The Wood laboratory pursues research and development as well as ambitious services to promote the sustainable use of wood specifically in capital goods. The activities focus on wood derived materials and their utilisation in products, processes and systems within the forestry-wood production chain, with special emphasis on application in building and construction. Our team of qualified specialists solves the given questions mainly with inter- and transdisciplinarly structured co-operations, thus using available competence and infrastructure of other disciplines and laboratories.

Material modification for new wood based applications
We contribute with know how to a better understanding of the organization and function of the wood cell wall and its composition from the nanoscale to the macroscopic level. The knowledge derived from this pure research will enable a new value-added utilisation of wooden resources and promotes the transfer of highly developed biological concepts into technical applications.

Durability of wood and wood based products
We develop strategies to improve the durability and robustness of timber applications in buildings with regard to the encountered impacts and stress factors, whilst considering side-effects on human health and environmental impact of the proposed technologies.

Materials and systems for timber engineering
We provide a scientific basis for an efficient use of timber and wood based composites in engineered structures with the objective to adjust the reliability and fitness of wood in service under predicted strains. This requires a sound knowledge of the material characteristics of all types of wood used in service as well as in combination with other materials such as composites, or in load bearing structures.

The topics of our high quality services are closely related to the research activities mentioned above. For applied research for industries, SMEs, associations, federal agencies and private customers we maintain a modern and efficient testing infrastructure and analytic equipments. We characterise the behaviour of wood and wood composites separately or in combination with other materials, particularly in building applications with load-bearing, separating and/or aesthetic function. We evaluate the efficacy of methods to protect, refine, modify or combine timber, and its applicability in service. The Wood Laboratory is an accredited test centre for wood and wood composites (STS 163) and for wood protection and microbiology for buiding and construction (STS 047) according to SN EN ISO/IEC 17025. The quality management meets the requirements of ISO 9001.
The Wood Laboratory is the hosting office of the Swiss Association of Wood Research (SAH), and is member of national (netzwerkholz.ch) and international (Innovawood) centres of competence for the coordination of research and development within the timber industries.

contact: Klaus Richter

Adresses

• Empa, Abteilung Holz
  Ueberlandstrasse 129
  CH-8600 Duebendorf
  T +41 44 823 55 11
  F +41 44 823 40 07
  wood@empa.ch
• EMPA, Gruppe Holzschutz / Mikrobiologie
  Lerchenfeldstr. 5
  CH-9014 St. Gallen
  T +41 71 274 74 74
  F +41 71 274 76 94
  wood@empa.ch