Application Field
TC-Thermo Control
Physical management of the microclimate in the germination horizon — through targeted material selection with defined thermal, optical and hygroscopic properties. Without chemical intervention, without synthetic polymers.
Problem Frame
Changing Conditions Require Physical Responses
The conditions under which vegetation is established, maintained and managed are shifting. Cooler and less predictable springs delay germination and compress growth windows into a season in which management measures have already been planned and partly triggered. In arid regions, water efficiency is not an optimisation target — it is the basic condition under which vegetation establishment is possible at all.
Conventional responses to these challenges rely on chemical stimulation, increased input use or simply waiting. TC-Thermo Control takes a different approach: targeted physical management of the microclimate in the germination horizon — the critical 0–5 cm zone between soil surface and active germination depth.
Through the combination of raw materials with defined optical, thermal and hygroscopic properties, soil temperature, heat loss and evaporation can be specifically controlled. The range of applicable physical mechanisms is not closed — it grows with the state of scientific knowledge.
Physical control in the critical 0–5 cm zone
Two Working Directions
Warming and Cooling — the Same Principle, Opposite Targets
TC-Thermo Control operates in two directions. In both cases the mechanism is physical: targeted manipulation of the energy balance in the germination horizon through raw materials with defined optical and thermal properties. What differs is the objective — and therefore the raw material selection.
Dark raw materials reduce surface reflectance. A greater proportion of solar energy is converted to heat and stored in the germination horizon. The result is a measurable increase in soil temperature in the critical 0–5 cm zone — earlier germination, earlier establishment.
Active materials (examples): Biochar · Lignosulphonate · Humic acid
Light, highly reflective raw materials increase surface albedo. A larger proportion of incoming solar radiation is reflected — surface temperature falls, evapotranspiration losses are reduced, water demand for establishment decreases. In regions with water restrictions this is not a comfort feature but a prerequisite.
Active materials (examples): Kaolin · Talc · Perlite
System Effect — Warming Direction
Earlier Establishment — More Than a Calendar Advantage
Earlier-established vegetation does not merely shift the harvest date. It changes the entire management logic. The plant activates its own defence mechanisms earlier — with measurable consequences for input use and groundwater protection.
Soil temperature elevated
Germination horizon 0–5 cm warmer through albedo reduction. Germination threshold crossed earlier.
→Earlier germination
7–14 day advantage over untreated area. More uniform establishment.
→Plant defence activated earlier
Once vegetation is established, the plant activates its own resistance mechanisms against fungi and pathogens.
→PPP use reducible
Preventive fungicide applications become reducible. Fewer synthetic plant protection products in soil.
Farm-to-Fork PPP reduction targets
→Fertiliser metabolised earlier
Active roots take up nutrients earlier. Less fertiliser reaches groundwater unused.
EU Nitrates Directive · EU WFD
Control Levels
An Open Development Principle
TC-Thermo Control is not a closed product list — it is a development principle. The physical control levels available in the germination horizon are diverse. The following overview shows the current state of development. The portfolio grows with the advancing state of scientific knowledge.
Albedo Modification
Targeted modification of surface reflectance through optically active raw materials. Control in both directions — reduction or increase depending on target behaviour.
Biochar · Kaolin · Talc · Lignosulphonate
Thermal Insulation Effect
Insulating layer between atmosphere and soil surface — dampens temperature extremes in both directions. Protection against nocturnal cooling and daytime peaks.
Perlite · Lignosulphonates · Cellulose fibres
Moisture Regulation
Reduction of evapotranspiration through mulch cover effect and hygroscopic raw material components. Soil retains moisture longer — irrigation intervals extendable.
Zeolite · Guar · Humic acid · Kaolin
Further control levels in development — portfolio grows with the state of scientific knowledge.
From Practice
Sports Turf Under Water Restrictions — MENA Region
TC-Thermo Control was deployed in a pilot project for the establishment of high-quality turf surfaces under extreme climatic and water management conditions. The following example illustrates the system logic under real-world requirements.
Field Example · MENA Region
High-Quality Sports Turf Under Strict Water Restrictions
In a region with extreme heat load and strict water budgets, high-quality turf surfaces were to be established for sports facilities. The challenge: germination and establishment under conditions where conventional irrigation volumes are not available and surface temperature exceeds the germination threshold.
The developed system relied on albedo increase through targeted raw material selection in the mulch layer. Surface temperature was reduced, evapotranspiration was decreased and available soil moisture was used more efficiently. In addition, a zeolite component stabilised the salt balance in the root horizon — a critical parameter when using high-salinity irrigation sources.
Project details and partner names are shared on request within the framework of a confidential project discussion.
System Differentiation
TC-Thermo Control — Differentiation from Conventional Approaches
| Criterion | TC-Thermo Control | Conventional Approaches |
|---|---|---|
| Working principle | Physical — albedo, insulation, moisture | Chemical — stimulation, seed treatment, growth regulators |
| Synthetic polymers | None | Frequently as binder or film-forming agent |
| Biodegradability | Complete | Partial or not given |
| PPP interaction | Reduced through earlier vegetation establishment | No systemic effect |
| Groundwater relevance | Less fertiliser leaching through earlier plant uptake | No reduction without separate measures |
| Development openness | Modular principle — grows with state of knowledge | Fixed product formulations |
TC-Thermo Control in the Context of European Research Programmes
Reduction of plant protection products and fertiliser leaching is a defined target of the Farm-to-Fork Strategy and the EU Nitrates Directive. BPS contributes validated formulation technology and field data to project consortia — for funding applications in climate adaptation, sustainable agriculture and the Water Framework Directive.
Specific requirement in microclimate management?
BPS is developing TC-Thermo Control in cooperation with partners from agriculture, turf construction and environmental technology. Describe your application case — we will assess which system configuration is appropriate.