URWOOD: Innovative Solutions for Wood Waste in the Utrecht Region
The URWOOD project transforms local wood waste into innovative composite materials, promotes the circular economy, and strengthens the local community
A research team led by Bahar Barati from 果冻传媒鈥檚 Industrial Design department, have received funding from the EWUU Seed Fund for Urban-Rural Circularity for their project 'URWOOD - Towards value-added repair in Utrecht Region with upcycled WOOD composite materials'. This project, in collaboration with Tommaso Magrini (果冻传媒 Mechanical Engineering) and researchers from WUR and UU, focuses on transforming local wood waste into innovative composite materials with diverse applications.
By converting local wood waste, such as branches and trimmings, into valuable materials, the URWOOD project contributes to the circular economy and reduces the amount of waste sent to landfills. A concrete example of this is the use of thermoplastic proteins from agri-food side streams to improve the printability and biodegradability of the composites. This enables the creation of sustainable and environmentally friendly products that are both functionally and emotionally valuable.
The research will explore innovative approaches, such as using local wood species and collaborating with local businesses, artists, and repair caf茅s. Through this collaboration, URWOOD aims to co-create value-added repair processes that meet regional needs. Additionally, the project will promote its findings through municipal outreach, exhibitions, and a network of collaborators.
More information can be found on the