Wood-based floor slab passes load test: Researchers at the University of Stuttgart have tested a compact, flexible, and cost-effective floor slab system for multi-story timber buildings. The “UniversalTimberSlab” is scheduled to be installed soon at the “Zukunftsforum” in the German town of Oberkochen. Reinforced concrete floor slabs account for about 40 percent of buildings’ embodied carbon emissions. However, until now, there has been no practical alternative for complex, multi-story buildings. Using a construction demonstrator, researchers at the University of Stuttgart have now shown for the first time how floor slabs can be built sustainably from an innovative timber-concrete composite system. The demonstrator, which was tested in June as part of the Future Cleantech Festival in Remscheid, showcases “UniversalTimberSlab” – the first point-supported timber-concrete composite flat slab for two-way long spans. “With the UniversalTimberSlab, we aim to make multi-story timber-concrete composite construction significantly more flexible, performative, and adaptable.