We need to build for a changing society – while reducing climate impact and the use of resources. What role can materials science play? On 26–27 November, Materials for Tomorrow will bring internationally leading researchers to Chalmers to explore the future of building materials – from bio-based materials and AI to ageing concrete, digital design and new ways of building with biology.
What we build with shapes our homes, workplaces, roads, bridges and cities. The choices we make today will influence the built environment for decades to come. This is why Chalmers’ Materials Science Area of Advance has chosen building materials and the built environment as the theme of this year’s Materials for Tomorrow.
“Building materials affect us all. They provide the function and form of our societies and have a major impact on the lives and well-being of both current and future generations. The development of new materials will be crucial to how we can build sustainably, functionally and for the long term in a changing world. That is why we are highlighting building materials at this year’s Materials for Tomorrow,” says Leif Asp, Professor and Director of the Materials Science Area of Advance at Chalmers.
New demands on how we build
Climate challenges, growing resource use, urbanisation and the need for resilient infrastructure are placing new demands on how we build.
Arezou Baba Ahmadi, Associate Professor and researcher in building materials at Chalmers, is project leader for this year’s Materials for Tomorrow.
“Today, materials are also expected to help reduce emissions, use resources more efficiently, perform under changing climate conditions and, at the same time, last for a very long time. Since the built environment accounts for a significant share of both global material use and climate impact, building materials become a key issue if we want to create a more sustainable society,” says Arezou Baba Ahmadi.
But will the societies of the future be built from entirely different materials? Arezou Baba Ahmadi believes that concrete, steel, wood and glass will remain important, but that the way we use them will change.
“I do, however, think that materials will look different from today. We will use much more optimised materials, more hybrid solutions and more materials developed with both climate impact and circularity in mind. I also think that the boundaries between different categories of materials will become less distinct as we begin to combine materials to create properties that cannot be achieved with a single material,” says Arezou Baba Ahmadi.
Doing more with less
Ahead of last year’s Materials for Tomorrow, Leif Asp described a central challenge for materials science as “doing more with less” – using less material and energy and generating less waste. For the construction sector, it is also about extending service life and getting more functionality from what we already use.
“The greatest potential probably lies in designing smarter materials and structures, using raw materials and residual streams more efficiently, and extending the service life of what we already build. The solutions of the future will probably not be based on a single new technology, but on a combination of better materials, better design and a better understanding of how materials perform under real-world conditions,” says Arezou Baba Ahmadi.
When materials meet people
Anna Ström, Professor and Vice Director of the Materials Science Area of Advance, highlights another dimension: the interaction between the built environment and the people who live in it.
“How do building materials affect us? Could the building materials of the future be dynamic and respond to different conditions, such as humidity, sunlight or vibrations in the ground?” says Anna Ström.
She also points to durability over time and the potential for more circular approaches to construction. Today, much of what we build with is difficult to reuse.
The choices we make also influence how we experience our buildings and cities.
“Materials affect far more than structural strength and climate impact. They influence how cities feel, how buildings age and how people experience their surroundings,” says Arezou Baba Ahmadi.
“New materials can give architects greater freedom to create buildings that are functional, resource-efficient and aesthetically interesting. I believe that the most successful solutions of the future will emerge at the intersection of materials science, architecture and design, where technical performance and human experience are developed together rather than separately,” says Arezou Baba Ahmadi.
From biology to AI
The breadth of current research is reflected in this year’s programme. Achim Menges, Professor at the University of Stuttgart, will explore how materials, computational methods and construction can be integrated. Wil V. Srubar III, Professor at the University of Colorado Boulder, will give a talk entitled Building with Biology. Chalmers Professor Malgorzata Zboinska will turn the spotlight on new bio-based materials for circular architectural applications.
The programme spans scales from the smallest structures to entire buildings and structures – and approaches ranging from advanced experimental methods to digitalisation, AI and machine learning.
“What is interesting may not be any single technology, but rather the fact that the boundaries between materials science, architecture, biology, data analysis and engineering are becoming increasingly blurred. Many of the most exciting ideas emerge precisely at these interfaces,” says Arezou Baba Ahmadi.
“We are bringing together leading researchers to hear and discuss how they are exploring the ways in which new material solutions, emerging technologies and new ways of working can contribute to tomorrow’s built environment and architecture,” says Leif Asp.
From lab to real-world use
Developing something new in the laboratory is one thing. Putting it to use in a building or infrastructure that needs to perform for a very long time is another. New solutions must not only work technically – they must also be possible to produce, certify, scale up and implement in practice.
“That is precisely why collaboration is so important. Materials researchers can contribute an understanding of material properties, but implementation also requires architects, structural engineers, industry, clients, public authorities and decision-makers. Innovation rarely happens within a single discipline. To create real change, the entire value chain needs to be involved,” says Arezou Baba Ahmadi.
Materials for Tomorrow aims to bring together that same breadth of perspectives.
“Anyone who is curious about how materials affect the society of the future. That naturally includes materials researchers and engineers, but also architects, urban developers, sustainability specialists, students, industry representatives and decision-makers,” says Arezou Baba Ahmadi.
“I am really looking forward to a rewarding conference with great relevance for researchers, students, industry and public authorities. This is where it’s happening – at Chalmers. Welcome!” says Leif Asp.
Materials for Tomorrow 2026
When: 26–27 November 2026
Where: RunAn, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
Theme: Building Materials
Language: English
Materials for Tomorrow is Chalmers’ annual international conference and has been held since 2010.
▶ Read the full programme and ▶ register for Materials for Tomorrow 2026.
Science through the lens – enter the photo competition
The conference also features its recurring photo competition, highlighting the beauty, aesthetics and complexity of materials science research. The competition is primarily open to doctoral students and postdocs at Chalmers and the Department of Biomaterials at the University of Gothenburg.
▶ Find out more about the photo competition and how to enter.
- Full Professor, Computational Mechanics and Materials Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
- Associate Professor, Structural Engineering, Architecture and Civil Engineering
- Professor, Applied Chemistry, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
