CO2 capture process represents typically about 70% of the total cost of the CCS chain. Power plants that capture CO2 today use an old technology whereby flue gases are bubbled through organic amines in water, where the CO2 binds to amines. The liquid is then heated to 120-150ºC to release the gas, after which the liquids are reused. The entire process is expensive and inefficient: it consumes about 30 percent of the power generated. One of the most promising technologies for CO2 capture is based on the adsorption process using solid sorbents, with the most important advantage being the potential energy penalty reduction for regeneration of the material compared to liquid absorption . Nevertheless, the challenge in this application remains the same, namely to intensify the production of a CO2 stream in terms of adsorption/desorption rates and energy use while preserving the textural characteristics of the sorbents. The key objectives of the CARMOF project are (1) to build a full demonstrator of a new energy and cost-competitive dry separation process for post-combustion CO2 capture based on hybrid porous Metal organic frameworks (MOFs) & Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) (2) to design customized, high packed density & low pressure drop structures based on 3D printing technologies containing hybrid MOF/CNT to be used in CO2 capture system based on fluidized beds. The morphology of the printed absorber will be designed for the specific gas composition of each of the selected industries (ceramic, petrol products and steel) and (3) to optimize the CO2 desorption process by means of Joule effect combined with a vacuum temperature/preassure swing adsorption (VTSA or VPSA)/membrane technology that will surpass the efficiency of the conventional heating procedures

The building sector holds a prominent position in energy consumption (40%) and CO2 emissions (36%) within the European Union. Moreover, current construction and renovation practices are huge raw material consumers and highly waste producers. Despite the efforts, on an EU scale, renovation rates are far below the minimum required, now only reaching around 1% of the building stock per year. These drawbacks bring forward the impact of rising material extraction, shrunk global circularity from to 7.2% in 2023. To facilitate closing this performance and design-to-market gap in the built environment, DeCO2 aims to address the compelling need for advancing innovative technological applications and solutions on the built environment, focusing on building elements, materials, products, and technologies. The project also aims to set up solid and long-lasting partnerships within the legal and regulatory framework and other stakeholders addressing the whole value chain for socio-economic innovation, facilitating to close the performance and design-to-market gap, including for historical and cultural heritage buildings. A well-segmented audience targeting developers, policymakers, and the construction industry will ensure effective market penetration, as DeCO2 is projected as an aligned solution to the EU's sustainability aspirations. Collaborative engagement, showcasing tangible benefits and dedicated digital presence will embrace the entire building-life cycle and all the relevant stakeholders involved in each innovation action stage of renovation projects, materials, and techniques (targeting TRL 8) that contribute to space users’ overall health and wellbeing, comfort and inclusivity.

The negative environmental impact of construction, effects of global climate change, global housing shortage, and rising labor costs due to a shortage of skilled workers are driving the construction industry to question traditional construction methods and push the limits of innovation. In this quest, additive manufacturing (AM) technology (in particular 3D concrete printing (3DCP)) is gaining ground in the construction industry to respond to the urgent demand for acceleration and digitization. The method of automating construction by reading digital models of buildings is undoubtedly key for the construction industry to achieve environmental sustainability, cost reduction, and realize complex shaped designs. 3DCP is thus well suited to adopting digital technologies and automating construction. The vision of AM2PM is to transform the traditional construction site for multistorey buildings into a digital and sustainable site of the future with a 50% reduction in material use and embodied carbon. This is in line with the EU green deal, New European Bauhaus and EU Digital Strategy to mitigate climate change and reduce carbon emissions. AM2PM will introduce a paradigm shift in the application of AM in construction through a comprehensive system-of-systems approach that intertwines a) multi-agent human-robotic systems that work collaboratively on site in a well-coordinated and safe manner, b) computational design of components considering buildability and environmental efficiency, c) design of the requisite sustainable cementitious materials using granular recycled and locally available material, d) AI models to predict and control the manufacturing process and e) the digital twin construction information backbone that enables cohesive operation of the design and production system as a whole. The result would be transformational, achieving a 50% reduction in material use, would reduce embodied CO2 by up to 29 million tons and potentially save >€11 billion annually