NBP 2021 - HiLo Funicular Floors

NBP Research Leads:

• Francesco Ranaudo
• Andrei Jipa
• Gearoid Lydon

Extended Team:

• Dr. Andrew Liew, Dr. Tom Van Mele, Prof. Dr. Philippe Block
• Yuzhen Peng, Bratislav Svetozarevic, Illias Hischier, Linus Walker, Alberto Silvestri, Prof. Arno Schlueter
  
• Prof. Benjamin Dillenburger
• Andreas Reusser, Michael Lyrenmann

External Collaborators:

• ROK Architects
• Bürgin Creations
• Holcim (Schweiz) AG
• BASF (Schweiz) AG
• Christenguss AG
• Rudolf Glauser AG
• Georg Ackermann Gmbh
• Empa NEST

Research into lightweight funicular floors has developed a slab system that significantly reduces environmental impact and embodied carbon emissions both by minimising material needs and by using a large percentage of recycled construction waste.

By placing material only where it is needed and by keeping all materials separate, the HiLo Funicular Floor system saves 70% of concrete and 90% of reinforcement steel compared to standard reinforced concrete slabs and allows for easy recycling at end of life. Additionally, the integration of the Thermally Activated Building system (TABS) and optimised 3D-printed ventilation air ducts within the structural depth of the floors saves space and reduces operational emissions throughout the entire life of the building. While the

In HiLo at NEST, these principles are for the first time presented in a real building, demonstrating a real, disruptive opportunity for the construction industry to reduce its impact.

Project Links:

• Hilo Floors @ BRG
• NEST Hilo @ EMPA
• HiRes Slab @ DBT