The construction industry is not only responsible for large portions of the energy, resources, and land consumed globally, but it also creates large amounts of waste and emissions. The starting point of the BB@BW project is the ongoing systematic changes required for the transformation of energy and resource use, climate protection, and digitalization; herein construction provides both challenges and opportunities to make the industry more sustainable. The bioeconomy can also contribute to this process. The project seeks to educate specialized staff and increase the societal awareness and knowledge of younger generations, since they are the professionals of tomorrow. The education and information initiative aims to lay the future groundwork for a sustainable and stable offer of training and continuing education and create a network of relevant stakeholders. Implementation of the results will change according to the various training formats and depends on the respective targeted groups.

Project Leadership: Hochschule Biberach, Frau Dr. Jennifer Blank

The challenge of a sustainable and knowledge-based bioeconomy is the development and circulation of new knowledge as a basis of innovation and behavioral changes on all economic and societal levels. The BLITZ project develops and tests teaching concepts about a circularly oriented bioeconomy for agricultural technical schools. At the same time, the project concerns itself with questions about how to prepare future farmers for the future and give them the ability to contribute to a bioeconomic transformation and implement new sustainable approaching using their own social-entrepreneurial ideas. Through specialized knowledge and experience, future farmers should have the competency and encouragement to be active in systematic change. The project combines the Lake Constance Foundation, the “Social Entrepreneurship Education” program, and three pilot schools. Published at the end of the project will be a compilation of the resulting teaching concepts and curriculums. 

Project Leadership: Universität Hohenheim, Frau Dr. Sophie Urmetzer

Students in higher education are, as future professionals and decision-makers, the key players in developing and implementing a bioeconomy. The StudKomBio project compiles digital and real-world learning formats about the bioeconomy. As part of a participatory and learning-oriented process, students go on to develop these formats for others students. The first phrase aims to lay the groundwork for the interdisciplinary and interdepartmental bioeconomy topics, as well as the use, impact, and production of digital media. The second phase focuses on placing students into small groups in order to develop digital learning formats. The project is a collaboration of the University of Freiburg, the University of Hohenheim, the University of Applied Forest Sciences Rottenburg, and the Biberach University of Applied Sciences. Experts from the fields of bioeconomy and communication from the participating universities will supervise and support the students. The central actors of this project are students in the land use sector, and thus there is a specific focus on training their communication skills. The project will end with presentations about the developed learning formats and teaching material, which will be available for all future students and teachers.

Project Leadership: Universität Freiburg, Frau Prof. Dr. Daniela Kleinschmit

Natural fibers promise potential in a variety of applications, such as in functional textiles, in fiber-based materials, and in lightweight construction. The Alliance of Fiber-Based Materials Baden-Württemberg e.V. (AFBW), Südwesttextil – Verband der Süddeutschen Textil- und Bekleidungsindustrie e.V., and the Deutschen Institute für Textil- und Faserforschung (DITF) Denkendorf have joined forces to establish a digital platform for cooperation, exchange, and the accumulation of information to support companies as they transfer knowledge from academia into practice. With the input of relevant actors, the collected information will be presented as a wiki. This will serve to support knowledge transfer and build the foundation for cooperation and will demonstrate potential. The target audience of this project includes all actors along the natural fiber value chain: agricultural producers and processers, fiber-based industries, researchers, developers, and end users. 

Project Leadership: Alliance of Fiber-Based Materials Baden-Württemberg e.V., Frau Sandra Bayer Texeira

The use of plant-based fibers in biobased resources and materials offers diverse potential for sustainable construction, but is not without its challenges. To support companies through the transformation, the Technologieregion Karlsruhe GmbH, the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research ISI, and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) have started a subject initiative. This project considers possible implementations along the entire value chain and aims to bring together producers and processers of plant-based fibers with actors from the construction industry as well as potential operators and end users. To reach a wider audience and construct better foundations for innovation and cooperation, the results of this project will be published as action recommendations with concrete use cases.

Project Leadership: Technologieregion Karlsruhe GmbH, Frau Dr. Jung-Erceg

A plant-based diet can provide significant contributions to achieving climate targets. However, the cultivation of protein-rich crops in Germany has decreased substantially in recent decades. Alongside the crops, knowledge of production engineering, availability of cultivars, and specialized preparation and processing procedures has disappeared as well. Despite growing demand for regionally grown plant-based protein, the focus remains firmly on only a few crop species. Other valuable, protein-rich crops don’t enjoy a similar level of attention, both because of a lack of relevant experience and the therein-associated risks. Project EAT-PROTEIN develops guidelines, concepts, and training material for the cultivation of protein-rich crops in Baden-Württemberg. Beyond this, consultations with farmers, processers, supermarkets, and consumers will identify and overcome existing hurdles and challenges. The project’s industry partners are LBV Schrozberg and the Sektion Baden-Württemberg der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Ernährung e.V. (EN: Baden-Württemberg Chapter of the German Nutrition Society e.V.).

Project Leadership: Universität Hohenheim, Frau Khadijeh Yasaminshirazi

Global food production is responsible for 20-30% of all anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The main objective of Project REGIOCAT is the optimization of catering for large events with the aim of significantly reducing their GHG emissions while maintaining recommended nutrient content, cost neutrality, and maximizing consumer acceptance. While there are existing initiatives for the reduction of GHG emissions, they do not consider the potential health effects associated with the accompanying changes in dietary intake. To test the methodology, a caterer in Baden-Württemberg will assist in running consumer-reviewed trials. Solutions compiled through this system will serve to optimize meal plans provided to interested catering companies and similar enterprises. This will contribute to the wider implementation of ecologically sustainable meal plans.

Project Leadership: Duale Hochschule Baden-Württemberg (DHBW) Heilbronn, Herr Dr. Alexandr Parlesak