The overarching project goal is the development of materials derived from CO₂-binding raw resources using fast-growing plants, exemplified by Miscanthus.

A previous project demonstrated that rod-shaped materials can be produced from Miscanthus, which are comparable to solid structural timber in terms of mechanical strength.

In the current project phase, the objective is to apply the manufacturing process to join these new materials and to develop suitable construction methods. The approach is based on the processing of solid wood products, while incorporating additional necessary processing steps such as gluing the Miscanthus stalks.

Through detailed planning and model-based fabrication of demonstrators—ranging from individual load-bearing elements such as trusses to more complex systems (e.g., small wind turbines or similar)—the project aims to develop not only optimized materials but also new construction methods. Full-scale models of connection points will be tested under load to examine their comparability with constructions made from conventional structural timber.

Additionally, a life cycle assessment (LCA) study comparing the new materials with conventional biogenic and non-biogenic materials, as well as a social acceptance study to identify potential market entry barriers, will be conducted. The findings will be used to develop strategies for minimizing these barriers.

Administrative Information:

Project duration: January 2025 – December 2026
Total budget: €233,098.90
INaB budget: €48,438.44

Contact person:

Dr. -Ing. Roland Meyer
E-Mail: roland.meyer@inab.rwth-aachen.de
Tel.: +49 241 80 227 62