Empa’s NEST-Unit Beyond Zero is investigating how the construction industry in particular, as one of the largest CO2 emitters, can contribute to achieving the Paris climate targets. As a partner, OOS accompanies the development and application of innovative materials and designs clever constructions so that buildings can become CO2 sinks.
The Beyond Zero unit of Empa’s NEST research and innovation platform promotes promising CO2-reduced and CO2-negative innovations in the building sector and shows whether and how buildings can act as carbon sinks. The unit uses innovative building materials developed at Empa, such as concrete or insulation material, which can bind carbon. Research, industry and planning work closely together to optimise the implementation of the technologies.
Transforming the construction industry requires not only research into innovative materials but also investigations into their applicability and the development of suitable construction methods. OOS’s contribution to the unit is the design of such buildings. In the design and subsequent construction, the requirements for the materials investigated are defined in order to enable their application in construction. Energy consumption during operation is also taken into account.
