The University of Stuttgart is a research and development partner in the new plastic-free building cooperation network “Gebäude O.K.” (Buildings OK) through the Institute of Construction Materials and the Materials Testing Institute. As part of the network, 15 well-known representatives from small and medium-sized enterprises, industry, research and teaching have joined forces to work towards a holistic concept for healthy living based on plastic-free construction using sustainable products.
The construction industry is responsible for 20 percent of the 65 million tonnes of plastics consumed in Europe each year (2017[1]). The aim of “Gebäude O.K” is to minimize the use of plastics by developing alternative products and incorporating aspects of the recycling economy into construction. This includes for example using mineral building materials for insulation and avoiding microplastics, but also relates to the packaging used for delivery, processing or use.
The partners in the new network cover the entire value-added chain in the construction sector. This means that they pool together their innovation expertise to create buildings which are almost plastic-free. The cooperation network is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy as part of the Central Innovation Program for SMEs (ZIM).
[1] https://www.plasticseurope.org/de/newsroom/press-releases/pressemitteilungen-2018/plastics-facts-2018-erschienen
Contact:
Dr. Jürgen Frick (University of Stuttgart, juergen.frick@ma.uni-stuttgart.de),
Dr. Joachim Schwarte (University of Stuttgart, joachim.schwarte@iwb.uni-stuttgart.de),
Dr. Fabian Glaab (Network Management at RAS-AG, fg@ras-ag.com)
