Fraunhofer Institute for Wood Research Bio-Panel
Sustainable bio-composite sandwich panels from agricultural biomass for modular construction
Agricultural residues and renewable natural fibers offer considerable potential for reducing the environmental footprint of the construction sector. Conventional sandwich panels can provide excellent structural and thermal performance, but often rely heavily on fossil-based polymers and energy-intensive materials. At the same time, large quantities of agricultural residues remain underutilized in both Australia and Germany. The Bio-Panel project addresses both challenges by developing building components in which agricultural biomass is converted into value-added construction materials. Combining natural-fiber-reinforced bio-composite skins with biomass-based lightweight cores could enable panels that are lightweight, structurally efficient, thermally insulating and considerably less dependent on fossil resources. The project thereby contributes to the circular use of agricultural resources and supports the wider market uptake of bio-based materials in the construction sector.
The goal of the “Bio-Panel” project is to develop a low-cost, low-carbon and durable bio-composite sandwich panel system that is expected to meet the demanding requirements of modular and prefabricated construction.
During the project, suitable natural fibers, bio-based resin systems and biomass-derived core materials will be selected, formulated and engineered. The resulting materials and panels will be investigated and optimized with regard to:
- mechanical and structural performance,
- thermal and fire behavior,
- durability and long-term performance.
The prototypes will eventually be integrated into various demonstration buildings to evaluate their practicality under real conditions, thereby facilitating the path for future industrial adoption.
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