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The combination of these forces makes it clear that traditional approaches are no longer sufficient. What is needed is a building method that combines sustainability with efficiency, and that can integrate diverse expertise into a coherent process. Hybrid construction has emerged as precisely this solution.
The concept of hybrid construction
Hybrid construction is the intelligent combination of materials such as steel, timber and concrete in a single project. Each material contributes its specific strengths: steel ensures structural stability and long spans, timber is CO₂ storage of 680 kg / m ³, while concrete delivers robustness, durability and fire resistance. By orchestrating these properties in a complementary way, hybrid methods can achieve performance and sustainability levels that would be difficult to reach with any one material alone.
Importantly, true sustainability cannot be achieved by relying solely on a single“ green” material. Timber is renewable, but its processing often involves adhesives, resins and significant energy input. Concrete remains problematic due to the emissions from cement production, while conventional steel production is carbon intensive. Yet, innovations such as hydrogenbased or recycled steel are beginning to shift the balance. Hybrid construction leverages these advances, applying each material where it offers the best ecological and technical outcome.
Prefabrication and modularity
Hybrid methods are closely linked with prefabrication and modular construction. Large components can be premanufactured in controlled environments and then delivered just in time to the building site. This reduces not only the overall construction time, but also noise, emissions and errors.
The higher precision of factory production means fewer adjustments on site and a lower risk of costly rework. Studies show that modular construction can cut project time by 20-to-50 per cent and reduce costs by up to 20 per cent, while also lowering on-site risks and, in some cases, halving embodied CO₂ emissions.
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