Abstract
This article presents an explorative study analyzing the market potential for timber-concrete composites (TCC) in the German construction industry. Data from official statistics on building activity in Germany for 2014 and the period from 2010 to 2014 were evaluated in the analysis, and interviews with expert architects and planners were conducted. The goal of the study is to explore the market opportunities of TCC. The experts who were questioned consider TCC as the key to opening the market for types of buildings in which timber construction has had limited application until now (multi-family houses and residential-like/multi-story non-residential buildings). Possible market potentials are calculated with the aid of a scenario which can also be adapted in the context of individual scenarios based on the given data. The study makes it clear that TCC is not only to be evaluated technologically (R + D, standards etc.); market development depends at least as much on soft (social) factors. In part, this concerns the identity of timber construction itself, which must deconstruct the mindsets that have formed over decades in the wood-based sector and are communicated in marketing. At the same time, a co-operation between concrete and timber constructors becomes necessary, which experts call a “clash of cultures.”
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Breuer F (2010) Reflexive grounded theory. An introduction into practice of research [Reflexive Grounded Theory. Eine Einführung in die Forschungspraxis]. VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften, Wiesbaden
CEN (2004) EN 1995-1-1: Eurocode 5: design of timber structures—part 1-1: general—common rules and rules for buildings. European Committee for Standardization, Brussels
Destatis—Federal Statistical Office (2015a) Building Activity and Dwellings. Building Activity, Technical series 5 series 1 [Bautätigkeit und Wohnungen. Bautätigkeit, Fachserie 5 Reihe 1] – 2014, 26th. August 2015. Wiesbaden
Destatis—Federal Statistical Office (2015b) Building and Housing. Construction Work Completed of Residential and Non-residential Buildings (new construction) According to the Primarily Used Building Material [Bauen und Wohnen. Baufertigstellungen von Wohn- und Nichtwohngebäuden (Neubau) nach überwiegend verwendetem Baustoff] – 2014. 08.14.2015. Wiesbaden
Dias A, Ferreira M, Jorge L (2011) Timber–concrete practical applications–bridge case study. Proc Inst Civ Eng Struct Build 164(2):130–140
Dias A, Skinner J, Crews K, Tannert T (2016) Timber-concrete-composites increasing the use of timber in construction. Eur J Wood Prod 74:443–451
Federal Statistical Office (2010) Numerical identification key for non-residential buildings. [Signierschlüssel für Nichtwohngebäude] Wiesbaden
Flick U (2014) Qualitative research. Sage Publications Ltd., London
Frühwald A, Frühwald K (2012) Current Trends and Developments in Building with Wood. Technical-economical aspects and basic conditions. [Aktuelle Trends und Entwicklungen im Bauen mit Holz. Technisch-wirtschaftliche Aspekte und Rahmenbedingungen] German Wood Preservation Conference 2012. Göttingen
Glaser BG, Strauss AL (1967) The discovery of grounded theory: strategies for qualitative research. Aldine, Chicago
Klotz S, Holschemacher K, Köhler S (2004) Economic Efficiency of Timber-Concrete-Composite Floors. [Wirtschaftlichkeit von Holz-Beton-Verbunddecken] In: König G, Holschemacher K, Dehn F (Ed.): Timber-Concrete-Composite. Innovations in the building industry, contributions from practice and science. [Holz-Beton-Verbund. Innovationen im Bauwesen, Beiträge aus Praxis und Wissenschaft] Bauwerk Verlag, Leipzig
Knauf M (2009) Attitudes of those deciding to use Wood in the Building Industry. [Einstellungen von Entscheidern zur Holzverwendung im Bauwesen] Study by Knauf Consulting on behalf of the Timber Promotion Fund (HAF). Bielefeld
Knauf M, Frühwald A (2012) Perspectives in the Timber Industry—Results and Interpretation of the Future Study Wood—Delphi Study Revisited. [Perspektiven in der Holzwirtschaft - Ergebnisse und Interpretation der Zukunftsstudie Holz—Delphistudie revisited] Conference Proceedings of the 9th. Wood Materials Colloquium in Dresden. Dresden
Knauf M, Mantau U (2008a) Timber Construction in Industrial and Commercial Building. [Die Holzbauweise im Industrie- und Gewerbebau] Market study by Knauf Consulting in co-operation with INFRO on behalf the Timber Promotion Fund (HAF). Bielefeld/Celle
Knauf M, Mantau U (2008b) Timber Construction in the Building of Schools and Kindergartens. [Die Holzbauweise im Schul- und Kindergartenbau] Market study by Knauf Consulting in co-operation with INFRO on behalf of the Timber Promotion Fund (HAF). Bielefeld/Celle
Lamnek S (2005) Qualitative research [Qualitative Sozialforschung]. Beltz, Weinheim
Mantau U, Döring P, Hiller D (2013) Wood Use in the Construction Industry—use structures according to buildings and trades. [Holzeinsatz im Bauwesen—Verwendungsstrukturen nach Gebäuden und Gewerken] In: Weimar H., Jochem D. (Ed.): Wood Use in Construction—a market study in the context of the “Charter for wood“. [Holzverwendung im Bauwesen—Eine Marktstudie im Rahmen der “Charta für Holz“] Thünen Rep 9:1–69. Hamburg
Marotzki W (2003) Guided interview [Leitfadeninterview]. In: Bohnsack R, Marotzki W, Meuser M (Ed.): Main concepts of qualitative social research; a dictionary. [Hauptbegriffe Qualitativer Sozialforschung; ein Wörterbuch] Leske und Budrich, Opladen
Smith I, Frangi A (2014) Use of Timber in Tall Multi-storey Buildings. Göttingen, ABSE, ETH Zürich
Strübing J (2014) Grounded Theory, 3rd edn. VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften, Wiesbaden
Weber-Blaschke G, Lubenau C, Wilnhammer M, Härtl F, Friedrich S, Hammerl R, Helm S, Helm D, Borchert H, Wittkopf S, Knoke T, Richter K (2015) Competition for wood: Ecological, social and economic effects of the material and energetic utilization of wood. [Konkurrenz um Holz: Ökologische, soziale und ökonomische Effekte der stofflichen und energetischen Verwertung von Holz] Final report of the Technical University of Munich, University Weihenstephan-Triesdorf and Bavarian National Institute for Forest and Forestry, Freising
Wehner M, Köster H (2008) Wood Construction of the Future. TP 08 market study & market development. [Holzbau der Zukunft. TP 08 Marktforschung & Markterschließung] University of Rosenheim of Applied Sciences. Rosenheim
Yeoh D, Fragiacomo M, De Franceschi M, Boon KH (2011) State of the art on timber-concrete composite structures: literature review. J Struct Eng 137:1085–1095. doi:10.1061/(asce)st.1943-541x.0000353
Acknowledgments
The market study presented in this paper originated as “Das Marktpotenzial für Holz-Beton-Verbundkonstruktionen im Bauwesen” within the framework of timber building Augsburg. Funding was provided by the Central Innovation Programme for SMEs (ZIM). My special thanks to Lydia Kurstedt from Regio Augsburg Wirtschaft GmbH, to the members of the framework Karl Moser, Frank Lattke and Alexander Gumpp and to all of the interview partners who have contributed to the understanding of the TCC market.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Knauf, M. Market potentials for timber-concrete composites in Germany’s building construction sector. Eur. J. Wood Prod. 75, 639–649 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00107-016-1136-9
Received:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00107-016-1136-9