H2X: Wood meets concrete
Wood meets concrete: building houses quickly and efficiently with H2X
When it comes to housing, Germans like it solid. Most houses in this country are made of masonry or reinforced concrete. What many people don't realise: Solid construction is also possible with wood. And it's no worse. The BayWa company H2X combines the best of two worlds: Wood and reinforced concrete. In theory, even skyscrapers can be built with it.
There is only one thing that can help against the housing shortage: build, build, build!
There is an acute housing shortage in Germany, with many people desperately looking for a roof over their heads, especially in cities and densely populated urban centres. There is only one solution: build, build, build! And preferably as quickly as possible.
It is particularly quick if the components are prefabricated in the factory. Wood is ideal for this. The renewable raw material is light and easy to work with. The prefabricated parts, for example walls, are transported directly from the factory to the construction site where they are simply joined together. Prefabricated house manufacturers have been successfully relying on this principle for years. In 2022, almost every fourth single-family home completed was a prefabricated house.
The federal government's timber construction initiative
Wood is also gaining ground in multi-storey residential construction. Politicians are setting the pace here: the German government has decided on a timber construction initiative for 2023. The aim is to significantly improve the use of timber by 2030 and increase the proportion of timber construction, particularly in multi-family housing. The federal government hopes that this will lead to greater climate protection, resource efficiency and faster construction.
BayWa is supporting this endeavour. The subsidiary H2X, a joint venture with the brüderl. Group, combines the best of two worlds: Wood and reinforced concrete. Multi-storey buildings can easily be erected with solid walls made of cross-laminated timber and reinforced concrete ceilings prefabricated in the factory. Even skyscrapers would be possible with H2X. An innovative solution to the housing shortage that is already available today.
A solution to the shortage of labour and skilled workers
Those who build with H2X build faster, minimise errors and increase productivity. "H2X is therefore also an innovative solution to the shortage of labour and skilled workers in the construction industry," says Steffen Mechter, Head of the Construction division at BayWa AG and Managing Director of H2X. "In order to achieve the climate targets in the building sector and create urgently needed living space, we need to focus much more on innovative construction methods."
