The Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation : understanding the new ecodesign requirements

WeLOOP supports the European bioeconomy through innovation in sustainable construction with BIOARC

Towards high-performance bio-based materials

As Europe accelerates its transition towards a circular economy and carbon neutrality, the construction sector plays a key role by rethinking the sourcing and use of materials. The BIOARC project, funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme, contributes to this shift by transforming agricultural by-products into high-performance bio-based construction materials. The project focuses on sunflower seed husks, rice husks, wheat straw and hop fibres as raw materials for the production of thermal and acoustic insulation, panels and wall systems.

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Out in the field with BIOARC

he BIOARC project was officially launched in May 2025 and is starting with a series of four field visits focusing on the targeted agricultural products: hops in Germany, sunflower in France, wheat in Poland, and rice in Italy. Alongside partners from TUM (Technical University of Munich), Cresco and Northumbria University, WeLOOP took part in the second stage of the field visits on 15 July in Fresnoy-en-Thelle, France. This visit focused on the valorisation of sunflower seed husks, a by-product with strong regional availability and untapped potential. Organised in collaboration with Terres Inovia, the visit included a tour of local sunflower fields and processing facilities, followed by a collaborative session exploring technical and economic pathways to integrate sunflower husks into bio-based construction products.

WeLOOP leads the environmental assessment of the project

Within Work Package 7, WeLOOP leads Tasks 7.2, 7.3 and 7.4, which are primarily aimed at assessing and supporting the improvement of the environmental performance of the solutions developed. With a strong focus on life cycle assessment (LCA), the eco-design workshops will be key to BIOARC’s commitment to developing low-impact, innovative materials aligned with the EU Green Deal and the New European Bauhaus initiative. In addition, we plan to carry out a social review of the solutions to identify key stakeholders and relevant social themes associated with the project’s scope.

This work was launched on 10 July with a training session on LCA and data collection for all BIOARC partners. The training equipped participants with the necessary knowledge to collaborate on the environmental impact assessments of the developed construction materials, thereby laying the groundwork for the upcoming eco-design workshops scheduled for the next BIOARC general meeting in spring 2026. All partners have shown fantastic motivation, with the project already progressing rapidly.

Building sustainably with local resources

Thanks to its Horizon Europe funding, BIOARC brings together a diverse range of stakeholders—from researchers and farmers to designers and sustainability experts—to develop circular solutions for the construction sector. Agricultural residues such as sunflower seed husks, rice husks, wheat straw and hop fibres offer the opportunity to make better use of local resources, reduce dependence on extractive materials, and build resilient supply chains for the construction industry. WeLOOP is proud to contribute to advancing this vision: transforming agricultural by-products into building blocks for a more sustainable and resilient Europe.