Demonstration project LifeCycle Tower - batch-produced energy efficient timber/hybrid high-rise building system

Status

ongoing

Summary

Motivation

The project is based upon the results of previous research activities in which Rhomberg Bau GmbH played a leading role or was a partner and builds upon these findings. In the project “achtplus” (‘8+’) the technical feasibility of a timber-constructed high rise building of up to 20 storeys was proven as a matter of principle. In the Building of Tomorrow Plus project “LifeCycle Tower” the project team developed an implementable construction system as well as a building energy concept for multi-storey timber constructions. Concepts for sustainable (residential) buildings, as well as their evaluations, have already been elaborated in the Building of Tomorrow projects “Immo-Rate” and “inkl.wohnen” (‘inclusive living’).

Contents and goals

The project team under the leadership of Cree GmbH, a recently established subsidiary of Rhomberg Group, has set the goal of implementing the results achieved in the preceding project “LifeCycle Tower” in a prototype building with 8 storeys. The building concept which was developed in “LifeCycle Tower” shall be tested with regard to its functional efficiency under real usage conditions.

Methods of treatment

The object shall include “fault tolerant” usages with realistic applications: office space, apartments and a (limited) hotel. The system can be brought to series-production with the help of the test results.

The particular challenge lies in the industrialisation of the entire construction process. This comprises planning processes, batch production of the modules, fitness for purpose, logistics and construction, which can be tested using the demonstration object and optimised for large-volume constructions.

The system is intended for the international market. The demonstration project shall be presented to a wider public and shall illustrate the advantages of a batch-produced timber/hybrid high-rise building system to future investors and other interest groups and support marketing efforts.

Expected results

The prefabrication of quality-critical components reduces the high planning and realisation risks in system construction and enables an international know-how transfer in the building industry which would not otherwise be possible with conventional architecture. Cooperation with Cree GmbH therefore also enables small and medium-sized enterprises to take that step abroad and to benefit from worldwide deployment.

Project management

Cree GmbH

Project or cooperation partners

• Architekten Hermann Kaufmann ZT GmbH
• Wiehag GmbH
• Sohm Holzbau GmbH

Cree GmbH
Färbergasse 17b
6850 Dornbirn
Tel.: +43 (5574) 403
E-Mail: michael.zangerl@creebyrhomberg.com
Web: www.creebyrhomberg.com