CORCHACTIVO

Study of the suitability of a green roof manufactured with cork by-products generated during the manufacture of cork stoppers and/or in the wine-making process.

The CORCHACTIVO project has demonstrated the viability of cork as a substrate and/or support for green roofs. In the case of green roofs, as in the case of wetlands, cork can be used as a substrate, allowing the decontamination of building wastewater and improving energy efficiency, thanks to the insulating properties of the material.

The use of cork is proposed in order to take advantage of its multiple properties and to find an outlet for a by-product to promote the development of the bio-economy and the circular economy. The use of cork implies improvements in thermal, acoustic and resistance levels, representing an innovation with respect to current systems. In addition to its decontamination capacity, it can be used in the treatment of wastewater through the roof cover.

A green roof that uses cork is an innovative system that represents a significant improvement in the competitiveness of this material as opposed to other systems that use non-sustainable materials (e.g. crushed tiles).

The CORCHACTIVO project, led by INNOVI, the Catalan Wine Cluster, has enjoyed the participation of the winery Espelt Viticultors, Laboratoris Borrell, the Catalan Institute of Cork (ICSuro) and Eurecat.

Eurecat has collaborated in the project through its Sustainability and Product Development Technological Units. The main tasks carried out by Eurecat have been the study of cork behaviour and its performance in relation to wastewater filtration, as well as the determination of equipment and sensors for automation in the control of cork behaviour parameters, energy behaviour and water management. The Centre has also provided to support to the other partners in the constructive design of the solution.