Yesterday, 3 September 2020, InnoRenew CoE, in collaboration with the University of Primorska, hosted its international conference. The InnoRenew CoE International Conference 2020 (IRIC2020) took place both live in Belvedere (Izola, Slovenia) and online. Several experts came together to discuss renewable materials and sustainable buildings.

IRIC2020, “Integrating sustainability and health in buildings through renewable materials, was a great opportunity for discussion and exploration of renewable materials and their use in creating healthy, sustainable buildings.

“Although the pandemic has dramatically changed our day-to-day lives, it has not changed society’s need to address the rapidly changing climate, reconsider our economic priorities and refocus our attention on important social issues,” said Dr Michael Burnard, InnoRenew CoE deputy director, as he welcomed all participants.

“During IRIC2020, we want to showcase how renewable materials play an integral role in sustainable construction by highlighting environmental performance, safety and health as well as the economic, digital and social links that bind us to the materials in the built environment,” he added.

Dr Michael Burnard and keynote speaker Carlo Battisti. Image: Amy Simmons

The IRIC2020 keynote speaker was Carlo Battisti, President of Living Future Europe. In his speech, Battisti connected the concept of health, transparent living and the quiet revolution of materials.

“We can notice an increasing demand for transparency, and we all want to know more about materials,” Battisti noted. “Complete transparency is coming from building manufacturers to the market. Users and customers want to have more information, including if products contain ingredients that are harmful (or not), which is a crucial request.”

IRIC2020 hosted 32 speakers across three thematic sessions and a poster presentation; some speakers joined the conference in-person while others participated online. Many of the speakers were InnoRenew CoE employees.

“I am very happy to be part of this conference and to notice that there is an increasing emphasis on human health and an introduction of nature in inside/outside building environments,” said Dean Lipovac, InnoRenew CoE assistant researcher.

InnoRenew CoE will host its next international conference, IRIC 2021, 10-11 June 2021, which will address the topic of healthy and sustainable renovation with renewable materials.

IRIC2020 was supported by the company VG5 d.o.o.

International conference InnoRenew CoE 2020. Image: Amy Simmons