5:57 p.m.
Colleagues,
Please find below the announcement of the upcoming NEW High Level Conference dedicated to
the New European Bauhaus on 8 April, 2021. Please feel free to register and share widely
with those who might be interested in promoting the Wood in Construction!
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PRESS RELEASE
The New European Bauhaus: wood sector sets out its stall
wood4bauhaus Virtual Conference Thursday 8 April 2021
Keynote address to be given by top adviser to EU Commission President
"A mastermind of the Bauhaus"
In her call for a New European
Bauhaus<https://europa.eu/new-european-bauhaus/index_en> movement, EC President
Ursula von der Leyen has proposed that wood can play a key role in transforming the built
environment into a carbon sink[1]. Central to her thinking is Professor Hans-Joachim
Schellnhuber of the Potsdam-Institute for Climate Impact Research in Germany, who has
recently been named as an ambassador for the New European Bauhaus High-level
Roundtable<https://europa.eu/new-european-bauhaus/about/high-level-roundtable_en>
and who will deliver the keynote address of the first conference of the Wood4Bauhaus
Alliance.
Welcoming the President's inspirational new initiative, the European wood-based sector
launched the Wood Sector Alliance for the New European Bauhaus (Wood4Bauhaus.eu) to
establish an open platform of stakeholders. This newly established sectoral alliance is
initiated by several umbrella organisations: the InnovaWood EU network for wood research,
innovation and education, the European Wood-Based Panel Federation (EPF), the European
Confederation of Woodworking Industries (CEI-Bois), the European Federation of Building
and Woodworkers (EFBWW) and the European Organisation of the Sawmill Industry (EOS). It
has also the support of the Horizon 2020 project consortia BASAJAUN and WoodCircus.
wood4bauhaus.eu<http://www.wood4bauhaus.eu> intends to become an active Partner of
the New European Bauhaus and, as a first initiative, will hold on 8 April 2021 a Virtual
Conference on how the wood sector can contribute to the new Bauhaus.
Wood is an extremely versatile natural material and a circular material par excellence.
Long-life products using wood can store carbon for decades or even centuries in buildings
and living spaces. The conference aims to raise awareness of the transformative power of
the Circular Economy, put a spotlight on the versatility of innovative wood-based products
and building systems, and propose dedicated co-creation partnerships with the wood sector
for the New European Bauhaus.
As highlighted by Mr Clive Pinnington, EPF Managing Director: "Wood and wood-based
panel products are natural, sustainable and climate positive. They offer multiple benefits
including energy efficient construction and innovative furniture materials and are
therefore a perfect fit for the objectives of the New European Bauhaus".
In the words of Mr Paul Brannen, Head of Public Affairs for CEI-Bois & EOS and a
former MEP: "We are delighted that Professor Schellnhuber, one of the brains behind
the new Bauhaus, has agreed to address our conference which will highlight the key role
wood can play in tackling climate change, providing affordable housing and bringing beauty
into our built environment".
Dr Uwe Kies, Secretary-General of InnovaWood, underlines: "The New European Bauhaus
is a great opportunity for companies, researchers and students in the wood sector to
become part of this transformative movement. Joining our forces and knowledge we can
co-create climate-friendly solutions and literally build a more sustainable future for our
cities and rural areas. We welcome all who wish to take this first step with us".
Mr Tom Deleu, General Secretary of the European Federation of Building and Woodworkers
(EFBWW) pointed out: "The alliance will demonstrate that more building and renovation
with wood will contribute to the EU's ambition to turn the building sector into a
carbon sink. It will also be demonstrated with plenty of examples that climate friendly
and energy-efficient buildings can be attractive and comfortable and, the sector can also
be a driver for quality jobs in rural areas."
Speakers include architects, designers, industry representatives, researchers and
policymakers. For more information, the complete programme of the conference and
registration please visit the conference website:
wood4bauhaus.eu<http://www.Wood4Bauhaus.eu>
Brussels, 11 March 2021
(c) 2021 Wood Sector Alliance for the New European Bauhaus
Contact: info@wood4bauhaus.eu<mailto:info@wood4bauhaus.eu> | Web:
wood4bauhaus.eu<http://www.Wood4Bauhaus.eu>
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[1] State of the Union Address 2020,
16/09/2020<https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info/files/soteu_2020_en.pdf>
