ConstrucTHOR

ConstrucTHOR at Thor Park in Genk is a large-scale living laboratory for climate-neutral construction developed by KU Leuven. The facility combines research, education and testing through modular buildings, renovation prototypes and experimental façades. A hybrid structure using reclaimed steel, CLT and concrete enables adaptable layouts and non-destructive disassembly. A technical backbone distributes energy, water and data across the test modules. Designed for change, the infrastructure supports future research into circular construction, building performance and digital design methods.

A Living Laboratory for the Building Transition

ConstrucTHOR is a large-scale training and testing infrastructure developed by KU Leuven at Thor Park in Genk. As part of the Flemish Recovery Plan, the project establishes a living laboratory where new knowledge, technologies and construction methods can be explored in response to the transition towards climate-neutral buildings.

Across Europe, and particularly in Flanders, the existing and new building stock must evolve to reach climate neutrality by 2050. ConstrucTHOR addresses this challenge by providing a physical environment where research, experimentation and education can take place simultaneously.

Accelerating the Climate Transition

The project brings together several research lines within KU Leuven in a shared environment where technical, economic and societal questions around climate-neutral construction can be explored.

Six main themes structure the programme: energy-neutral buildings, climate-neutral materials and recycling, renovation strategies, water management, indoor comfort and user interaction, and digitalisation through tools such as BIM and virtual reality.

Rather than functioning as a conventional research building, ConstrucTHOR operates as an experimental landscape in which different building typologies and technologies can be tested in real conditions.

A Modular Research Infrastructure

The living lab consists of several complementary modules connected through a technical backbone. The programme includes a test plot for modular housing concepts, an office building combining different levels of thermal inertia, a large façade testing structure for prefabricated systems, and a multifunctional test hall with training spaces.

Three additional typologies – a flat building, a townhouse and a semi-detached house – are included as renovation prototypes. Together these modules create a diverse testing environment for both new construction and transformation strategies.

The modules are connected through shared systems for energy exchange, water management and storage, allowing real-life experimentation with integrated building systems.

A Framework Designed for Change

Flexibility and demountability form the core architectural principle of the project. The structures are designed to allow frequent adaptation without destructive interventions.

The office building is realised through a hybrid system combining reclaimed steel structures with CLT and concrete floor plates. The ground levels use heavier concrete structures to study thermal inertia, while upper levels use lighter CLT construction.

The test hall and collective spaces are organised around a reclaimed steel framework with CLT floor structures and lightweight partitions. The façade testing structure is conceived as an independent steel frame capable of carrying different façade systems over time.

Mechanical connections are used wherever possible to allow reversible assembly and future reuse.

An Open Experimental Campus

ConstrucTHOR is embedded within the OpenThor Living Lab environment at Thor Park. The different modules are arranged as a campus-like setting where experimentation extends beyond the buildings themselves.

Outdoor areas support testing of construction systems, water management strategies and building performance in real conditions, reinforcing the idea of the site as a working research landscape.

Circular Construction in Practice

Circularity is embedded in both the structure and operation of the building. Reclaimed steel elements are used as primary structural components, while modular construction systems allow components to be replaced or reconfigured over time.

The building services follow a plug-and-play approach, organised through a technical backbone in the basement. This allows rapid changes in test setups without altering the structural framework.

The entire project is developed through BIM, providing detailed information on materials and components. Material passports support traceability and future reuse, ensuring that the infrastructure remains adaptable throughout its lifecycle.

ConstrucTHOR therefore functions not only as a research facility but also as a demonstrator for the future of circular and climate-neutral construction.