Linnaeus University Centre for Competitive Timber Structures

Our research

The construction sector accounts for nearly half of the material consumption and 40% of the total primary energy use in the European Union. To drive the transition towards a carbon positive and sustainable future, the EU Green Deal strategy has launched several initiatives like the EU taxonomy and the New European Bauhaus. Using wood-based construction materials from sustainably managed forests shows great potential to significantly reduce the climate impact of the construction sector and at the same time to create a carbon sink in long-lasting wood-based products and buildings. Given the projected doubling of global material consumption by 2060 and an anticipated increase of 1.5 billion people by 2050, addressing sustainable resource use and substituting non-renewable materials has become an urgent global priority. The construction sector is highlighted as one of the priority areas in the transition to a circular and bio-based economy in Sweden.

The Lnuc Competitive Timber Structures brings together internationally recognised and nationally leading researchers from the entire wood construction value chain to expand knowledge through excellent research and interdisciplinary collaborations. The research spans from forest biomaterials to the design of smart products for wood-based building systems, structural health monitoring, industrialized production, and energy and climate efficient buildings. This Lnuc is actively collaborating with internationally leading researchers and research groups. To ensure that the research and research outcomes have real-world relevance and societal impact, the Lnuc Competitive Timber Structures has strong transdisciplinary partnerships with the stakeholders in the construction sector. These collaborations are essential for developing sustainable and practical solutions for the future of timber construction. The research in this Lnuc forms the foundation for a strong international, educational profile in material science and civil engineering with a specialization in timber structures.

The research conducted in the Lnuc Competitive Timber Structures focuses on the development of novel and improved wood-based materials from forest-based sources and side-streams, and improved building systems, also in combination with other construction materials. New ways of planning are investigated, including design for adaptability, deconstruction, and circular construction strategies for strengthening, re-usability and recyclability of materials, structural elements, and buildings. A deep understanding of the long-term behavior of materials, structural elements, connections and building systems is indispensable to secure a long lifetime and the carbon sink. The ecological, economic and social impact of wood-based products and timber structures is assessed from regional and global perspectives. Traceability of construction products through the entire value chain and over the service life will be required. Compatible digital tools with data transfer along the value chain will be developed. An important part of achieving green sustainable development in the construction sector is to ensure effective and long-term preservation of existing buildings and to learn from what has already been built. The existing building stock is an economic, ecological, and social resource.

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