Trees, timber & the transition to zero carbon
The Climate crisis is intensifying. Our natural and built environments need to adapt to change rapidly. More and more societies see forests and timber as a bigger part of the solution. At the same time forests are becoming more under pressure from global warming. WoodBUILD offers an opportunity to meet with experts from across the forest industries and timber construction sectors to learn, collaborate and be inspired.
Join us in Lampeter on 12th and 13th July 2023!
Since the first WoodBUILD event in 2016, this conference and expo has become the premium timber industry and low carbon housing event in Wales. We are pleased to announce that WoodBUILD is finally back in-person, bigger and better than ever. We have organised two-days packed with enticing speakers, exhibitors and a series of presentations, panel discussions, interactive plenary sessions, hands-on workshops and demonstrations.
DAY 1: Trees, timber and the transition to zero carbon – getting hands-on
Designed to be very practical and hands on, delegates are given the opportunity to exchange knowledge and collaborate across sector boundaries. As well as a timber industry exhibition there will be workshops, demonstrations, and curated forest walks to help delegates better understand the current and future role of the Welsh forest. Workshop sessions will be hosted by industry experts and practitioners including Katherine Adams and Simon Corbey (Alliance of Sustainable Building Products), Alun Watkins (Passivhaus Trust), Christiane Lellig (Woodknowledge Wales), Tabitha Binding (NMITE/TDUK), Andrew Carpenter (Structural Timber Association), Julie Godefroy (Julie Godefroy Sustainability) and Steve Cranston (Welsh Government).
DAY 2: Trees, timber and the transition to zero carbon – policy aspirations & implementation
Focusing on policy and current implementation programmes, this day is looking at the bigger picture. Julie James, MS, Minister for Climate Change will speak on Welsh Government’s aspirations for Welsh forests and decarbonising our built environment in Wales. Presentations and panels discussions on policy aspirations in the context of societal objectives and global-local challenges are alternative with interactive sessions on programmes, such as the Welsh Zero Carbon Hub, Home-Grown Homes Project, Delivering Net Zero Project, and the first Welsh Timber Industrial Strategy are alternated with interactive plenary sessions making use of the collective intelligence in the room to develop our thinking on these topics further.
The aim of WoodBUILD is to inspire, create new business opportunities, offer a collaborative platform for all participants and to share information on current and future Welsh Government policies.
Book your tickets now
Conference Programme
DAY 1: Trees, timber and the transition to zero carbon – getting hands-on
09.00 Registration opens
09.00 Exhibition and networking – refreshments
10.00 Accelerating change – the role of industry
10.00 Conference welcome – Woodknowledge Wales and UWTSD
10.10 Accelerating change. The role of industry collaboration and knowledge exchange – Gary Newman, Woodknowledge Wales
10.30 Elevator pitches – exhibitors
11.00 Exhibition and networking – refreshments
11.30 Getting hands-on: choice of workshops
Wood and the circular economy
- Chair: Katherine Adams, Alliance for Sustainable Building Products
- Speakers: Eilidh Forster, Bangor University, and Craig Bartlett, MDF Recovery
- Location: on campus
Resilience challenges of building with timber (fire & water)
- Chair: Simon Corbey, Alliance of Sustainable Building Products
- Speakers: Jim Glockling, Glockling Consulting and Ed Suttie, BRE
- Location: on campus
Retrofitting for performance
- Chair: Julie Godefroy, Julie Godefroy Sustainability
- Speakers: to be announced
- Location: on site
Understanding the properties of fast grown plantation timber
- Speaker: Dainis Dauksta, Woodknowledge Wales
- Location: courtyard
13.00 Networking lunch in the exhibition
14.00 Getting hands-on: choice of workshops
Future resilient forests
- Chair: Christiane Lellig, Woodknowledge Wales
- Speakers: Chris Jones and Dainis Dauksta, NRW Forestry Technical Advisory Group
- Location: Longwood Forest
Housing manufacturing: Systems fit for zero carbon buildings
- Chair: Andrew Carpenter, Structural Timber Association
- Speakers: Darren Jarman, Lowfield Timber Frame, Charlotte Hale, SO Modular, further speaker tba
- Location: on campus
Timber construction for public buildings: Velindre Hospital
- Chair: Tabitha Binding, TDUK
- Speaker: Anna Lisa McSweeney, White Arkitekter
- Location: on campus
New build – Passivhaus, IAQ & mould risk reduction
- Chair: Alun Watkins, Passivhaus Trust
- Speakers: to be announced
- Location: on campus
15.30 Exhibition and networking – refreshments
16.00 New spaces for innovation and learning
16.00 The New Lampeter Timber Development Centre. A collaborative space for innovation and experimentation – James Moxey, Woodknowledge Wales and Gareth Evans, CWIC/UWTSD
16.15 Bringing the Timber Development Centre alive through your projects and ideas. Interactive session based on audience input – Elfed Roberts, Pobl Group
16.55 Closing remarks Day 1
17.00 Forestry Walks – sign-up on arrival
- Lampeter and its urban trees – 15 places
- Longwood forest – 15 places
19.30 Conference barbecue in the courtyard
DAY 2: Trees, timber and the transition to zero carbon – policy aspirations & implementation
08.00 Forestry Walk – sign-up on arrival
Longwood forest – 15 places
09. 00 Registration opens
09.00 Exhibition and networking – refreshments
10.00 Welsh policy aspirations in the context of global-local challenges
10.00 Welcome to Day 2 and recap Day 1 – Gary Newman, Woodknowledge Wales
10.05 Ministerial Address: Achieving Wales’ net zero carbon commitment. The role of forestry and construction – Julie James (MS)
10.15 Wales’ ambition through the lens of global forestry and construction activities – Prof. John Schellnhuber, PIK / Bauhaus Earth (tbc)
10.30 Future forests and building design at a crossroads. How will design and construction practice and forest management need to adapt to meet society’s aspirations in terms of biodiversity, climate change mitigation and social justice?
Panel discussion with Prof. John Healey, Bangor University, Prof. Marc Metzger, University of Edinburgh, Gavin Traylor, RSAW/UWTSD (tbc)
11.00 Exhibition and networking – refreshments
11.30 Turning political ambition into action
Interactive session around four exemplar projects
- The Delivery Net Zero Project – Steve Cranston, Welsh Government
- The new Welsh Zero Carbon Hub – Julian Brooks, Good Homes Alliance
- The Home-Grown Homes Project phase 2 – David Hedges, Woodknowledge Wales
- Wales’ first Timber Industrial Strategy – to be announced, Welsh Government
12.30 Conference conclusions
Where do we go from here – Gary Newman, Woodknowledge Wales
12.45 Networking lunch
14.00 Conference Close
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Sponsors
Tickets
| Full price | Early Bird* | |
| Standard ticket | £200 | £100 |
| WKW members | £100 | £70 |
| Students** | £50 | n/a |
| Conference barbecue 12 July | £30 | n/a |
*Early bird ticket offer ends 31 May 2023.
** Limited availability. Please note: For student tickets only bookings made from an academic email address will be accepted.
All tickets give access to both conference & expo days. There are no single-day tickets available.
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How to get there
University of Wales Trinity Saint David, Lampeter Campus, Wales (SA48 7ED)
Accommodation options
| Black Lion Hotel | https://www.blacklionlampeter.com/accommodations/ |
| Evangelisa B&B | https://www.evangelisawales.com/ |
| Denmark Farm Conservation Centre FULLY BOOKED | https://www.denmarkfarm.org.uk/eco-lodge/ |
| Falcondale Hotel | https://thefalcondale.co.uk/ |
| Winllan Farm Holidays(Cottage/Glamping Pods & Static Caravan Hire) | https://www.winllanfarm.co.uk/ |
| The Royal Oak Hotel | https://www.facebook.com/RoyalOakLampeter/?locale=en_GB |
