"We can make construction projects climate positive"
The construction industry is facing immense challenges: 38 percent of global CO2 emissions are generated by construction, 15,5 % of the inhabitants of German cities have to make do with cramped living conditions. Germany has a shortage of 400,000 dwelling units, while at the same time the number of skilled workers in the construction industry has fallen by 21 percent.
27 Mar 2023Share
At the LIGNA.Preview in Hannover, co-founder Bernd Oswald reported on how the proptech company, Gropyus, intends to get to grips with these problems. His vision: digitalization of the entire construction process.
Unlike other industries, the digitalization and platformization of the building trade is in its infancy. Building companies plan each construction site right from the beginning, instead of developing prototypes that can go into series production. Gropyus now intends to remedy this by completely digitalizing all processes, from planning of the construction to subsequent operation of a building. This includes a dedicated operating system for control of the apartments. Gropyus maps out the entire production process through this digital end-to-end approach. Fewer disruptions, faster delivery, greater efficiency and, above all, cost certainty should guarantee affordable housing for all. Oswald: "And, first and foremost, there is the aspect of sustainability: by combining timber construction and digital solutions, we can even achieve positive climate effects in the long run."
Using a configurator – like the ones we see in kitchen studios or when compiling the equipment and features of a dream car online – the relevant property data is entered and it is then possible to choose from various layout and design options which can be put together as desired. The configurator then determines, among other things, the carbon footprint and transmits all the data required for production to the robots at the factory.
The pilot project – a nine-story building near Koblenz – was completed in just a few months. Gropyus uses the modular construction method in timber construction: there is a set of different components, which are first assembled into apartments and then into apartment buildings. "It's a bit like LEGO," Oswald explains.
At this year's LIGNA (May 15 – 19) in Hannover, it will be possible to experience the innovations from the areas of digitalization and automation technology in timber construction, in addition to many other topics.
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