SUPERVISOR: Ruper WIMMER 

PROJECT ASSIGNED TO: Ana PRSLJA

The construction sector is a major consumer of raw materials and a significant contributor to solid waste generation. It faces the urgent challenge of enhancing material efficiency and recycling practices to address resource depletion and environmental concerns. Wood, as a biogenic building material with carbon-storing capabilities holds promise for sustainable construction. However, its limited availability and inefficient processing methods, which yield low raw material utilization, pose obstacles.

The 3DP Biowalls project proposes an innovative approach to create fully recyclable walls using additive manufacturing (3D printing) with renewable raw materials. This project aims to tackle four key issues: global raw material shortages, the prevalent use of inorganic building materials like concrete and steel, inefficient utilization and recycling of renewable raw materials, and low productivity in construction.

The project's overarching goals include developing a recyclable material exclusively from bio-based sources, preferably from industry side streams, and designing a robot-assisted, additive manufacturing process suitable for wall components. By combining these innovations, the project seeks to significantly increase the utilization of raw wood for construction materials from current levels to over 90%, compared to the typical 40-60%.

Given the project's relevance to resource-efficient, circular construction with renewable raw materials, it is expected to introduce ground-breaking approaches that advance both the scientific and practical aspects of circular economy principles.