KIT launches online Materials Database for Sustainable Architecture

The Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) has launched a publicly accessible digital Materials Database, integrated into the Materials Library of German Universities (MHD), providing manufacturer-independent data sheets, high-quality photos, and lifecycle/origin information for construction materials.

• Main announcement: KIT’s Department of Architecture launched an online Materials Database (30.10.2025) that is integrated into the Materials Library of German Universities (MHD); the digital collection emphasizes sustainable construction materials (biodegradable or technically recyclable) and includes manufacturer-independent data sheets and high-resolution photos. The KIT Materials Library was established in 1968 and reopened in 2023 after refurbishment by Studio-MRA, with scientific leadership from the Chair of Sustainable Construction.
• Background and implementation details: The database was prepared over two years and made public upon integration into the MHD network; Dirk E. Hebel (Professor of Sustainable Construction) was one of the initiators of MHD in 2022. The facility functions as an open research and exhibition space and is embedded in KIT’s Department of Architecture and the Institute for Building Design and Technology.