6th Forum Wood Building Baltic 2025
April 24-25 2025 | Riga, Zunda krastmala 8
Register here: ej.uz/form_FWBB
FORUM HOLZBAU
The future with wood
We are happy to announce that the 6th Forum Wood Building Baltic is a FORUM HOLZBAU scientific conference with an accompanying exhibition of selected companies related to timber construction, for the 6th time in the Baltic Sea region will held on April 24 – 25, 2025 in the premises of the Riga Technical University in Riga at Zunda krastmala 8.
The aim of the forum is to build a bridge from the academic world to practice and present the latest international developments in timber architecture, engineering and technology to an audience of construction professionals incl. architects, engineers, contractors, housing organizations, planners, manufacturers and urban designers. Local and foreign experts will speak at the conference to form an international network of experts. It is planned that 300-400 participants will take part in person will take part in the conference.
FORUM HOLZBAU is an association promoting the use of wood in the construction industry with a particularly focus on know-how transfer. FORUM HOLZBAU is run by the University of Rosenheim (GER), the Bern University of Applied Sciences (CH), the Aalto University of Technology Helsinki (FIN), the Technical University of Munich (GER), the Vienna University of Technology (AUT) and the BCIT, British Columbia (CAN). In Latvia FORUM HOLZBAU has a close cooperation with the Riga Technical University.
This time the conference will the focusing on the topic latest trends in European and Baltic wooden construction and exhibition of innovative wooden construction products under the motto climate neutrality in Europe and Sustainable construction news in Baltic region.
The Forum Wood Building Baltic 2025 is organized by Institute of Architects, Institute of Civil Engineering and Science and Innovation Centre of the Riga Technical University together with FORUM HOLZBAU in liaison with the Latvian Wood Construction Cluster and the Forest and Wood Products Research and Development Institute
Timber construction is gaining popularity for a wide range of building types and sizes. As a natural cellular material, it is strong and light, making it easy to transport and erect. It can also be machined to very high tolerances, making it ideal for prefabrication. Recent advances in computer-controlled manufacturing and stronger and larger engineered wood products mean that timber construction can now achieve shorter programme times often at lower overall cost, while providing safer, cleaner and quieter environment on site. It is also our only renewable construction material and it locks away carbon dioxide for the life of the building. The Forum – lectures sand online networking where different organizations show their latest products and services – will be an opportunity for practitioners and scientists to meet and exchange experience and to learn from the best within the field.
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Photo by Ansis Starks
Programme 2025, Riga, Zunda krastmala 8
Day 1 | April 24
Latest trends in European and Baltic wooden construction
| 8:00 – 9:00 Registration, tea and coffee | Opening of the exhibition of innovative wooden construction products, ATRIUM |
| 8:45 – 9:00 Opening the FWBB’25
Moderated by Līga Gaile, the Dean of the Faculty of Civil and Mechanical Engineering, Riga Technical University |
Representative of Holzbau Forum, Hugo Karre
Rector of Riga Technical University Tālis Juhna Minister of Economics of Latvia Viktors Valainis |
| 9:00 – 11:00 Session, Moderation: RTU
9:00 – 9:15 Industry policy in Latvia. Gusts Sproģis, Ministry of Economics of the Republic of Latvia 9:15 – 9:30 Industry policy in Lithuania. Arturas Sakalauskas, Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania 9:30 – 9:45 Estonian policy calls for innovation but Estonian industry calls for education. Annika Kadaja, Estonian Woodhouse Association, Estonia 9:45 – 10:30 Contemporary architecture: think in wood. Keynote speaker architect Hermann Kaufmann, HK Architekten, Austria 10:30 – 11:00 Moderated discussion |
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| 11:00 – 11:30 Networking and Tea & Coffee at the exhibition, ATRIUM | Exhibition, ATRIUM |
| 11:30 – 13:00 Wooden architecture projects in Baltics, hall A Moderation: Sandra Treija, Institute of Architecture and Design, Riga Technical University 11:30 – 12:00 Kindergarden in Salaspils. Architect Miķelis Putrāms, MADE Arhitekti, Latvia 12:00 – 12:30 Designing for Circularity: The 3cycle Modular Timber System in Estonian Public Architecture. Marija Katrīna Dambe, NOMAD architects, Latvia 12:30 – 13:00 Sustainability for timber construction projects using the example of the students residential quarter “Campus RO”. Lore Köster, Rosenheim, Austria |
11:30 – 13:00 Policy for Sustainable Construction , hall B Moderation: Pēteris Druķis, Institute of Civil Engineering, Riga Technical University 11:30 – 12:00 Development of the National Emissions Database, CO2data. Sara-Tuuli Siiskonen, Finnish Environment Institute, SYKE, Finland 12:00 – 12:30 The European Wood Policy Platform (woodPoP). Petri Heino, WoodPoP, Ministry of Environment of Finland, Finland 12:30 – 13:00 The Future of Timber Construction Facing the Challenges of Industry 4.0. President of the Technical University of Applied Sciences of Rosenheim and President of FORUM HOLZBAU Dr. h.c. Heinrich Köster, Austria |
| 13:00 – 14:00 Networking & Lunch | Exhibition, ATRIUM |
| 14:00 – 15:30 Contemporary wooden architecture , hall A Moderation: architect Rūdis Rubenis 14:00 – 14:30 Digital Timber Practice. Tom Svilans, Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, Schools of Architecture, Design and Conservation, Denmark 14:30 – 15:00 Free Form Timber Constructions (Almost) Limitless. Martin Looser-Frey, Blumer-Lehmann AG, Switzerland 15:00 – 15:30 Architecture with Organically Shaped Wood – Pikku Finlandia and Other Designs. Jaakko Torvinen, Architecture office Jaakko Torvinen, Finland |
14:00 – 15:30 The use of wooden structures. Large-scale, hall B Moderation: Mārtiņš Vilnītis, Institute of Civil Engineering, Riga Technical University 14:00 – 14:30 Is „pre-fabricated” the solution? Imants Trezuns, Nordic Homes, Latvia 14:30 – 15:00 Think inside the box. Renee Puusepp, Estonian Art Academy, Estonia 15:00 – 15:30 Wood Constructions for Industrial Buildings, Also for Buildings with Special Applications – Cooling. Jānis Sauka, Mark Arhitekti & Edvins Grants, Research and Development Institute for Forest and Wood Products, Latvia |
| 15:30 – 16:00 Networking and Tea & Coffee, ATRIUM | Poster discussion |
| 16:00 – 17:30 Wooden Architecture Heritage and Energy-Efficient Retrofitting with Wood-Based Solutions, hall A Moderation: Latvian Wood Cluster, Kristaps Ceplis 16:00 – 16:30 Reusing Architecture – the Future of Wooden Heritage in Vilnius. 16:30 – 17:00 Second Life of Wooden Structures. 17:00 – 17:30 From Prefab to Prefab: Why Renovating Mass Housing Demands Industrial Thinking. Lauri Tuulberg, Welement, Estonia |
16:00 – 17:30 Educating for Wood: Practices in Architecture, Structural Design and Construction Training , hall B Moderation: New Construction School, Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences, Gunita Ķiesnere 16:00 – 16:30 Architectural Design for a Climate-Resilient Future. Prof. Juliette Bekkering, Technical University Eindhoven / Juliette Bekkering Architects, The Netherlands 16:30 – 17:00 Wood Program – Dive into Experimentation. Laura Zubillaga, Aalto University, Finland 17:00 – 17:30 Mastercourse Überholz for the last 12 years. Prof. Helmut Dietrich, University of art Linz and Dietrich/ Untertrifaller Architects in Vorarlberg, Austria |
| 19:00 – 22:00 Networking, discussions, and Conference dinner | Riga Islande Hotel | |
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Photo by Ansis Starks
Day 2 | April 25
Continuation of the forum – scientific achievements
| 8:00 – 9:00 Registration, networking, Tea & Coffee | The exhibition of innovative wooden construction products, ATRIUM |
| 9:00 – 9:45 The Future of the Past – the Importance of De-carbonization, Circularity and Sustainability in our Work. Principal architect and owner Michiel Riedijk, Neutelings Riedijk Architecten, The Netherlands | |
| 9:45 – 10:30 Worlds First Demountable and Reusable Office Building in Modern Timber Constructions. Jørgen Tycho, Oslotre, Norway | |
| 10:30 – 11:00 Networking and Tea & Coffee at the exhibition | |
| 11:00 – 12:30 Fire safety and service life of timber structures, hall A Moderation: Forest and Wood Products Research and Development Edvīns Grants 11:00 – 11:30 Insight in the Experience of Using Wooden Structures in Industrial Buildings. 11:30 – 12:00 Fire performance of Wooden Facades. 12:00 – 12:30 Structural Fire Engineering of Timber Structures in Natural Fires. Mikko Salminen, Jensen Hughes, Finland |
11:00 – 12:30 Researchers on wooden construction, hall B Moderation: Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry Inese Fiļipova
11:30 – 12:00 NTR: Predictable Durability for Sustainable Wood Construction. Fredrik Westin, Nordic Wood Preservation Council, Sweden 12:00 – 12:30 The Effectiveness Increase of Timber-Concrete Composite Slab. |
| 12:30 – 13:00 Networking and Tea & Coffee at the exhibition, ATRIUM | |
| Closing session of the forum. Moderation: Institute of Architecture and Design, Riga Technical University Matijs Babris
13:00 – 13:45 Wooden Public and Residential Buildings in Tallinn. Katre Jõgeva, Tallinn City Property Department, Engineering and Development Department, Estonia |
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| 13:45 – 14:30 Sense and sensibility. Sven Matt, Innauer-Matt Architekten, Austria | |
| 14:30 – 16:00 Lunch Grab and go, networking in the exhibition, ATRIUM | |
Professional development points for certified specialists of Latvia:
- The Construction Certification Body of the Latvian Association of Civil Engineers confirms that the conference participant receives 20 professional development qualification points as a certified construction specialist.
- The Certification Centre of the Latvian Union of Architects, having assessed the content of the conference, recognises the conference as an educational event granting certified architects professional development points (number TBS).
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Speakers 2025
Hermann Kaufmann
Keynote speaker, architect
24th April – Contemporary architecture: think in wood. HK Architekten, Austria
For more information click here
Prof. Dr. h.c. Heinrich Köster
President of Technical University of Applied Sciences of Rosenheim and President of FORUM HOLZBAU
24th April – The future of timber construction facing the challenges of Industry 4.0. Germany
Marija Katrīna Dambe
Architect and owner of NOMAD architects, as lecturer at Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences.
24th April – Example of Estonian public buildings. NOMAD architects, Latvia
For more information click here
Renee Puusepp
Architect and a construction technology entrepreneur; a practitioner and researcher
24th April – Think inside the box. Estonian Art Academy, Estonia
For more information click here
Tom Svilans
Project Associate at Omtre AS and Researcher at the Royal Danish Academy
24th April – Digital Timber Practice. The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, Schools of Architecture, Design and Conservation, Denmark
For more information click here
Jaakko Torvinen
Architect, SAFA PhD Researcher University Teacher
24th April – Architecture with organically shaped wood – Pikku Finlandia and other designs. Architecture office Jaakko Torvinen, Aalto University, Finland
For more information click here
Laura Zubillaga
Lecturer in Wood Architecture at Aalto University
24th April – Wood Program – 30 years of visions and innovations in Wood Architecture. Aalto University, Finland
For more information click here
Gusts Sproģis
Deputy Director at Ministry of Economics Construction policy department
24th April – Industry policy in Latvia. Ministry of Economics of the Republic of Latvia, Latvia
Lore Köster
24th April – Sustainability for timber construction projects using the example of the students residential quarter “Campus RO”. Austria
For more information click here
Sara-Tuuli Siiskonen
Researcher at the Finnish Environment Institute in the Unit of Built Environment Solutions
24th April – Development of the national emissions database, CO2data, to enable consistent LCA for buildings. Finnish Environment Institute, SYKE, Finland
For more information click here
Indrė Užuotaitė
Head of the Museum of Urban Wooden Architecture in Vilnius
24th April – Reusing architecture – the future of wooden heritage in Vilnius. Museum of Urban Wooden Architecture in Vilnius, Lithuania
For more information click here
Artūrs Lapiņš
Architect of restoration, President of the Union of Latvian Architects
24th April – Second life of wooden structures. Union of Latvian Architects, Latvia
For more information click here
Annika Kadaja
CEO of Woodhouse Estonia
24th April – Estonian policy calls for innovation but Estonian industry calls for education. Woodhouse Estonia, Estonia
For more information click here
Lauri Tuulberg
CEO of Welement
24th April – From Prefab to Prefab: Why Renovating Mass Housing Demands Industrial Thinking. Welement, Estonia
For more information click here
Miķelis Putrāms
Architect, co-founder of MADE arhitekti
24th April – Salaspils kindergarden. MADE arhitekti, Latvia
For more information click here
Petri Heino
External consultant in the European Wood Policy Platform for the Ministry of the Environment of Finland
24th April – WoodPoP: an European initiative to advance the sustainable use of wood. WoodPoP, Ministry of Environment of Finland, Finland
For more information click here
Prof. Ir. Juliette Bekkering
Full Professor of Architectural Design and Engineering at Eindhoven University of Technology and Principal Architect at Juliette Bekkering Architects, collaborates with Neutelings Riedijk Architects
24th April – Research and Educating Architects for a Climate-Resilient Future. Technical University Eindhoven / Juliette Bekkering Architects, The Netherlands
For more information click here
Jānis Sauka
Architect and one of the founders and partners of “MARK arhitekti”
24th April – Wood constructions for industrial buildings, also for buildings with special applications – cooling. Mark Arhitekti, Latvia
For more information click here
Imants Trezuns
Structural engineer
24th April – Is „pre-fabricated” the solution? Nordic Homes, Latvia
Prof. Helmut Dietrich
24th April – Mastercourse Überholz for the last 12 years. University of Art and Design Linz and Dietrich | Untertrifaller Architekten, Austria
For more information click here
Martin Looser-Frey
Board member at Blumer Lehmann Group, Division manager free form timber construction
24th April – Free Form Timber constructions (almost) limitless. Blumer-Lehmann AG, Gossau, Switzerland
For more information click here
Jørgen Tycho
Architect, founder and creative director of architecture studio Oslotre
25th April – Worlds first demountable and reusable office building in modern timber constructions. Oslotre, Norway
For more information click here
Mikko Salminen
Structural Fire Engineering Lead for Europe at Jensen Hughes
25th April – Structural Fire Engineering of Timber Structures in Natural Fires. Jensen Hughes, Finland
For more information click here
Jānis Milzarājs
CEO and Co-founder of CASTOR CONSTRUCTION
25th April – The insight in the experience of using wooden structures in industrial buildings. Castor Construction, Latvia
For more information click here
Kārlis Livkišs
Project manager and research consultant at the Danish Institute of Fire and Security Technology
25th April – Fire performance of wooden facades. Danish Institute of Fire and Security Technology, Denmark/Latvia
For more information click here
Fredrik Westin
Managing Director of the Swedish Wood Preserving Association and General Secretary of the Nordic Wood Preservation Council
25th April – NTR wood durability quality system delivers predictability of biological durability and extended service life. Nordic Wood Preservation Council, Sweden
For more information click here
Prof. Targo Kalamees
Professor of Building Physics at Tallinn University of Technology
25th April – The service life of Estonian modern wooden buildings. TalTech, Estonia
For more information click here
Michiel Riedijk
Principal architect and founding partner of Neutelings Riedijk Architects
25th April – Gare Maritime. Neutelings Riedijk Architecten, The Netherlands
For more information, click here
Sven Matt
Architect and court-sworn civil engineer
25th April – Sense and sensibility. Innauer-Matt Architekten, Bezau, Austria
For more information click here
Elza Briuka
Research assistant at RTU and engineer at CLT Profi
25th April – The Effectiveness Increase of Timber-Concrete Composite Slab and Reduction of Brittle Failure. Riga Technical University and SIA “CLTProfi”, Latvia
For more information click here
Katre Jõgeva
Architect
25th April – Wooden Public and Residential Buildings in Tallinn – Experiences, Motivations, and Lessons Learned. Tallinn City Property Department, Engineering and Development Department, Estonia
For more information click here
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