The Airlements prototype, a wall cornerpiece comprises four lightweight individual parts made of cement-free mineral foam. (Photograph: Digital Building Technologies, ETH Zurich)
The Airlements prototype, a wall cornerpiece comprises four lightweight individual parts made of cement-free mineral foam. (Photograph: Digital Building Technologies, ETH Zurich) A doctoral researcher studying architecture at ETH Zurich is using 3D printing to produce lightweight insulation building components from cement-free mineral foams derived from recycled industrial waste. These could cut heating and cooling costs for buildings, and encourage more efficient use of construction materials. In the main hall of the research and robotics Arch Tec Lab on Hönggerberg campus, several robotic arms hang from the roof, while half-finished beige-coloured curved structures reminiscent of sand sculptures are dotted around the floor. On one side of the room, mysterious parts protrude from wooden crates. Standing in front of one of these crates is Patrick Bedarf. He works in Professor Benjamin Dillenburger's Digital Building Technologies group and completed his doctorate at the end of September.
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