An architectural competition asked for sustainable refurbishment strategies of 1970ies highrise residential buildings in Germany. studiomolter won this competition together with architectural energy consultants Nemeth Stopper due to a research based design strategy. A life cycle analysis of potential materials as well as a substantial amount of energy harvesting PV panels shape this building envelope. 

The German construction industries require about 550 million tons of mineral raw materials and produce 200 million tons of waste. Regional available resources such as sand and gravel already become scarce and mineral raw materials must be transported even longer distances which increases CO2 emissions, energy costs and finally construction costs.(1)

Construction industry consumes 50 % of the natural resources, is responsible for 40 % of the energy consumption and 30 % of the water usage. Furthermore, the sector is responsible for 40 % of the waste produced and 35 % of the CO2 emissions. Although about 90 % of the occurring waste from the demolition is reused, the recycling rate is less than 30 % and only a very low partition is returned to building construction. (2) 

The predicted growth of global population as well as urbanization will generate substantial construction of new housing, commercial buildings and their infrastructure. The provision construction material as cement for concrete, steel and other building materials will become a major source of greenhouse gas emissions.(3)

In this sense, both, disassembly strategies in construction as well as the use of isolated pure carbon absorbing material are a key parameters for sustainable buildings and therefore a powerful means to mitigate climate change.

​

Text: Philipp Molter