Study on waste from beer production, an unexpected resource for circular construction in Greater Paris.
PROJECT PRESENTATION
In Greater Paris, the artisanal brewing sector is undergoing a major transformation. On average, around ten microbreweries are established each year, with currently 61 brewing locations in Greater Paris, including 33 within the city limits. The largest waste product from this sector is spent grain, the leftover cereals that, after being infused in the brew, are extracted and discarded. For each hectolitre of beer produced, approximately 20 kg of material is thrown away, which amounts to nearly 3,000 tonnes per year across Greater Paris. Currently, breweries pay for its disposal, and it is either used in the food industry or incinerated for methanization. Yet, this material has numerous properties, and developing research into its potential use in architectural construction seems highly relevant.
What constructive potentials and applications can be envisioned for a material based on spent grain?
For this research, the experimentation will focus on three main categories: bricks, panels, and coatings. The experiments aim to test variations in the proportions of earth and spent grain for each type of application. Once a promising mixture is identified, it will undergo mechanical and thermal testing. The most successful recipes will then be subjected to a third round of testing with additional additives to enhance their characteristics. To share our findings, we envision a traveling off-site exhibition showcasing the key phases of the research, alongside participatory workshops, a first step before developing a larger-scale manufacturing process.
In Greater Paris, the artisanal brewing sector is undergoing a major transformation. On average, around ten microbreweries are established each year, with currently 61 brewing locations in Greater Paris, including 33 within the city limits. The largest waste product from this sector is spent grain, the leftover cereals that, after being infused in the brew, are extracted and discarded. For each hectolitre of beer produced, approximately 20 kg of material is thrown away, which amounts to nearly 3,000 tonnes per year across Greater Paris. Currently, breweries pay for its disposal, and it is either used in the food industry or incinerated for methanization. Yet, this material has numerous properties, and developing research into its potential use in architectural construction seems highly relevant.
What constructive potentials and applications can be envisioned for a material based on spent grain?
For this research, the experimentation will focus on three main categories: bricks, panels, and coatings. The experiments aim to test variations in the proportions of earth and spent grain for each type of application. Once a promising mixture is identified, it will undergo mechanical and thermal testing. The most successful recipes will then be subjected to a third round of testing with additional additives to enhance their characteristics. To share our findings, we envision a traveling off-site exhibition showcasing the key phases of the research, alongside participatory workshops, a first step before developing a larger-scale manufacturing process.
THE TEAM
collectif.zip brings together young architects, designers, and urban planners from diverse backgrounds. This collaboration, ongoing since 2022, allows the team to continue experimenting and enrich their work within architecture and urban planning agencies, tackling interdisciplinary challenges. The core team consists of permanent members (Ronan Le Cornec, Alex Roux, and Hippolyte Roger), complemented by additional architects, designers, and specialists during specific collaborations. For this research, the collective is partnering with Côme Mazin-Pietri and various breweries in the Paris region.
Our approach focuses on confronting different scales of work: from territorial dynamics to architecture through self-construction, and examining urban situations in transformation. We also aim to question the project design process by engaging in transmission through consultation, participatory construction sites, workshops, and intensive sessions. Our diverse profiles allow us to develop a transversal perspective, particularly on the practice of reuse and geo- and bio-sourced materials as a core of the construction process, as well as the impacts of climate disruption on coastal territories and the transformation of territorial food dynamics.
collectif.zip brings together young architects, designers, and urban planners from diverse backgrounds. This collaboration, ongoing since 2022, allows the team to continue experimenting and enrich their work within architecture and urban planning agencies, tackling interdisciplinary challenges. The core team consists of permanent members (Ronan Le Cornec, Alex Roux, and Hippolyte Roger), complemented by additional architects, designers, and specialists during specific collaborations. For this research, the collective is partnering with Côme Mazin-Pietri and various breweries in the Paris region.
Our approach focuses on confronting different scales of work: from territorial dynamics to architecture through self-construction, and examining urban situations in transformation. We also aim to question the project design process by engaging in transmission through consultation, participatory construction sites, workshops, and intensive sessions. Our diverse profiles allow us to develop a transversal perspective, particularly on the practice of reuse and geo- and bio-sourced materials as a core of the construction process, as well as the impacts of climate disruption on coastal territories and the transformation of territorial food dynamics.
