THE ‘COUP DE CŒUR’ PRIZE
29 innovative projects have been selected for the grand final of the WILL BEE 2024 competition
It's up to you to vote for your favourite project to win the public's "Coup de cœur" award
ALIEN Limited provides circular, nature positive solutions that help public authorities address the challenges linked to the spread of a harmful freshwater invasive species: the Quagga mussel. We are turning this blight into an ecological, social, and economic opportunity. We collect the tons of mussels that are every day entangled in our fishermen’s nets, washed up on our strands or clogging up our water pipes and that have been so far thrown directly into the lake. We have developed a ground-breaking technology to recover limestone, naturally present in their shells, for making low carbon cement and minerals from their meat for making local organic fertilizers. The rest that can’t be recovered is used for producing local renewable energy. ALIEN Limited meets no less than 9 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. We particularly help preserve natural resources, restore ecosystems and protect an ancestral know-how which is part of our local heritage: the professional fishermen.
Solitary bees are critical pollinators responsible for 75% of crop species, 35% of global crop production and 88% of flowering species. One in three bee, butterfly and hoverfly species are currently disappearing in the EU due to factors like intensive agriculture, harmful pesticides and rapid urbanization. Rapidly declining numbers are leading to food insecurity and overall disruption of our ecosystems. The current urban and architectural design approaches fail to provide safe havens for solitary bees to survive. Our solution, Apia, is an innovative garden wall system that provides safe nesting habitats for solitary bees with the goal of creating pollinator infrastructure within our cities. Apia architectural panels are made using mycelium, a root-like structure of mushrooms grown in hemp fiber substrate. Mycelium enables us to incorporate biodegradation to design the weathering process. As the panels age, they become substrate for growth for other organisms such as algae and moss.
In 2016, Stéphane Krebs, a committed landscape architect, came up with the idea of creating a device capable of measuring a tree’s health remotely and continuously. The aim is not only to collect data for research and thus improve the care given to trees, but also to be able to anticipate falls in order to protect the population. Eight years later, with the help of scientists from HEPIA – the Geneva University of Applied Sciences’ School of Landscape, Engineering and Architecture – he has created a unique, operational and non-intrusive system capable of measuring the vitality and statics of a tree and displaying the data live on a personal screen. Patented at both Swiss and European level, this innovative device represents a major advance in the field of tree care, and the associated research potential is enormous. What’s more, large-scale deployment has demonstrated that the system works properly and that the initial project was a success.
Bloom offers a sustainable alternative to replace petroleum in current products. With Bloom, customers can match the growing demand for nature-based products as well as make a big step towards meeting their sustainability goals. Bloom also offers innovative products to meet emerging market needs, such as new scents, nutraceuticals or biodegradable bio-plastics. Inspired by nature, the company is a leader in the development of plant-based solutions that helps customers saving up to 90% of CO2 emissions. This replacement comes without a compromise on performance or price, since the efficiency and selectivity of the Bloom process allows for cost-competitive and high-performing materials.
The aldehyde-assisted fractionation (AAF) technology consists of a functionalization strategy where an aldehyde is added during biomass fractionation to stabilize reactive moieties and prevent undesired degradation pathways. In addition, functionalization is a tool for the design of new molecules. Overall, by preventing degradation and enabling functionalization, AAF has the potential to unlock access to new markets and significantly improve biomass valorization efficiency.
BYSCO is breaking new ground by creating the first value chain for mussel byssus, a by-product often regarded as waste in the mussel industry. Thanks to our cutting-edge technologies, we are transforming this material into a valuable resource, helping to increase the supply of bio-sourced materials on the market.
Our expertise is divided into two areas: firstly, the production and sale of materials derived from mould byssus, such as fibres, non-wovens and composites. Secondly, we market byssus washing lines, enabling mussel farmers to make full use of their by-products.
For mussel farmers, BYSCO represents a unique opportunity to make the most of what was once waste, adding a new source of income to their business. For manufacturers, our innovative bio-based materials are a sustainable solution for standing out from the competition while meeting growing ecological requirements.
Edaphos Engineering creates innovative solutions to clean up, revitalise and restore soil. Its technologies use ingredients and micro-organisms to break down pollutants and refunctionalise degraded soils. A pioneer in the reconstruction of fertile substrates from sterile building site materials, Edaphos products are 100% bio-sourced and environmentally friendly, accelerating the reconstruction of the living fabric of soils. The alginate capsule-based products incorporate mineral and organic ingredients and fungal strains to treat contaminated soils: hydrocarbons and heavy metals. They aim to restore soils, preserve ecosystems and increase biodiversity, contributing to CO2 sequestration.
With a technical fibre manufacturer, Edaphos has co-developed MP Remedia, a depolluting geotextile that filters water, protects groundwater and stimulates bioremediation micro-organisms.
Grass is a great CO2 sequestrator through photosynthesis. It is the most widespread biomass and has the shortest recovery cycle (at least two to three cuts per year). It is an inexhaustible resource and its use has no impact on the planet.
The insulating power of grass fibre (lignocellulosic and therefore 90% similar to wood fibre) is similar to that of wood fibre. Note that the grass fibre used is “waste” from roadsides and natural parks that have to be maintained. There is no cultivation or watering.
Grass is a great CO2 sequestrator through photosynthesis. It is the most widespread biomass and has the shortest recovery cycle (at least two to three cuts per year). It is an inexhaustible resource and its use has no impact on the planet.
The insulating power of grass fibre (lignocellulosic and therefore 90% similar to wood fibre) is similar to that of wood fibre. Note that the grass fibre used is “waste” from roadsides and natural parks that have to be maintained. There is no cultivation or watering.
These grass fibres will be converted into insulating panels with high technical and environmental performance. The environmental “plus”: the cut grass, which has trapped the CO2, will be defibred, so the fibre and the grass juice will be separated, and this juice, through methanisation, will give a biogas to dry and work the fibre: the process is virtuous: the grass provides the energy needed to obtain the fibre. The process is virtuous: the grass provides the energy needed to obtain the fibre, which is then put into panels with very low grey energy. These two stages add up to a negative carbon footprint.
GERFLOR is committed to reducing the environmental impact of its floor coverings by recycling soya waste discarded by the animal feed industry. We integrate this waste as an essential component of our floors, while preserving the final performance of our products.
By adding 17% soya waste to our flooring, we are helping to reduce the use of fossil fuels and the carbon footprint of our production. This makes our high quality floors more environmentally friendly, offering a sustainable solution without compromising on performance.
We innovate to create floors that combine technical excellence with ecological responsibility, meeting the expectations of a market that is increasingly concerned about environmental impact.
The Plateforme La Plaine recycles 150,000 tonnes a year of mineral materials from building sites, contributing to sustainable construction and reducing environmental impact. By recovering mineral waste, it reduces the need for gravel pits and the volume of waste sent to landfill. Strategically located near the railway and Lausanne’s major construction sites, it facilitates multimodal transport, thereby limiting road traffic and ‘materials tourism’.
It promotes the circular economy by reducing the consumption of raw materials. In addition, it limits nuisance to local residents by carefully designing the processing facilities. Finally, it uses electrical equipment powered by solar panels, producing the equivalent of all the energy used on the site each year.
This innovative platform makes it possible to produce high-quality recycled concrete, while reducing the ecological footprint and production costs. Since the launch of Plateforme la Plaine, the level of production required to ensure its profitability and sustainability has been constantly increasing. There has also been a significant increase in the use of recycled concrete, which has risen by almost 4% in one year. This result testifies to the growing interest shown by players in the sector in our sustainable, high-performance solution. Numerous requests have been received to visit the platform and discover its functionalities. Our project is therefore helping to change practices and habits in the construction industry, in favour of an ecological and social transition.
11. ISORIGID FROM ISOVER - THE FIRST GEOSOURCED ROOF UNDERLAY INSULATION PANEL
ISORIGID is an insulating panel that fits directly onto the roof rafters, making it ideal for renovation. It is entirely designed and manufactured in Switzerland, in Lucens – VD, and is made from 80% recycled glass waste, melted using local solar and hydraulic power. It offers thermal protection in both winter and summer, as well as excellent sound insulation. Naturally non-combustible, it is also open to vapour diffusion, guaranteeing a healthy home. Grooved on all four sides, it’s easy to fit together and offers a generous surface area for quick installation of the surface to be insulated. Its good insulating performance makes it easy to meet thermal requirements, even with a reduced thickness.
It’s the only direct-to-rafter insulation solution to combine all these advantages, and it’s made in Switzerland. In particular, it’s the only product on the market to be non-combustible, which adds extra security to the roof, especially when photovoltaic panels are installed. The use of 80% recycled glass and decarbonated energy in its manufacture, combined with its good insulating performance for a low density, make it the solution of choice for planners, and an eco2-certified product according to Ecobau. Compared to conventional products on the market, ISORIGID is much more comfortable for installers. It is much lighter and can be cut very easily, even with a simple cutter. Despite its outdoor application, it is also Eurofins Indoor Air Comfort Gold certified, the strictest certification for air emissions. Its non-slip surface guarantees optimum grip when laying, and reduces the risk of falling.
ISORIGID is: an innovation developed and manufactured in Switzerland, a reuse of geosourced material that has already lived one or more lives, a thermal, sound and fire insulation solution, and improved ease and comfort of installation for construction professionals.
Kohlenkraft, a startup based in Winterthur, specializes in creating sustainable solutions using biochar derived from wood and organic waste. Our innovative technology not only produces eco-friendly building materials and additives but also plays a crucial role in sequestering carbon. By transforming organic waste into biochar, we create climate-positive building materials that reduce atmospheric CO2 levels when used in construction. This approach addresses climate change by significantly lowering greenhouse gas levels. It promotes a circular economy by turning waste into valuable resources for construction, revolutionizing the industry with sustainable materials. Kohlenkraft’s mission is to foster a greener future by integrating advanced biochar technology into construction, offering an environmentally responsible alternative to traditional building materials while actively contributing to the fight against climate change.
We are a cabinetmaker specialising in the manufacture of indoor and outdoor furniture, fittings, scenography and contemporary art pieces. Here we present three innovations. W oak: we’re developing a new offering based on a circular, artisanal and local economy. W Oak comes from old wagon floors that we collect and prepare. It is used to produce bespoke indoor/outdoor furniture.
14. MEDUSOIL - Organic Mortar
Using aggregates with a particle size range of 0-1 mm coming from demolition and excavation waste poses significant challenges. These fine particles, akin to very fine sand or silt, can detrimentally impact the quality and performance of recycled building materials. In recycled concrete production, their presence often escalates water demand, resulting in a sticky mix that hampers workability and compromises concrete durability by increasing shrinkage and cracking. To address these issues and enhance the sustainability of construction materials, we are proud to unveil our latest breakthrough: Medusoil’s organic mortar ®. Leveraging our bio-based binder products and traditional mortar preparation tools, these solutions are tailored for plastering and shotcrete applications, revolutionizing how fine aggregates are utilized in recycled construction materials.
15. Miros- Space optimization through dynamic rooms
MIROS Technology aims to redefine living space to optimize the use of infrastructures through transformable and adaptive rooms. By optimization we mean to fit more into currently existing buildings to reduce the need for new ones. We do that while augmenting the experience for the users to have all the stakeholders on board for this sustainable improvement. To achieve this ambitious goal, we have designed smart workstations and meeting tables made of wood and aluminum sourced in Switzerland and Europe to minimize the carbon footprint of our devices while ensuring durability of the innovation. The workstations are foldable, and the meeting tables can retract to the ceiling to create completely reconfigurable rooms that can fit 3 functions in a single space.
16. my iHome SA
My iHome SA has distinguished itself in Switzerland as a pioneer in sustainable and intelligent construction for over ten years. Our aim is to create buildings that not only meet society’s needs, but also environmental challenges, by deeply integrating CSR and ESG principles. We focus on building with wood, a renewable raw material, exploiting its ecological qualities and exceptional energy performance. This reduces CO2 emissions and minimizes waste production. We combine these methods with the most advanced technologies to optimize energy efficiency and limit our ecological footprint.
17. NK MANUFACTURE - PRESSE A SKI 100% ADJUSTABLE
The “100% Adjustable Ski Press” project is an innovative initiative aimed at revolutionizing ski manufacturing. It involves the development of a fully adaptable ski press, designed to produce any pair of skis without the need for tooling changes. This revolutionary press offers maximum flexibility thanks to precise digital and mechanical adjustments. The main objective of this project is to minimize the use of external tooling, thus optimizing production space while minimizing ecological impact. By eliminating the need to change tools for each ski model, the manufacturing process becomes more efficient, economical and environmentally friendly.
18. OFROOM Material Service
The construction industry is does not support or meet the Paris climate targets. The industry must undergo a disruptive innovation process. Emissions must be reduced dramatically, building products need to become fully circular, waste must be avoided. The OFROOM Material Service Tool helps architects, developers and consultants to find sustainable building products, get necessary data and profound information with depth for opinion making. Products are chosen into the library upon their positive sustainability impact. Users not only receive the data they need, but also receive physical material samples in a special library system that for the first time also organizes the material library in the offices. The service avoids packaging waste as well as material resources as the samples are embedded in the service and taken back if not used anymore.The tool offers inspiration as well as in depth analyzes and information. Sustainability becomes easy to read and understand.
19. OPENLY 1 - Bionic building as a c-sink - Construction system for your net zero buildings"
With the OPENLY construction system, we provide a practical, technological overall solution and components for new construction and renovation projects. We focus on avoiding CO2 emissions in the construction industry. By using innovative ecological building materials and approaches, we avoid around 70% of the usual emissions in the construction process. The philosophy encompasses more than just the building itself; it is about rethinking architecture, moving away from purely design aspects towards a functional, environmentally conscious perspective. Buildings are seen as future CO2 reservoirs. By using materials such as straw or hemp, which bind CO2 as they grow, buildings can become net-zero or even CO2-positive structures. These materials are used as insulation in buildings and thus contribute to the storage of CO2. The innovative concept offers a natural alternative to mechanical CO2 storage technologies underlines the potential of nature in the fight against climate change.
Oxara offers a 100% cement-free admixture and binder technology for sustainable, circular building materials with a small environmental footprint. This technology enables excavation materials and demolition waste to be reused in a variety of applications, such as cast earth, compressed earth bricks and recycled concrete. In so doing, it enables the industrialization and large-scale use of healthy, abundant materials that are considered waste.
We place circularity and sustainability at the heart of our development. That’s why all our products are 100% cement-free and do not require energy-intensive production processes. As a result, building materials produced from our admixtures and binders have a significantly reduced ecological footprint, helping to achieve global climate goals and build a sustainable, circular future. They enable the reuse of excavated soil (which accounts for 75% of construction waste, and which is sometimes landfilled abroad!) and mineral demolition waste (such as concrete or bricks). Building materials based on Oxara products can be used in the same way as conventional building materials. This means that no additional infrastructure or associated costs are required to build with our materials.
The aim of the pilot project is to test a concept for self-contained, portable public toilets, separating urine from faeces at source, enabling human urine to be reused in situ as a natural fertilizer. At the end of the pilot phase, the project aims to set up a program to develop 50 toilets at several sites in the canton of Vaud: – On the one hand, they are designed for intensive 4-season use by tourists, e.g. in parking lots, mountain pasture refreshment areas, regional parks, adventure parks, ski lift departures and arrivals… – In addition, their customized finishes and shapes have the advantage of blending naturally into the landscape. The project will also have a positive impact on the environment and health, as human urine is an excellent natural fertilizer, rich in nitrogen and phosphorus and free of heavy metals, unlike phosphorus mine waste.
rebuiLT is a student initiative born just over two years ago and hosted by the Unipoly association and the Structural Xploration Lab (EPFL). Its aim is to research and experiment with alternative approaches to the world of construction, including low-tech, reuse and the use of bio-sourced materials; all guided by participative and inclusive approaches and shared governance.
In concrete terms, we’re building a demonstrator community pavilion in Ecublens, with the motivation of showing :
– that these approaches make sense together
– that bio-sourced materials – here: timber frame, straw and earth walls, with wooden frames, roof insulation in prairie wool + sheep + wood fiber – complement structural reuse (or is it the other way round, reuse complementing bio-sourced materials?).
– that bio-sourced materials enable us to engage in participative construction (or is it the other way round?). It’s all connected.
Currently, reuse in the construction sector represents only 1-7% because of the lack of information on when and where to buy/ sell reuse materials, their quality, and their value. Information about buildings’ demolition comes too late to be able to plan and organise the proper dissembling and reuse of valuable materials. Moreover, information about the ecological quality of building components and materials is still not readily achievable, even for newly produced ones. REON provides a comprehensive data service platform with an evaluation tool (RVI) for reuse, recycling, and repurposing of construction materials, similar to Bloomberg Terminal but focused on construction. We aim to minimise construction and demolition waste and, therefore, new production, keeping the most environmentally important and valuable materials in a circular loop: earth, metal, and wood. Our mission is to help real-estate owners save CO2, raw materials, and waste, and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
The aim of this project is to develop an innovative compressed earth block (hourdis) that can be placed between the joists of a wooden floor to form a structural slab. This innovation would make it possible to increase the share of ecological raw earth (and wood) materials in the building industry, while guaranteeing acoustic, thermal and fire-resistant properties. What’s more, the optimized manufacture of hourdis in the carpenter’s workshop will make this product a highly economical alternative.
Flooring is a major source of CO2 emissions in new construction, as it requires the use of concrete. This project aims to develop a slab element where only wood and earth would be used for structural purposes, without concrete. Terrabloc benefits from recognized know-how in the development of raw earth products in Switzerland. Here, it offers a disruptive innovation for floor construction: the “TERRADEK”. The mass of raw earth brings inertia and moisture regulation to wooden constructions.
This new product offers a structural floor for housing and administrative buildings. Raw earth mass brings inertia and moisture regulation to timber constructions.
25. Timber Structures 3.0 - thinking in concrete - building with timber
- Timber Structures 3.0 – thinking in concrete – building with timber
TS3 – the building world changers We are timber construction specialists, researchers and innovators. We founded TS3 because we are convinced that the construction industry must become more sustainable. To this end, we develop key technologies for urban timber construction.
TS3 can do everything that concrete can do. And much more. We build sustainably and quickly. We are innovative and think about the future. The construction industry is in a state of upheaval and we offer the solution for buildings made entirely of wood. Wood is a renewable raw material that binds large amounts of CO2 and unfolds its good properties in each of our buildings. Projects can be realised more quickly, the indoor climate is better and people simply feel more comfortable in this environment.
26. Urstamm - The forestry and timber industry solution for a sustainable Switzerland
Currently, reuse in the construction sector represents only 1-7% because of the lack of information on when and where to buy/ sell reuse materials, their quality, and their value. Information about buildings’ demolition comes too late to be able to plan and organise the proper dissembling and reuse of valuable materials. Moreover, information about the ecological quality of building components and materials is still not readily achievable, even for newly produced ones. REON provides a comprehensive data service platform with an evaluation tool (RVI) for reuse, recycling, and repurposing of construction materials, similar to Bloomberg Terminal but focused on construction. We aim to minimise construction and demolition waste and, therefore, new production, keeping the most environmentally important and valuable materials in a circular loop: earth, metal, and wood. Our mission is to help real-estate owners save CO2, raw materials, and waste, and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
Woodbloc is a solid wood wall system that consists entirely of wood, without any foreign materials. In contrast to other systems, we use Lignoloc wooden nails to lock our board layers together to form a wall. This means that our product is completely recyclable at the end of its life cycle. For our walls, we use up to 80% carlamic wood, which comes from the forest without having to cut down new trees and of course comes from 100% PEFC-certified forests. In order to keep the added value in the region as much as possible, we buy the majority of our raw wood within a radius of 50 km (directly from the forest farmer) and have it cut in local sawmills. This means that our product has a lower CO2 footprint than almost any other, as we also use heat from our production waste and electricity from our PV system (1.2 MW) for further processing in our factory.
Woodlaunch is a supply chain digital twin platform that promotes transparent data sharing in the wood supply chain, to help actors optimise workflows for product life cycle assessment, tracing and circular potential. It connects forestry, harvesting, sawmilling, manufacturing and construction by supporting the latest technology developed in the space of digital twins and the directives developed by the EU related to sustainability and digital transformation. Using standardised principles around how to share data and providing powerful visualisation, Woodlaunch aims to break down the complexity we see in the debate on forest products, carbon sink, restauration, engineered timber, demand and supply, biodiversity, wood construction and how to scale wood value chains. This will help to express and consume holistic perspectives and prevent polarisation that risks to slow down our progress towards reaching climate goals.
Why is ash from burning “clean” wood landfilled as a potentially hazardous material? As a precaution, ash is treated as waste. The wood-energy sector uses a variety of fuels (forestry chips, bark, waste wood). The resulting ash contains 1 to 2% of the dry mass of the wood, which can vary with the presence of bark. Ash quality varies: some contain only trace metallic elements (TMEs) initially present in the wood, while others are contaminated by plant components (boilers plus flue gas treatment). However, these ashes are rich in nutrients such as calcium, potassium and magnesium. The idea would therefore be to use them as potassium fertilizer, thus replacing all imports of this type of fertilizer into Switzerland.
