BETA
The Technological Centre for Biodiversity, Ecology and Environmental Technology (BETA, www.betatechcenter.com) at the University of Vic - Central University of Catalonia (UVIC-UCC) aims to improve and promote competitiveness and technological capacities of companies, public bodies and other entities, through the implementation and execution of R+D+I projects at a local, national, european, and international level developing and transferring innovative and competitive solutions with sustainable criteria for green technologies, ecology and biodiversity, and agri-food industries.
BETA Technological Centre focuses its activities in three strategic areas related to: 1) the development of innovative and sustainable technologies to valorize wastes and recover raw materials and high added value products, 2) Sustainability Assessment of process or products by means of tools such as Life cycle assessment-LCA, life cycle costing-LCC, the application of product environmental footprint-PEF methodologies, or Social impact assessment, and 3) Evaluation of ecological impacts associated to different stressors and the proposal of mitigation and conservation strategies for aquatic and terrestrial ecology.
The multidisciplinary composition of the group, with over 30 researchers, enables BETA to carry out R&D projects to solve wide-ranging problems in the field of knowledge, control and management of the environment. BETA, at present, is collaborating with more than 20 research groups in Europe, America and Asia, and have long-term collaborations with relevant institutions Worldwide. Furthermore, BETA Tech Center has been involved in several competitive R+D+I project funded by EU calls (H2020, Interreg MED, Interreg POCTEFA, LIFE), Spanish Government, international cooperation entities.
Part of BETA core research is the sustainability assessment, of products, services and value chains using a triple bottom approach (environmental, economic and social), focusing on waste treatment/valorization technologies and agri-food industries, and promoting the evaluation of the overall sustainability of production systems.