An Austrian consortium composed of construction group PORR, insulation materials manufacturer Austrotherm, plaster and mortar specialist Baumit and technology start-up ORBIS Development has launched a pilot project aimed at developing and testing new construction methods combining economic viability and carbon footprint reduction. The project stands out through its cross-cutting approach: rather than focusing on optimizing a single material, the partners aim for systemic integration of proven solutions — recycled EPS, mineral renders with optimized hydraulic binder, and digital planning tools — into reproducible construction processes.
For Austrotherm, this collaboration is a continuation of its circular economy strategy. The manufacturer recently commissioned a closed-loop EPS recycling facility, enabling construction waste and demolition insulation to be reintegrated into the production cycle. The challenge in the pilot is now to demonstrate that these recycled materials achieve the same thermal performance (λ value around 0.032 W/mK according to EN 13163) and the same regulatory compliance (fire reaction class E according to EN 13501-1) as virgin products, while reducing embodied energy related to manufacturing by 30 to 50%.
Baumit, for its part, brings its expertise in render systems and ETICS (external thermal insulation composite systems), a sector in which coordination between insulation, mechanical fastening, base coat and finish coat is crucial for long-term durability. The tests focus in particular on chemical and mechanical compatibility between recycled substrates and system components, as well as resistance to freeze-thaw cycles and hygrothermal stress according to DIN 4108-3.
PORR, as project manager and contractor, tests operational feasibility: implementation time, team training, supply chain management and documentation for certifications (ETA, EPD). Start-up ORBIS Development handles the digital layer: collaborative BIM tools, material traceability via blockchain and predictive carbon balance calculation of construction variants from the design phase.
The stated objective is twofold: to validate the technical scalability of these approaches in medium-sized residential and tertiary projects (between 50 and 200 units), and to prepare normative standardization enabling these methods to be integrated into public calls for tender subject to DGNB or QNG criteria. For the industry, this type of multidisciplinary consortium prefigures a development model where innovation no longer rests on a single actor, but on the networking of complementary skills — a necessary condition for advancing technical standards and specification practices in a market still largely dominated by conventional solutions.
