Building modularly: Make old new - future project on campus!

Building modularly: Make old new - future project on campus!

On April 28, 2025, a new chapter in the sustainable construction method began on the campus of the University of Ruhr University Bochum: the Collaborative Research Center (SFB) 1683 with the title "Interaction methods for the modular reuse of existing structures". The SFB has set itself the goal of using old components to create innovative buildings. In the course of the construction of new objects, the buildings NA and GC have already been demolished, which caused large holes. Important parts of these demolished structures, such as walls, ceilings and supports, have been saved and are now being examined.

The need for such an initiative is obvious. The construction sector is globally one of the main causes of resource consumption and waste production. According to effesus.eu , over 50% of the resource consumption and a significant part of waste production are due to the construction industry. This is where the idea of ​​the circular economy comes in: materials should be kept in the economic cycle to reduce environmental pollution and to maximize resource use.

circular economy in construction

circular economy is seen as a decisive factor for sustainable building, with the central principles "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle". Innovative approaches in this context are the use of recyclable building materials and the modular construction. In this way, both the material consumption and the construction period can be significantly reduced, which ultimately also leads to cost cuts. According to forecasts, up to 80% of the construction waste could be avoided by consistently using these principles.

the SFB 1683 pursues a scientific approach that includes extensive tests to check the load -bearing capacity and possible aging effects. It is essential that the new buildings are safe while the CO2 emissions are minimized at the same time. The demolition of old buildings leads to a considerable amount of building rubble, whereupon the SFB aims to promote resource -friendly reuse by using a modular system.

innovative technologies and future developments

The timely use of technologies such as sensor -based sorting and robot -based disassembly processes could significantly increase efficiency in construction. circular culture.eu emphasizes that digital solutions such as Building Information Modeling (BIM) and digital product passes can help to reduce material to create the value chain. These technologies offer a valuable basis for mastering the challenges of the construction industry of tomorrow.

In addition, there are numerous innovative recycling processes. Mechanical recycling, thermal recycling for energy generation and chemical recycling for recovery of raw materials are some of the methods that are currently being developed and tested in practice. Modular construction methods allow structures to be flexibly designed and easy to convert or reuse, which drives sustainable construction projects.

In summary, it can be said that the SFB 1683 takes an important step towards sustainable building. The increasing importance of the circular economy in the construction system could not only promote more environmentally friendly practices, but also increase the economic efficiency of the construction industry.