Posts in category: Events

On 4 June 2025, the ALIGNED and CALIMERO Horizon Europe sister projects held their Science-for-Policy Joint Event at the Thon EU Hotel in Brussels, with a parallel online livestream. The hybrid event attracted over 130 participants — 50 onsite and 84 online — including policymakers, researchers, and industry stakeholders from across Europe.

The event featured insightful keynotes on improving environmental assessment methods for bio-based products, highlights from real-world case studies, and a dynamic panel discussion on policy and industrial practices. Stakeholders from sectors such as construction, chemicals, textiles, and algae biorefinery shared their perspectives on shaping a more sustainable bioeconomy.

We thank everyone who joined us to help shape the future research and policy agenda in this crucial field.

Watch the event here:

Welcoming remarks by Evdokia Achilleos, Head of Sector in the Biodiversity, Circular economy and Environment Unit (Research Executive Agency)

Introduction to ALIGNED & CALIMERO projects

• CALIMERO keynote: Industry case studies to improve environmental performance – Eduardo Entrena, Contactica. If you are interested in any CALIMERO presentation, please contact CONTACTICA .
• ALIGNED keynote: Aligning LCA methods for improved sustainability – Prof. Massimo Pizzol, Aalborg University. Download presentation

Research highlights

• CALIMERO: Multi-objective optimization in woodworking – Eduardo Entrena Download presentation
• ALIGNED: Framework for carbon accounting – Lorie Hamelin, INSA Toulouse Download presentation

Project impacts

• CALIMERO: Systemic inflection points in policy and practice – Milena Amaral, Neovili Download presentation
• ALIGNED: Stakeholder impact and recommendations – Patrick Reumerman, BTG Download presentation

Panel discussion

Mauro Cordella, Policy Officer (DG Environment) Silvia Maltagliati, Policy Officer (DG Research and Innovation) Pelin Birsen (EREKS – Blue matters, industrial partner – textile sector) Laura Monteiro (A4F, industrial partner – algae biorefinery)

Date: Thursday, June 19, 2025

Time: 10:00–11:30 CEST
Format: Online | Free registration

We are organising on June 19, 2025 from 10:00 – 11.30 hours a free online Sustainability in the Construction Sector Workshop.

The overall goal of the workshop is to help improving the environmental sustainability of the construction through Life Cycle Assessment. As part of the ALIGNED project, we have explored innovative ways to measure and enhance sustainability in the construction sector. During this workshop, we will present key findings from the case studies.

The session will conclude with an interactive discussion on the utilisation of these methodologies in the construction sector and the results of the consultation.

If you did not yet participate in the online consultation, we would kindly request you to take a few minutes to fill out the form.

To participate in the consultation, please click here and fill out the form: https://forms.gle/64FzNyRxqBGgVU4L7

🔗 Register here

Agenda

10:00 – 10:05
Welcome & Practical Issues

10:05 – 10:20
Introduction of the Project
Speaker: Patrick Reumerman (BTG)

10:20 – 10:45
Case Study: bio-based phenolic foam as thermal insulating board
Speaker: Damien Arbault (INSA – Tolouse)

10:45 – 11:20
Interactive Discussion

11:20 – 11:30
Wrap up & Closing

For the third year in a row, ALIGNED was present at SETAC, this time at the 2025 Annual Meeting in Vienna. Project partners contributed through scientific sessions and poster presentations, continuing ALIGNED’s engagement with the life cycle assessment (LCA) community.

Nariê Rinke Dias de Souza and Kíra Lancz co-chaired the session Methodological Advancements in Life Cycle Assessment of Emerging Bio-Based Systems, which drew attention for addressing the pressing challenges of assessing new bio-based technologies. The session explored issues such as methodological harmonisation, allocation approaches, data uncertainty, and how to better capture social and economic impacts within LCA frameworks.

Mathias Gustavsen from Aalborg University, presented a poster titled Assessing Environmental Performance Improvements in Microalgae-based Products via the ALIGNED Framework. This marked Mathias’s third consecutive poster presentation at SETAC, underscoring the consistency and depth of ALIGNED’s contributions to the field.

Date: Thursday, 22 May
Time: 14:00–15:30 CEST
Format: Online | Free registration

We invite you to participate in the third ALIGNED Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Methodology Workshop—an online session focused on the advancement and practical application of LCA methods within the bio-based sector.

This workshop will present recent progress in LCA methodology development and implementation. The session will provide an overview of the project’s methodological framework, drawing on insights from five case studies and highlighting key challenges and learnings from real-world applications.

A particular focus will be given to the time dependency of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in LCA—a topic of growing importance in environmental assessments. The workshop will conclude with an interactive discussion, offering space for knowledge exchange and feedback.

Why Join?

• Learn about methodological developments within the ALIGNED project
• Hear reflections from applied case studies across the bio-based sector
• Explore the role of temporal factors in GHG emission assessments
• Contribute your perspective to the ongoing refinement of LCA practices

Your participation and feedback are highly valued as we continue to improve the relevance and reliability of life cycle-based environmental assessments.

🔗 Register here

Agenda

14:00 – 14:05
Welcome & Practical Information

14:05 – 14:25
Overview of ALIGNED LCA Methodologies
Speaker: Massimo Pizzol (Aalborg University)

14:25 – 14:45
Focused Session: Time Dependency of GHG Emissions in LCA
Speaker: Damien Arbault

14:45 – 15:25
Discussion:
Perspectives on Temporal Dynamics and Broader Methodological Insights

15:25 – 15:30
Closing Remarks

Last week, an internal workshop, “Improving the LCSA Methodology in a Bio-Economy Context in EU R&D Projects: CALIMERO & ALIGNED,” was held during the LCA4Bio Project General Assembly in Luxembourg. The session featured contributions from our ALIGNED partners, Marcos Djun Barbosa Watanabe (NTNU), Maxim Tschlkow (AAU), and Massimo Pizzol (AAU), who provided key insights into methodological advancements and their applications in ongoing research.

The in-person event will take place on 4 June 2025 at the Thon EU Hotel in Brussels and will also be streamed online.

We encourage you to register early to secure a seat at the event. The registration will close on 10 May 2025 at 17:00 (CET).

Improved assessment of environmental performance of Bio-Based Products: ALIGNED and CALIMERO Science-for-Policy Joint Event 

Join us to discuss the next research and policy agenda to improve assessment of biobased products. 

Environmental assessment – for example, through Life Cycle Assessment (LCA – of bio-based products needs improvement: Industrial biobased sector stakeholders seek more harmonized methods, better access to data, more uniformity and operational methods to account for the carbon balance.  

Over the past three years, the Horizon Europe sister projects, ALIGNED and CALIMERO, have developed and applied solutions to improve the environmental performance of bio-based products in collaboration with industry and sector organizations in woodworking, pulp and paper, chemicals, textiles, and construction.  

We look forward to sharing our most valuable insights and learnings and engage with key stakeholders to help shape future policy and research agendas in this domain. 

Findings from the projects will be presented with a focus on their applicability for policymakers and stakeholders beyond the scientific community, specifically targeting a non-academic audience. 

• Date: Wednesday June 4, 2025 
• Time: 09.00 – 13.00 CET 
• Location: Thon EU Hotel, Rue de la Loi 75, 1000 Brussels, Belgium within walking distance of DG Environment in the heart of the EU quarter.   

REGISTRATION – FREE OF CHARGE:  

Participants can attend both onsite (limited spots) and online. 

• To participate in person, please register here by May 10, 2025. 
• To watch the livestream of the conference, register here. 

Note for in-person participants: A confirmation email with further details will be sent to you after registration. For questions and assistance, please contact info@alignedproject.eu  

• ALIGNED Joins BIOKET, an annual international Conference that serves as a premier platform dedicated to advancing Key Enabling Technologies and innovations applied to biomass valorization.

The ALIGNED project will participate in BIOKET 2025, an event dedicated to bioprocesses and technologies, taking place from March 11-13 in Brussels, Belgium. As a key player in advancing sustainability and circular bioeconomy solutions, Lorie Hamelin (INRAE) will represent the ALIGNED project and will contribute to discussions on harmonizing life cycle assessments (LCA) for bio-based industries. The conference aims to promote the production of high-added value products across diverse sectors of the economy through sustainable practices and cutting-edge technologies.

With a focus on innovation and collaboration, BIOKET 2025 will bring together renowned experts, industry pioneers, and policymakers to share insights on cutting-edge advancements in the bioeconomy. Learn more about BIOKET here.

ALIGNED is proud to announce its participation in SETAC 2025, which will be held in Vienna. We will co-chair the session Methodological Advancements in Life Cycle Assessment of Emerging Bio-Based Systems.

ALIGNED partners Narie Rinke Dias de Souza and Kíra Lancz will join forces with Marjorie Morales Arancibia to lead this session.

Emerging bio-based technologies are set to play a significant role in decarbonizing our fossil-based economy. By replacing conventional fossil-derived products with bio-based alternatives, these technologies have the potential to deliver substantial sustainability benefits, such as reduced climate change impacts and lower toxicity.

However, conducting life cycle assessments (LCA) for bio-based technologies presents unique challenges, particularly when comparing them with their fossil-based counterparts. This session will delve into recent advancements in the LCA of emerging bio-based systems, focusing on the following key areas:

1. Tools and methods for scaling up technology maturity.
2. Tools and methods for integrating future socioeconomic scenarios, including but not limited to the use of Integrated Assessment Models.
3. Tools and methods for impact assessment, such as dynamic and prospective inventories, biogenic carbon accounting, and assessing emerging pollutants.
4. Tools and methods for addressing multifunctionality and ensuring comparability with fossil-based products.

This session is an initiative of research partners from the Horizon Europe projects ALIGNED and LCA4BIO. For more information, visit the SETAC website

The World Hemp Forum, held in Troyes on November 19-20, showcased the ALIGNED project’s recommendations for Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) and spatially explicit GHG inventories through a hemp-to-biobased materials case study. The presentation is now available online for those interested in exploring the latest developments in these fields.

The event, organized by Pôle Européen du Chanvre, brought together researchers and practitioners from the hemp and bio-based sectors, including notable figures such as Lorie Hamelin, an LCA partner in the ALIGNED project and Professor Chair at INRAE, based at INSA Toulouse (part of the Federal University of Toulouse). She presented on ‘Life Cycle Assessments for Hemp-Derived Products: Do We Need Them, Why, and How? Learnings from Bioeconomy.’

The forum with Stefano Amaducci, Pierre Bono, Claire Isierte, and Estelle Delangle provided a unique opportunity to engage with a well-established community, rich in decades of experience, practical insights, and a shared dedication to advancing the low-fossil carbon economy. It underscored the immense potential of bio-based solutions in fostering a sustainable future.

Massimo Pizzol, Project Coordinator of the ALIGNED project, took part in a webinar titled ‘LCA Framework Developments of Bio-Based Materials: How to Integrate Them in New EU Projects?’ hosted by BIO4HUMANProject. The session spotlighted developments in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) frameworks for bio-based materials, offering deep dives into the challenges and opportunities of crafting robust LCA methodologies tailored for bio-based systems.

ALIGNED’s innovative methodologies took center stage, complemented by contributions from the CALIMERO Project and LCA4Bio Project. Missed it or want a recap? Catch the full recording here. You can download ALIGNED’s presentation here