The InnoRenew CoE department at University of Primorska’s UP IAM organized the InnoRenew CoE International Conference 2025 (IRIC2025), which took place 16-17 September 2025, in the InnoRenew CoE building in Izola, Slovenia. This year the conference focused on innovative solutions for a healthier and greener built environment.

International experts gathered in Izola to exchange knowledge and experience on the use of renewable materials in creating healthy and sustainable buildings.

Dr Andreja Kutnar, acting department chair of the InnoRenew CoE, UP IAM, opened the conference and welcomed attendees saying: “I am very happy that we are hosting the IRIC conference in our building for the seventh consecutive year, bringing together excellent international researchers, industry representatives, and other stakeholders.”

The keynote addresses were given by Rebecca Williams and Sumea Klokic.

Rebecca Williams is a public speaking, storytelling, and presentation expert. She presented to participants how to take care that you are remembered in science, and held a workshop highlighting how to tell the story behind your science.

Sumea Klokic is focusing in her research on the structural and chemical characterization of materials, and at IRIC2025 she focuses on synchrotron techniques in renewable science for a a greener future.

In addition to the five thematic sessions about information processing, creativity and society, buildings, health and materials, participants had a chance to take part in three workshops:

• Rebecca Williams workshop “How to Tell the Story Behind Your Science”,
• MEZeroE project workshop “Open Innovation Test Bed for Building Envelope Products: How Can Open Innovation Lead to Better Building Envelopes?”,
• WoodStock project workshop “Living Lab Workshop: Co-development of the European Wood Construction Observatory (EWCO)”.

For the seventh consecutive year, the InnoRenew International Conference CoE 2025 (IRIC2025) provided a forum for the exchange and discussion of new scientific developments and innovations in the field of renewable materials that can be used in the built environment to improve human and environmental well-being.

In the InnoRenew CoE lobby, the exhibition Living with wood is on display and will be available until 29 September.

The IRIC2025 conference is co-organized by the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation as part of Science month 2025.