Fraunhofer Building Innovation Alliance

The construction industry has high potential for innovation, and it is with a view to tapping this potential that several Institutes have pooled their resources in the Fraunhofer Building Innovation Alliance. The Alliance offers single-source construction expertise by means ofintegrated systems solutions. Its portfolio encompasses not only the systematic consideration of buildings, from materials and components to rooms, buildings and entire housing estates, but also the chronological consideration of buildings – that is, their entire life cycle from the initial idea through to final recycling. Opportunities for rationalization and potential for optimization can be found throughout the construction process chain, starting with the original construction, including building materials and systems, and extending through to the conversion and dismantling of a building.

In this era of exploding energy prices, theenergy efficiency of buildingsis a key issue for both residential and industrial buildings. However, the focus of the alliance goes a great deal deeper than this. It aims to assuresustainability, careful use of resources, and healthy construction methodsin building and living, and to address issues such as product, system and process optimization. Construction research shares common ground with Fraunhofer expertise in the areas of energy, information and communication technology, materials and components, life sciences, production, microelectronics, and defense and security research.

Aims of the alliance

The end customers of the construction industry have ever-higher expectations in terms of comfort, energy efficiency, performance support and sustainability. The Fraunhofer Construction Alliance generates synergy effects between the participating Institutes that enable customers to enhance their products with added value. The Fraunhofer scientists are working together to develop new and innovative technologies relating to every aspect of building construction. Their work assists construction companies in all relevant issues, from the selection of the right planning software to the recycling of building materials.