ArchFlex: constructive system for buildings in engineered timber

• Grant number: 21/04802-0
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Innovative Research in Small Business - PIPE
• Start date: November 01, 2021
• End date: August 31, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Applied Social Sciences - Architecture and Town Planning - Architecture and Urbanism Technology
• Principal Investigator: Taís de Moraes Alves
• Grantee: Taís de Moraes Alves
• Company: T de Moraes Alves Arquitetura
• CNAE: Comércio varejista de ferragens, madeira e materiais de construção ; Atividades técnicas relacionadas à arquitetura e engenharia
• City: São Paulo
• Associated researchers: Fulvio Ramos Roxo
• Associated research grant: 18/22343-0 - ArqFlex: industrialised spatial system of flexible timber modules, AP.PIPE
• Associated scholarship(s): 23/11470-0 - Development of the ArchFlex Construction System for Mass Timber Buildings: Three-Dimensional Models, BP.TT; 23/05616-1 - Development of the Archflex Construction System for Engineered Wood Buildings: Engineering Aspects, BP.TT; 23/00631-2 - Development of the Archflex Construction System for Engineered Wood Buildings: Architectural Drawings, BP.TT; + associated scholarships 21/14262-3 - Development of the ArchFlex constructive system for engineered wood buildings: images, infographics, and photos, BP.TT; 21/13014-6 - Development of the mass timber ArchFlex constructive system: architectural drawings, BP.TT; 21/13506-6 - Development of the ArchFlex constructive system for engineered wood buildings: three-dimensional models, BP.TT; 21/11417-6 - ArchFlex: mass timber constructive system for buildings, BP.PIPE; 21/11441-4 - ArchFlex: Mass Timber Constructive System for Buildings (Engineering Perspective), BP.TT - associated scholarships

Abstract

This project proposes the development of a construction system in engineered wood for buildings with up to 5 floors. This construction system, called ArchFlex, accelerates the replacement of materials with a high carbon footprint, such as concrete and steel, with a renewable material that sequestrates CO2 throughout its life cycle, timber from planted forests. The solution developed by ArchFlex is unique in the market for combining sustainability, a fast modular system and the integration between design, budget and online purchase. Thus, while the ArchFlex system offers a constructive technique that traps carbon and requires little water and energy, its adoption results in up to 4 times faster construction. In addition, when designing with the system it is possible to extract budgets directly from the project file with ease and to buy online all the necessary building components. ArchFlex serves 2 Customer Segments. For the Real Estate Developers we offer as Value Propositions speed of work, accelerating the return on investments in real estate projects, greater added value and access to the ecological niche market. Professionals, our second Customer Segment, benefit from the professional differentiation that results from the use of a sustainable technology, from the optimization of the workflow, since the system allows to design and build more efficiently, and from our integrated budgeting and purchasing solution. The relevance of these Value Propositions for our Customer Segments was verified through more than 100 interviews with potential customers conducted according to the Customer Development method, developed by Steve Blank and adopted by the Program Pipe Empreendedor. The letters of interest from investors, developers and professionals, attached to the project, reinforce the high economic potential of the solution we are developing. Having validated the technical and commercial viability of our solution throughout the Pipe Phase 1 project, which is still under development, we intend to continue the research in Pipe Phase 2 through 2 axes of work: A. Development and Innovation, focused on detailing the construction system, in building prototypes and in the development of a budget plugin integrated to common design software; B. Commercialization, centered on the development of the ArchFlex Online Platform, our sales channel aimed at Professionals. We propose a disruptive integration between design, budget and purchase of construction components: after obtaining the material list through our Sketchup plugin, the professional will be able to upload the list to the Online Platform and make the payment online. Our initial scope of action will be the South and Southeast regions of Brazil, where national companies in the timber sector are concentrated. The civil construction market in these two regions is thriving and represents 5% of the national GDP, or R$344 billion/year. As a medium-term goal, we expect to operate on an international scale. Considering that Brazilian planted forests reach productivity rates 2 to 10 times higher than those of other leading countries in the production of wood, there is great commercial potential for exporting engineered wood components designed as part of an effective construction system at a competitive cost. (AU)