TransFIRe is funded by UKRI under the ISCF TFI challenge. This challenge aims to develop innovative technology to reduce energy and resource use within the foundation industries – which include the cement, glass, ceramics, paper, metals and bulk chemicals sectors. The challenge has up to £66 million to invest in projects, match-funded by £83 million from the private sector. The projects will look at new ways to reduce waste and energy use and in a new research facility to accelerate development of promising clean technologies.

Key aims for the challenge include:

  • providing funding opportunities to accelerate development of clean glass technologies
  • supporting research on new ways to reduce waste and energy use
  • supporting university-led research into radical new technologies
  • developing foundation industries’ common identity to better meet challenges for the sector
  • partnering with the financial sector to encourage more investment in technology companies that can reduce the environmental impact of the sector.

TransFIRe is a consortium of 20 investigators from 12 institutions, in addition to project partners from more than 80 organisations (including companies, NGOs and government organisations) related to the Foundation Industries (FI’s), with materials expertise across FI sectors as well as energy mapping, life cycle and sustainability, industrial symbiosis, computer science, AI and digital manufacturing, management and business, social sciences and technology transfer.

Vision

TransFIRe’s vision is to build a proactive, interdisciplinary, inclusive research and practice driven hub that:

  • optimises the flows of all resources within and between the foundation industries and their supply chains
  • improves their competitiveness
  • works with communities in which they are located
  • supports UK Net Zero 2050 targets for GHG emissions
  • furthers equality, diversity and inclusion in the foundation industries.

Mission

  • TransFIRe brings foundation industries and their communities together through interdisciplinary research, to support resource productivity, competitiveness, equality, diversity, inclusion and climate action.
  • TransFIRE is about looking at best practice and what common processes can be transferred between the industries, for example the minimising of resource use, lowering energy use and emissions, and using by-products.

Governance

Independent International Advisory Council EDI Advisory Group Project partners Stakeholder steering group Management group Technical working group - Cement Technical working group - Ceramics Technical working group - Chemicals Technical working group - Glass Technical working group - Metals Technical working group - Paper Workstream 1 Workstream 2 Workstream 3 Foundation Industry Forum