Expanding the Value Chain Digital Model (VCDM): From Pine Prototype to Systemic Insight

Following the initial introduction of the Value Chain Digital Model (VCDM) developed by Bauhütte 4.0, the DiKieHo project presents its latest evolution with the exhibition in BAU 2025 in Munich, deepening the connection between digital innovation and regional bio-based construction. In close collaboration with Fraunhofer IPK, Fraunhofer WKI, Technische Universität Berlin, Max Holzbau, and Playze Timber, this new iteration reinforces the role of Kiefer (pine wood) as a locally sourced, future-ready building material in Berlin-Brandenburg.

A Digital Twin of the Pine Wood Value Chain

At its core, the DiKieHo model (Digitale Wertschöpfungskette für den Kieferbasierten Holzbau) simulates a comprehensive pine-based value chain—from material selection to robotic manufacturing and final building assembly. It positions Kiefer (pine), the region’s most abundant and underutilized wood species, as a climate-smart alternative toward circular construction. The Power BI-driven model builds on the foundation of the original VCDM and is now split into three interconnected modules:

1. Manufacturing: Simulating the Production of Pine-Based Panels

The first module visualizes the industrial production process of prefabricated panels built from pine wood. It enables users to:

• Configure panels: Adjust dimensions and the number of units, and select energy sources (e.g., wind, solar, fossil).

• Track the robotic workflow: Follow each manufacturing step—framing, insulation, sheathing, flipping, and finishing—mirroring real-time logic in a timber factory.

• Measure KPIs:

  • Energy demand (kWh)

  • Material and labor costs (€)

  • Production time

  • GWP (kg CO₂e) from both material and energy use

By modeling pine in panelized formats, this module reflects how native wood can scale through industrialized methods.

2. Demonstration: A Digital Twin of a Constructed Kiefer Unit

The second module showcases a real-world demonstrator built using pine-based multi-layer components during the project. Here, users can explore:

• Element selection: Walls, ceilings, windows, and interior layers

• Layer toggling: Materials like OSB, gypsum board, Holzfaserplatten, and C24 Kiefer become individually explorable

• Environmental data:

  • GWP/m³ per material

  • Biogenic carbon storage from solid pine

  • Material-specific volumes and impact totals (A1–A3)

Pine plays a central role in the carbon balance here, offering structural strength and significant carbon storage. The breakdown reveals how material choice at the component level alters environmental outcomes.

3. Building: Full System Assembly and Comparative Decision-Making

In the third module, the model scales from the wall unit to the entire building envelope. It allows users to mix and match material sets for each structural layer and compare two configurations side by side, assessing:

• Material allocation across timber, mineral, glass, and synthetic categories

• Total GWP from cradle-to-gate (A1–A3)

• Cost per building element

The interface emphasizes pine as a viable substitute in façade, ceiling, and partition systems. One comparison shows how substituting pine-based elements over mineral or synthetic materials results in over 1 million kg CO₂e reduction, demonstrating its potential to decarbonize mainstream construction.

Toward a Regionally Rooted Timber Ecosystem

This updated VCDM version doesn't just visualize data—it embeds the forest into the factory, translating the availability and performance of local pine into design and investment decisions. With support from MAX Holzbau and Playze Timber, whose design research connects architecture with ecological sourcing, this model shows how pine from Berlin-Brandenburg can serve as the cornerstone of a regionally anchored timber economy.

By linking robotic manufacturing, material databases, and climate impact tracking, DiKieHo creates a toolset that bridges disciplines—from forestry and fabrication to architecture and urban planning. It’s a step toward making digital, decarbonized construction not only possible—but practical and local.

For more information, please explore here!