> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://barna.news/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # AMB to Use Digital Simulator for Recycling Plant Upgrades - URL: https://barna.news/amb-to-use-digital-simulator-for/ - Published: 2026-10-11T18:34:57.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-11T18:34:57.000Z - Description: Barcelona's metropolitan authority is adopting a digital twin system to optimise waste treatment facilities ahead of expiring private contracts. - Author: Barna.News - Tags: environment ## Digital Tool to Guide Future Waste Infrastructure The Àrea Metropolitana de Barcelona (AMB) will use a digital simulation platform called Humara to plan upgrades and new designs for its network of waste treatment plants across the 36 municipalities it serves. The Waste Prevention and Management Service (SPGR), responsible for managing municipal waste in the region, is preparing for major changes as administrative concessions held by private companies for most facilities, many built in the 1990s, are set to expire in the coming years. To prepare, the AMB has contracted five licences of the Humara software for just over €60,000 over two years, with an option to extend for a third. According to AMB sources, the software is the only one on the market that meets the technical requirements to model improvements in plant operations, helping to determine the best technologies and layout based on data such as material types, truck arrivals, and recovery targets. ## Creating a Virtual Laboratory for Waste Treatment The contract includes the development of a digital twin, a dynamic digital replica of a physical plant, using real technical and operational data. This model will act as a virtual laboratory, allowing engineers to test different configurations and compare scenarios using indicators for material recovery, waste rejection, efficiency, and cost. The system supports collaborative design, enabling multiple users to work simultaneously on the same project. Humara Design, the main product of Spanish tech firm Humara Environment, replaces traditional manual calculations and static design tools with an integrated digital model. It also includes sector-specific technical and economic databases, ensuring simulations use up-to-date reference parameters. ## Goals: Efficiency, Cost and Land Use The AMB aims to improve both the quantity and quality of recovered materials, reduce operating and investment costs, and determine optimal surface areas for future facilities to make better use of available land. These improvements will support the region’s shift toward a circular economy, aligning with broader sustainability goals. The AMB manages a network that includes four ecoparc facilities (in Hostalets de Pierola, Barcelona, Montcada i Reixac, and Sant Adrià de Besòs), three sorting plants, two composting plants, and a bulky waste sorting plant. As these sites approach critical renewal points, the digital simulator will help shape the next generation of waste infrastructure in the metropolitan area. --- *Reported by elperiodico.com, recam.amb.cat, caselaw.findlaw.com, recyclinginternational.com, agenciaeconomica.amb.cat, cccrecycle.org, smartcities.amb.cat, El Periódico Barcelona.* --- ### Related on Barna.News - [Barcelona Waste Plants Begin Renewal Ahead of 2030s Handover](https://barna.news/barcelona-waste-plants-begin-renewal/) - [Barcelona Faces More Storms After Twin SMCs](https://barna.news/barcelona-faces-more-storms-after-twin/) - [Barcelona Fails Recycling Target Despite Higher Fees](https://barna.news/barcelona-fails-recycling-target/)