Osnabrück. The latest winners of the Deutscher Umweltpreis, Germany’s environmental achievement award, have now been decided: The recipients of the prize which, at EUR 500,000, is Europe’s highest paid award for environmental achievement, and which is to be presented by German President, Johannes Rau, on 26th October in Osnabrück, are the Head of the Biomechanics department at the Karlsruhe Research Institute, Prof. Dr. Claus Mattheck (55), and the founder and managing director of HJS Fahrzeugtechnik GmbH & Co KG, Hermann Josef Schulte (56, Menden). The Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt (DBU) is awarding the prize in recognition of Mattheck’s pioneering achievements at national and international level as an interpreter of the language of Nature to engineering products as well as for his conservation of trees. Schulte is being honoured for the research and development of environmentally-friendly exhaust gas technology in vehicle construction, and especially for the development of a particle filter designed for diesel engines. As a result of this filter, HJS has helped to lower the risk of cancer being caused by particulates without jeopardising the benefits that this motor brings for climate protection, said DBU’S Secretary-General, Dr.-Ing. E. h. Fritz Brickwedde, in a press release issued today.

A forerunner in bionics whose master teacher has been Nature itself

The press release went on to say that, during over 15 years of research and through the dissemination of his easily understood methods and results throughout the world, Mattheck has become a forerunner in bionics whose master teacher has been Nature itself. As a physicist, he has succeeded in deciphering the mechanical load of trees by taking their ultimate strength and stableness as an example, and has formed developments and computer programs from this which today are found not only in automobile construction but also washing machines, artificial hip prostheses and tooth implants. He embodies modern conservation that is committed to sustainability in the original sense of the word and he has discovered new paths.

Mattheck’s methods have resulted in numerous concrete transfers within the industry

All in all, over 100 software licences and patents have been granted to carmakers, mechanical engineering companies and chemical plants by Mattheck and his team. His methods have resulted in numerous concrete transfers within the industry. Nowadays, some of Mattheck’s former students work for major car manufacturers as development engineers, optimising vehicle parts on new automobile prototypes and forming designs in line with Nature that always have the ideal solution ready.

Great emphasis on finding a happy medium between science and society

At the same time, however, Mattheck has discovered a specific form of "body language” in trees. He has interpreted certain conspicuous traits in terms of shape and form such as the outer appearance of the bark or unusual growths in thickness as signals that permit positive and negative conclusions to be drawn on the roadworthiness of trees. The consistent application of this method, which has meanwhile become widespread throughout the world, could, above all, help to preserve trees from being felled too early in urban greenery, avoid the wrong care of trees, make a contribution towards achieving sustainable forestry and, consequently, be of direct benefit to the environment. In closing, the press release states that Mattheck has always placed great emphasis on finding a happy medium between science and society. One of his main target groups has been children and teenagers who have been drawn closer to what, at first, would appear to be an uninteresting topic through the worldwide publication of children’s books and cartoons.

Milestones in the automobile industry at national and international level

With their filter systems, the HJS company and Hermann Josef Schulte have set milestones in the automobile industry at national and international level as a highly innovative medium-sized company. Should it be possible to dramatically reduce the number of deaths in Germany caused by diesel particulates, which total up to 14,000 a year, whilst also helping the diesel engine on the road to further success with its significantly lower carbon dioxide discharge levels compared to a petrol engine, this will also be to the credit of the Menden-based company. The retrofitting concepts for three-way catalysts developed and marketed by HJS, which was the first supplier of such systems back in the eighties, have proven to be a success. Today, HJS stocks 260 types of catalyst for 600 different types of vehicles which cover over 80% of all requirements.

The metal is recyclable whereas the ceramic filters need to be disposed of as special waste

In addition to the overall performance of the Hermann Josef Schulte company, the BDU is specifically awarding the German Environmental Prize in recognition of a diesel engine particle filter that runs maintenance-free and at low loss, and which avoids the drawbacks inherent in the construction of conventional ceramic filters. Through its intensive efforts, HJS has managed to develop a special material, a porous sintered metal, that consists of a linen-like, powder-coated wire cloth. These superior material properties have resulted in certain operating benefits such as lower weight and reduced construction space, double the ash storage volume and greater durability. Furthermore, the metal is recyclable whereas the ceramic filters need to be disposed of as special waste.

The HJS diesel particle filter already makes it possible to undercut the particle limit values of Euro 5 (valid from 2010)

The post-treatment of exhaust fumes is central to diesel engines, above all as it has largely reduced the discharge of inhalable airborne particles which, according to the German government’s expert committee for environmental affairs, the Rat von Sachverständigen für Umweltfragen der Bundesregierung, can cause illness and death as a result of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. The risk of getting cancer of the liver through diesel particulates has been proven through experiments on animals. On the other hand, a diesel engine still is clearly more beneficial than a petrol engine with a regulated three-way catalyst in terms of the discharge of carbon dioxide which is detrimental to the climate, and a diesel engine makes a vital contribution to protecting the climate in an increasingly mobile society. The HJS diesel particle filter already makes it possible to undercut the particle limit values of Euro 5 (valid from 2010) and to hold back a high degree of minute particles. The HJS filter therefore raises the chances of such technology being used more extensively on a growing diesel vehicle market, thereby reducing the risks and dangers and also making a significant contribution to protecting our climate.