Limassol:Nicosia Cyprus has joined a European project aimed at developing innovative building materials using seagrass and excavated soil. The AKTI Project and Research Centre in Cyprus will play a pivotal role in testing thermal insulation production from seagrass and reusing excavated soil, while also coordinating similar waste-to-product initiatives in Austria, Hungary, Serbia, and Ukraine.
According to Cyprus News Agency, the HUBS4BUILD project explores solutions such as thermal insulation from seagrass, building materials from leftover bread, and insulation panels from food waste. The project seeks to reduce waste and minimize the environmental impact of the construction sector by repurposing materials that would otherwise be discarded. In Cyprus, AKTI will utilize Posidonia oceanica residues and excavated soil, with pilot trials set to occur in the Limassol district.
The HUBS4BUILD project, funded by the EU's Horizon Europe programme, brings together a consortium of universities, research centers, technology companies, local authorities, and civil society organizations from 13 European countries. The initiative will establish 13 regional Circularity Hubs to test new methods of converting local waste into useful products. These solutions will undergo real-world testing to evaluate their technical performance, environmental impact, and economic viability.
In Cyprus, AKTI, in collaboration with the Complex of East Limassol Community Services, the University of Rostock, and local organizations, will coordinate the production of natural thermal insulation from Posidonia oceanica residues. This seagrass, exclusive to the Mediterranean, supports marine biodiversity and contributes to coastal ecosystems even after its dead leaves wash ashore. The project will utilize collected materials, transforming them into insulation and compost, thus preventing them from being discarded.
Additionally, the project will explore separating and reusing excavated soil in construction, with applications like natural plasters and drainage layers, and investigate methods to recover and reuse water. AKTI will also conduct similar trials across four European countries, collaborating with local partners. These efforts include using leftover bread for furniture boards in Austria, turning agricultural straw into mattresses in Hungary, employing food waste and hemp fibers for insulation panels in Serbia, and converting demolition waste into paving slabs in Ukraine.
The HUBS4BUILD project, coordinated by the University of Thessaly, had its kick-off meeting in Kozani, Greece, from September 28 to 30. The initiative is set to run from 2026 to 2030, supported by the European Union's Horizon Europe programme.