Ecological and circular construction of
multi-storey timber buildings

The overarching aim of this research project is to reduce resource consumption and environmental impacts in the construction industry by increasing the use of multi-storey, circular timber buildings. Multi-storey construction with wood is currently used too rarely in construction projects. The main reason for this is uncertainties in planning, which often lead to decisions in favor of conventional, mineral construction methods. There is a lack of tools that enable planners to make well-founded decisions in the context of the requirements for multi-storey timber buildings and to integrate and evaluate ecological aspects at an early stage. In order to counteract these uncertainties, this research project identifies the key requirements and associated influencing factors for the planning and construction of multi-storey timber buildings. A model planning concept will be developed, taking into account the current state of research and practical experience. This is intended to make the complex requirements and their interrelationships comprehensible and provide concrete recommendations for the individual planning steps. Component structures developed for the sample planning concept are examined in terms of their environmental compatibility and economic efficiency. A life cycle assessment will be used to determine the environmental costs and analyze the influence of compliance with various requirements, such as fire and noise protection, on the overall result.Research is being carried out into how future-oriented requirements and basic principles for component design can be taken into account in order to enable more climate- and resource-friendly and circular multi-storey buildings in timber construction.

Duration:
March 2025 - February 2027