NBL at Earth Construction Forum 2025

On October 3–4, 2025, the University of Applied Sciences of Eastern Switzerland (OST) in Rapperswil hosted the first international Earth Construction Forum, an event dedicated to the future of earthen materials in modern construction. The GreeNest project was represented by partners from the Natural Building Lab at the Technical University of Berlin, who joined researchers, architects, and engineers from across Europe to exchange insights on structural performance, durability, and standardisation of earthen building systems. 

Representing the Natural Building Lab, Julian Mönig contributed to the scientific program with his talk “Mechanical properties of screed based on earthen binders.” His presentation presented an extended abstract examining the mechanical performance of earthen screeds using several experimental methods. He presented preliminary results from several testing methods, suggesting that earth screed could become a suitable underfloor material for sustainable construction.

The Earth Construction Forum 2025 marked an essential step for the field, offering a platform for collaboration between researchers, practitioners, and industry stakeholders. By connecting tradition and innovation, the conference emphasised that earthen construction, rooted in centuries of building culture, can play a central role in the ecological transformation of the construction sector.