Our Research Projects

The project investigates how natural fiber-based material systems can be better integrated into a circular economy. Barriers and drivers for the recycling of these material systems are analyzed, recycling processes are examined, and optimal recycling pathways and process parameters are identified using a digital model and AI methods.

Currently, natural fiber-based material systems are mostly used for energy recovery at the end of their life cycle, resulting in the loss of valuable resources. With increasing volumes of end-of-life products, the need for efficient recycling solutions is growing. The project generates knowledge about materials, processes, and market conditions in order to enable robust recycling systems and circular value creation.

Project Objective

Within the scope of the project, a comprehensive understanding of the technical and socio-economic barriers and drivers for the recycling of natural fiber-based material systems will be developed. In addition, recycling processes and secondary materials from the automotive and construction sectors will be analyzed.

The goal is to identify optimal recycling pathways and process parameters through a combination of measurement series, a modular digital model, and AI methods, thereby enabling robust recycling systems and circular value creation.

Further information can be found on the dedicated project website.

Contact: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Sandra Krommes

ForPeat - Sustainable use of peatland forests for climate and biodiversity

The international research project ForPeat (FORest PEATland ecosystem assessment and targeted management for enhanced carbon sequestration, biodiversity, and water quality) focuses on the sustainable management of peatland forests in Europe. Peatland forests are among the most important natural carbon stores, yet they are increasingly losing their climate protection function due to drainage and intensive use. The aim of ForPeat is to develop strategies that enable these ecosystems to contribute in the long term to CO₂ bonding, biodiversity conservation, and improved water quality—without losing sight of their economic usability. The project integrates ecological, economic, and social aspects and works with so-called Open Labs in various European regions to test practical solutions under different climatic conditions.

The Rosenheim University of Applied Sciences plays a central role in ForPeat in the field of sustainability assessment. It is responsible for a holistic analysis of the ecological, economic, and social impacts of the management scenarios under study. In addition, the research team is developing a dynamic simulation model that maps effects along the entire timber value chain. The results provide a solid basis in decision-making for policymakers, forestry practitioners, and other stakeholders, and contribute to establishing peatland forests as climate-resilient and sustainably usable ecosystems.

Further information can be found on the dedicated project website.

Contact: Nils Werner

ISAR stands for Innovation Network for Regional Material Use of Waste Wood (ISAR). In this project, a consortium led by TU Munich develops new material-based waste wood innovation pathways that are technically and economically feasible, as well as ecologically and socially suitable. To open up product and technology development to external ideas and expertise, an open innovation approach is applied. The innovation pathways, including the products and processes, are evaluated and optimized in real-world laboratories with practice partners in Bavaria. The results from both phases contribute to the creation of a transformation roadmap, which, among other things, outlines optimization potentials and measures for implementing the concept in practice.

Further information can be found on the dedicated project website.

Contact: Dominik Hüttemann

Research Focus: Climate-Resilient Bioeconomy in the Value Cycle of Wood and Other Renewable Raw Materials

The goal is to build expertise in the processing value chain of new wood species and the material use of waste wood for transfer into research and teaching. This initiative focuses, on the one hand, on the process engineering of new wood species and secondary waste wood assortments and qualities through mechanical and thermomechanical preparation and recycling processes.

Further information can be found on the dedicated project website.

Contact: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Sandra Krommes

National Transfer and Acceleration Network for Industrial Bioeconomy

The theme and goal of TransBIB is to accelerate the national bioeconomization of industry and society through cross-regional knowledge pooling, evaluation, and collaboration.

Within the framework of the BMWK’s “Industrial Bioeconomy” funding program, TransBIB pursues a bottom-up approach encompassing multiple model regions based on regional initiatives. TransBIB integrates these regional activities, networking and combining them with additional systematic knowledge collections (Data and Tool Hub).

An expert network will subsequently evaluate all information and reflect it back to the model regions, for example, through targeted information events, recommendations for action, or guidelines (e.g., Scale-up Guideline). The Data and Tool Hub is also intended to inspire new projects and start-up formations (e.g., Start-up Formation Guideline). Additionally, TransBIB will promptly communicate findings regarding existing barriers and measures to accelerate bioeconomization through a dialogue platform.

By involving the economic ministries of the federal states, TransBIB will create further synergies and support the onboarding of additional model regions in a state-specific manner. TransBIB offers a comprehensive toolset for the virtual assessment of the economic viability of upscaling processes (e.g., through process simulation databases), thereby supporting the scaling of new processes, making upscale facilities accessible nationwide, and assisting stakeholders in their model regions to establish new pilot plants. The transition to production facilities in Germany is prepared and accelerated. Contact: Dr. Martin Brunsmeier

Contact: Theresa Pscherer

HigHRoQ stands for Hybrid, individualized, and tangible higher education teaching in Rosenheim quality. The digitalization of teaching at Rosenheim Technical University of Applied Sciences continues to take shape through the HigHRoQ project. In the spirit of a shared mountain tour, the project connects all stakeholders across the university and invites interested participants to join. Since its launch in 2021, much has happened.

Within the subproject of the Faculty of Industrial Engineering (WI), digital teaching and learning formats are being further developed in collaboration with lecturers, staff, and students, in order to use them purposefully for and within in-person classes. To strengthen both subject-specific and methodological competencies, practical relevance in teaching is also made tangible through a WI company (learning factory). In this way, students are trained in holistic, problem-solving thinking, as the WI company and its value creation serve as a common thread running through various study modules. HigHRoQ runed until December 2025.

Contact: Gretel Huber

FSP HoBio stands for the research focus “Wood-Based Bioeconomy.” In Germany, wood is considered the most important domestic, renewable raw material. It does not compete directly or indirectly with food or feed production. Due to its versatility, wood—especially as a material—offers multiple starting points for economic analysis and utilization. The research focus (FSP) Wood-Based Bioeconomy at Rosenheim Technical University of Applied Sciences is interdisciplinary and spans multiple faculties and campuses. It addresses the material use of wood as well as the mechanical, chemical, and biotechnological processing of this raw material. Wood offers the potential to produce high value-added products with low reliance on fossil resources and a high CO₂ reduction potential. The wood-based bioeconomy makes a significant contribution to achieving climate neutrality by 2050, as declared by the German federal government and the state of Bavaria. For this reason, the FSP “Wood-Based Bioeconomy” is funded by the Free State of Bavaria and works closely with partners from industry and research.

The FSP is part of the research area Bioeconomy and Wood Technology at Rosenheim Technical University of Applied Sciences. The project team consists of experts in wood technology, plastics engineering, industrial engineering, chemical engineering, and materials science. The Center for Biobased Materials is responsible for coordinating the individual sub-areas. The FSP focuses on the development of innovative materials and the material use of wood in several collaborative subprojects. The overarching goal of all research activities is the implementation of cascading wood use. Therefore, considerations of recyclability in new developments and a focus on circular economic practices are integral components of the entire initiative.

Contact: Prof. Dr. Sandra Krommes

H20_20_ONEforest: A multi-criteria decision support system for a common forest management to strenghten forest resilience, harmonise stakeholder interests and ensure sustainable wood flows.

The overarching goal of ONEforest is to develop a multi-criteria decision support system that evaluates sustainable forest management, synergies, and trade-offs between forest ecosystem services, reliable timber supply, and the interests of stakeholders using indicators for the forest-wood value chain, considering social, economic, and ecological dimensions, thereby facilitating decision-making.

This interdisciplinary approach will contribute to achieving multifunctional, resilient forestry and optimizing the forest-wood value chain while taking into account the interests of involved stakeholders and supporting the development of a bio-based society. ONEforest is of interest to various actors in the forest-wood value chain, such as forest owners, industry, operators, logisticians, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), recreational users, and others, by engaging stakeholders at multiple levels.

Contact: Prof. Dr. Sandra Krommes

FrIDAH stands for Fluorescence ID of Waste Wood. The project aimed to develop an automated application for quality control of waste wood assortments using fluorescence lifetime. Material flows were monitored, and individual categories were sorted to provide a high-quality raw material assortment for further utilization. High-quality waste wood components, contaminants, and foreign objects were identified, systematized, and classified based on their fluorescence properties. To ensure rapid data processing, software was developed that automatically calibrates the camera, evaluates images, and assigns them based on classification features. The SEM working group supported the project by creating material flow analyses and life cycle assessments, as well as conducting an initial economic evaluation of the technology costs.

Further information can be found on the dedicated project website.

Contact: Prof. Dr. Sandra Krommes

Process Development for the Recycling of Organosheet Offcuts with Direct Implementation in the Hybrid Component Manufacturing Process and Additional Evaluation

The project aimed to develop a suitable process to implement these offcuts as injection molding components in the hybrid component manufacturing process. The goal was to establish a closed-loop system with high value creation and high quality of the final product. In particular, the interactions between material properties, machine technology, and economic viability were investigated, taking into account the savings potential through material-efficient manufacturing and processing technologies across the entire process chain.

Contact: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Sandra Krommes

Increasingly scarce resources and a transforming energy economy in Germany present companies with ever-new challenges. Responsible and efficient use of finite resources is increasingly becoming the focus of our thinking and actions. Sustainable business practices are turning into a competitive factor. As a “by-product” of this mindset and approach, opportunities arise to enhance economic efficiency. The advent of the fourth industrial era opens up entirely new possibilities for the digitalization and networking of production, as well as the integration of resource efficiency themes. Initial approaches in this direction already exist.

The SEM research group at TH Rosenheim views digitalization as an opportunity for companies to uncover specific savings potential in material consumption and energy use. The intelligent use of data along the value chain promotes efficient resource utilization, enabling cost reduction, employee awareness, and the realization of competitive advantages. Our research focuses on existing manufacturing systems with equipment from various manufacturers in the context of small-batch production; ultimately, however, we aim to master digitalization and resource efficiency challenges in single-unit production (batch size 1).

Contact: Prof. Dr. Sandra Krommes

Digital GreenTech - OHA-FLIM: Technical Potential Analysis for the Development of an Optical Method for Species-Specific Sorting of Waste Wood Using Imaging Fluorescence Lifetime Measurement.

In the project, the UV/VIS spectra, fluorescence spectra, and fluorescence lifetimes of ideal wood samples and real waste wood samples were measured using a fluorescence spectrophotometer in a first step. The evaluation of the measured data aims to determine the optimal excitation wavelength. Subsequently, the wood samples were analyzed using the optimal excitation wavelength and the FD-FLIM method. The data evaluation aims to determine whether species identification of wood is possible using the FD-FLIM methodology. An accompanying sustainability analysis investigated the potential of material recycling compared to the previously dominant energy recovery of waste wood in terms of greenhouse gas and resource savings.

Contact: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Sandra Krommes

e-Mobility Transnational strategy for an Interoperable Community & Networking in the Alpine Space.

Contact: Prof. Dr. Sandra Krommes

aCar: Rural Mobility in Developing Countries

The Chair of Raw Material Management of the Technical University of Applied Sciences in Rosenheim focuses within the scope of the project on sustainable product development. A vehicle designed for and with high local value creation in Africa must meet the highest standards of sustainable product development with regard to environmental impacts, raw material selection and processing, material cycle closure, and social standards. Based on the technical vehicle concept, sustainable product, manufacturing, and recycling properties need to be derived and implemented for the specifications. The materials used should consist of renewable raw and composite materials, as well as be locally produced and sourced.

Contact: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Sandra Krommes