LIAR · Project

Building Walls That Clean Wastewater and Generate Electricity Using Living Microbes

constructionPrototypeTRL 3Thin data (2/5)

livingarchitecture-h2020.eu

Imagine if your office wall could work like a tiny sewage treatment plant and a power generator at the same time. This project built modular wall panels packed with living microorganisms that feed on dirty water, clean it up, and produce small amounts of electricity as a byproduct — similar to how a compost heap generates heat, except here the microbes sit inside building walls. The panels also produce useful biomass like proteins and fibers. Think of it as turning your building's plumbing waste into a resource instead of a disposal problem.

By the numbers

EUR 3,216,555

EU research funding invested

consortium partners

countries involved (AT, ES, IT, UK)

demo deliverables with working hardware

total project deliverables

SME partners in consortium

The business problem

What needed solving

Buildings consume enormous amounts of water and energy while producing wastewater that costs money to dispose of. Current green building solutions reduce consumption but rarely turn waste streams into useful resources. Property developers and facility managers need integrated systems that treat waste on-site and recover value from it, without requiring separate infrastructure or specialist operators.

The solution

What was built

The project built two key pieces of hardware: (1) microbial fuel cell panels integrated into large partition walls and active wall sections that perform wastewater treatment, generate electricity, and produce biomass; and (2) a 2D array of bioreactors equipped with sensors and controllers for autonomous environmental sensing, decision-making, and reconfiguration.

Audience

Who needs this

Green building developers targeting net-zero water and energy certificationsMunicipal water utilities exploring decentralized wastewater treatmentFacility managers at large institutions (hospitals, schools, offices)Modular and prefab construction companies looking for differentiated productsSmart building technology integrators

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Commercial real estate and green building

enterprise

Target: Property developers and building operators focused on sustainable construction

If you are a property developer trying to meet net-zero water targets in new commercial buildings — this project developed modular bioreactor wall panels that treat wastewater on-site while generating electricity and producing biomass. The hardware was demonstrated in large partition panels and active wall sections across a 6-partner consortium in 4 countries. This could reduce your dependence on municipal wastewater infrastructure and lower utility costs.

Municipal wastewater management

mid-size

Target: Water utilities and decentralized treatment providers

If you are a water utility struggling with aging centralized treatment infrastructure — this project built microbial fuel cell arrays that clean wastewater at the point of use inside buildings. The 2D reactor arrays include built-in sensors and controllers for autonomous operation. With EUR 3,216,555 in EU funding behind the research, the technology offers a path toward distributed treatment that reduces the load on your central plants.

Institutional facility management

any

Target: Facility managers at hospitals, schools, and public buildings

If you manage a large public building like a hospital or school and face rising water treatment and energy costs — this project specifically tested living wall technology for installation in domestic, public, and office environments. The bioreactor panels treat greywater on-site and generate electricity, turning a cost center into a resource recovery system. The modular design means you can scale from a single wall section up.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would this cost to install in a building?

The project did not publish per-unit or per-square-meter pricing data. The total EU research budget was EUR 3,216,555 across 6 partners, but this covered R&D, not production costs. Any commercial pricing would need to be negotiated directly with the technology developers.

Can this scale to a full commercial building?

The project demonstrated hardware in large partition panels and active wall sections, and built a 2D array of bioreactors with sensors and controllers. However, this was a research project (FET Open funding), not a commercial deployment. Scaling to full building integration would require further engineering and pilot testing.

Who owns the intellectual property and can I license it?

The IP is held by the 6-partner consortium led by the University of Newcastle upon Tyne (UK), which includes 2 industrial partners and 2 SMEs. Licensing terms would need to be discussed with the consortium. Based on available project data, no commercial licensing arrangements have been publicly announced.

Does this actually generate meaningful amounts of electricity?

The deliverables confirm that microbial fuel cells in the wall panels are capable of generating electricity, but the project data does not specify power output figures. Microbial fuel cells typically produce modest amounts of power — this is better understood as a wastewater treatment system with electricity as a bonus, not a primary power source.

How long has this been tested?

The project ran from April 2016 to June 2019, a period of over 3 years. During that time the team built working hardware prototypes including MFC partition panels and a model reactor array with autonomous sensing and control. This is past proof-of-concept but still at the research prototype stage.

What regulations apply to putting biological systems inside building walls?

The project examined applications in domestic, public, and office environments, but specific regulatory compliance data is not included in the project outputs. Any building-integrated biological system would need to meet local building codes, health and safety standards, and wastewater discharge regulations. Early engagement with regulators would be essential.

Is there ongoing support or further development?

The project closed in June 2019. Based on available project data, there is no indication of a follow-up EU-funded project. The consortium included 3 universities and 1 research organization alongside 2 industry partners, so academic publications and expertise remain accessible for future collaboration.

Consortium

Who built it

The LIAR consortium brings together 6 partners from 4 countries (Austria, Spain, Italy, UK), led by the University of Newcastle upon Tyne. The mix includes 3 universities and 1 research organization providing the scientific base, plus 2 industry partners (both SMEs) at a 33% industry ratio. For a business looking to adopt this technology, the SME involvement suggests some commercial thinking was built into the project, but the university-heavy composition reflects the early-stage, exploratory nature of FET Open funding. The cross-border spread across 4 countries could be an advantage for companies operating in European markets, as the technology has been developed with multiple regulatory contexts in mind.

UNIVERSITY OF NEWCASTLE UPON TYNECoordinator · UK
EXPLORA SRLparticipant · IT
LIQUIFER SYSTEMS GROUP GMBHparticipant · AT
AGENCIA ESTATAL CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICASparticipant · ES
UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST OF ENGLAND, BRISTOLparticipant · UK
UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI TRENTOparticipant · IT

How to reach the team

University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK — contact through SciTransfer for introduction to the research team

Order a report on this consortium See UNIVERSITY OF NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore how bioreactor wall technology could fit your building project? SciTransfer can arrange a direct introduction to the LIAR research team and help assess feasibility for your specific use case.

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