Munich, Germany / January 13, 2025 - January 17, 2025
BAU 2025
Fraunhofer joint booth: Hall C2, Stand 528
Fraunhofer joint booth: Hall C2, Stand 528
The “BAU - The World's Leading Trade Fair for Architecture, Materials and Systems” brings together everyone involved in the international community for planning, building and designing buildings. The next edition will take place in Munich from January 13 to 17, 2025.
The Fraunhofer WKI will be presenting innovative solutions for the use of wood and other renewable raw materials in materials.
Researchers from the Fraunhofer WKI will be presenting several innovations for the future of construction at BAU 2025 using a life-size multi-material model:
(Emissions of volatile organic compounds from insulation materials made from renewable raw materials)
(Bonded wood-concrete composite elements)
(Mycelium-based thermal insulation materials with optimized properties for the construction industry and other sectors)
Below you will find information on some of the Fraunhofer WKI's research and development projects that will be in the spotlight at BAU 2025.
This is just a small selection of our research and development portfolio. You can find more current research projects here:
How can particularly sustainable thermal insulation materials be produced for buildings? With fungi! In collaboration with the Braunschweig-based start-up “YcoLabs”, we are using the organic growth of fungal mycelium as a natural binder in order to process plant residues such as hemp hurds, wood shavings or elephant-grass fibers into insulation materials. One particular advantage: The insulation materials can be allowed to grow into virtually any shape and size. This makes them very versatile. In order to demonstrate the performance capabilities of the fungal insulation materials, we are producing prototypes for an application example and testing them in a real operational environment. In subsequent pilot projects with the construction industry, we aim to further develop the insulation materials into a variety of marketable products. In this way, we are providing a contribution towards an increase in the proportion of renewable raw materials in buildings and, consequently, towards achieving climate- and environmental-protection targets.
more infoEvery year, tons of waste wood accrue during the construction and demolition of buildings. A large proportion of this stems from structural timber components - for example roof trusses, ceiling beams or timber frameworks. At present, most of this high-quality waste wood is directly burned in order to generate energy. The aim of this joint project under the leadership of the Technische Universität Braunschweig is therefore to find a holistic, economical solution for the utilization of structural waste wood in the re-production of load-bearing timber-construction elements. At the Fraunhofer WKI, we are developing a portable analysis device for this purpose, which is intended to enable the minimally destructive in-situ examination of installed wood with regard to possible pollutant contamination - with a particular focus on wood preservatives. The project not only provides a contribution towards ensuring that more waste wood can be reused as a high-quality material in the future, but also supports the development of a sustainable, bio-based circular economy.
more infoBuilding with timber provides an important contribution towards climate protection. When combined with concrete, the range of applications for wooden structures can be extended. A bonding technology co-developed by the Fraunhofer WKI enables the accelerated production of timber-concrete composite elements (TCC elements). In the current “SafeTeCC” research project, we are optimizing and standardizing the manufacturing process in order to make it suitable for use on construction sites and to ensure process reliability. Simultaneously, the component properties are to be optimized. The aim is to establish the utilization of TCC elements in multi-story building construction - as a competitive alternative to precast steel-reinforced concrete elements. In this way, we are helping to increase the proportion of renewable raw materials in the construction sector and, consequently, to achieve climate and sustainability goals.
more infoHouses made of wood are good for the climate and conserve finite resources such as concrete or steel. In particular, the construction of multi-story buildings and entire city quarters in timber construction offers great potential for achieving climate protection targets and strengthening the construction industry with a view to the future. By international standards, however, timber construction in Germany is still in its infancy. We want to change that. Together with project partners, we are investigating and optimizing the networking and cooperation of the players along the »urban timber construction« value chain, using the Berlin-Brandenburg region as an example. In this project, we at the Fraunhofer WKI are investigating the regionally available pine-wood product range in order to produce high-quality timber construction elements from it. The aim is to support metropolitan regions on their way to climate neutrality and to make the German construction industry fit for the future – based on renewable raw materials and closed, efficient resource cycles
more infoAerogels are highly porous, light-as-a-feather materials with extraordinary properties: extremely low thermal conductivity, low sound transmission, and a high adsorption effect on volatile organic compounds. They are excellently suited both for lightweight construction and as filter materials, and are therefore considered a material of the future. In collaboration with research and industrial partners, we are developing a process for the production of aerogels on the basis of waste wood. From the aerogels, we are creating prototypes of insulation materials and pollutant-adsorbing indoor-air filters that can be utilized in buildings and vehicles. Furthermore, transfer possibilities to applications in exhaust-gas cleaning are to be demonstrated. A further project objective: The raw materials required to manufacture the aerogels are to be recovered from the products. With this sustainable material solution, we are supporting health protection as well as the fight against climate change and resource scarcity.
more infoThe global construction industry devours enormous quantities of fresh raw materials, in particular in the production of concrete. How can resource efficiency be improved? In collaboration with our project partners in Germany and China, we are developing sustainable concrete construction materials and high-performance construction elements on the basis of construction and demolition waste as well as plant-based production residues. One particular focus here is the identification of suitable recycling processes as well as the adaptation of the construction products and all the process steps for the German and Chinese markets. We thereby offer a solution that can be rapidly implemented in order to significantly increase the proportion of renewable raw materials in the construction industry. Simultaneously, we are creating economically interesting perspectives for the agricultural and forestry industries, recycling enterprises and mechanical-engineering companies, as well as for the insulation and construction industries.
more info