Michka Mélo
Our approach
We met with Michka Mélo, sustainability advisor for students to discuss the sustainability of our product, potential implementations and imagined a new source of raw material towards a more sustainable production of the aerogel. This allowed us to think about our project in a different light, to answer questions that we had not considered before, and to bring different ways of thinking about sustainability.
Sustainability & innovation, a good way to start
By starting as early as possible to include sustainability and respect for the environment, we ensure that we start on the healthiest possible basis. When we discovered that the construction industry has a huge impact on CO2 emissions and that heating in Switzerland requires more than 60% of the energy consumed by households, we set out to find a solution at our level, as part of the iGEM competition. It was with this in mind that we came up with HESTIA, a cellulose aerogel insulation covered with proteins that give it adjustable properties. This first discussion with Michka pushed us to quantify the impact of our HESTIA project, to look for figures on the problems of current insulation, and in the meantime we have found an implementation possibility that corresponds to the real need (see Implementation page).
A second application for our material?
In the event that cellulose aerogel is only resistant on the scale of a few months in real conditions (which we are not able to quantify in the framework of iGEM, as discussed in the discussion with Margot and Juliane from the SV Sustainability office), as opposed to the decades essential for its use as an insulation material, we would have to completely rethink the application of this material. The idea, proposed by Michka, would be to use this short life span as an advantage, and to move towards food packaging for example, ! The advantages could be multiple: very light, it would mean less energy consumed for transport; its short life would allow a fast disappearance, with limited impact on the environment and finally its properties of thermal insulation could keep the food fresh for a longer time, to limit the waste! It would need improvement in the mechanical behavior of the aerogel, or strengthen it as a scaffold.
If the cellulose aerogel lifespan was spread over a few years, then why not imagine it being applied to buildings that change very quickly, whose interior design is modified every 3-4 years on average, such as shops, or temporary structures for events, why not outdoors?
Waste storage, a problem in its own right
Because it is composed of natural elements (cellulose, proteins), we believe that our aerogel will be biodegradable. This would mean less energy use for its treatment when no longue useable, a reduced impact on the environment and an easier waste management.
This is even more of a strength as Michka points us to an article in Heidi News1 and a publication by the State of Vaud2 explaining that unpolluted (type A) excavation materials must be stored, and that in the canton of Vaud, current storage spaces will no longer be sufficient from 2025. Thus, if it is becoming more and more expensive to store excavation waste, mostly used in construction, one can reasonably imagine that it is also a challenge to plan the storage for other building waste, such as insulation, without interfering with entire ecosystems. The interest of our product, biodegradable, biosourced and with limited environmental impact, will therefore grow.
Conclusion
Following our discussions with Michka, we imagined alternative implementations of our initial idea in the event of a lifespan incompatible with it. These discussions led us to look for more precise figures to quantify our impact and flesh out our business model. Finally, we were able to exchange on the subject of sustainability and the weight of technology on the environment, which was very enriching from a personal point of view.
References
-
Un ranch pour Avni Orllati
-
CARRIÈRES, GRAVIÈRES ET DÉCHARGES Compte-rendu de la consommation, de la production et des réserves