The Wood Policy and Innovation Conference “Europe’s Wood Sector as a Driver for the Green and Digital Transition of the Built Environment”, was held 7 November 2024 in Brussels.

Dr. Andreja Kutnar, InnoRenew CoE director, together with Uwe Kies, Secretary General of InnovaWood was the conference moderator. Additionally, she presented the Green Public Procurement and skills development in the case of Slovenia and the NEB Academy: A European Alliance for Innovative Training Hub.

Dr. Michael Burnard, InnoRenew CoE Deputy director, moderated the session “The NEB Academy: A European Alliance for Innovative Training Hub”.

The conference highlighted how the wood sector is shaping Europe’s sustainable future, from innovative wood construction to strategies for reducing carbon emissions. It presented the vital role of the wood sector as a key driver of future competitiveness in housing and the climate debate, encouraging greater recognition and support from the new EU Commission and EU Parliament. It showcased the latest state-of-the-art in building design with wood and how the public sector can support more biobased construction to combat climate change.

The conference was co-hosted by Wood4Bauhaus Alliance, Bioregions, European wood policy platform (woodPoP), and Holzcluster Steiermark.