Innovative Wood Construction

“We develop new wood composite materials and grade material properties using AI to enhance design efficiencies.”

Contact: Prof. Dr. Ingo Burgert • EMPA • WoodTec Group

“We develop reinforced laminated timber beams with advanced numerical models to contribute to the first generation of tall timber buildings.”

Contact: Prof. Dr. Andrea Frangi • ETH Zurich • Timber Structures Group

“We develop a new generation of slabs made of forestry by-products, to substitute carbon intensive products.”

Building materials account for over 13% of global greenhouse gas emissions, predominantly from cement and steel production. In Switzerland, a considerable portion of buildings predates 1990 and requires energy-efficient upgrades. If current practices persist, the majority of future emissions will stem from insulation materials. Therefore, implementing a renovation strategy aimed at reducing embodied emissions is crucial to decarbonizing Switzerland's building stock and achieving the ambitious goal of net zero carbon by 2050. Bio-based materials used for envelope insulation offer a notable reduction in building lifecycle emissions compared to conventional options.

This project seeks to develop novel regenerative non-load bearing insulations for renovation purposes by utilizing forestry by-products and clay binders. The novel earth-biogenic products will be developed by adjusting the clay rheology based on prior research on earth stabilization with bio-additives and optimizing interactions between the clay and biogenic materials. The developed products will undergo comprehensive assessment for durability and hygrothermal performance through real-scale experiments.

Contact: Prof. Guillaume Habert • ETH Zurich • Sustainable Construction Group

“We create new design concepts that connect data on forests to architectural construction.”

Contact: Prof. Yves Weinand • EPFP • Laboratory of Timber Construction IBOIS