The building sector worldwide uses nearly 50% of all natural resources and is responsible for a third of CO2 emissions and energy consumption. Over the last decades, Germany’s leadership in sustainable architecture has been internationally recognized.
Most optimization strategies focus on minimizing a building’s energy consumption — such as designing façade systems which ensure maximum thermal efficiency. Unfortunately, these technically effective solutions are hardly perceptible for non-specialists.
To enhance the public’s awareness, we need iconographic buildings that visibly express sustainability in architecture engineering. Rethinking the design of infrastructure such as bridges could start a fruitful debate. Thorsten describes an initiative to create new types of bridges made of the oldest material used in manmade structures: wood. This research project, supported by the Ministry of Rural Affairs of Baden-Wuerttemberg, aims for both a highly sustainable approach and a unique contemporary bridge architecture.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community.
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