TUM & Glapor — studiopeipei

Technical University Munich (TUM)
& Glapor Schaumglas ︎︎︎ Cooperative Research

Studio Peipei accompanied the research project on the topic of foam glass by TUM architecture students in the winter semester 23/24.
Supervised by Prof. Niklas Fanelsa and in cooperation with the company Glapor Schaumglas

In the construction industry in particular, sustainability stands and falls with the materials and their applications. For the most part, this is a one-way street; hardly any materials are kept in a cycle. This is because common building materials are generally a mixture of different things that can no longer be separated from each other. Added to this is the bonding of components, combined elements such as glass fibre bricks or synthetic fibre concrete and the general lack of incentive for dismantling.

"The construction industry is the biggest polluter in the world, responsible for 40% of global CO2 emissions and 60% of global waste."

(Rat für Nachhaltige Entwicklung)

But the bigger the problem, the more varied the solutions. One of these solutions is the foam glass material from Glapor: used glass from the bottle and flat glass industry is foamed into a lightweight construction material using just a few additives and comparatively little energy. The result is a plastic-free, durable insulating material for various applications. The amazing and versatile advantages of the material are expanded by the factor of circularity: Leftovers from production can be recycled directly; panels and gravel that have already been installed can be used several times due to their longevity.

The aim of the cooperation between TUM Architecture, Glapor Schaumglas and Studio Peipei was to develop further possible applications for foam glass.