New TATuP on “Material transitions in architecture and construction”

Modern architecture and construction methods create an ever-increasing demand for reinforced concrete, generating huge amounts of CO2 emissions. The new TATuP Special topic shows what a sustainable material transition could look like.
Cover TATuP Material Transition
TATuP issue 33/3 (2024) “Material transitions in architecture and construction: Social implications, appropriation, and outcomes for sustainability”

Today, material consumption in the construction sector is responsible for approximately 5–10% of global CO2 emissions, 50% of EU-wide resource consumption, and 60% of Germany’s waste production. A transition to bio-based materials would offer substantial regenerative potential, significantly reducing carbon footprints and resource exploitation.

Against this backdrop, the Special topic, edited by Cordula Kropp and Simon Aicher of the University of Stuttgart, examines the research and use of sustainable building materials, such as cross-laminated timber, which can even be used to construct high-rise buildings. The authors highlight future visions, implementation opportunities and obstacles, as well as the conditions of use and acceptance of new and traditional alternatives to concrete and cement-based materials.

Interview: Computational design for a new material culture?

Architect Achim Menges and consulting structural engineer Jan Knippers explore how computational design methods could help overcome innovation barriers for low-carbon, renewable, and bio-based materials. The two heads of the Cluster of Excellence “Integrative Computational Design and Construction for Architecture” at the University of Stuttgart share their insights in the TATuP interview.

The current issue also features research articles on the resource intensity of digital transformation in Germany and a real-world lab study to find ways out of the climate change impasse, as well as conference reports, book reviews, and news from the TA community. (19.12.2024)

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