BIOTEC.IPT - Bioenergy and Applied Biotechnology Lab
EcoModZHC - Project Records
Project Designation: EcoModZHC - Circular Economy of Water and Materials through Modular Constructed Wetlands
Project code: CENTRO-01-0145-FEDER-179932
Main objective: To protect the environment and promote resource efficiency
Region of intervention: Centre
Beneficiary: Polytechnic Institute of Tomar
Approval date: 2022-05-03
Start date: 2022-07-01
Conclusion date: 2023-06-30
Total eligible cost: EUR 141,057.72
Financial support from the European Union: ERDF EUR 119,899.06
National/regional public financial support: EUR 0.00
Objectives, activities and expected/achieved results:
The EcoModZHC project consists of a Proof-of-Concept project, in which it is intended to implement a prototype of Constructed Wetland (CW) to demonstrate the effectiveness of recovery of urban and industrial wastewater through modular systems, promote the circular economy of water and solid waste or industrial solid by-products, and disseminate this greener and more sustainable wastewater treatment technology.
The prototype to be built, installed and operated will include two innovative features in this type of wastewater treatment facility:
- Remote, constant and real-time monitoring of the operation of the installation and the performance parameters and quality of the treated water;
- The energy autonomy of the installation, through renewable energy systems.
The proposed solution, in addition to demonstrating the concept effectiveness in its technical aspect, also aims to sensitize municipal decision-makers and entrepreneurs to the ability of CWs to contribute to the Circular Economy, climate change mitigation, and the protection of water resources and the environment.
In addition to the environmental added value, economic added value is emerging for the use and recovery of industrial waste for the filling of CWs, for the reduction of installation, operation and maintenance costs compared to conventional wastewater treatment systems, and also of the potential to take advantage of treated water for various purposes, such as reuse in industrial processes, the watering of green spaces, the washing of equipment and spaces, or the reserve for firefighting, among others uses.
