Construction of the InnoRenew CoE building started with the introductory meeting of contractors at the end of last week in Izola, Slovenia. The company VG5 d.o.o., together with partner Marles Hiše Maribor, d.o.o., were chosen from the public tender, which was concluded at the end of 2019.

Construction of the 8,200-square meter building in Izola’s Livade district, worth approximately 11 million euros, will commence in the coming days. Construction is expected to be completed in September 2021.

New InnoRenew CoE buildings. Image: InnoRenew CoE

InnoRenew CoE was established as the main goal and result of the InnoRenew project, which was achieved in 2016 in the framework of Horizon 2020, the EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation. The research institute’s building will consist of a hybrid combination of timber, concrete and steel. Construction of the upper part of the complex will be completely wooden, making the institute the largest wooden building in Slovenia. The InnoRenew CoE building is a research project itself, as during and after construction there will be intensive monitoring to provide insight into the aging of timber used for construction and to facilitate the planning of wooden construction in the future.

View of the institute from the west side. Image: InnoRenew CoE

The InnoRenew project is financed by the European Commission (Grant Agreement #739574) under the Horizon 2020 Widespread-Teaming program and the Republic of Slovenia (investment funding from the Republic of Slovenia and European Union’s European Regional Development Fund).