STRABAG INNOVATION DAY 2024: fresh ideas for the building revolution

What trends will shape the construction industry? How can the construction sector become more sustainable? Where will digitalisation play an even greater role in the future? These are just some of the questions that are driving innovation at the construction technology group STRABAG. Some of the answers can be found at the Group’s INNOVATION DAY in Cologne. From 7 to 8 November, approximately 1,300 STRABAG employees will be presenting their innovations under the banner of “Progress becomes Reality” – with projects that actively shape the future of construction.

“We are in a decade of transformation. A big challenge for us is to restructure industry and society to become more climate friendly. And we want to be the strongest force in building a better future. That means providing solutions to help us build in a more economically, environmentally and socially sustainable way – in line with our Strategy 2030. To meet this goal, we will need to be bold. And rethink the way we do things. Innovations are a key lever for progress at our company and for the entire industry,” says STRABAG CEO Klemens Haselsteiner.

STRABAG is working on more than 250 innovation projects, over 50 of which will be presented at INNOVATION DAY at the STRABAG offices in Cologne. From construction site training using virtual reality to increased safety thanks to innovative new lighting technologies for zebra crossings or the use of low-emission powertrains and fuel cells in wheel loaders, the range of innovations is as diverse as the challenges facing the sector.

Two huge trends are taking centre stage this year: circularity and housing. “We aim to make the world a little bit better with our innovations. Dealing with climate change and addressing the challenges of residential construction are very high on our agenda. Digital technologies offer considerable potential in both fields to make construction faster, more cost-effective and more resource-efficient,” explains Marco Xaver Bornschlegl, Head of STRABAG Innovation & Digitalisation, who is responsible for innovation management within the Group. “Innovations make a company special. But our INNOVATION DAY is not only about emphasising our innovative strength. The projects also demonstrate our skill in putting our innovations into practice.”

STRABAG’s innovation management is organised in an end-to-end manner. A variety of different programmes are used to promote ideas from business development, construction practice and research & development. One project is MOLENO WOHNEN, which combines AI-based generative design and serial construction processes. Software experts, engineers, architects and construction planners worked together in MOLENO WOHNEN to develop a pioneering solution for modular construction.

MOLENO WOHNEN: residential construction – serial and efficient
Affordable housing is in short supply. But how to solve the problem? Fast and cost-effective construction is the answer. MOLENO WOHNEN combines generative design and serial construction processes to create a modular construction system that also combines wood and concrete, making it particularly sustainable. With MOLENO WOHNEN, flexible floor plans can be created automatically and based on data in a short space of time. This significantly reduces time-consuming and cost-intensive planning steps. The method is particularly suitable for daycare centres, schools, student residences, care facilities or micro-apartments.

Biotic renewables: sustainable building materials and circularity
By 2040, all the building materials used at STRABAG are to be climate neutral. Renewable resources, especially biotic renewables, offer exceptional potential to achieve this goal. Biotic renewables bind carbon during growth and release fewer greenhouse gases during production. Many of them can also be reused at the end of their lifecycle, thereby contributing to a functioning circular economy. At STRABAG, there are several projects researching and using biotic renewables such as wood, maize and sugar beet as building materials. STRABAG is also strengthening its expertise in the field of climate-friendly insulation through targeted acquisitions such as the hemp insulation pioneer Naporo.

adASTRA: start-up support for new business ideas
The winners of STRABAG’s adASTRA intrapreneurship programme will also be honoured at INNOVATION DAY. The programme is STRABAG’s way of supporting new business ideas. Over a period of two and a half years, employees are given the opportunity to work together as in a start-up to develop their projects from idea to business model.

Additional information on INNOVATION DAY and progress at STRABAG can be found at the company’s Work On Progress website at work-on-progress.strabag.com.