KNOWLEDGE NEEDED IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY'S CONVERSION INTO BIOECONOMY

The overall guiding questions are:

What do we know today about the technical performance and sustainability of bio-based building structures?

How can bio-based building structures be improved in terms of technology and sustainability?

A transition to a bio-based economy is increasingly discussed as part of reducing climate impact and reducing pressure on natural resources. In construction, a part of such a transition may involve replacing non-renewable building materials with renewable ones. A special part concerns materials in the building structures. In Sweden, efforts have been made in recent decades to make wood an obvious alternative to other materials used in higher buildings, but the change takes time and involves technology development, development of sustainability analysis methods, new business models, changed behaviors and more.

This synthesis of knowledge and knowledge deficiencies is expected to make decision makers well-informed and help them contribute to the conversion of the construction industry towards a bioeconomy. Also, the synthesis is expected contribute to the development of biobased buildnings in a positive direction with respect to technical performance, sustainability and circularity.

The decision makers in mind are policymakers formulating bioeconomy strategies at municipal or regional levels as well as developers making choices on building frames in specific construction projects.

The project is carried out in cooperation with IVL.