The construction industry is one of the most resource-intensive sectors of the economy. In addition to the high extraction and scarcity of resources, a disposal emergency is also becoming apparent: primary resources are becoming increasingly scarce and the landfills for storing construction waste, for example, urgently need to be relieved. To counteract this problem, Maren Klamser looked for solutions in her Master's thesis »5Tons« on how mineral raw materials from construction and demolition waste can be used.

The resulting material »5TONS« is a mineral solid with special ingredients. Klamser has succeeded in reducing the proportion of cement in her innovative building material by 50 percent through replacing it with brick dust from so-called masonry rubble, i.e. construction site waste. She was also able to significantly reduce the proportion of sand and pebbles, one of the main ingredients of mortar or cement: recycled aggregate, basically shredded stones and construction waste made from mineral building rubble, are used instead of sand and pebbles.

»Compared to conventional concrete, 1725 kilograms of sand and 292 kilograms of cement are saved on one cubic metre of material,« Klamser clarifies the advantages of her material. »Seen on a much larger scale, this has a positive effect on the conservation of resources of sand and gravel as well as great potential savings from the massive CO2 emissions in cement production.« Another advantage is that »5TONS« is completely recyclable and thus provides relief with regard to the shortages in landfills.

Based on the material, the product designer came up with an application scenario: She developed a dry stacking system for masonry blocks. »The shape of the stone means that mortar can be dispensed with completely. In addition, cut markings and predetermined breaking points allow flexible adaptation of the masonry to individual conditions.«

The juror Matthias Held, product designer and professor at the HfG Schwäbisch Gmünd, praised »5TONS« in the jury statement: »A clever design where the finesse is in the details. Masonry construction tasks can be accomplished with flexibility using only a few different bricks, which are made from construction waste and recycled brick dust. Intelligent stacking and interlocking replaces mortar, which also facilitates eventual deconstruction.«

»The potential of the material has not yet been fully exploited,« Klamser explains when asked about how »5TONS« should continue. »In the future, I would like to continue the material research, test the complete cycle closure and work out a concept with material experts to use the further possibilities offered by »5TONS« and to define different quality categories. I think this is where I will invest the prize money.«

The thesis was supervised by Katrin Krupka, then Associate Professor for »Material and Environment«, Dr. Jan Willmann, Professorship »Theory and History of Design« and by Scientific Associate Michael Braun.

Further information on »5TONS« and other projects by Maren Klamser can be found at https://maren-klamser.com.