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Ledro Steel Foundation: certified dry foundations for sustainable construction
10 February 2026
Certified dry foundations: from research to ETA, Ledro Steel Foundation's compliance journey
Radical ideas entering the market often need a known reference, a conceptual bridge for industry players to orient themselves in the face of change. Proposing to move away from traditional reinforced concrete foundations in favor of metal gabions filled with aggregates represents a real paradigm shift, albeit with obvious advantages (no massive castings, speed and consistency with circular economy principles).
Ancient roots for modern engineering
Although this may seem like an unsettling proposal, the reality is that this solution is rooted in a centuries-old tradition. If we look at the Norwegian Stavkirke, the famous wooden churches built from the 13th century onward, we find that they were already using stone foundations that have proven to be extraordinarily effective for hundreds of years. La Ledro Steel Foundation (LSF) presents itself as themodern engineering of that historically validated solution, capable of combining time-tested effectiveness with rigorous contemporary structural and regulatory requirements.
Innovation management: creating value from research
In innovation, invention or discovery alone is not enough. To generate value, it is necessary to design and manage structured projects that generate tangible benefits. For this very reason, the research process was immediately channeled toward understanding the behavior of LSFs and at the same time obtaining an ETA that could certify their performance for their use as a structural product in buildings. The LSF project was guided from the outset by the goal of transforming 42 months of applied research and an investment of 500,000 euros in solutions that can be used by professionals to design, lay and test innovative dry foundations, LSFs, in buildings.
Managing innovation meant ensuring that LSF could be sized and used in permanent construction works, turning an intuition into a set of safe and reliable technical and regulatory evidence..
The path to compliance: EAD and ETA
To provide the market with a solid regulatory reference for the design and use of LSF as a structural product in construction works, a certification recognized by the Technical Standards for Construction. For this reason, the path aimed at theobtaining the CE marking through ETA, so as to ensure full compliance and access to the entire European Union market.
The process included:
- The definition of a new EAD: Based on technical documents such as EAD 200020-00-0102 (related to electro-welded gabions), and through rigorous research work, the EAD for essential product characteristics "welded gabion kits for use in building foundations.". The result is the new EAD 200171-00-0103, mentioned in the European Official Journal in late 2025.
- Obtaining the ETA: Through a robust campaign of experimental testing, the issuance of ETA for LSFs was achieved.
Thanks to this structured pathway, the Ledro Steel Foundation has become ihe first ever dry foundation system to obtain the ETA marking, thus offering engineers the regulatory basis and, thanks to the robust research carried out, the technical certainty needed to adopt a sustainable and efficient solution that complies with the Technical Standards for Construction.
EAD and ETA are the tools to CE mark innovative construction products that are not covered by an existing harmonized standard.
- EAD (European Assessment Document): It is the harmonized technical specification according to EU Regulation 305/2011 adopted by the Organization of Technical Assessment Bodies (EOTA). It serves as a technical basis when a product is not covered, or not fully covered, by a harmonized standard. It defines the essential characteristics of the product and the methods and criteria necessary to assess its performance.
- ETA (European Technical Assessment): It is the documented performance evaluation of a specific product, written in relation to its essential characteristics. It is issued by a TAB at the request of a manufacturer following the rules laid down in the respective EAD. Thanks to the ETA, the manufacturer can subsequently arrive at the CE marking.
Stefano Menapace
A civil engineer and PMP© certified project manager , he has many years of experience in the field of sustainable construction. Specializing in innovative wood building technologies, he is the creator of ARCA certification - the first certification dedicated to wood construction - and has worked with leading companies to promote ecological and advanced solutions. For more than 20 years he has worked as a freelance consultant and trainer for public and private entities, contributing to the dissemination of innovative and sustainable building practices.
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