The Woodrise 2022 congress was held in Bernardin on 6-7 September 2022 under the honorary patronage of the President of the Republic of Slovenia Borut Pahor. More than 200 international participants attended the congress to listen to lectures about the best examples of sustainable construction from around the world.

Opening of the inspirational keynotes at Woodrise 2022. Image: UP

Among the keynote speakers was Hans Joachim Schellnhuber, the mastermind behind the development of the New European Bauhaus, whose inspirational speech highlighted the urgency of action to mitigate climate change: “If we keep global warming below two degrees, which is very difficult to achieve, we can prevent many natural disasters. We can achieve this by fundamentally transforming the built environment and by using more wood, which is storing the carbon dioxide. We already have the first opportunity now, when it will be necessary to renovate Ukraine’s cities, ruined because of the war.”

Hans Joachim Schellnhuber. Image: UP

All keynote speakers were also part of the roundtable discussion. They shared their thoughts and views on multi-storey timber construction, and current architectural and engineering developments. In particular, they focused on the renovation, rehabilitation and reconstruction of existing buildings using timber construction technologies.

Woodrise 2022 roundtable discussion. Image: UP

The congress included thematic workshops where a number of research projects on timber construction and the latest developments in the performance of tall timber construction were presented. Additionally, research projects were presented in a poster exhibition. Further, the travelling exhibition “Women Ambassadors Creating the Future of Wood Science” was also part of the congress. Among the ambassadors is Dr Andreja Kutnar, InnoRenew CoE director and University of Primorska’s professor.

InnoRenew CoE reserach posters. Image: UP

From 8–9 September 2022, attendees joined the technical and business tours of the construction and wood processing industry in Slovenia and the surrounding region.

Woodrise 2022 is grateful to its sponsors – Securo AS, SHERPA Connection Systems, Schmid Schrauben Hainfeld, Langzauner, Sema Software, Rothoblaas, Beck Group, Hasslacher Norica Timber, iQwood, CBD, Jelovica hiše, M Sora and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia.

Image: UP