Initial situation/scientific issue

Austria is pursuing the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 36% by 2030 compared to 2005 through an active climate protection policy and thus supporting the global climate targets. One focus is on utilising renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power to cover the heating and cooling requirements of buildings largely without fossil fuels.

However, not only the operation but also the production of buildings faces considerable challenges in terms of health, biodiversity and, above all, the use of resources. The production of building materials for construction requires a large amount of energy and is often associated with high CO2 emissions. The raw materials required for building materials are limited and often require long transport routes, leading to the destruction of nature and inhumane working conditions. Due to the ecological and social consequences as well as the enormous amount of material used in the construction industry, it is clear that there is a significant point of influence here to achieve savings in terms of energy consumption, resource utilisation and greenhouse gas emissions.

The use of loam as a building material offers numerous advantages. Due to its frequent availability directly on building sites, costs are low and there is no need for transport. Processing is energy efficient and does not require fossil fuels, which means no air, water or soil pollution. At the end of the building's life cycle, the material can simply be reused without any loss of quality and can therefore remain in the cycle or be returned to nature in a harmless way. In addition to its ecological benefits, loam also impresses with its aesthetic appearance and physical building properties.

Project description/methodology

The overall aim of the project is to create a solid foundation for the widespread use of loam in construction. Although the use of loam as a building material is nothing new and is one of the oldest materials known to mankind, current challenges such as the loss of biodiversity, global dependencies and, above all, the effects of climate change open up the possibility of reinterpreting loam construction and adapting it to current standards. As a result, loam can once again meet the demands of the modern construction industry.

This project is to be achieved through the following sub-goals:

1. illustrating the circularity, climate impact and resource consumption of selected building components containing loam,
2. creation of a planning basis for the construction of deconstructable buildings with recyclable, ecological, regional building materials,
3. presentation of the effects of loam building materials on the quality of indoor air and thus on the health and comfort of residents,
4. development of planning principles for the production and use of tempered rammed earth building components.

Increasing the use of loam requires proof that loam building materials are harmless to health. As part of the third sub-goal, a comprehensive measurement programme is being implemented in residential buildings, in the course of which the concentration of radon and thoron, particulate matter, VOCs (volatile organic compounds), formaldehyde and mould spores in properties with clay building materials will be recorded. Samples will also be taken from around ten selected loam pits and analysed for radiation exposure and potential soil pollutants.

The AGES will analyse the radioactive composition of loam samples as well as the concentration of the radioactive noble gases radon and thoron and their by-products in the indoor air of loam buildings.

Radon and thoron are natural radioactive noble gases that can enter indoor air from building materials and the soil. Breathing in these gases and their by-products can damage lung cells and increase the risk of lung cancer.

Outcomes