Topics addressed in this module include raw materials availability and criticality, resilient supply chains, reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, circular economy and recycling of building materials and rare metals.
In the sense of a "Design for Sustainability", materials and technologies should be designed early in their development phase in such a way that closed material and resource cycles are possible. Particular emphasis is placed on materials and technologies which are currently being developed and researched at Empa, including, for example, low-CO₂ / CO₂-negative cements, next-generation energy storage technologies and additive manufacturing techniques for product and process optimization.