IIASA Director General Hans Joachim (John) Schellnhuber will be the keynote speaker at the upcoming First International Timber Construction Symposium. The event will address the urgent challenges in urban development, housing markets, and climate protection under the theme, Building with Timber: Climate-friendly, affordable, and future-proof.
Demographic developments pose enormous challenges for settlements and housing markets while the requirement for more living space continues to grow. At the same time, climate protection is one of the most fundamental issues of our time. Global warming, resource consumption, and carbon dioxide emissions are a burden on the environment. Buildings and infrastructures are responsible for around 40% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
"Timber construction could reverse this and store atmospheric carbon in the built environment. In this way, we can help repair the climate," said Schellnhuber in a press release sent out by the organizers.
In society and politics there are, however, still prejudices against timber construction, ignorance about its advantages, and doubts about its possibilities.
This event will bring together renowned experts from politics, economics, and science for a series of expert lectures and panel discussions, focusing on:
- How to create affordable housing while actively promoting climate protection
- The role of timber construction in sustainable urban development
- The availability of renewable resources for large-scale timber construction
- The political framework necessary to support timber-based, sustainable building practices
Participation in the event is by invitation only. For those unable to attend in person, a livestream will be available.
The event is organized by Holzbau Deutschland, the Holzbau Deutschland Institute, and Bauhaus Erde.
For more details and to view the full program, visit: https://tinyurl.com/yc8nhhhw