Hybrid Earth‐Timber Floor Slabs: Scaling Circular, Low‐Carbon Construction Through Automation

Whilst reusable and sustainable, the age‐old construction technique of rammed earth is also labour intensive in its compacting and tamping, and therefore expensive. The contemporary building industry consequently shies away from it. Tobias Bonwetsch, co‐founder of Zurich‐based sustainable construction start‐up Rematter, and Tobias Huber of ZPF Ingenieure in Basel, describe their research into combining earth with locally sourced renewable timber and an automated manufacturing process to produce composite floor slabs that use the strengths and advantages of each material.