FabricFoam© is in the focus of research on materials and constructions that are energetically sensible and design-demanding. Superordinate to the material and construction types is the topic of sustainable building and lightweight construction in architecture, with a special focus on textile technologies:
FabricFoam© is inspired by the gradually varying firm, fibrous and spongy structures of the cattail plant Typha. Accordingly, the project textile lightweight construction is about the examination of textiles in combination with foams (FabricFoam©). Both are technologies that enable the integration of a wide variety of materials and the formation of gradient materials. For the building industry, moreover, in combination they offer not only perfect solutions for absorbing tensile and compressive forces with simultaneous insulating properties. Depending on the structural and climatic requirements of a project, textiles that are braided, knitted or woven can be combined with foams of the same material categories. Materials being investigated include bio-based PLA fibers with PLA foams, basalt fibers with foamed concretes, and glass fibers with foam glass.
Two research projects are currently investigating applications of multilayer textiles, so-called spacer textiles, for the building envelope. ReFaTex" is concerned with reversibly foldable, energetically effective 3d textiles in the building sector "*, while "3dTEX" is concerned with textile lightweight wall elements "**. Project partners include the Senckenberg Research Institute, the Institute for Textile and Process Engineering in Denkendorf, Essedea GmbH & Co.KG and Formade.
* ( funded by the Innovation Fund Research funding line) ** ( funded by the Future Construction research initiative).