Community house in Kanalbyen in Fredericia, Denmark: Demo project showing CO2-efficient concrete construction

Ramboll is developing a demo project where we illustrate how CO2-efficiently one can build in concrete. The goal is to build a 150 m2 community house with a CO2 footprint less than 5 kg CO2/m2/year for building components and operations combined. The focus is especially on reducing the overall amount of concrete used, but also very much about working with a smaller amount of CO2 in the material mix.

One of the innovation initiatives we have been working with is to produce the bearing columns in 3D printed concrete. The advantage of a 3D print is that we can make the columns hollow instead of solid and we can optimise the design. We have applied computational design to shape the 3D printed columns and the double-curved concrete shell. We have thus used the computer to guide us in the design process, so we could create a design where form and aesthetics effectively collaborate. With a thickness as little as 5 cm, the printed 3D thin and hollow columns can support a double-curved roof construction.

Data from the Green Building Council show that materials account for up to 80% of the overall CO2 climate footprint in new buildings during the building’s lifetime. That’s why it is crucial that we work to reduce the CO2 emissions from building materials.

The project is a collaboration between AP Pension, Henning Larsen Architects, Danish Technological Institute and Aalborg Portland.

Contact our expert(s) if you want to learn more:

Nikolaj Haaning, Market and Development Manager, Innovation and Sustainability