RESED

RESED stands for Resource Efficient Structural Engineering and Design. It is a research group, led by Professor Arjan Habraken, within the Structural Engineering and Design unit at Eindhoven University of Technology.
This group addresses environmental challenges in the built environment through innovative research aimed at enabling more sustainable construction.

The focus is on sustainable structural design through:

  1. Reducing building material use through design optimization.
  2. Reusing materials and elements by upgrading their functions and applying modular building approaches.
  3. Exploring renewable materials such as bamboo, bio-based fiber-reinforced composites, with a strong focus on mass timber structures.

Through research in these areas, the group challenges traditional engineering and design practices by using innovative approaches to support a more sustainable construction industry.

Timber
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SUSTAINABLE STRUCTURAL DESIGN

Students collaborate in a shared studio environment, working on individual research and design projects that contribute to a common goal:

reducing global resource demand and minimizing waste in the building industry to lower its environmental impact.

 

The building and construction sector is the most resource-intensive industry in the European Union, accounting for approximately 50% of all primary raw material consumption. Structural designers therefore carry a major responsibility, as their decisions strongly influence material use and, consequently, the environmental performance of the built environment.

 

Meeting this challenge requires a fundamental rethinking of established structural engineering and design practices. The role of the structural designer must itself be 鈥淩ESED.鈥�

OUR RESEARCH THEMES

Reduce material usage

First, it is essential to question whether construction is truly necessary. If it is, material use should be minimized. Lightweight structures improve efficiency by optimizing force flow and reducing self-weight, often through nature-inspired forms. Adaptive structural systems further enhance sustainability by enabling buildings to respond in real time to changing loads, environmental conditions, and user needs.

Re-use of materials, elements & structures

Reusing existing buildings and building components can significantly reduce material consumption and conserve natural resources. However, designing with reclaimed elements requires a different approach, as their availability, condition, and dimensions must be considered early in the design process. Since most buildings were not designed for reuse, modular building systems offer a promising solution by enabling disassembly, adaptability, and long-term material reuse.

Renewable materials

Wood is the most well-known bio-based building material, with mass timber becoming a major focus due to recent advancements. Using timber in reusable structures supports circular principles such as renewability and reusability. Other bio-based materials like bamboo, hemp, mycelium, and lignin composites are also gaining attention, offering growing potential for more sustainable construction.

Automation & Robotics

Automation and robotics improve sustainability in construction by reducing material waste and increasing efficiency. Their precision minimizes errors, over-dimensioning, and supports the use of bio-based materials like timber. By lowering dependence on carbon-intensive resources, these technologies help make the building industry more environmentally sustainable.

Meet some of our researchers