Research

The building materials industry faces major challenges in terms of the energy, emissions and resource savings required to achieve the climate targets. Measures to replace fossil fuels in the resource- and energy-intensive construction sector are not enough to achieve comprehensive decarbonisation. The long-term material use of wood in buildings is a building block for achieving climate neutrality in the building sector and it has been shown that timber construction can be a measure to mitigate climate change. An increase from the current 22% to 50% wood (residential) construction (Wood Construction Share) would require an additional wood input into the construction industry of 0.5 million m3 or up to 1 million m3 per year in a scenario with high wood utilisation in order to cover the increasing demand if no measures are taken to extend the service life of buildings and increase recycling. At the same time, the amount of waste wood from deconstruction will increase in the coming decades and therefore represents a growing potential for reuse and recycling from 2050 onwards if various technical, economic and regulatory obstacles can be overcome. Current political strategies and measures in terms of climate protection reinforce the need for innovations along the entire product life cycle and the value chain in the construction sector in order to realise the potential of the recyclability of construction products. Specifically

The construction of the Future Circular Collider by CERN generates large quantities of excavated material. This excavated material (mostly molasse) is to be converted to such an extent that it can be used for arable and forest soils. The project is concerned with the extent to which this can be achieved (1) safely and (2) in an ecologically and economically sustainable manner. (1) After technical treatment by two project partners, cultivation trials are planned on CERN land. Experiments with comprehensive measurements (in particular air, plants, soil) are to be planned and carried out in order to be able to investigate safety. (2) It is conceivable that the conversion technology could also be used in other construction projects involving excavated earth in the Alpine region (e.g. tunnel drilling, subway railroad construction). Market research and life cycle assessments will provide an initial estimate of the technology's potential.

The University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Institute of Social Ecology is cooperating with Kunst Haus Wien GmbH on the exhibition "Into the Woods: Approaches to the Forest Ecosystem" from April to August 2024. The exhibition deals with the forest habitat, its processes and threats and has brought together around 15 contemporary artists. The aims of the cooperation are to provide scientific thematic support for the exhibition, to write educational texts ("fact boxes"), to write a specialist article for the exhibition publication on Climate & Forest and to engage in joint activities. This specialist contribution will deal with key issues relating to the topic of forests, including the most important gaps in knowledge, and their scientific presentation for a non-specialist audience. Events such as a Future Talk or excursions involving members of the Institute of Social Ecology are also planned. The aim of the collaboration is to raise awareness of the importance of forests and bring the topic of ecological change to a wider audience. This cooperation creates a unique space in which the expertise of the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences and the artistic representations of Kunst Haus Wien come together. The aim is also to inspire visitors and open up new perspectives on the importance of forests.