Recently, our colleagues of the Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und – prüfung (BAM) and the Technical University of Berlin (TUB) had the opportunity to engage with researchers from across the globe at the RILEM Association Spring Convention & 4th International Congress on Materials & Structural Stability in Morocco. The association aims to advance scientific knowledge related to construction materials, systems and structures and to encourage the transfer and application of this knowledge worldwide.
This year’s RSC-CMSS conference was focused on the theme “Appropriate choice of environmentally eco-friendly processes and materials for expected environmental building performance”, covering topics such as: Cements & Ceramics, Asphalt Materials & Polymers, Wood & Fibers, Metallic Materials, Energy & Environment and Structures & Historic buildings.
At the convention, the BAM team engaged in discussions with academics, researchers, industrialists, testing laboratories, and authorities to explore how artificial intelligence (AI) could facilitate the development of sustainable building materials.
Following their participation in the convention, the team released a conference publication titled “Searching for the Needle in the Haystack – How Machine Learning Could Help to Find Ideal Sustainable Building Materials.“ The publication introduced the concept of Inverse Design (ID) and showcased how their open-source app “SLAMD” could be used to streamline the laboratory workflow and lower application barriers.
Inverse design is a generative approach that involves creating materials formulations that are tailored to specific requirements. It guides the materials design process by quickly adapting AI models to novel scenarios and resources, which reduces time-to-market and enables easy ecological re-engineering and high-performance materials. Unlike traditional methods, this framework requires less data by leveraging complex available information such as that found in the CP-IM platform in Reincarnate. As a result, the process leads to a reduced carbon footprint and improved material quality while taking into account socio-economic factors in materials design.
Christoph Völker, Data Scientist Researcher at BAM, underlined: “At Reincarnate, our mission is to make information available throughout the entire life cycle of construction, including the demolition phase. By doing so, we can identify the most promising demolition projects that not only provide usable feedstock, but also have the most positive impact both ecologically and economically. This approach is revolutionary because, currently, this kind of information is lacking in the industry. Our presentation at the RILEM spring convention was well-received, as our approach offers a concrete and innovative way to approach a more circular construction. We had many productive discussions with attendees about the potential for this technology to make a significant positive impact on the industry.”
Sabine Kruschwitz, Junior Professor at the Technical University of Berlin and Senior Researcher at BAM, remarked: “During the RILEM spring convention, we had the opportunity to engage in numerous discussions with experts from around the world about our work at Reincarnate. Our presentation sparked a great deal of interest, particularly in the areas of circular economy and recycling. We were thrilled to see how many individuals and organizations share our vision of a more sustainable construction industry. These conversations were invaluable, as they helped us gain valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities facing our industry. We look forward to continuing these discussions as we work towards our goal of creating a more environmentally-friendly approach to construction waste management.”
We will continue to spread the potential of digital innovation to transform the construction industry, giving new opportunities to buildings, construction products and materials. For the last aspect, we count on partners such as BAM that researches, tests and advises on protecting people, the environment and material goods.
