Laufenburg AG/Dietikon ZH – The construction company ERNE AG from Laufenburg is entering into a partnership with Oxara, a spin-off from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich. Building materials based on clay are to be developed jointly.
ERNE AG from Laufenburg and Oxara AG from Dietikon are joining forces to develop sustainable building materials based on clay. The two companies have already signed a letter of intent to this effect, ERNE announced in a press release. Through its partnership with the spin-off of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich(ETH), the construction company aims to change the Swiss construction landscape and set a new standard for sustainability.
"ERNE's company history is characterized by innovative spirit and creative solutions," Markus Meier, Managing Director of ERNE AG Bauunternehmung, is quoted as saying in the press release. "Oxara is therefore the ideal partner for us to make a contribution to CO2 reduction in the industry with the joint development of sustainable building materials." According to ERNE, it has been interested in clay construction for some time, but has not yet found a suitable binder.
This shortcoming is to be remedied with Oxara. The company's founders have developed a patented technology for additives and binding agents that can be used to produce recyclable, cement-free and unburnt building materials from building rubble and excavated material. Compared to conventional bricks and concrete, they emit up to 90 percent less CO2 and are suitable for the construction of three to six-storey buildings. ce/hs