Clay as a building material of the future: Sustainable, innovative and efficient!

Clay as a building material of the future: Sustainable, innovative and efficient!

The Bauhaus University Weimar has combined its many years of expertise in sustainable construction and clay research into an important project. As part of a project funded by the Federal Innovation Program Future Construction, Larissa Daube is developing innovative approaches to clay panel construction. Their goal is to combine the advantages of solid clay, such as a healthy indoor climate, moisture regulation, storage capacity and sustainability, with industrial prefabrication. In her dissertation, Daube also examines cork-clay composite materials as an environmentally friendly alternative in construction.

Research at the Bauhaus University is supported by Stefanie Huthöfer, who works as a research assistant at the Professorship for Theory and History of Modern Architecture. She is working on the industrial potential of earth building for the reconstruction of Ukraine, working closely with a Ukrainian scientist. Huthöfer also offers seminars for students and training opportunities for skilled craftsmen as part of the earth building certificate course at the Bauhaus Further Education Academy Weimar e.V. (WBA).

Focus on sustainable building materials

At the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism, teaching about sustainable building materials, especially clay, plays a central role. Students deal intensively with the potential of clay in various seminars and design projects. The Teaching Working Group of the Lehm e.V. umbrella organization organizes a lecture series that serves as a platform for scientific discourse and practical applications. Participation in these lectures is free and online, which makes exchange easier.

There are several exciting lectures coming up in the coming months. On December 17, 2025, Stefanie Huthöfer and Tamara Hausser will give a lecture on “Material-specific construction with clay – ceiling | wall”. In addition, Dr. Larissa Daube and Julian Mönig on January 21, 2026 provide insights into current research projects for the further development of earth building.

Diverse areas of application for earth building

In addition to the previous research projects, the suitability of recycled aggregates for earth building materials is being investigated as part of the upMIN 100 project. The development of liquid clay for processing-optimized and shape-flexible solid construction is also on the agenda. Both approaches aim to promote resource efficiency, structural innovation and climate responsibility.

The framework conditions for earth building in Germany are comprehensive. These include aspects from material basics to new construction and renovation strategies through to the specific properties of earth building materials. Particularly noteworthy are the requirements for building physics and building biology, which focus on the health and well-being of the users.

There is an ongoing challenge facing the construction industry: dealing with resource scarcity and creating a fully circular economy in construction. The discussion about the use of renewable building materials, including traditional materials such as wood and clay, opens up new perspectives for environmentally friendly construction. Specialist literature and project examples collect ideas and approaches to sharpen the view of bio-based building materials and emphasize their aesthetic and functional values.

By expanding its expertise in clay research and closely linking it to practice, the Bauhaus University Weimar is making a significant contribution to a fair, sustainable and resource-saving built environment. An interdisciplinary team of experts supports these efforts and thus offers a solid foundation for the construction of tomorrow.