At the beginning of May, the Chamber of Deputies hosted a seminar under the auspices of the Chair of the Committee on the Environment, Jana Krutáková, on the topic “Schools built from wood: a case study of the Republic of Finland”. The event was held in the presence of Nina Vaskunlahti, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Finland, Petri Heino, Programme Manager of the Ministry of the Environment of Finland and other persons from the Embassy of the Republic of Finland in Prague, invited companies with Finnish participation and expert guests.

The Timber Research Institute was also represented at the event. This was the second meeting on the use of wood in construction on the floor of the Chamber of Deputies. The topic of timber buildings will continue to be on the radar of MPs.

The seminar was organised by Tomáš Dubský, Josef Flek, Ondřej Lochman and Lukáš Vlček, Members of the Parliament of the Czech Republic.

In the second half of April, the opening evening of the Wooden Buildings Salon took place at CAMP, a project combining modern wooden buildings, architecture and responsible lifestyle. The Timber Research Institute was once again the expert partner of the event.

A video recording of the evening, including lectures by the excellent international guests Helmut Dietrich (NO) and Reiulf Ramstad (AT) can be viewed here.

The exhibition on a wooden installation is open until 17 May 2023 at nám. Václav Havel in the centre of Prague.

If you want to learn more about the exhibited projects, read interviews with foreign and domestic architects and have a closer idea of what awaits wooden architecture in the coming years, you can buy the publication WOOD ARCHITECTURE ANNUAL ´23.

More on the organizer’s website

On 2 May from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic will hold a regional seminar at the Clarion Congress Hotel in České Budějovice. Director Beránková from the Timber Research Institute will give a lecture at the economic and technical workshop on the topic “Use of wood in construction in the Czech Republic – possibilities and limitations”.

The seminar and workshop is dedicated to the new support from the Operational Programme Technology and Applications for Competitiveness (OP TAK). As part of a targeted campaign in the regions, the MIT is trying to briefly acquaint those interested with the current information and calls for OP TAK in 2023. The speakers will also touch upon the ongoing Operational Programme Enterprise and Innovation for Competitiveness (OP PIK), where the end date of project administration is approaching.

Newly, participants will be provided with space for questions and consultation of business plans in the framework of networking with experts on energy saving programmes and renewable energy sources of the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the regional office of the Agency for Enterprise and Innovation. This will be followed by an economic and technical workshop organised in cooperation with the Department of Regional Studies of the NF VŠE, which will complement the seminar with inspiring contributions from experts on low-carbon economy and CO2 storage.

Program:

9:00 – 9:30 Registration and morning coffee

9:30 – 9:40 Introductory remarks by the Chief Director of the EU Funds Section, Assoc. Ing. Marian Piecha, Ph.D., LL.M.

9:40 – 10:40 Saving Programmes and Renewable Energy Sources, Ing. Jan Piskáček, Director of the Department of Infrastructure for SMEs and Energy Programs

10:40 – 10:50 Space for questions

10:50 – 11:10 Services of the API Regional Office for applicants and beneficiaries in OP TAK and OP PIK, Ing. Hana Staňková, Project Manager for the South Bohemia Region

11:10 – 12:25 Networking with refreshments

12:25 – 13:30 Workshop in cooperation with the Faculty of Economics, University of Economics

CO2 as a tool for economic evaluation of business, Mgr. Šárka Tomanová, University of Economics, Director of DEAL GREEN, s. r. o.

Use of wood in construction in the Czech Republic – possibilities and limitations, Ing. Jitka Beránková, Ph.D., Director of the Timber Research and Development Institute

Geological CO2 storage, RNDr. Vladimír Kolejka, Czech Geological Survey

Incorporation of CO2 into wood and wooden buildings, Nema spol. s. r. o. and its experience with subsidies, Executive Director Tomáš Nemrava

13:30 – 14:00 Final closing

Official invitation on the MIT website.

Register with the organizer here

The Timber Research Institute, as a notified body for wood and wood-based materials, has entered into a cooperation agreement with CATG – a British approved certification body for wood, wood structures and wood-based materials. A manufacturer wishing to sell their products on the UK market with the UKCA mark can therefore contact the Timber Research Institute directly. Similarly, the Timber Research Institute will provide certification for CE marking for UK manufacturers.

This will avoid duplication of assessment and unnecessary financial and time burdens on manufacturers.

UKCA certification

Following the UK’s withdrawal from the EU on 1 January 2021, new labelling requirements for construction products intended to be placed on the market in the UK, including Northern Ireland, have been https://www.gov.uk/guidance/using-the-ukca-marking .

Under these requirements, manufacturers are required to draw up a declaration of conformity and apply the UKCA marking to all their construction products that are covered by a ‘designated standard’ or conform to a ‘UK Technical Assessment’ (UKTA) that has been issued for them.

The UKCA mark is a key indicator of a product’s compliance with legislation and by placing it on a product, the manufacturer declares compliance with all the legal requirements for obtaining the UKCA mark.

“Designated standards” are published on the British Standards Institution’s (BSI) website. So far they correspond to the harmonised standards to Regulation (EU) No 305/2011 laying down harmonised conditions for the marketing of construction products. However, this may change.

For construction products, the UKCA mark is now legally binding and is essential for the sale of specified construction products in the UK market.

Cooperation agreement for UKCA/CE designation

Conformity assessment activities for the UKCA mark are carried out by ‘UK Approved Bodies’. Where an approved body has carried out the assessment and issued the corresponding certificate, the manufacturer (or his authorised representative) must affix the UKCA mark.

Timber Research Institute, Prague, s.p., which is a notified body for wood and wood-based materials, has concluded a cooperation agreement with CATG – a British approved certification body for wood, wood structures and wood-based materials.

Based on a mutual agreement, CATG will provide UKCA certification based on the review of certification documents (certificates, surveillance reports, test reports) issued by VVÚD, Prague, s.p., so as to avoid duplication of assessment and unnecessary financial and time burden for the manufacturer. Similarly, VVÚD will provide certification for CE marking for UK manufacturers.

Transition period

At the end of 2022, the UK extended the transition period for existing products to continue to be CE marked on the basis of the relevant harmonised standard under Regulation (EU) No 305/2011 until 30 June 2025.

A manufacturer wishing to sell their products on the UK market with the UKCA mark can therefore contact the Timber Research Institute directly at info(@)vvud.cz.