Clever Wooden Heads
For all those in Austria who believe in wood as a material, Holzforschung Austria is something like the Vatican. In contrast to the Papal States, however, things are strictly scientific here: Austria’s largest research and testing institute for wood researches, analyses and develops wood as a raw material. Special attention is paid to building and living with wood. The Austrian Society for Wood Research, which operates the centre, sees itself as a link between science and all Austrian companies that work with wood. In addition, Holzforschung Austria also deals extensively with the energy and ecological aspects of the utilisation and processing of wood.
In terms of age, Holzforschung Austria, at over 70 years old, cannot compete with the Vatican, but it also has a second address: In addition to the organisational centre at the Arsenal in Vienna, there is a second location in Stetten, Lower Austria, which is more or less the Pope’s summer residence in the Aosta Valley.For all those in Austria who believe in wood as a material, Holzforschung Austria is something like the Vatican. In contrast to the Papal States, however, things are strictly scientific here: Austria’s largest research and testing institute for wood researches, analyses and develops wood as a raw material. Special attention is paid to building and living with wood. The Austrian Society for Wood Research, which operates the centre, sees itself as a link between science and all Austrian companies that work with wood. In addition, Holzforschung Austria also deals extensively with the energy and ecological aspects of the utilisation and processing of wood.
In terms of age, Holzforschung Austria, at over 70 years old, cannot compete with the Vatican, but it also has a second address: In addition to the organisational centre at the Arsenal in Vienna, there is a second location in Stetten, Lower Austria, which is more or less the Pope’s summer residence in the Aosta Valley.
In the Lab and in the Open
As a non-university institution with around 100 employees, the non-profit organisation, which is formally set up as an association, conducts exclusively application-oriented and practical research. Basic research is left to the technical universities and the natural sciences. Christina Fürhapper, who works in Vienna in the Bioenergy and Chemical Analysis department of Holzforschung Austria, comes from this direction. During her school days at the Höhere Bundeslehr- und Versuchsanstalt für chemische Industrie in Vienna – also known in specialist circles as “Rosensteingasse” – she worked as a trainee in wood research during the school holidays. After graduating from high school, she continued her holiday internships at Arsenal as a student.
It was only natural that the chemist with a degree in engineering from a university of applied sciences began working at her internship after her final exams in 2004. “At the beginning and even as an intern, I did a lot of ecotoxicological studies,” recalls Fürhapper. “For example, I was commissioned by manufacturers to test wood preservatives and other coating agents for their composition of active ingredients and check the wash-off from the wood for possible environmental influences.” Fürhapper and her colleagues carry out tests like these in the laboratory as well as on outdoor test benches, often over a period of years. However, Fürhapper is now mainly involved in chemical analyses.
Wooden cuckoo’s eggs
The emissions from wood, which are strictly regulated in the European Construction Products Regulation, are a huge issue. “It’s also about things like wood glue or parquet adhesive,” explains the chemist. Testing is carried out in so-called emission test chambers: “You have to imagine it like a glass cabinet. The first test is carried out after three days, the second after 28. In one measurement, we have to identify and quantify around a hundred different volatile substances in the test chamber air.” Tests are usually carried out for companies that cannot or do not want to afford their own technical infrastructure for such tests for financial and organisational reasons.
Holzforschung Austria starts many of its research projects on its own initiative; however, many also arise from requests from companies. Such as Mareiner Altholz, which was still called Altholz Baumgartner when first contacted in 2018. Christina Fürhapper has to look up the date – March – but she remembers by heart what it was all about: “Hubert Baumgartner contacted us and asked whether there was a scientific method that could be used to distinguish genuine waste wood from fake.”
In Schlierbach, the company was not always entirely sure whether it was being fooled into buying cuckoo’s eggs from new suppliers: old-looking but young wood that had not earned its weathering marks honestly, but had simply been tricked into being stored in the open for several years. “The waste wood employees at the incoming goods department have an almost unerring instinct and incredible judgement,” says Fürhapper, “but sometimes even they weren’t one hundred percent sure.”
Research on Reclaimed Wood Pellets
Fürhapper took on the matter and soon discovered that the demonstrable difference lies in the colour and wettability: “Whether it is real or fake reclaimed wood can be determined using a colour gloss meter and a wetting test: real reclaimed wood is significantly more porous and can absorb considerably more water than young wood.” The entire project was financed by an “innovation cheque” from the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG).
As it turned out, the vast majority of the reclaimed wood in question was genuine; only a few exposed exceptions were reported back to the supplier. “If they are unsure about reclaimed wood, they send us a sample immediately and we analyse it quickly,” says Fürhapper, pleased about the ongoing contact with Schlierbach.
The research collaboration did not stop at the authenticity test: in a second project, Holzforschung Austria investigated on its own initiative whether the waste materials from the woodwork in the Schlierbach reclaimed wood factory could be used as a “substitute fuel” – i.e. pellets. Mareiner-Altholz managing director Armin Hirsch and Christina Fürhapper summarise the result in unison: “Technically and theoretically possible, but unfortunately not interesting in practice, as it is too expensive and therefore not economical.“
Schlierbach as a prime example
Holzforschung Austria and Mareiner Altholz have recently started working together again: as part of the three-year “Timber Loop” research project, in which a whole range of other wood processors such as tilo and Weitzer Parkett are also involved. Once again, it’s all about the circular economy, but on a completely different level to the small pellet project: “When wood has reached the end of its first life cycle, it is still either passed on to the chipboard industry or burned straight away,” regrets Christina Fürhapper, “especially if it had a load-bearing function as construction timber. This is pure downgrading, which has nothing to do with recycling or even upcycling.”
“Timber Loop” is now looking for ways to give the old wood a second life at a higher level and in larger dimensions. The expertise of Mareiner Altholz is very welcome here: “We have been invited by timber research to contribute as an example of best practice,” explains Armin Hirsch. Mareiner Altholz’s role is to make the end-to-end process chain forged in Schlierbach available as a knowledge base, from the delivery of waste wood through processing and refinement to delivery to the customer and subsequent reutilisation. Christina Fürhapper is optimistic about the project: “We sense a great willingness and openness in the timber industry for high-quality wood recycling.”
conducts research and development along the entire value chain in the field of wood: starting with wood storage in the forest, through wood processing, to specific applications such as glulam or multi-storey timber construction. Closely related specialist disciplines such as surface and hardware technology, wood preservation, bioenergy, pulp production, fasteners and adhesive technology are also part of the daily work in Vienna and Stetten.
The institute is accredited for all testing and inspection procedures that are relevant for wood processing. The test reports and certificates issued by the institute are internationally recognised.