Hardwood in architecture – finding solutions for an endangered wood industry facing climate changes
Project Description
About 41% of the principality of Liechtenstein is covered by forest. (Amt für Statistik, 2020) Thus
the forest is one of the most important landscape features of the country and serves as the
source of the material wood. With the growing tendency towards finding sustainable solutions
in architecture, this natural and local material is becoming a very important player in the field of
construction. However out of the wood harvested annually in Liechtenstein, about 90% are used
directly as an energy source. (Amt für Wald, Natur und Landschaft, 2012) Numbers in Switzerland
are comparable. To add, as of today, the main constructional wood, used in the industry,
are coniferous species. In fact, they make up about 70% of the forest in Liechtenstein with the
spruce being the most common one with about 51% .(Amt für Wald, Natur und Landschaft,
2012)
However, forest structures could change drastically very soon, as temperatures are rising due to
the climate change. This endangers many coniferous species. Predictions for the forest in Liechtenstein
have stated, that in 2070 the spruce will mostly vanish completely in low altitudes, only
being able to survive in the higher regions. (Frehner et al., Juli/2021) Thus in this research project,
solutions for an endangered wood industry facing climate changes and the decline of many
coniferous species, will be investigated. This also puts up the question, weather the prolonging
of the life cycle of wood before ending up as an energy source, could show a more resourceful
handling with the local material. A rising urge to analyze the usage of the less endangered hardwood
species for constructional purposes can therefore be combined with a more circular application
of wood.
the forest is one of the most important landscape features of the country and serves as the
source of the material wood. With the growing tendency towards finding sustainable solutions
in architecture, this natural and local material is becoming a very important player in the field of
construction. However out of the wood harvested annually in Liechtenstein, about 90% are used
directly as an energy source. (Amt für Wald, Natur und Landschaft, 2012) Numbers in Switzerland
are comparable. To add, as of today, the main constructional wood, used in the industry,
are coniferous species. In fact, they make up about 70% of the forest in Liechtenstein with the
spruce being the most common one with about 51% .(Amt für Wald, Natur und Landschaft,
2012)
However, forest structures could change drastically very soon, as temperatures are rising due to
the climate change. This endangers many coniferous species. Predictions for the forest in Liechtenstein
have stated, that in 2070 the spruce will mostly vanish completely in low altitudes, only
being able to survive in the higher regions. (Frehner et al., Juli/2021) Thus in this research project,
solutions for an endangered wood industry facing climate changes and the decline of many
coniferous species, will be investigated. This also puts up the question, weather the prolonging
of the life cycle of wood before ending up as an energy source, could show a more resourceful
handling with the local material. A rising urge to analyze the usage of the less endangered hardwood
species for constructional purposes can therefore be combined with a more circular application
of wood.
Relevance to Liechtenstein
As this research project is partly based on data about the Liechtenstein forest and should include
many interviews with local people that work in the wood industry such as Daniel Örtig,
Leiter Forstamt Liechtenstein, der Holzkreislauf Liechtenstein, Christoph Frommelt, owner of
the Zimmerei Frommelt, the impact can also be seen locally. Due to the climatic changes, it is
clear that hardwood products and usage will also be a future scenario for Liechtenstein, thus
this research project should impact local architects, carpenters, forest workers or any included
people in the wood industry of the country, to rethink current situations. This could lead to an
increased interest in the background of local wood, as well as pushing the creating of infrastructure for the processing of hardwood, instead of only relying on conifers.
many interviews with local people that work in the wood industry such as Daniel Örtig,
Leiter Forstamt Liechtenstein, der Holzkreislauf Liechtenstein, Christoph Frommelt, owner of
the Zimmerei Frommelt, the impact can also be seen locally. Due to the climatic changes, it is
clear that hardwood products and usage will also be a future scenario for Liechtenstein, thus
this research project should impact local architects, carpenters, forest workers or any included
people in the wood industry of the country, to rethink current situations. This could lead to an
increased interest in the background of local wood, as well as pushing the creating of infrastructure for the processing of hardwood, instead of only relying on conifers.
Scientific, Economic and Societal Impact
In 2020, 18,784 m3 of local wood (logs incl. branches and crown material) were chopped and
used in Liechtenstein In the previous year, the figure was 22,790 m3. Less wood was thus harvested
in 2020 than in 2019. Of the 18,784 m3 of wood, 13,586 m3 were used for energy purposes
only, 4'513 m3 as log wood and 685 m3 as industrial wood. Thus, the share of energy
wood (incl. branch and crown material) of the total wood utilization was 72.3% in 2020. In addition
to the wood removed from the forest, in 2020, 425 m3 of wood was left behind (non-utilized
wood). In the previous year, this figure was 531 m3. (Amt für Statistik, 2020) In Switzerland
the numbers are comparable.
However, in the current state of having to face shortages of resources, as well as being in the middle of a climate crises already, it is crucial to push local and sustainable materials such as wood, to be used in the construction sector. Thus, with this research project, the goal is to bring back the awareness for the named problems. Its implication on the practice is therefor quite direct as architects but also other figures in the construction sector should be informed about new possibilities by using hardwood as a construction material and not relying completely on conifers. Furthermore, the research field of hardwood has not been investigated a lot, as of today, and still has a lot of potential.For instance at the ETH Zürich,first research projects and product testing with hardwood have started as already mentioned earlier. However, compared to the depth of research and possibilities of building with conifers, many fields of interest have yet to be discovered.
used in Liechtenstein In the previous year, the figure was 22,790 m3. Less wood was thus harvested
in 2020 than in 2019. Of the 18,784 m3 of wood, 13,586 m3 were used for energy purposes
only, 4'513 m3 as log wood and 685 m3 as industrial wood. Thus, the share of energy
wood (incl. branch and crown material) of the total wood utilization was 72.3% in 2020. In addition
to the wood removed from the forest, in 2020, 425 m3 of wood was left behind (non-utilized
wood). In the previous year, this figure was 531 m3. (Amt für Statistik, 2020) In Switzerland
the numbers are comparable.
However, in the current state of having to face shortages of resources, as well as being in the middle of a climate crises already, it is crucial to push local and sustainable materials such as wood, to be used in the construction sector. Thus, with this research project, the goal is to bring back the awareness for the named problems. Its implication on the practice is therefor quite direct as architects but also other figures in the construction sector should be informed about new possibilities by using hardwood as a construction material and not relying completely on conifers. Furthermore, the research field of hardwood has not been investigated a lot, as of today, and still has a lot of potential.For instance at the ETH Zürich,first research projects and product testing with hardwood have started as already mentioned earlier. However, compared to the depth of research and possibilities of building with conifers, many fields of interest have yet to be discovered.
Participating Institutions
Happiness in the Workplace
Project Description
Philosophy has explored what the term happiness describes and how
it can be achieved in great depth. A common distinction of happiness
in the literature is made between the direct experience of enjoyment
(hedonism) and the experience of living in accordance with one's true
self (eudaimonia).
Through my research I will analyze how these two forms of happiness
influence employee behaviour, how they are influenced by different
facets of work and how a company can support its employees in
becoming happy. This will mainly be achieved through empirical
research (qualitative and quantitative).
Investigating the sources of happiness is not only beneficial for
workplace improvements, but also for general improvement of
physical, psychological and social health of a society.
it can be achieved in great depth. A common distinction of happiness
in the literature is made between the direct experience of enjoyment
(hedonism) and the experience of living in accordance with one's true
self (eudaimonia).
Through my research I will analyze how these two forms of happiness
influence employee behaviour, how they are influenced by different
facets of work and how a company can support its employees in
becoming happy. This will mainly be achieved through empirical
research (qualitative and quantitative).
Investigating the sources of happiness is not only beneficial for
workplace improvements, but also for general improvement of
physical, psychological and social health of a society.
Project Participants
Happiness and Absenteeism in the Workplace
Project Description
Absenteeism is one of the largest internal cost drivers in
organizations as it causes both direct costs - such as lower
productivity - and indirect costs - such as a drop in work morale.
Research on potential predictors of absenteeism is large. Multiple
meta-analyses have revealed that there are both personal (e.g.anxiety, satisfaction, commitment, personality) and climatic (e.g. shift-work,
flextime) factors that may predict individual-level absenteeism.
However, the limited predictive validity of these antecedents suggests
that our understanding of absenteeism remains to be fairly limited.
The main purpose of this study is thus to move beyond the existing
frameworks and to draw on findings from psychological economics
and positive psychology, which suggest that happiness might be an
important and largely unexplored predictor to absenteeism. In this
context we aim to answer the following two research questions:
1. What are the important factors that influence happiness in the
workplace? More particularly we ask how organizational fairness and
trust in colleagues affect happiness in the workplace.
2. How does happiness influence absenteeism?
We will test our hypotheses both qualitatively and quantitatively in a
large Swiss multinational firm.
We will communicate our research results to the scientific community
as well as to practitioners. For the latter we plan to communicate via
three channels. Firstly, we plan to conduct a series of talks on
happiness in the workplace at the Hochschule Liechtenstein. For
these talks we invite our research partners and also communicate our
findings. Secondly, we develop a "happiness in the workplace survey"
which will be made available for firms upon request. Thirdly, we write
a brochure about "drivers of happiness in the workplace" which will be
distributed to firms in Liechtenstein.
organizations as it causes both direct costs - such as lower
productivity - and indirect costs - such as a drop in work morale.
Research on potential predictors of absenteeism is large. Multiple
meta-analyses have revealed that there are both personal (e.g.anxiety, satisfaction, commitment, personality) and climatic (e.g. shift-work,
flextime) factors that may predict individual-level absenteeism.
However, the limited predictive validity of these antecedents suggests
that our understanding of absenteeism remains to be fairly limited.
The main purpose of this study is thus to move beyond the existing
frameworks and to draw on findings from psychological economics
and positive psychology, which suggest that happiness might be an
important and largely unexplored predictor to absenteeism. In this
context we aim to answer the following two research questions:
1. What are the important factors that influence happiness in the
workplace? More particularly we ask how organizational fairness and
trust in colleagues affect happiness in the workplace.
2. How does happiness influence absenteeism?
We will test our hypotheses both qualitatively and quantitatively in a
large Swiss multinational firm.
We will communicate our research results to the scientific community
as well as to practitioners. For the latter we plan to communicate via
three channels. Firstly, we plan to conduct a series of talks on
happiness in the workplace at the Hochschule Liechtenstein. For
these talks we invite our research partners and also communicate our
findings. Secondly, we develop a "happiness in the workplace survey"
which will be made available for firms upon request. Thirdly, we write
a brochure about "drivers of happiness in the workplace" which will be
distributed to firms in Liechtenstein.
Scientific, Economic and Societal Impact
a) This research project allows to integrate our findings in those three fields we have already conducted research in: trust, organizational fairness and self-determination theory. In addition we are able to bridge those findings from our happiness research partners in psychological economics with our findings in the field of positive psychology.
b) In addition to what we have identified to be our main two contributions to the literature (see 2.2.1) we suggest that this research might also contribute to research on health in the workplace. Numerous psychologists support the view that there is a positive association between health and happiness (c.f.Dolan et al., 2008; Norrish & Vella-Brodrick, 2008; Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi, 2000). Investigating the sources of happiness is not only beneficial for workplace improvements, but also for general improvement of physical, psychological and social health of a society.
b) In addition to what we have identified to be our main two contributions to the literature (see 2.2.1) we suggest that this research might also contribute to research on health in the workplace. Numerous psychologists support the view that there is a positive association between health and happiness (c.f.Dolan et al., 2008; Norrish & Vella-Brodrick, 2008; Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi, 2000). Investigating the sources of happiness is not only beneficial for workplace improvements, but also for general improvement of physical, psychological and social health of a society.
Participating Institutions
Project Participants
Hands-on - ein Mehrwert in der Architekturausbildung und Architekturvermittlung
Project Description
...
Participating Institutions
Standard and Non-standard Monetary Policy Measures in the Age of Decentralized and Centralized Trustworthy Services Claiming their Place in the Financial Markets' Infrastructure
Project Description
Combing blockchain and monetary policy procedures, I investigate the effects of the introduction of decentralized and centralized trustworthy services (e.g., blockchain-based currency) on standard and non-standard monetary policy measures. It is of great interest to me to scrutinize interactions within and from outside of the monetary cycle that result from those innovations. Will transmission channels, time lags and monetary parameters be influenced once decentralized or centralized digital currencies based on trustworthy systems gain significant importance within the financial markets (and how)? And what will be the role, risks and chances of new players and entities entering the playing field of our economic, monetary, and judicial system, for example DAOs (decentralized autonomous organizations)?
Models or experiments used in course of the introduction of other then topical instruments (e.g., repurchase agreements) will be redesigned and used for an assessment of this latest evolutionary stage. I plan on addressing the consequences and chances for wealth management, as well as potential challenges and opportunities for our local financial hub in Liechtenstein.
DAO: new player, new structure – does it make a difference (for monetary policy) and what is it at all? (1-2 letters)
Applicability of standard and nonstandard monetary policy measures after the introduction of central bank digital currencies and other trustworthy systems (1-3 letters)
CBDCs and time lags (1-2 letters)
My first paper will concern decentralized autonomous organizations (DAO) and their positioning in our Liechtenstein financial hub.
Models or experiments used in course of the introduction of other then topical instruments (e.g., repurchase agreements) will be redesigned and used for an assessment of this latest evolutionary stage. I plan on addressing the consequences and chances for wealth management, as well as potential challenges and opportunities for our local financial hub in Liechtenstein.
DAO: new player, new structure – does it make a difference (for monetary policy) and what is it at all? (1-2 letters)
Applicability of standard and nonstandard monetary policy measures after the introduction of central bank digital currencies and other trustworthy systems (1-3 letters)
CBDCs and time lags (1-2 letters)
My first paper will concern decentralized autonomous organizations (DAO) and their positioning in our Liechtenstein financial hub.
Participating Institutions
Guiding Process Behavior – Digital Nudging in Process Science
Project Description
Since everything we do, see or experience unfolds in processes, the newly emerging field of process science aims to synthesize efforts from various disciplines to understand and design processes. Furthermore, processes are in a constant state of flux and the behavior of individual process participants can actively influence this change. Hence, so-called digital nudges can be employed to guide people’s behavior within processes to eventually improve the process out-come. Therefore, the present dissertation project aims to contribute to the discourse in these nascent areas by exploring the effects of digital nudging in process science. For this purpose, a literature analysis as well as experimental studies shall be carried out to identify promising re-search opportunities and subsequently analyze specific nudging scenarios experimentally. By doing so, this dissertation has the objective to provide meaningful contributions to the knowledge base in the research areas of information systems, process science as well as digital nudging. Furthermore, it has the potential to offer notable practical contributions that can make an impact in the real world by guiding people’s behavior for process improvement.
Leadership group dynamics in virtual reality: The role of follower interactions on charismatic leadership effectiveness in 2D and 3D virtual meetings
Project Description
Leadership plays a central role in business organizations, and charismatic leadership (CL) has proven to be particularly effective. Formerly poorly defined and plagued by an endogeneity problem, in the last decade the "signalling approach" has enabled the illumination of proximal components of CL. These include eye contact, facial expressions, gestures and various vocal features. However, previous research has neglected to investigate the effect of follower behaviour on CL expression, and the interaction between followers and its effects. Building on ongoing research projects, this research project therefore seeks to answer these questions. In addition to the implementation of state-of-the-art biosignal methodologies, the translation of CL into virtual environments and differently rich electronic media for group collaboration will be investigated. This should provide practical recommendations for regional and international companies that are forced to outsource and disperse their work teams.
Participating Institutions
Grundlagen der Konjunkturforschung für das Fürstentum Liechtenstein
Project Description
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