Holger Wallbaum works on concepts, tools and strategies to enhance the sustainability performance of construction materials, building products, buildings as well as entire cities. His research is related to ecological and economic life cycle assessment of construction materials, buildings and infrastructures, sustainability assessment tools for buildings as well as advanced building stock modelling and affordable renovation concepts for building portfolios. He has built up a strong research environment on comfort, well-being and its effect on occupants’ productivity in non-residential buildings.

He holds active positions at the International Council for Research & Innovation in Building & Construction (CIB), is an elected member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences and co-founder of two startup companies, one on housing renovation concepts as well as one on healthy and productive offices.

He was formerly the Chair for Sustainable Construction, initiated by Holcim, at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich), Switzerland. He was appointed to this position, as Assistant Professor for Sustainable Construction (2006-12). He was also a member of the former Technical Competence Center (TCC), now Academic Committee (AC), of the LafargeHolcim Foundation (2006-13).

He was appointed Professor in Sustainable Building, Chalmers University of Technology in 2012 and was appointed Vice Dean for Utilisation, Chalmers University of Technology in 2020.

Holger Wallbaum studied safety engineering and environmental management at the University of Wuppertal, Germany; safety engineering and risk management at the University of Mulhouse, France; and completed a PhD in architecture at the University of Hannover, Germany in 2002. He gained professional experience in the fields of sustainability indicator systems and management tools for decision support and communication.

He is an Editorial Board Member of Development in the Built Environments and a subject editor for construction materials and buildings with the International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment.

He moderated the workshop Stimulate stakeholders – With incentives to implementation at the 3rd International Holcim Forum 2010 in Mexico City and led the workshop Overall value: Harnessing all benefits from sustainable construction at the 4th International Holcim Forum 2013 in Mumbai.

Holger Wallbaum was a member of the Holcim Awards jury for region Africa Middle East in 2008 and 2011, and the Holcim Awards jury for region Europe in 2014.