CW Blog

In the 21st century, one of the more compelling human stories is the growing need for resources to house Earth’s expanding population, and the growing awareness that those resources are finite and, in many cases, increasingly scarce. One case in which that contrast is acute is residential housing. The United Nations foresees a deepening global housing crisis — more than 440 million urban households will be in need of affordable accommodation by 2025. But conservationists warn that the sustainability of Earth’s forests, the source of the lumber to build those accommodations, is at serious risk. This conflict has done much to pique interest in fast-build construction technologies based on fiber-reinforced composites. As the new century’s third  decade begins, composite manufacturers’ efforts in the housing arena are picking up speed.

Composites offer light weight, corrosion resistance, high strength and long lifespan — qualities that make them a natural fit for infrastructure projects. And while composites are already being used to rehabilitate roads, bridges, water/drainage systems and seawalls, and to build resilient structures, widespread adoption has yet to occur.