Materials for Tomorrow puts construction materials in the spotlight

Building materials are at the centre of this year’s conference. What makes the field so relevant right now?

– Building materials may never have been as relevant as they are today. We are in the middle of a transition where we need to build more while dramatically reducing our climate impact. The materials we choose – and the way we develop and use them – will play a crucial role in making that possible.

– At the same time, the field is evolving rapidly. We are seeing new bio-based materials, advanced hybrid solutions and a growing understanding of how materials perform over time. As a result, we now have entirely new opportunities to rethink how we design and build the environments around us.

– So the theme is not only about building materials in the traditional sense. It is about how materials innovation can help address some of the most pressing challenges facing society.

You lead the Building Materials research area and have worked at the intersection of the built environment, materials chemistry and concrete technology for many years. What continues to drive your curiosity in this field?

– I am particularly fascinated by how small changes on the microscale can have major consequences on the macroscale. A material’s internal structure can influence everything from durability and sustainability to safety and performance.

What continues to drive me is the sheer complexity of these materials. They are part of everyday life – we encounter them everywhere – yet they are also remarkably complex systems.

Even for people who do not work directly in materials research, why should they pay attention to this conference?

– Because materials influence far more than many people realise. Whether you work with climate action, urban development, circularity or industrial transformation, material choices are often a decisive factor.

– Materials for Tomorrow is designed as a forum where researchers, engineers, architects and policymakers can exchange ideas and learn from one another. You do not need to be a materials specialist to get a great deal out of the conference.

– In fact, the most interesting insights often emerge when people from different disciplines come together and challenge each other’s perspectives.

This year’s keynote speakers will be announced in early September. What can you already tell us about the programme?

– We are developing a programme that spans multiple scales and perspectives. Sessions will cover everything from material behaviour on the microscale to long-term performance in real structures, as well as emerging material concepts, hybrid systems and new design strategies.

– We have also invited speakers from a wide range of fields, including architecture, computational methods and artificial intelligence. The aim is not only to provide participants with deeper knowledge within their own areas of expertise, but also to expose them to new ideas and perspectives.

Gothenburg is changing rapidly, with construction projects taking place across the city. Can that kind of transformation influence the questions researchers need to answer?

– Absolutely. When a city is developing at the pace we are seeing in Gothenburg today, questions about building materials move quickly from theory into practice.

It raises issues such as:

• durability and maintenance

• climate impact across the entire life cycle

• how materials perform in real-world environments, not just in laboratories

– These developments make it increasingly important for research to focus on realistic conditions and long-term performance.

Why is it worth registering already now?

– Because this is a conference that offers both breadth and depth in a relatively short period of time. Participants will gain insights into international research, discover new findings and have the opportunity to discuss broader challenges with colleagues from different backgrounds.

– The programme is also quite compact – just a day and a half – making it easy to attend without taking too much time away from other commitments.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

– One thing I think is particularly important this year is our ambition to break down some of the boundaries that often exist between disciplines. There is sometimes a perception that building materials are primarily the domain of civil engineers and architects, rather than materials researchers, chemists or physicists. At the same time, people working in the built environment may assume that a materials conference will be too theoretical or too far removed from practice.

– We want to challenge both of those perceptions. Our ambition is to create a conference where building materials serve as a common point of departure, but where different perspectives genuinely meet. It is not only about deepening knowledge within a particular discipline. It is also about understanding how materials connect fundamental scientific mechanisms with the way we design, build and develop society, says Arezou Baba Ahmadi.