TIMBERHAUS

TIMBERHAUS is a European research and innovation project aiming to promote sustainable timber construction as a strategy for reducing the environmental impact of construction.

The project was launched as a collaboration between 19 partners from city governments, research institutes, universities, and more. Over the next four years, these groups will pioneer sustainable wood solutions in construction through prototypes and analyses in three partner cities. TIMBERHAUS was initiated in Copenhagen in November 2024, and is led by the Danish Technological Institute.

Together, the TIMBERHAUS partners will explore novel use of timber to address the fact that the construction sector is responsible for 40 per cent of carbon emissions, 50 per cent of all extracted materials, and 35 per cent of waste generated globally. Although wood is a promising substitute due to its carbon-storing properties, current wood processing technologies and supply chains are not yet equipped to handle a diverse range of wood types, including hardwood and recycled wood. Additionally, ensuring the sustainability of the timber supply is essential in a changing climate that impacts the health of our forests.

To achieve these goals, TIMBERHAUS will research digital wood processing tools based on artificial intelligence to make wood building materials more diverse and accessible. At the same time, the project will develop prototypes of timber construction products that will be integrated into building blueprints. These will incorporate aspects of health, wellbeing, and local traditions around wood construction.

TIMBERHAUS will demonstrate these designs through pilot initiatives with the partner cities of Baia Mare, Berlin, and Siena. The lessons learned from these case studies will inform the development of roadmaps and policy tools to mainstream timber construction in Europe and integrate climate-smart wood use into European regulatory frameworks.

From a sustainability perspective, TIMBERHAUS will assess the limits and opportunities of sustainable timber supply and its potential to meet future timber demand in the construction sector. The project will also assess the carbon removal benefits of key timber construction products and the climate benefits of a future bio-based built environment.

As a consortium partner, Bauhaus Earth will provide key components of the project's sustainability analysis. In particular, Bauhaus Earth will contribute to the assessment of timber supply, construction demand, and the climate mitigation potential of a bio-based built environment. We will also contribute to the development of building blueprints, roadmaps, and policy tools.

By bringing together a diverse European consortium, TIMBERHAUS will build on ongoing and completed EU research and innovation projects on similar topics, such as Build-in-Wood and Woodcircles. It will also support the implementation of key EU initiatives, including the EU Forest Strategy and the New European Bauhaus.

TIMBERHAUS is funded by the Eropean Commission and States Secretariate for Education, Research and Innovation. The project is set to run from 2024 until 2028. Project coordination is provided by the Danish Technological Institute.

The TIMBERHAUS consortium partners are Bauhaus Earth, Built by Nature, City of Baia Mare, City of Berlin, City of Siena, Climate-KIC, Demos Research Institute, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich, EMPA, Fondazione Icons, Grupo Gámiz, Junckers Industrier A/S, PFEIFER Group, TEGEL Projekt GMBH, University of Copenhagen, Urbasofia, and Waugh Thistleton Architects.

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