By Thomas Møller Christensen, AAU Communikation and Public Affairs. Translated by LeeAnn Iovanni, AAU Communication and Public Affairs. Photo: VILLUM FONDEN and VELUX FONDEN.

When talking about construction, the foundation is rarely the thing that gets the attention. But when both large and small buildings elegantly hover above the ground while also providing space for animal and plant life beneath them then there is good reason to take notice. Because with the now widespread use of screw pile foundations in construction, it is possible to replace the traditional concrete foundation with screws that save C02, costs and time.

A pioneering effort by Lars Bo Ibsen, researcher at BUILD – Department of the Built Environment at Aalborg University, and his partners has tremendously expanded the prospects for using screw foundations in construction. Until now, this new type of foundation was reserved for smaller construction projects, such as solar panels and noise barriers, as no one in the construction industry had been able to document exactly how much load screw pile foundations can bear. This served to block widening the use of screw pile foundations to larger construction projects as well as the possibility of insuring such projects.

Curiosity on nature's terms

Along with business developer Niels Thorup Madsen and geotechnician Jens Jakob Porsmose, Lars Bo Ibsen has combined business acumen and knowledge in an innovative system of software, measurement units and assembly machines. With this system, the trio are the first in the world to document the actual load-bearing capacity of the screws and thus set new standards for their use in construction.

- We’re not the only ones in the screw pile foundation industry, but we’re the only ones who didn’t give up when it looked difficult to prove what screw pile foundations can actually do. We saw an opportunity to combine our expertise across areas and expand the use of screw pile foundations to far more and larger buildings, says Niels Thorup Madsen. Jens Jakob Porsmose adds:

- The documentation was the biggest task, because whoever can measure and document load-bearing capacity can also better utilize the strength of the ground. The software and hardware solution played a crucial role by enabling us to measure friction that can be translated into load-bearing capacity. We can simply adapt the work process to the geotechnical properties and strength ratios of the ground so that the installer on the construction site can almost immediately determine whether the screws are properly installed and then send documentation of that to the customer.

Collaboration opens new doors

And with the innovative, comprehensive approach of these three committed, dedicated individuals, the construction industry now has a tool that can move the industry closer to the increasingly necessary green transition without having to compromise on aesthetics or price.

- If we want to create real green innovation in construction, it is imperative that we integrate existing expertise and knowledge, and start building with nature instead of against it. The three recipients have done exemplary work combining extensive experience and insight from different areas into a single groundbreaking project that considers sustainability and flexibility from the very beginning, says Mette Tony, chair of the Building Component Award jury.

The three award recipients will each receive DKK 100,000 at a ceremony at the Villum Window Collection.