Plentiful…like sand on the seashore. Anyone trying to illustrate the sheer endless availability of a material might have to rethink this comparison. Indeed, the stuff that tourists’ dreams are made of is, in fact, running out. Sandy beaches are getting narrower; on some coasts, they are completely gone. All that remains are the desolate skeletons of stone.

After water, sand and gravel are the most widely used raw materials. But the seemingly unlimited resource is becoming scarce. Like so many other natural materials, they are embedded within the very building blocks of the countless structures our modern civilisation demands. “Building alone accounts for around 40 percent of global raw material consumption,” says Professor Benjamin Kromoser. The scientist from Vienna University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences adds that if we could take a leaf out of nature’s book, we could build much more efficiently.

fischer supports a one of a kind endowed professorship

It is precisely this awareness and appreciation of animal and plant life that Benjamin Kromoser wants his students to take away from the 2018-19 winter semester. And for that, fischer is lending a helping hand. As of 1st February 2018, the joint venture has financed the new “Bio-based Construction” institute; something that Benjamin Kromoser intends to fill with life. He will concentrate on optimising the design and construction of load-bearing systems and structures. “In nature, it’s all about the best use of existing resources. Human structures, on the other hand, do not do that,” says Benjamin Kromoser. And he’s right: Who says that rooms always have to be square? The geometry of trees would suggest otherwise.

Digitisation is a powerful tool

“My classes will be about saving material – using digital tools, such as 3D printing or modern wood milling processes.” Benjamin Kromoser wants to liberate the construction industry from its lethargy and provide the impetus for new approaches to put an end to wastefulness. And his theory has already been put into practice – successfully. In Carinthia, for example, a bridge spanning 36 meters was built over a railway track according to his principles. Using an innovative process to produce concrete domes, meant that 40 percent of the resources could be saved.

Pioneering: the test structure for a new generation of bridges based on a model by Benjamin Kromoser (Christoph Panzer)

A bridge to the future: The resource-saving concrete dome has a span of 36 meters (Benjamin Kromoser)

The one who recognised the potential of the young scientist from Austria early on was Joachim Schätzle. Joachim Schätzle himself holds a doctorate in chemistry and has overseen research and advanced development at fischer for the past four years. He is also a member of the appointment committee, which selects the scientists for the endowed professorships.

A finger on the pulse

Cooperation with research institutes is of great importance for fischer. Not only because Prof. Klaus Fischer personally supports sustainability, but also because in the not too distant future it simply will not be possible to “carry on as normal”. The resources are dwindling. “When it comes to new construction methods, of course, it also has an impact on our business,” says Joachim Schätzle. Through such cooperations, fischer makes sure to stay in touch with the times and maintain the ability to influence trends.

Learning from parasites

Any change, such as slimmer concrete structures or softer materials, will result in adjustments to dowel and anchoring systems. Joachim Schätzle speaks of entirely new principles of action. “You have to develop slimmer, smaller dowels that are still able to withstand high loads”. Here, too, you need only turn to nature for an example of best practice. For example, fischer and Bremen University of Applied Sciences developed a dowel modelled on parasites. Strictly speaking, the project group focused on ticks or cicadas, which bore their mouthparts into the host. For most, a fairly unpleasant image. For experts however, it was the template for what they call “minimally invasive fastening systems”.

Model of a bionic-generated anchor. The main body is coloured green, the side arms – derived from the cicada model – are highlighted in red (die Bioniker/Felix Förster)

“The secret is to transfer the principle from nature to our technologies,” explains Joachim Schätzle. For fischer, this is no longer just about dowels and anchorages, but about opening up completely new business areas. The company from the Black Forest also regularly enters into joint ventures with highly specialised partner companies. One such example was to develop state-of-the-art fibre composites.

Taking industrial methods to the construction site

The way we build will change fundamentally. To Joachim Schätzle, of that, there is no doubt. “In 20 years’ time we will simply not be able to afford to continue building the way we do now.” That is particularly true when it comes to the construction of houses. Here, better standardisation, he feels, is long overdue. Take the automotive industry as an example: cars are built according to standard processes – it’s not as if each one is unique. But that’s not always the case with buildings. “We have to be able to transfer industrial methods to the construction site – without losing the individuality of the structure.”

Youth: the drivers of change

This change requires a wave of young engineers who are both hungry and creative – like those from Joachim Schätzle’s team or indeed Benjamin Kromoser himself. “Enlightening the next generation of civil engineers and architects, giving them new ways to build a sustainable world of tomorrow – that’s what drives me.” If his own success is anything to go by, the chances that Benjamin Kromoser will succeed in his mission are high. At the end of the day, at just 30 years old, the young professor is no stranger to the world in which his audience lives.