As a modern building material, it is impossible to imagine contemporary architecture without it: concrete. Its rough, cool surface not only inspires design enthusiasts, but also offers many structural advantages. But in terms of environmental friendliness, the material has a bad reputation. Concrete is often even referred to as a real “CO₂ guzzler”. Wood is considered a more climate-friendly alternative. But is the natural raw material actually better suited to ecological construction? We investigate this myth in the following fact check.

Scientists at the Laboratory of Construction Materials at EPFL Lausanne are convinced that wooden buildings will not be sufficient to meet the construction needs of our society in the future. They believe in the potential of concrete as a building material and are researching a cement mixture that produces less CO₂ during production. Its formulation should have a decisive influence on the ecological footprint of the material and enable climate-conscious construction, even with concrete. You can find more information about the project here.

Another promising approach is being pursued by the researchers of the National Research Programme “Resource Wood”. Their work focuses on a hybrid material, i.e. wood-based concrete. In some of the blends envisaged, the wood content is over 50 percent. The resulting savings in cement – the climate-damaging material in concrete – lead to a large reduction in CO₂. You can find more information about the project here.