40 428 Timber Basics: From Woods to Wall (Spring 2026)

Wooden construction materials are often promoted as a sustainable choice in terms of global warming potential, regeneration, and waste production. On the other hand, the increasing pressure on natural habitats and biodiversity is gaining growing attention.

This course takes wooden resources under scrutiny and seeks to gain an understanding of the role of forests both as biotopes and as part of an industry, and to empower the architect to take better informed choices and to see areas of impact when designing, detailing and specifying.

As a continuation of the Life Cycle Methodology elective course series, the seminar introduces practice-oriented strategies that can assist design development processes in achieving emissions reduction (climate mitigation), reduced waste production (resource efficiency) and further nurse necessary systemic changes in the building industry, across sectors and in society at large (circular economy).

We aim to present results in an exhibition or booklet.

After successfully completing the course, you have acquired the following knowledge:

• Knowledge on historical background for today’s geopolitical agenda in relation to UN Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs) and impact of the IPCC 1.5-degree pathway.
• Knowledge on climate mitigation strategies as resulting policies applicable for the building industry – nationally and internationally.
• Knowledge on design strategies to lower up-front carbon emissions; assessment of material properties and environmental impacts, circular design strategies and use of lifecycle methodology as guideline to assess environmentally sound result (LCAs).

• Understanding the role of forests as a biotope
• Understanding potentials and challenges of different harvesting methods
• Understanding the broadly available wood qualities and formats
• Understanding the potentials of wooden bi-products that are currently not readily available as building products

• Understanding basic wooden wall construction principles
• Understanding basic building physics principles in wood constructions
• Understanding how different parameters influence the numbers in an LCA

You have acquired the following skills:

• Referring to framework, vocabulary and references relating to the LCA methodology.
• Using LCAs as design drivers in iterative design development processes (practiced through conducting a life cycle assessment for a wall build-up)
• Building a physical 1:1 mock-up
• Representing data graphically

You have acquired the following general competence:

• Assessment of material properties and environmental footprint as an integrated part of design development across disciplines

(studied through comparing and weighting different options for wall build-ups, incl. the choice of construction system and the products integrated)

• Understanding possible arenas of impact for the architect

Mandatory activities:

In order to be assessed in this course, physical attendance at lectures, supervision, visits and other educational activities is expected and necessary to achieve the learning outcomes.

You must have the following mandatory activities approved:

• Poster or booklet pages (tba) for part 1 of the course (describing, visualizing and discussing a selected theme) – group work
• Poster or booklet pages (tba) for part 2 of the course (representing, investigating and discussing a selected case, incl. an LCA of a wall build-up) – group work
• Physical 1:1 wall mock-up (1m2) of a selected case – group work

Assessment:

Form of assessment: Report

Grouping: Individual

Grading scale: Pass/fail