Of all renewable resources the team of InnoRenew CoE selected wood as the main topic and material of research. Why wood?

For a number of reasons. In Slovenia, wood is the most wide-spread renewable source material, and does not require a great amount of energy for growing, processing, reuse and recycling. It is the most reasonable and simultaneously the cheapest choice which reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

Elements of nature are being reintroduced into the planning of living environments, thus opening up new paradigms, including restorative environmental and ergonomic design (REED), which – in addition to wood modification – is one of the key research areas of InnoRenew CoE. The REED system focuses on the use of natural resources and ergonomically designed, affordable, adaptable and sustainable construction, which has a positive effect on human wellbeing and health, and at the same time encourages us to assume greater responsibility for the natural environment and to reduce negative impacts.

In the second research area of InnoRenew CoE, i.e. wood modification, research and innovation can considerably improve the competitiveness of the entire wood processing industry. How to achieve this goal? By modification, that is, altering the intrinsic properties of wood resulting in products ideally suited to predetermined uses. Modification thus considerably widens the range of application of this precious material, as it allows the manufacture of products with high added value and the use of certain tree varieties not normally selected for traditional wood processing.

You can read more on the InnoRenew CoE research institute, its beginnings and work in an interview with its Director, Dr Andreja Kutnar, titled Wood is a fantastic material, and wood modification widens its spectrum of use published in the EOL magazine.