Description
In this project, we identify favorable conditions and technical solutions, and develop open-access tools to promote circular economy in multi-story wood building construction, focusing on materials, design and construction solutions for maximization of circularity potential of such buildings.
CLT, known also as mass timber, is a relatively young building technology revolutionizing the use of timber in greener constructions. Today, CLT has made it possible to construct tall multi-storey wood buildings, and the CLT industry in Europe, including in Sweden, is gradually growing. However, the CLT multi-storey building industry faces a number of challenges which have implications for its competitiveness, especially in view of the current pressures for circular economy. For example, CLT multi-storey buildings have not been currently constructed in a manner that facilitates circularity. Existing knowledge on circular multi-story wood-based building construction is presently scarce.
To make these houses even more circular and environmentally friendly, we need to maximize opportunities for renovation and reuse instead of generating waste that ends up in landfills or is incinerated. The key to this lies in knowledge development in collaboration with the industry, leading to new production systems, products, and services. We aim to support the timber construction industry by developing open-access tools for promoting circular building construction, and highlighting incentives and potential environmental savings that can be achieved through the implementation circularity strategies in multi- storey building construction. This will enable the industry to more easily transition to a circular economy in its operations and be well-positioned for future policy changes.
The research is conducted in collaboration with municipal and regional authorities and companies working with wood materials, building design, and construction. It is expected to result in knowledge that can provide a competitive advantage for the timber construction industry and be integrated into education programs benefiting the construction industry in the long run.