--- title: "VAULTED: Replacing mass with geometry. | VAULTED AG" canonical_url: "https://vaulted.swiss/" last_updated: "2026-10-11T18:47:57.346Z" meta: description: "VAULTED designs low-carbon structural floor systems designed for material efficiency, circularity, and digital construction." keywords: "low-carbon structural floor system, circularity, digital construction, prefabrication" "og:description": "VAULTED designs low-carbon structural floor systems designed for material efficiency, circularity, and digital construction." "og:title": "VAULTED: Replacing mass with geometry." --- # Replacing mass with geometry Low-carbon structural floor systems designed for material efficiency, circularity, and digital construction ![VAULTED floor element being lifted by a crane](https://vaulted.swiss/_ipx/w_32&f_webp&q_20/CT1_mockup_floor-on-crane_below.png) The impact of our industry ## The building and construction industry has a significant impact on our environment and is a major contributor to today's climate crisis. ~40% ![The construciton industry is responsible for 40% of greenhouse gas emissions.](https://vaulted.swiss/_ipx/w_32&f_webp&q_20/impact/emissions.png) Greenhouse gas emissions ![The construction industry is responsible for 40% of resource extraction.](https://vaulted.swiss/_ipx/w_32&f_webp&q_20/impact/extractions.jpg) Resource extraction ![The construction inndustry is responsible for 40% of waste production.](https://vaulted.swiss/_ipx/w_32&f_webp&q_20/impact/excess.jpg) Waste production ![The construction is responsible for 40% of energy consumption.](https://vaulted.swiss/_ipx/w_32&f_webp&q_20/impact/energy.jpg) Energy consumption The impact of buildings ## The structure, and especially the floors, are the most resource- and carbon-intensive parts of a building Mass distribution in a residential concrete high-rise. Our approach Strength through geometry When it comes to finding sustainable construction solutions, floor slabs are a key challenge. Arched and vaulted geometries offer truly disruptive savings by enabling the use of low-carbon materials in much lower volume than before. Prof. Dr. Philippe Block, ETH Zurich Chairman and Co-Founder VAULTED ## The Rippmann Floor System Inspired by the Gothic cathedrals of the past, our flagship product, the Rippmann Floor System (RFS), is a prefabricated, unreinforced concrete floor system built on more than 15 years of research at ETH Zurich. Conventional concrete floor slabs achieve structural strength through the use of large amounts of material. It is a "brute force" solution. The RFS follows a different principle. It replaces mass with optimised geometry. Similar to an ancient stone vault, its arched form carries forces through compression, a state that concrete naturally handles well. This eliminates the need for embedded steel reinforcement and allows the system to achieve equal or better performance with a fraction of the material. ## Adjustable performance,practical by design The Rippmann Floor System is designed to adapt to a wide range of structural requirements and project specifications. This flexibility depends on more than the geometry itself: each floor must be translated into a buildable, compliant, and installable structural system. Vaulted’s unique capability lies in making this translation practical. Through our proprietary digital platform, complex arched geometry becomes possible to design, produce, transport, and integrate into real construction projects. Our innovation Designed for circularity ## Sustainable structure By using geometry to carry loads more efficiently, the RFS requires significantly less material than conventional concrete floor systems. This can reduce embodied carbon emissions by up to 75%. Additionally, by keeping materials separate and facilitating reuse and recycling, it is an entirely circular solution. When a building reaches the end of its life, RFS elements can be disassembled and reused in new projects rather than being demolished and discarded. A floor installed today can become a new RFS floor in a different building in the future. 1/3 Concrete 1/10 Steel 25% Emissions 100% Circular ## Smarter economics Build faster with less on-site complexity Prefabricated RFS elements shift complex work from the construction site into a controlled factory environment. This simplifies on-site coordination, improves production quality, creates safer sites, and helps contractors and developers reduce execution risk and keep projects on schedule. Create a more distinctive building The RFS turns the floor system into an architectural feature. Its unique geometry helps architects design more expressive spaces, while giving developers a visible point of differentiation. Expand what is structurally possible The lightweight RFS reduces demands on columns, walls, and foundations, giving engineers and architects more flexibility across the structural system. This unlocks broader project options, especially in buildings with structural constraints, renovations, and restorations. Reduce material use and cost exposure The RFS requires substantially less material than conventional slab floors, lowering material costs and reducing exposure to price volatility. Its significantly lower weight can also reduce material needs in columns, walls, and foundations, creating savings across the wider building structure. ## Selected projects [33 Cavendish Square London, United Kingdom](https://vaulted.swiss/projects/33cs) [![CreaTower I - Rendering of an exterior view of the completed building](https://vaulted.swiss/_ipx/w_32&f_webp&q_20/projects/CT1/CT1_interior_offices-and-courtyard.png) CreaTower I Zug, Zug, Switzerland](https://vaulted.swiss/projects/creatower-1) [Interventionszentrum Zoll St. Margrethen, SG, Switzerland](https://vaulted.swiss/projects/ivz) [![Livin interior office perspective](https://vaulted.swiss/_ipx/w_32&f_webp&q_20/projects/Livin/Livin_interior-office_perspective.png) Livin Brussels, Belgium](https://vaulted.swiss/projects/livin) [![HiLo Research Unit at NEST with 50m2](https://vaulted.swiss/_ipx/w_32&f_webp&q_20/projects/HiLo/HiLo_room-a_diagonal.jpg) HiLo Dübendorf, Zurich, Switzerland](https://vaulted.swiss/projects/hilo) [Project 7 Undisclosed](https://vaulted.swiss/projects/tx7) [Stadsatelier De Ville Brussels, Belgium](https://vaulted.swiss/projects/sadv) [Elandskloof Daycare Centre Elandskloof, South Africa](https://vaulted.swiss/projects/elandskloof) Get started! [Work with us We provide support along the entire value chain of a project, with services tailored to the need of every stakeholder.](https://vaulted.swiss/work-with-us) [Download centre Get the full Rippmann Floor System brochure to explore technical specifications, case studies, and more.](https://vaulted.swiss/downloads) [Contact our team Contact our team to discuss your project and discover how the RFS can revolutionise your building design.](https://vaulted.swiss/contact)