On Wednesday, 23 October 2019 the third Forum Living with Wood – SloWOODlife was held at Squashland in Ljubljana. The event was organized by Agency Lotos, together with the InnoRenew CoE, Lesarski grozd, Triple Wood, with the financial support of the Republic of Slovenia’s Ministry of Economic Development and Technology – Wood Industry Directorate and SPIRIT Slovenia.

The Forum identifies and promotes wood as a building and design material, and it creates space for dialogue about housing in contemporary timber construction. Throughout expert presentations by architects and entrepreneurs, participants learned about different approaches and practices for sustainable excellence and construction of massive timber buildings.

InnoRenew CoE researchers presented their current research projects associated with this topic: Dr Anna Sandak presented project ClickDesign, Dr Iztok Šušteršič presented project DynaTTB and Kim Turk Mehes presented project WoodCircus.

Dr Anna Sandak, Dr Iztok Šušteršič and Kim Turk Mehes at the SloWOODlife. Image: Lea Primožič

Eva Prelovšek Niemelä, InnoRenew CoE architect, presented construction of the institute’s new buildings and several other ongoing and future research activities connected with the structures. Colleagues from the University of Primorska also joined the event and presented virtual reality technology, which was available for participants to “walk” through the new InnoRenew CoE buildings.

VR technology. Image: Lea Primožič

Among architects present at the event was Aarne Niemelä, from the InnoRenew CoE, who presented wooden construction in Finland and explained legislative differences between Slovenia and Finland.

Eva Prelovšek Niemelä and Aarne Niemelä. Image: Lea Primožič

Dr Šušteršič took part in the Forum’s roundtable discussion about wooden construction and climate change. Anton Danilo Ranc, Wood Industry Directorate Director-General, and Janez Koželj, Municipality of Ljubljana Deputy Mayor, agreed that more collaboration and promotion of wooden buildings is needed in Slovenia.

Roundtable discussion. Image: Lea Primožič

The Forum was further enhanced by a multimedia presentation of the achievements of Slovenian prefabricated wooden building manufacturers. In addition, Dr Bruno Dujič, director of CBD d.o.o., guided a tour of Squashland and Varčna hiša magazine, where InnoRenew CoE researchers have contributed articles, was given to participants.

Image: Lea Primožič