Research articles and construction knowledge: technical articles on material development, building physics and the technical fundamentals of building.
In its current form, concrete recycling does little to help climate protection. The CO₂-intensive cement is lost irretrievably in the process. Boltshauser Architekten are working with a consortium from the Netherlands, Switzerland and Spain on the Respira research project to investigate how this can be avoided.
A research team from Konstanz are experimenting with composite constructions of bamboo and concrete to improve their sub-optimum sound insulation and vibration properties.
Hemp lime defies traditional construction material categories. With its effective eco-balance and indoor climate benefits, the material is gaining popularity - even in the concrete industry.
Timber construction is really sustainable only if it allows buildings to be adapted to fulfil new purposes throughout their life. Engineering consultant Fast + Epp has developed two structural concepts in hardwood to this end.
The London-based environmental consultancy Atmos Lab investigated the bioclimatic performance of winter gardens designed by Lacaton & Vassal. Florencia Collo, Olivier Dambron, and Rafael Alonso Candau present their findings to us.
The BmB Archive at Bergische Universität Wuppertal makes construction knowledge from 1875 to 1975 accessible online via the Detail Inspiration platform. Initiator Georg Giebeler explains the project.
In the StrohGold research project, a team from Bauhaus-Universität Weimar is developing a brick made from highly compacted straw achieving much greater compressive strengths than conventional straw bale construction.
What are the potentials of circular timber planning and construction? The authors from the Chair of Architecture and Timber Construction of the Technical University of Munich present an overview of the related challenges and opportunities.
David Chipperfield Architects Berlin and the ICD at the University of Stuttgart are jointly exploring how mineral construction waste can be reused. The team use robots to fill gabions automatically.
The WikiHouse construction system, developed by Alistair Parvin and Nick Ieriodiaconou in 2011, takes an innovative approach to the democratisation of design and construction. The core of the concept is an Internet platform that makes open-source construction drawings available globally. From there, anyone can download cost-free CNC cutting files and construction guides for simple buildings, such as small single-family houses with ceiling spans up to 4.5 m. The datasets allow all the structural components to be automatically manufactured out of 18 mm thick, 2.50 × 1.25 m laminated veneer lumber (LVL) boards on simple 3-axis CNC routers. Two or three unskilled workers can assemble the elements using only rubber mallets. WikiHouse uses timber to timber connections only, with no steel parts, screws or nails. A British standard-based design of the structural components and their connections is available on the Internet. rnThis approach allows the system to be used worldwide because LVL boards and 3-axis routers can be found almost everywhere. However, the previous applications of the system pointed to restrictions, in particular in relation to longer spans, insulation, sealing and compliance with local building regulations. These limitations were the point of departure for further development at HTWG Konstanz University of Applied Sciences.
The reuse rate in timber construction remains alarmingly low. The Embraced Wood project at the University of Stuttgart has found a way to give old wooden beams new life.
Brick consisting of unfired loam, production waste, and demolition material are used by manufacturers in order to ensure their business field is future-proof and resource-neutral. Is this more than a niche topic?