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Description
In the REWINNUSE project, we will deal with two main areas to implement circular economy and enforce the principles of the circular economy in the wood processing industry and beyond. The first area includes development of new model of wooden window with glass installed only with dry components (elimination of the use of adhesives and silicones), which will allow easy disassembly of the window to basic components and their reuse after the end of life. The second area will focus on finding an alternative wood species to replace spruce and on the reuse of discarded wood. The amount of spruce will start to decrease due to the effects of climate change in the coming decades (Hanewinkel et al (2012)). With the project, we will introduce sustainable principles in the design of wooden products, in production processes and woodworking practice. In the project we will deal with the challenges:
1. lack of spruce, change in forest structure
2. lack of silicone (Mg3Si4O10(OH)2)
3. developing windows for easy disassembly and reuse of components at the end of their service life
4. non-ergonomic and inefficient work processes
Specific goals of project; reducing the consumption of materials and substances, increasing the recyclability and reuse of materials after the end of their service life and optimizing work processes. In 5 years after the end of the project we will reduce carbon footprint for total 171.301kg CO2eq. Project will represent a benefit for the buyers of the product developed in the project, for the project partners, for general and professional public.
Summary of project results
Project Rewinnsue focussed on the challenges:
- lack of spruce, change in forest structure,
- lack of silicone,
- developing windows for easy disassembly and reuse of components at the end of their service life,
- non-ergonomic and inefficient work processes.
In the project Rewinnuse partners have worked on four research and development activities:
- Research, development and production of scantlings and window prototypes made from reused wood and alternative wooden species;
- Laboratory tests on "fresh" samples of wood / scantlings from reused wood and alternative wooden species;
- Development of details, technological development of a new window model with dry glazing made from reused wood and an alternative wooden species;
- Preparation of production and implementation of new production processes for the new window model.
In the activities they have established three test fields in different countries and climate areas, performed several laboratory tests on wood samples and delivered test reports, tested several mechanisms of window profile binding, implemented first dry glazing procedure in the production and implement five new machinery in the window production line.
The main results of project Rewinnuse were:
- selection of the most appropriate and suitable alternative wooden species to be able to supplement spruce,
- development and production of new window model with new assembly methods that enable easy disassembly and complete recycle of components,
- implementation of new or upgrade of existing machinery to enable the production of scantlings from alternative wooden species and waste/reused wood and to improve the time efficiency of the work process by making workplaces more ergonomic.
Research results have contributed to the great knowledge extension especially to the research project partners and also to the knowledge exchange to all project partners. Acquired knowledge from the research project activities has been crucial for the development phase of the project – development of the new window prototypes.
Summary of bilateral results
Norwegian project partner was crucial for the project partnership because of its special laboratory equipment and special location (different and more extreme climate conditions) that offered new insights on weather impact on different wood species. Norwegian partner was already known by one of Slovenian project partner and based on their previous successful collaboration there was no doubt for great collaboration in the Rewinnuse project which can be confirmed by all project partners.Test fields were developed in two Norwegian cities (As and Fureneset) where wooden samples were monitored. Norwegian partner also tested wooden samples with Mayer-Veltrup test method and conducted accelerated ageing on wooden species.