(L-R): Minister Martine Hansen, Ina Scharrenbach;
Credit: MA
On Thursday 9 January 2025, Luxembourg's Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Viticulture reported that Minister Martine Hansen welcomed North Rhine-Westphalia State Minister Ina Scharrenbach for a discussion on the topic of Miscanthus (elephant grass) in agriculture and the construction sector.
Miscanthus is grown on agricultural land and is considered a sustainable raw material trend in the construction industry.
Minister Hansen, today received Ina Scharrenbach, Minister for Home, Municipal Affairs, Construction and Digitization in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, accompanied by Professor Ralph Pude (Chair of Renewable Resources, University of Bonn) and representatives of the Hanen architectural firm, to discuss cross-border future perspectives. The Luxembourg delegation also included representatives from the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Luxinnovation, the Chamber of Agriculture, ASTA, the Conseil national pour la construction durable and the Conseil pour le développement économique de la construction, Contern SA and Miscanthus-x.lu.
This first ministerial meeting was about exploring potential synergies between North Rhine-Westphalia and Luxembourg on the subject of building with miscanthus (elephant grass). As a natural raw material and fibre, the climate-neutral and fast-growing plant is predestined for use in building materials.
During the exchange of information, the following topics were addressed: cultivation and marketing strategies for miscanthus in Luxembourg, experience with miscanthus as a building material in the construction industry in Luxembourg, circular economy and bio-based building materials as well as practical examples and challenges.
The Luxembourg entrepreneur Carlo Posing (miscanthus-x.lu) has been actively involved in the cultivation and distribution of Miscanthus in Luxembourg for years and has presented interesting experience from various pilot construction projects with miscanthus limestone (Contern SA). In North Rhine-Westphalia, the architectural firm Hanen is planning larger construction projects with bio-based building materials (hemp or miscanthus limestone) and is looking for competent manufacturers, and the construction industry in Luxembourg is also interested in the topic.
Minister Hansen sees potential in the extensive cultivation of miscanthus for the diversification of agriculture; together with the Minister for Economic Affairs, SMEs, Energy and Tourism, Lex Delles, she supports the idea of using pilot projects to increase production and demand and simplify administrative hurdles. Miscanthus is currently grown on around 80 hectares of agricultural plots in Luxembourg.
Thanks to a joint cooperation concept between the ministries of Luxembourg and NRW, cross-border cooperation is to take place here in the future.
