TECNALIA and RESCO promote the reduction of waste management in construction and demolition with AI and robotics
They will do so through the pioneering European RECONMATIC project, which aims to transform construction and demolition waste management through automated solutions and circular economy practices.
The construction sector is the main consumer of mineral and non-renewable resources in the European Union, generating 36% of total waste. Most of this is produced during the construction and demolition phases.
The European RECONMATIC project seeks to improve recycling rates and reduce the environmental impact of the sector by testing, validating and integrating innovative solutions for construction and demolition waste (CDW) management. These solutions are based on new digital technologies, artificial intelligence and robotics. Among the various solutions being worked on by the project is the prototype robot developed by the TECNALIA research and technological development centre.
Artificial Intelligence
The robot’s function is to identify the different types of materials mixed in the waste stream using technologies based on hyperspectral techniques (specifically NIR) which, together with the use of Artificial Intelligence, allow materials to be identified and characterised with a precision that goes beyond human vision.
The aim is to send the necessary signals to an articulated arm to separate the selected material from the waste stream. This precise and automatic separation optimises the waste management process and obtains high-value aggregates that can be used to replace natural aggregates, reducing the pressure on natural resources and the environmental footprint of the construction sector.
According to Inés Díez Ortiz, a researcher at Tecnalia’s materials laboratory, ‘participation in European projects represents a great opportunity to develop innovative technologies for the treatment of construction and demolition waste. These advances make it possible to obtain even cleaner streams than the current ones and to add greater value to secondary streams’.
In this way, she added, ‘progress is being made towards sustainability in the sector, a fundamental aspect, as responsible resource management contributes to reducing environmental impact, improving the energy efficiency of buildings and promoting practices that drive more balanced and resilient urban development’.
The RECONMATIC project is part of HORIZON EUROPE, in which various institutions, organisations and companies from five European countries are participating, including TECNALIA.
