"Construction Future Lab" in Görlitz Begins Operations

Construction Future Lab gGmbH is an independent, nonprofit research institution that was spun off from the Dresden University of Technology (TUD) in 2022. It combines applied research and development in the field of digital and automated construction and focuses on innovations across all sectors of the construction industry.

Jan Gerken, Chancellor of TUD: “With the Construction Future Lab, TUD | Campus Lusatia gains a research and technology transfer platform for the construction of the future. As a university of excellence, we are also contributing our expertise in civil engineering, mechanical engineering, digitalization, and automation to connect previously separate fields and processes and develop new technologies for automated construction. Together with partners from academia and industry, these technologies will be tested under real-world conditions and further developed into practical solutions. In this way, the CFLab exemplifies how to actively shape structural change in Lusatia through the close integration of cutting-edge research and technology transfer, while providing new impetus for innovation, value creation, and skilled employment in the region.”

• Digitalized Construction: CFLab Management Looks Ahead to a New Chapter with Clear Visions

Interdisciplinarity is a top priority at CFLab. This is also reflected in its leadership. The three managing directors are Prof. Jürgen Weber (holder of the Chair of Fluidtronics at TUD), Prof. Frank Will (holder of the Chair of Construction Machinery at TUD), and Prof. Jens Otto (holder of the Chair of Construction Management at TUD).

Prof. Jens Otto sheds light on the construction management perspective: “Why are construction projects becoming increasingly expensive and slower? The construction industry has never had a real place to experiment. In construction, the prototype is often the product itself. Every mistake costs money. Those who aren’t allowed to fail become cautious and don’t change anything. That’s exactly what we’re changing today. This building is the place where construction is allowed to fail. That’s the only way to succeed out there in the real world.”

Prof. Frank Will looks ahead to the construction machine of the future: “Machines are now beginning to perceive their surroundings. They recognize dangers and react. But that doesn’t mean the end of human workers on the construction site. We’re already facing a massive shortage of skilled workers. Rather, the machines are meant to take over dangerous and monotonous tasks for people. To do so, they must be demonstrably safe—in the dirt, in the rain, and right next to people. Starting today, we’re conducting these rigorous safety tests right here.”

Prof. Jürgen Weber focuses on the interaction between systems: “The individual components of machines are already excellent today. The problem lies much more in how they interact on the construction site. Numerous companies come together here. Their devices, programs, and data don’t communicate with one another. No one simply opens up their systems. That’s a trust issue. We need a completely neutral ground for this—a facility that doesn’t belong to any single manufacturer. Starting today, that place exists right here in Görlitz.”

• From Vision to Real Infrastructure

With the handover of the keys to the new CFLab building in Görlitz, the development office already established in Dresden is expanding. The combination of a research and demonstration hall, a digital laboratory construction site, and modern equipment creates entirely new testing possibilities. “We’re using this infrastructure for the urgently needed transfer of research findings into industrial products and processes. There, solutions for the construction and construction machinery industries are being researched—in large collaborative research projects, with a specific focus on practical applications, in partnership with small and medium-sized enterprises, and as part of research contracts from industry,” said André Sitte, CFO of CFLab.

The next steps involve upgrading the existing building. Construction robotics analyses are scheduled to be set up there starting in the summer of 2027. In addition, the new hall for 3D concrete and clay printing will be constructed in the near future. The CFLab team is already planning its first major event on the premises for spring 2027. Furthermore, additional staff will be hired in Görlitz Klingewalde as the project gets underway.