It is now certain: Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences will receive funding of around €6 million from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) toimplement the LaNDER3 project.
What is it all about?
Discovering new worlds? Before we look for new places to live, we should make our home planet liveable again and again. Liveable - that means solving the current problems. The standard of living of the so-called PlasticAge is still based on fossil raw materials, produced using too much energy and recycled in closed chains, but with only low efficiency. Polymer residues produce gigantic carpets of waste in the oceans with annual growth rates of 12 million tons and rising, instead of being used efficiently and sustainably.
Natural fibres from regionally available biomass, economically broken down using residual materials, shaped into high-tech composites as lightweight, resilient materials in an energy-efficient manner, coated in a functional way and recycled after use - all steps supplied with energy internally and optimally controlled - that is the goal.
The HSZG, with its proven expertise in energy technology and materials and strong links with regional companies, offers excellent starting conditions for establishing and coordinating the research network. LaNDER3 brings together universities and non-university research institutions with regional and international companies to develop concepts that reach far beyond the region. The technology developments sharpen the existing research profile and bring together the research focus areas (FSP) "Energy and Environment" and "Materials-Structure-Surfaces" in a unique combination.