Garage completely made of wood

23. Okt 2022

What seemed impossible for a long time is now a reality: wood can also be used for structural components in contact with the ground, such as basements or garages. In order to be able to mass-produce such components from wood in the future, the Bern University of Applied Sciences is still clarifying some research questions. In Schattenhalb BE, a garage is currently being built entirely of wood.

In Geissholzli in the picturesque Bernese Oberland, the different epochs of timber construction meet. The Maurer family home from 1997 was built in log construction (Fleckenbau) and shows the proven carpenter's art. This includes good structural wood protection with the large canopy. The wood on the facade ages evenly and has a beautiful patina. The structures of the walls and ceilings are protected from moisture and are built to last forever.

In front of this house are used the latest technologies: Cross-laminated timber panels and TS3 technology are used to create the floor slab and base walls of a garage, which stands in the ground on three sides. Thanks to several protective layers and moisture monitoring, wood can now be used in contact with the ground. For a long time, this was considered impossible. The combination of innovations from the fields of timber construction and flat roofs makes the new area of application possible. TS3 technology combines CLT panels to form a stable monocoque box, and various protective layers protect it - just like a flat roof, simply reversed and installed in the ground.

The client Bruno Zumbrunn-Maurer is looking forward to his new garage: "As a timber construction engineer, I am interested in new areas of application for wood. Until now, the components in contact with the ground would have been made of CO2-intensive reinforced concrete. In contrast, trees store this greenhouse gas in wood during their growth and thus store it in the long term. Thanks to the cross-laminated timber garage, our gasoline-powered car now drives 22,000 kilometers in a climate-neutral manner. For the future, it is important that we permanently use wood in buildings wherever it is possible and makes sense. That's why I'm glad that these requirements have been met in our project."

Research project at the Bern University of Applied Sciences

A number of research questions still need to be clarified so that basements and other structural components in contact with the ground can be mass-produced from wood in the future. A research project is currently underway at the Bern University of Applied Sciences. The startup Timbase is emerging from the group of research partners. As a total contracting company, it will take over the planning, manufacture, delivery, assembly and warranty of future basements made of wood.

Read more about wooden basements in our special issue.

Involved project Geissholzli:

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