C2 - Application contexts
Where circular farms have a future
Subproject C-2 evaluates CUBES Circle in terms of sustainability, location potential, and system resilience. The aim is to analyze the urban circular production system holistically and to create methodological foundations for scalable, resource-efficient implementation.
One focus is on the further development of life cycle assessment (LCA). In addition to classic environmental impacts, product-specific effects of individual crops are examined in order to identify ecological hotspots and derive optimization potential. At the same time, a Live-LCA is being developed in which real-time data from the pilot operation is incorporated into the environmental assessment, making ecological effects directly visible and controllable.
In addition, economic aspects and concepts of absolute sustainability are integrated in order to evaluate system performance in the context of planetary boundaries. Furthermore, the subproject analyzes spatial and infrastructural location factors and examines cooperation models with urban logistics and supply systems.
To safeguard against energy shortages, extreme weather, and technical malfunctions, resilience and risk analyses are carried out to identify and simulate potential weaknesses of CUBES Circle or RemoteCube. Based on these analyses, a risk management concept is developed that ensures the crisis-proof operation of CUBES Circle and RemoteCube even under extreme conditions.
Prof. Dr.-Ing Christoph Herrmann holds a PhD in mechanical engineering and is a university professor of Sustainable Production and Life Cycle Engineering at the Technical University of Braunschweig. His research focuses on the sustainability assessment of products and industrial processes across their entire life cycle. His work centers on methods, digital tools, and technologies for the analysis, evaluation, planning, and control of sustainable production systems, as well as the design of complex systems in a (inter)national context.
Contact: c. herrmann(at)tu-braunschweig.de
Dipl.-Ing. Felix Wanielik is a mechanical engineer and is pursuing a Ph.D. in life cycle engineering and the sustainability of bio-based materials. His work at CUBES Circle focuses on the environmental sustainability assessment and optimization of CUBES Circle, as well as the analysis of location factors and benefits resulting from industrial symbiosis.
Contact: f.wanielik(at)tu-braunschweig.de
Dr.-Ing. Steffen Blömeke holds a PhD in mechanical engineering with a focus on holistic life-cycle assessment and the circular economy. His work focuses on model-based sustainability assessment and the improvement of the CUBES system, including its internal and external interactions.
Contact: s.bloemeke(at)tu-braunschweig.de
Lena-Marie Klöpper (M.Sc.) is a chemical engineer and works in the field of life cycle engineering. As part of the CUBES Circle project, she will conduct the overall sustainability assessment and scale the system using model-based approaches. She will also analyze opportunities for implementing industrial symbiosis, with the goal of identifying ways to further utilize resource streams from nearby facilities and from the CUBES.
Contact: L.kloepper(at)tu-braunschweig.de
