Innovative timber construction products for climate-friendly building

The way we build is facing enormous challenges in light of climate change and increasingly scarce resources. While conventional building materials such as steel and concrete cause high emissions, wood as a renewable raw material offers great potential for sustainable construction.

However, the transformation of forests—from pine or spruce monocultures to diverse and climate‑resilient mixed forests—requires new approaches to the use and processing of wood.

Solution approach

The funded research project CO2‑BINDER aims to replace fossil‑based building materials with innovative wood‑based construction products made from previously underutilized wood species. The focus is on developing resource‑efficient, climate‑friendly and recyclable products that use novel, bio‑based or reversible connection technologies. Different wood species—both softwoods and hardwoods—are combined according to their properties to create high‑performance hybrid materials. Modern manufacturing technologies such as digitalization and automation enable precise and economically viable production of these new building products.

Practical relevance and sustainability

The project responds to the rising demand for sustainable building materials and the societal responsibility to reduce CO₂. By developing prototypes and working closely with partners from science and practice, the transfer into real‑world application is ensured. The new wood‑based construction products are intended not only to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but also to strengthen the future viability of wood utilization and provide new momentum for climate‑friendly construction.

Profile

• Funding amount: Around 1,000,000 euros
• Duration: 01.01.26–31.12.28
• Participants:
  • Prof. Dr. Holger Militz, University of Göttingen (Wood Biology and Wood Products)
  • Prof. Dr.-Ing. Adrian Riegel, OWL University of Applied Sciences and Arts (Production and Wood Technology)
  • Prof. Dr.-Ing. Till Boettger, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Hildesheim (Architecture)