Building with tomorrow’s wood

Climate change is transforming our forests. Today, most timber buildings are made from softwood because conifer trees grow tall and straight, making them easy to build with. As the climate changes, however, these trees are expected to become less common, while hardwood (broadleaf) trees become more abundant. Although hardwood is strong, its irregular shape makes it more difficult to use with today’s construction methods.

At our booth, discover how researchers are preparing for this transition. The MainWood project explores the entire journey of wood – from the forest to the finished building – to develop new ways of using the trees that will shape the forests of the future while storing more carbon in long-lasting buildings.

Find out how forests are expected to change across five regions of Switzerland and discover why future forests may look very different. You can even visit the nearby Waldlabor Zürich on the north side of the Hönggerberg campus to experience these changes first-hand.

You will also see three innovative approaches to timber construction: engineered hardwood panels developed with the help of artificial intelligence, a carbon-reinforced wooden beam that uses less wood while remaining exceptionally strong, and a new way of building with whole tree trunks based on detailed forest scans. Together, these innovations show how science and technology can help us build more sustainably with the wood of tomorrow.

MainWood is a joint initiative of ETH Zurich, Empa, WSL and EPFL, co-funded by the ETH Board (2023–2026).

Other events relating to forests at Scientifica:

Booth: Trees of the future – Which species will thrive in a changing climate?
Sunday, 23. August 2026, Hönggerberg

Booth: Following the water cycle through the forest
Sunday, 23. August 2026, Hönggerberg

Booth: Virtual forests – A journey into the forests of the future
Sunday, 23. August 2026, Hönggerberg

Booth: When does a forest become a CO₂ sink?
Sunday, 23. August 2026, Hönggerberg

Booth: How are our forests faring in the face of climate change?
Sunday, 23. August 2026, Hönggerberg

Guided tour: Following the water cycle through the forest
Sunday, 23. August 2026, 15.00

Guided tour: Trees of the future – species suitability under climate change
Sunday, 23. August 2026, 14.00; 16.00