Universität Augsburg – Resource Lab

Due to the importance of strategic raw materials and technology metals for the economy and society, future-oriented production, utilization and recycling concepts are essential. Therefore, it is necessary to consider value-added and production chains from the mining of raw materials through production to waste or recycling. This gives rise to a wide range of resource- and environment-specific questions that can only be answered in an interdisciplinary environment and with creative solutions. Against this background, the Resource Lab deals with the identification of critical raw materials in central functional components of technological products, but also the bioeconomy or material development as well as substitution by sustainably available raw materials, optimized cascade utilization up to the implementation of a "circular economy".

The Resource Lab of the University of Augsburg, which is headed by Dr. Andrea Thorenz, is an application-oriented research group at the Institute for Materials Resource Management (MRM). In addition, it is closely interlinked with the Center for Climate Resilience (ZfK) at the University of Augsburg. In addition, Prof. Dr. Axel Tuma, Chair of Production & Supply Chain Management, is available for consultation. 

The Resource Lab sees itself as an essential component of the networking strategy of the University of Augsburg and cooperates with economic and natural science chairs, intra- and extra-university research centers and institutions as well as ministries, industrial companies and foundations. It is the contact for all issues related to resource management, resource strategy and sustainability.

Services:

• Implementation of sustainable value and production chains based on simulation and optimization tools
• Design and implementation of a sustainable bioeconomy
• Design of sustainable circular economy systems (ReUse, ReManufacturing, Recycling)
• Eco-assessments (life-cycle assessment and social life-cycle assessment)
• Waste management