Author: Andrea G. Parra
Entity: IDEAL

“Press Review”.

Granada is scientifically prepared to launch an industrial ecosystem based on wood.

UGR and Consejería de Fomento sign a protocol to promote the sustainable construction of public housing thanks to the use of poplar and pine.

The San Isidro sugar mill as a nerve center for scientific management. The provincial territory and the rest of Andalusia as a space for action to apply the sustainable construction of public housing using poplar and pine wood. The rector of the University of Granada (UGR), Pilar Aranda, and the Minister of Development, Marifrán Carazo, signed yesterday the protocol that bets on the use of wood in public housing and go a step further. They did so at the Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería de Edificación, which stands out for its research in this field.

Antolino Gallego, professor of the Department of Applied Physics at the School of Building Engineering and coordinator of the Life Wood for the Future project, argued that this research (with European recognition and support for some time), seeks to enhance the value of a local wood such as poplar, with which there is a great cultural, sentimental, historical and environmental rooting in the sector that is most capable of giving value to wood, which is construction.

The construction sector is in need of industrialization and sustainability and wood provides both, according to Professor Gallego. He explained that it is a project that seeks to implement an industrial ecosystem throughout Granada and the rest of Andalusia based on wood. As is already being done in autonomous communities such as Galicia and the Basque Country.

AVRA

These assessments were made before the start of the day ‘Industrialized construction with wood’. The rubric (Junta and UGR) gives rise to a collaboration protocol to promote the use of structural elements of poplar and pine wood of Andalusia in the construction of public housing, through the Housing and Rehabilitation Agency of Andalusia (AVRA).

“Through AVRA there is a commitment to make pilots in public buildings, but there are also private initiatives that raise their projects to two or three years, which is the time we believe that the industry can be implemented to include these solutions. There is a great need for wood in the construction sector, and today’s conference is an example of this,” said Professor Antolino Gallego.

With this line of collaboration, Councilor Carazo indicated that they will seek formulas that help “to reduce the carbon footprint and promote the use of industrialized solutions to reduce costs. And also to promote new industrial activities in the Andalusian territory”.

The rector, Pilar Aranda, confirmed that “soon” this research group, Gallego’s, will move to the Sugar Factory (others related to the sustainability of different centers will follow). She congratulated the School of Construction for the research and transfer to society that they carry out.

“Rooted industry”.

Professor Antonio Gallego was convinced that “we can create an ecosystem whose mission is to create an industry rooted in the territory, which Granada needs”. In his opinion, it is “very important that the inhabitants of these unpopulated territories, mountainous areas, the north of the province and some areas of the Vega, feel that this industry is theirs. And, that they feel that the construction, in addition to being sustainable, is a construction rooted in the pride of their territory because it uses this material. This is very important, wood creates roots with the territory”.

For this to be possible, he made it clear that wood cannot “travel alone on this journey” and must be accompanied by other materials that are already consolidated, that have already done a great job, such as concrete, steel or ceramics. “The perfect marriage is to take advantage of the bounties of each material and wood to enter where it has to enter, creating that development, rootedness and pride of industry and construction. That is the spirit that is in this agreement that is signed between the two administrations (UGR and Junta),” said Gallego.

And Professor Antolino Gallego took the opportunity, in front of the media, to ask for “commitment to action and also budgetary commitment because nothing is free. Money is needed for everything: to fix the sugar factory, money is needed; to set up the industry, to support entrepreneurs, investors, all of this requires money. But we have a great opportunity which are the European funds and this is a gift that heaven has given us, this wood theme, to get European funds easily if they are properly organized because they meet all those parabiens of the 2030 agenda.”

Gallego’s team has been working for years to recover the poplar groves and promote the industrialization of wood. It has received funding from the EU’s Life program. Sustainable products made from poplar and pine are presented as a good alternative. The Junta’s housing stock is ready for experimentation.