE03 ENV/NL/000488 Dairy, No Water! A dairy industry which is self-supporting in water 53
LIFE04 ENV/ES/000224 JELLY Demonstration project for gelatine production with use of innovative 54
technology achieving an important washing wastewater reduction
LIFE05 ENV/F/000063 IDEAL 79 Sustainable Initiatives and Local Alternatives towards waste 54
prevention
LIFE05 ENV/FIN/000539 WASTEPrevKit Waste Prevention Kit for enterprises, education and households 54
Agriculture and ecosystem services
LIFE09 ENV/FI/000571 Climforisk Climate change induced drought effects on forest growth and 56
vulnerability
LIFE09 ENV/ES/000450 Bioenergy & Fire Prev. Contribution of forest biomass generated in the prevention of forest 56
fires in the EU energy strategy
LIFE03 ENV/E/000164 OPTIMIZAGUA Demonstration of water saving for watering uses through the 56
experimentation of artificial
LIFE05 ENV/E/000313 gEa Excellence in irrigation water management 56
LIFE09 ENV/IT/000075 AQUA Adoption of Quality water Use in Agro-industry sector 57
LIFE05 ENV/E/000330 PRIORAT Making compatible mountain viticulture development with 57
European Landscape Convention objectives
LIFE05 ENV/E/000288 ALMOND PRO-SOIL Soil protection in Mediterraanean areas with increased soil erosion 57
rate through cultivation of new
LIFE00 ENV/E/000547 DOÑANA SOSTENIBLE Design and Application of a Sustainable Soil Management Model 57
for Orchard Crops in the Doñana National Park Area
LIFE03 ENV/UK/000617 Sowap Soil and Surface water protection using conservation tillage in 58
northern and central europe
LIFE07 INF/E/000852 Changing the Climate LIFE+campaign ‘Changing the change’. The Galician agriculture 58
and forest sector facing climate change.
LIFE09 ENV/ES/000441 Acción Agroclimatica Combating climate change through farming: application of a 58
common evaluation system in the 4 largest agricultural economies
of the EU
LIFE08 ENV/E/000129 LIFE+AGRICARBON Sustainable agriculture in Carbon arithmetics 58
LIFE04 ENV/ES/000269 Humedales Sostenibles Integrated management of agriculture in the surroundings of 59-61
community importance wetlands
Green Public Procurement and Green Skills
LIFE02 ENV/IT/000023 GPPnet Green Public Procurement Network 62

LIFE03 ENV/UK/000613 LEAP Local Authority EMAS and Procurement 63
LIFE07 INF/IT/00041 GPPinfoNET GPPinfoNET The Green Public Procurement Information Network 63
LIFE05 ENV/E/000317 ELVES Development of a system for high-quality separation of metal alloys 63
from end-of-life-vehicle engines and its reuse in new engines and
components for automotive sector

69
Available LIFE Environment publications

LIFE-Focus brochures Other publications
LIFE and local authorities: Helping LIFE and Energy: Innovative solutions for Best LIFE Environment projects 2009
regions and municipalities tackle envi- sustainable and efficient energy in Europe (2010, 32pp.-ISBN 978-92-79-16432-3
ronmental challenges (2007 – 64pp. ISBN 978 92-79-04969-9 - ISSN 1725-5619)
(2010 - 60 pp. - ISBN 978-92-79-18643-1 ISSN 1725-5619)
- ISSN 1725-5619) Environment Policy & Governance Proj-
LIFE-Third Countries 1992-2006
ects 2009 compilation (2010, 125pp.
Water for life - LIFE for water: Protecting (2007, 64 pp. – ISBN 978-92-79-05694-9
– ISBN 978-92-79-13884-3)
Europe’s water resources – ISSN 1725-5619)
(2010 - 68 pp. - ISBN 978-92-79-15238-2
LIFE in the City: Innovative solutions for Information & Communications Projects
- ISSN 1725-5619)
Europe’s urban environment 2009 compilation (2010, 14pp. –
(2006, 64pp. - ISBN 92-79-02254-7 – ISSN ISBN 978-92-79-16138-4)
LIFE among the olives: Good practice in
1725-5619)
improving environmental performance in
the olive oil sector Nature & Biodiversity Projects 2009
(2010 - 56 pp. - ISBN 978-92-79-14154-6 The air we breathe: LIFE and the Euro- compilation (2010, 91pp. – ISBN 978-92-
- ISSN 1725-5619) pean Union clean air policy 79-16139-1)
(2004 - 32 pp. – ISBN 92-894-7899-3
– ISSN 1725-5619)
Getting more from less: LIFE and sus- Environment Policy & Governance
tainable production in the EU Projects 2008 compilation (2009, 107pp.
A cleaner, greener Europe - LIFE and the
(2009 - 40pp. - ISBN 978-92-79-12231-6 – ISBN 978-92-79-13424-1)
European Union waste policy
- ISSN 1725-5619)
(2004 - 28 pp. – ISBN 92-894-6018-0
– ISSN 1725-5619) Information & Communications Projects
Breathing LIFE into greener businesses: 2008 compilation (2009, 21pp. – ISBN
Demonstrating innovative approaches 978-92-79-13425-8)
to improving the environmental perfor- A number of LIFE publications are
mance of European businesses
available on the LIFE website: Nature & Biodiversity Projects 2008
(2008 - 60pp. - ISBN 978-92-79-10656-9
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/ compilation (2009, 87pp. – ISBN 978-92-
- ISSN 1725-5619)
79-13426-5)
life/publications/lifepublications/
LIFE on the farm: Supporting environ- index.htm
Best LIFE Environment projects 2008-
mentally sustainable agriculture in Europe
2009 (2009, 32pp.-ISBN 978-92-79-13109-7
(2008 - 60 pp. - 978-92-79-08976-3 - ISSN A number of printed copies of
ISSN 1725-5619)
1725-5619) certain LIFE publications are
available and can be ordered free-
LIFE and waste recycling: Innovative Environment Policy & Governance and
of-charge at: Information & Communications Projects
waste management options in Europe
(2007 - 60 pp. - ISBN 978-92-79-07397-7 http://ec.europa.eu/environment/ 2007 compilation (2009, 92 pp.-ISBN 978-
- ISSN 1725-5619) life/publications/order.htm 92-79-12256-9)
LIFE+ “L’Instrument Financier pour l’Environnement” / The financial instrument for the environment
Period covered (LIFE+) 2007-2013.

EU funding available approximately EUR 2 143 million
Type of intervention at least 78% of the budget is for co-financing actions in favour of the environment (LIFE+
projects) in the Member States of the European Union and in certain non-EU countries.
LIFE+ projects
> LIFE+ Nature projects improve the conservation status of endangered species and natural habitats. They support the
implementation of the Birds and Habitats Directives and the Natura 2000 network.
> LIFE+ Biodiversity projects improve biodiversity in the EU. They contribute to the implementation of the objectives of
the Commission Communication, “Halting the loss of Biodiversity by 2010 – and beyond” (COM (2006) 216 final).
> LIFE+ Environment Policy and Governance projects contribute to the development and demonstration of innovative
policy approaches, technologies, methods and instruments in support of European environmental policy and legislation.
> LIFE+ Information and Communication projects are communication and awareness raising campaigns related to the
implementation, updating and development of European environmental policy and legislation, including the prevention
KH-AJ-11-002-EN-C
of forest fires and training for forest fire agents.
Further information further information on LIFE and LIFE+ is available at http://ec.europa.eu/life.
How to apply for LIFE+ funding The European Commission organises annual calls for proposals. Full details are
available at http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/funding/lifeplus.htm
Contact
European Commission – Directorate-General for the Environment
LIFE Unit – BU-9 02/1 – B-1049 Brussels – Internet: http://ec.europa.eu/life
LIFE and Resource Efficiency: Decoupling Growth from Resource Use
Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union
2011 - 72p - 21 x 29.7 cm

ISBN 978-92-79-19764-2
ISSN 1725-5619
doi:10.2779/74370
ISSN 1725-5619
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LIFE and resource efficiency

Decoupling growth from resource use

HOW TO OBTAIN EU PUBLICATIONS

More information on the European Union is availa�����������

Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2011

© European Union, 2011

Printed on recycled paper awarded the EU Ecolabel

Introduction......................... 3 Water efficiency................. 29 Food and beverage

our economic growth patterns continue to exert increasing pressures on EU resource

live, produce and consume within the limits of our ecosystem.

T he EU’s Europe 2020 Strategy for

The Flagship recognises that resource

COM (2010) 2020 Communication from the

LIFE producing resource

duction processes at all stages of the lifecycle, from extraction to end-of-life.

O ver the past 10 years resource

COM(2008) 397 final on the Sustainable Water Conservation in Textile Industry,

resources to implement state-of-the-art

environmental procedures. However,

In Italy, the PROWATER project (LIFE04

ants, such as chemical oxygen demand

ess for developing new BREF reference

Efficient water use was just one aspect of

Photo: LIFE02 ENV/UK/000140

stration project took place in Wake-

kcal/tonne of product, a massive con-

LIFE continues to work to improve the

Photo: LIFE08 ENV/E/000140

ENV/D/000185), a “Best” LIFE Envi-

The Italian New ESD project (LIFE04

MEIGLASS brings new LIFE

glass container, ceramics and bricks industries.

R ecycling of glass bottles is now

With the support of LIFE, SASIL was

SASIL’s new water purification plant

Less resources, more

LIFE MEIGLASS has generated sig-

Photo: Justin Toland

there were an average of 0.24 ceramic

Significantly, tests have shown that

let to improve its properties and allow

colour separation of glass (which does

SASIL is looking to develop other, new,

Photo: Justin Toland

LIFE conserving resources

and proposals to improve the environmental performance of products and to stimulate

demand for more sustainable goods and production technologies.

I t is estimated that over 80% of

strated that small quantities (1-10%) of

sludge from wastewater treatment plants

Two other ongoing projects targeting,

Photo: LIFE04 ENV/IT/000589

Another cleantech project in this sector,

2 A Best LIFE Environment Project winner

than 50 concrete actions targeting the

ECO PRODUCTS AND ECO DESIGN

Domestic fridges and freezers have

However, the commercial world has been

The Austrian PROCOOL project, (LIFE03

found immediate markets for their ment of resources previously wasted.

that all vehicles must contain the high-

est-possible proportion of recyclable

An earlier LIFE project in Italy, Use

More information on the European Union is availa��