Partnership: 'The Rammed Earth Alliance'
One of the world’s oldest building materials is entering a new age. Through robotics and strong partnerships, the Clay Alliance demonstrates how rammed earth can become a viable low-carbon alternative in the construction industry of the future.
The Clay Alliance works to develop rammed earth into a documented, standardized and scalable alternative to concrete and cement. This publication presents the first results from two years of research and development – including technical tests, full-scale experiments, robot-based production, international insights, and concrete pilot projects.
Robotics Bringing Clay Closer to Construction
To make rammed earth applicable at scale – and in ways that meet the demands of the construction industry – the Clay Alliance is working systematically to automate and optimize the production process.
In collaboration with Robot At Work, several generations of robot-controlled compaction tools have been developed and tested. The process has been experimental and learning-driven, with continuous refinements to formwork, compression methods, and material handling.
The result is a technological breakthrough that makes rammed earth an increasingly realistic and competitive material for future buildings.
Climate and Societal Benefits
Analyses show that hybrid structures combining timber and rammed earth can reduce CO₂ emissions by up to 75%. The material also offers proven benefits for indoor climate – including humidity regulation, high thermal comfort, and low toxicity.
At the same time, surplus soil from construction sites can be reused instead of being disposed of as waste.
With the Clay Alliance, one of the world’s oldest building materials is being brought into a new era. As Christian Hanak, partner at Juul | Frost Arkitekter, puts it:
“Clay can become a natural part of future construction – even in Denmark – offering documented benefits for the climate, indoor environment and resource resilience.”
A project like this can contribute to the reimagining of a forgotten material, and modernizing construction practices towards efficient production. Perhaps with the use of robots or other new possibilities. By combining the past and the future, we aim to gain on multiple fronts – in terms of aesthetics, sustainability, and indoor climate.
A Broad Partnership
Bringing clay into the future of construction requires knowledge, courage, and strong, cross-disciplinary collaboration – exactly what the Clay Alliance represents.
The project has been carried out in collaboration between PensionDanmark, CPH Village, and KIRKBI, together with their advisors Juul | Frost Arkitekter, ReVærk, Engel Architects, RAW (Robots at Work), Én jord, and DTU, among others.
The Clay Alliance is supported by Realdania.
Download the Publication
Explore the full publication, including detailed analyses, case studies, and recommendations:
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