How ESEIA Working Groups Drive Innovation in Climate-Neutral Construction with Biofabricated Materials
Europe’s path to climate neutrality is reshaping not only how energy is produced but also how buildings are designed and constructed. Biofabricated materials— produced by living cells and microorganism- are becoming well known and accepted by professionals, securing their place in the construction ecosystem and transformation.
According to the European Commission, bio-based products could save up to 2.5 billion tonnes of CO₂ each year by 2030, while a Joint Research Centre (JRC) study found that these materials produce 45% fewer greenhouse gas emissions than their fossil-based equivalents. The EU bioeconomy, valued at EUR 657 billion and supporting over 17 million jobs, is a powerful driver of this change.
ESEIA: Turning Knowledge into Action
Within this landscape, the European Sustainable Energy Innovation Alliance (ESEIA) is uniting expertise from across Europe to advance biofabricated materials for the construction sector. Through its collaborative Working Groups (WGs), ESEIA connects science, technology, and policy to accelerate innovation in the bioeconomy and support Europe’s energy transition.
The ESEIA Working Groups create a structured framework where HEIs, research centers, and industry members co-develop proposals, share results, and test solutions that merge bio-based innovation with smart material design.
At the heart of this effort is the Working Group on Biorefineries, Biobased Economy and Bioresource Utilization, coordinated by Michael Bongards, TH Köln, DE. This group leads ESEIA’s expertise in developing novel biorefinery value chains and bio-based industrial products, providing a framework to contextualize and rationally use bio-resources. Its focus is on the role of bioenergy systems innovation and the bio-economy in the energy transition, and on exploring usage scenarios for bio-based fuels and bio-wastes.
The Working Group integrates three Focus Groups:
FG 1: Biorefineries and Biobased Industrial Products led by Wolfgang Bauer, TU Graz, AT and Luis Duarte, LNEG, PT creates novel biorefinery value chains and develop new biobased industrial products.
FG 2: Bioeconomy and Circular Economy led by Michael Bongards, TH Cologne, DE provides a framework to contextualized and rational use of bioresources focusing on the role of bioenergy systems innovation and bioeconomy in the energy transition.
FG 3: Bioenergy use of Biobased Fuels and Biowastes led by Markku Huhtinen, Savonia UAS, FI explores usage scenarios for biobased fuels and biowastes to create sustainable solutions
Their work lays the foundation for creating circular, sustainable and renewable materials that combine technical strength with environmental responsibility.
The Working Group on Smart Energy Materials, coordinated by Tina Žužek (JSI, SI), complements this work by developing coatings, composites, and lightweight materials that improve the efficiency and durability of renewable energy systems, key properties for next-generation biofabricated materials.
Meanwhile, the Working Group on Energy Transition in Urban Regions, led by Goran Krajačić, UNIZAG FSB, studies how these new materials can be integrated into energy-efficient buildings and smart city infrastructure, ensuring that biofabrication contributes directly to sustainable urban living.
Through its Working Groups ESEIA is promoting cross-disciplinary cooperation to accelerate the use of biofabricated materials in industry. Members from TH Köln, TU Graz, LNEG, Savonia UAS, BAV, and the University of Zagreb are jointly shaping research proposals and demonstration projects that connect bioeconomy principles with industrial innovation.
Learn more about the ESEIA Working Groups: https://eseia.eu/expertise/working-groups/#content-working-group-smart-materials
