InnoRenew is a European project with ten consortium partners. Partners are upgrading their infrastructure and laboratory equipment with European funds from the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme and the European Regional Development Fund as well as co-financing from the Republic of Slovenia’s Ministry of Education, Science and Sport. Their research activities are developing, and their institutes are becoming more internationally competitive.

The Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage of Slovenia (ZVKDS) contributes significantly to cultural heritage research and is, after the Pulp and Paper Institute, the InnoRenew project’s second partner to complete its infrastructure investment. ZVKDS has established a research infrastructure for the characterization and degradation studies of processed ligno-cellulosic materials of cultural heritage. New research equipment enables upgraded heritage research, which significantly contributes to better planning of conservation interventions and, thus, the preservation of heritage. In addition, this equipment is advancing the InnoRenew CoE start-up and core projects and placing ZVKDS at an important position within the emerging European Heritage Science Infrastructure (E-RIHS).

The official opening ceremony of the laboratory for characterization and degradation studies of processed ligno-cellulosic materials took place on 7 November 2019. On this occasion, new laboratory equipment was presented and its use was explained. Representatives from the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport also attended the event.

“In the project, we connected cultural heritage science with wood science, engineering, paper and so on,” said Dr Andreja Kutnar, project leader and InnoRenew CoE director, at the ceremony.

“Today we can show many examples where we successfully connected such diverse areas of research,” she added. “I believe that this laboratory will be the one that will connect us after the end of the project, which is also the goal since we want to continue with collaboration and further develop it.”

Everyone is kindly invited to see the video, made by colleagues at the University of Primorska, and listen to a detailed description of the happenings at the new laboratory’s opening ceremony.