Project name: Azores Ecoblue

Project summary:
Marine litter is one of the main environmental problems with which the oceans are confronted. Continental Portugal and the Autonomous Region of Azores share common challenges, like policy over the sea and the sea in a scenario of waste, given the archipelago of Azores is also not immune to this global problem. There have been studies done to quantify/classify the marine litter in Azores. Considering the socioeconomical role played by the fishing industry of the Azores, the project is an opportunity to use and develop new and innovative raw materials, transforming marine litter, which is presently little or not at all valued, into a market of excellency, as its “supplier”. To answer these challenges, the project will utilize to their maximum the studies already done and in development by the Universities of Azores and Minho, in their R&D Centres. And, in conjunction with local communities, will collect marine litter and beach residues to develop new threads and fibers for new subproducts. The main activities include the analysis, characterization, quantification of residues, collection, triage, residue processing, scientific studies about the fibers obtained, development of threads and fibers, and their transformation into fabric and insulating blankets. Waste will be quantified, analysed, and afterward, presented in a data sharing platform of statistics and scientific studies..

Short bio:
Paulo Mendonça is an Associate Professor with tenure contract in the University of Minho, School of Architecture, Guimarães, Portugal, where has been teaching since 2003 and researcher since 1995. Hold a PhD in Civil Engineering by the University of Minho, with the thesis: “Living under a second skin”, acclaimed by unanimity (2005). As a PhD fellowship of FCT (Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology) completed the Thesis Project Presentation of the Energy and Environment Research Doctorate Program in Architecture on the Barcelona Technical Superior School of Architecture (ETSAB). Was a JNICT (former designation of FCT) fellowship student in the Textile Engineer Department of the University of Minho, obtaining the master’s degree with a thesis about “Smart use of Textiles in Architecture” (1997). Graduated in Architecture by the University of Porto, Faculty of Architecture, Portugal (1994). Erasmus granted student in ETSAB, Barcelona (1993-1994). Since 1995, during MSc thesis works, started in the specialization field of “Architectural Membranes”, progressively, during PhD works, devoting research interests to the area of Building Physics, especially in what concerns energy efficiency and sustainable strategies for buildings’ construction and rehabilitation. Main research subjects include lightweight and mixed weight buildings, low-cost housing, local and global economic asymmetries, low-tech strategies, energy costs and sustainable development, new materials and technologies, building refurbishment, recycling and reusing potentialities, sustainable architecture, membrane structures for functional conditioning. Concluded the supervision of 6 PhD thesis and 34 MSc thesis. Is author or editor of more than 200 publications including: papers on international and national journals, books and book chapters, papers in proceedings books with peer review. Researcher in nine concluded national and international research and extension projects; was principal investigator of FCT (Portuguese Science Foundation) Project ADjustMEMBRANE – Adjustable Partition Membrane (concluded in 2013) and researcher in Blue Growth Programme of the EEA Grants Azores Ecoblue Project (ongoing since April 2022).