HORIZON · CL4 · Manufacturing & Robotics
Aragon's REgional Hub for circularity: Demonstration Of Local industrial-urban symbiosis initiatives
Suite5 played a central role in the REDOL project, driving the design and development of the REDOL Data Sharing Platform (REDOL DSP) to deliver a comprehensive Data Management and Sharing environment built on robust principles of interoperability, security and trustworthiness.
A key responsibility of Suite5 was to deliver a detailed, fine-grained data model that supported the efficient management of data within the value chains. The REDOL Common Information Model (CIM), specifically designed for the Solid Urban Waste (SUW) domain, served as a flexible and adaptable data model. It could accommodate evolving data and ensured comprehensive handling of all relevant data assets ingested and shared through the REDOL DSP, providing both technical and semantic structures to enable effective data integration.
In addition, Suite5 leveraged Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) within the REDOL DSP to facilitate transparent data sharing and transactions, governed by formalized contracts. The platform included tools that allowed for continuous monitoring of contract performance and compliance. Furthermore, Suite5 actively collaborated with value chain stakeholders to assess their data resources and sharing needs and supported the iterative improvement of the platform’s interoperability and data-sharing mechanisms through ongoing pilot activities and refinements.
Solid urban waste (SUW) is an abundant source for circular products production, but it is generally not exploited. In fact, over 500 kg of municipal waste per capita were generated in the EU in 2020, while only 45% was recycled. The proximity of resources and people, a sufficient scale for effective markets and the ability to shape urban planning and policy are key factors for cities to achieve advancements in this area. REDOL was conceived to take advantage of this scenario and transform cities into hubs for circularity that implement zero residues strategies while fostering industrial-urban symbiosis (I-US) approaches among local and regional actors.
To this end, REDOL redesigned 5 value chains for SUW (packaging, plastics, CDW, textiles, WEEE) ending-up in the production of 12 circular products. Along the value chains a range of new solutions were implemented for 1) upgrading management technologies to collect, sort and classify SUW, 2) enhancing the processing routes of sorted materials to avoid landfilling and 3) applying cutting-edge digital tools to optimize value chains and interaction among key players. Moreover, REDOL provided the required organizational procedures, business models and social innovation actions required for the establishment of successful I-US interactions and hubs for circularity at local level. Such an approach resulted in the development of guidelines and recommendations for major decision-making bodies and achieved improved citizens’ perception on SUW as a local resource and on recycled products, thus increasing their participation in separate collection schemes.
REDOL was implemented in Aragon, with Zaragoza in the center of the hub for circularity. This way, REDOL supported its transition towards a zero residues city by 2040. This implied 144.720 tons SUW/year being re-used, valorized or transformed into secondary raw materials, leveraging economic and GHG emissions savings over 14B€ and 280 ktCO2/year.
Talk to us about the capabilities behind REDOL — as a research collaboration or a commercial engagement.