Lake Neusiedl mud and reed find new use in construction

Researchers from Forschung Burgenland and Graz University of Technology have developed ways to reuse mud and old reed from Lake Neusiedl as building materials, ORF reports. The materials are featured in “Schilfraum,” an installation at the Wander Bertoni open-air museum in Winden am See, in Neusiedl am See district.

The installation shows potential uses ranging from decorative items to building blocks. The materials are lake sediment, or mud, and old reed removed during lake management. Some of the reed previously had to be sent to landfill, said Martin Zloklikovits of Forschung Burgenland.

A large 3D printer at Graz University of Technology can make objects from the sediment. The mud is abundant, and its properties are similar to clay, which has long been used in construction, said Urs Hirschberg of the university’s Institute of Architecture and Media. The aim is to use the materials for construction with a neutral carbon footprint.

Sediment is due to be pumped from the lake again this winter, and pipes are already being laid. A first building project using the materials is planned at the museum. Its goal is to use local, sustainable waste materials such as reed and mud, and ultimately to store more carbon in the building than is emitted during construction, Zloklikovits said.

The Schilfraum installation has officially opened and is available to visitors.