SDU is part of historic research initiative on the green transition in construction

Buildings are a major source of CO₂ emissions. The heating and cooling of houses, offices and factories have a significant impact on the climate, and so does the production of building materials. In total, the construction sector is currently responsible for 37% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

This needs to change.

That is why Villum Fonden has now awarded its largest-ever grant to a new research programme at SDU, AU, DTU, and AAU: one billion DKK over 10 years to research and develop sustainable solutions for the construction and civil engineering sector.

The research initiative is called Civil Engineering and the Green Transition in the Built Environment (CEBE). The main objective is to accelerate the green transition of the construction industry and to establish Denmark as a European leader in sustainable building.

- At SDU, we are extremely grateful for the very generous grant from Villum Fonden. It is a clear recognition of the important role that research and education play in the necessary sustainable transformation of construction, both in Denmark and across Europe, says Jens Ringsmose, Rector of SDU, and continues:

- Together with Aarhus University, Aalborg University and the Technical University of Denmark, we look forward to strengthening and expanding research and educational capacity in the field. This is a crucial investment in the future of Denmark and Europe. We need both researchers and graduates who can address the challenges of the construction sector and society as a whole in relation to the green transition.

Many engineering disciplines involved

In CEBE, researchers will collaborate with industrial partners to develop new knowledge, methods, and materials that can reduce the climate impact and resource consumption of the construction industry and ensure that houses, roads, bridges and other structures last longer.

To address the entire life cycle of the built environment, the programme is structured around seven different research areas.

For this reason, a wide range of engineering disciplines are involved in the consortium at the Faculty of Engineering at SDU – from digitalisation and robotics to structural engineering, LCA calculations and optimising the operation and energy consumption of buildings.

- The challenges facing the construction industry are complex and multifaceted. If we are to develop solutions that can actually be implemented and make a real difference, we must bring many perspectives and engineering approaches into play, says Henrik Bindslev, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at SDU.

- It is absolutely vital that we collaborate across departments and sections within the Faculty of Engineering, but also across partner universities and, not least, with industry.

Strengthening both research and education

CEBE strengthens the research environments at the four universities, and funds are allocated for attracting international research talents and for cooperation with foreign universities.

But the educational environments will also benefit from the grant. The long-term ambition is capacity building to ensure that we are able to educate the leaders of tomorrow within climate-conscious construction.

- With CEBE, we are bringing together some of the country’s strongest research environments in a joint effort to develop solutions that reduce the climate impact of construction and thereby strengthen society’s resilience. This is an investment in knowledge and innovation that will benefit society as a whole, says Jens Kann-Rasmussen, Chair of Villum Fonden.

- Villum Fonden’s philanthropic work is made possible by the construction industry. It is therefore a great pleasure for us to be able to help accelerate the research-based transformation of the sector towards a cleaner, greener and more regenerative future.