Press releases of the Fraunhofer IBP

As a rapidly growing renewable raw material, bamboo is an ideal substitute for wood. However, bamboo’s susceptibility to mold in damp conditions poses a problem. Researchers at Fraunhofer have now analyzed bamboo’s response to moisture under specific climatic conditions. By using simulation software, building owners can plan and implement measures to prevent the growth of mold.

Climate change is causing a persistent increase in the number of hot summer days. Offices and homes are getting hotter, and the nights bring little respite from the heat. Against this backdrop, a significant increase in new cooling systems installations is anticipated, which in turn will give rise to increased energy consumption. One potential cost-effective alternative is to use existing heating systems. According to an analysis by the Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics IBP, the heat pumps in these systems can be reverse operated to provide effective cooling.

How do infectious aerosols spread in supermarkets, airplanes, and other indoor areas where large numbers of people congregate? Researchers from 15 Fraunhofer institutes and institutions are investigating this in the AVATOR project.

In the 1990s, avoidable structural damage was discovered in numerous buildings. The Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics IBP responded to this by developing the WUFI^® program family, which has since become internationally established. This year the building software is celebrating its 25th anniversary.

Until now, waste tires have been used mainly for recovering energy sources: Only small proportions of the carbon black contained in these tires are recycled, since mineral ash accounts for around 20 percent of its content. A new process developed by the Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics IBP is able to isolate almost all of this ash – allowing both the carbon black and the minerals from the ash to be reused.

A significant part of carpet waste consists of petroleum-based polypropylene. As a non-recyclable product, disposing of it has previously meant incineration or landfill. However, a new solvent is now making it possible to recover virgin-standard polypropylene from carpet waste — with no perceptible reduction in quality. Developed by the Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics IBP and its partners, the process also involves costs that are quite competitive. The development has taken place as part of the ISOPREP EU project.

People who are required to serve a large number of customers at a checkout or counter are at a particularly high risk of exposure to COVID-19. At the Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics IBP, a type of air lock was therefore developed to shield work stations from the surrounding air using constant ventilation. This “protective canopy” will be unveiled to the public from January 13 to 15, 2021, at the online BAU trade fair.

As healthy and tasty as mushrooms might be, they are good for much more than just the dinner plate. The Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology UMSICHT has now teamed up with the Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics IBP to investigate the use of fungus-based materials for the fabrication of eco-friendly sound absorbers.

Restaurant owners are increasingly turning to fired charcoal grills to prepare meals for customers – but the odors and fumes emitted by these grills are often a source of irritation for nearby residents. The German Environment Agency asked a team of researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics IBP to investigate whether the exhaust air treatment systems used in grills actually get the job done and to study ways of preventing pollutant and odor emissions.

The project “Primordial Cities” developed by the internationally renowned philosopher and conceptual artist Jonathon Keats is based on the first communities that lived on Earth - so-called stromatolite cities, inhabited by primitive microbes. Together with the Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics IBP and based on research work by the scientists and their experience from urban climate projects, the experimental philosopher has developed an innovative urban scenario that takes a completely new approach and revolutionizes urban planning concepts by considering the changing climate. From 12 December onwards, the project is on show in an exhibition at the STATE Studio in Berlin.