Mass Madera Celebrated an Event in Madrid to Promote Industrialized Solid Timber
On June 25th and 26th, a two-day event took place at La Casa de la Arquitectura in Madrid to promote the use of industrialized solid timber. The event was organized by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Agenda, in collaboration with Mass Madera and Built By Nature, and promoted by the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC), an initiator of the Mass Madera network.
The two-day event began with opening remarks by Iñaqui Carnicero, the General Secretary of Urban Agenda, Housing, and Architecture. In his speech, he emphasized the importance of promoting the use of timber by public administrations and all involved stakeholders to address two significant challenges facing the construction sector: decarbonization and industrialization.
The event continued with a speech by Daniel Ibáñez, Director of the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia, who outlined the current state of industrialized solid wood in building construction in Spain. This was followed by six roundtable debates, where guests addressed various aspects of the following topics:
The competitiveness of the wood sector, forest production, and the state of the industry. During the roundtable, speakers debated the availability of the material in Spain, issues related to sustainable forest management, and certified wood production. Additionally, they addressed the state of the industry and construction costs of wood compared to other materials.
The role of technical regulations and the development of sustainability requirements for products, and their influence on industrialized solid wood construction. Speakers analyzed aspects related to building technical regulations that could pose obstacles to the use of wood. They also examined the role that sustainability requirements such as the Global Warming Potential Index (IPCG) could play in wood demand.
Real estate promotion in relation to industrialized solid wood construction. The speakers debated issues related to planning, urban development, and real estate for projects constructed with industrialized solid wood.
The status of training related to industrialized solid wood construction among professionals. During the roundtable they analyzed the knowledge of industrialized solid wood construction among professionals and the specific training needed.
Design in relation to industrialized solid wood construction. They addressed the conditions, opportunities, and challenges posed by industrialized solid wood construction for architects and engineers.
Public policies promoting industrialized solid wood. Speakers analyzed the potential for promoting industrialized solid wood through public procurement. They examined examples of green public procurement specifications and instances of public projects and institutions that are incentivizing the use of the material.
The two-day event ended with closing remarks from Vicente Guallart (IAAC) and Isabel Marcos (MIVAU) and brought together leading experts, professionals, and authorities in the field, creating an environment conducive to reflection and innovation. This initiative serves as a starting point for fostering open debate on the promotion of industrialized wood use in our sector, offering housing and urban solutions to a growing population.
The event can be watched on MIVAU’s YouTube.
25th oh June: https://www.youtube.com/live/OavPzYp2wZU?feature=shared
26th of June: https://www.youtube.com/live/GZyUDYmlAZQ?feature=shared
About Mass Madera
Mass Madera emerges as a network aimed at expediting the use of industrialized solid wood in Spain. The primary mission of the network is to accelerate the adoption of industrialized solid wood as a solution to mitigate emissions linked to the construction sector. This initiative responds to the imperative of continuing to provide urban and housing solutions for a growing population while addressing the pressing need to reduce emissions within the construction industry. Mass Madera is supported by Built by Nature and is part of its pan-European network to promote the use of wood in construction and the building of more sustainable urban environments. Read more.
