• Over a hundred stakeholders from the construction ecosystem gathered at La Noria, part of the Málaga Provincial Council, for Málaga Bio activities, including networking talks, a participatory session, business speed chatting, and live demonstrations of wood structure prefabrication and assembly.
• On the final day of Málaga Bio, attendees visited two flagship eco-sustainable construction sites in the province: the Oceanika Complex in Torremolinos and the Karl Lagerfeld Villas on Marbella’s Golden Mile.

Today, the La Noria Social Innovation Center in Málaga hosts the second day of Málaga Bio, which runs until June 5 and brings together experts in industrialized and prefabricated bioconstruction. The event aims to connect companies, professionals, entrepreneurs, and public institutions in a discussion about decarbonizing the construction sector.

Málaga Bio is co-organized by the Málaga Provincial Council and Cesefor (a non-profit entity from Castilla y León with over 20 years of experience in promoting the forestry sector), through its Club Madera initiative. The event is supported by the Andalusian Ministry of Sustainability, Environment, and Blue Economy, Málaga City Council, the “la Caixa” Foundation, and the Official College of Architects of Málaga.

The space is designed to inspire a shift toward a more sustainable construction model that minimizes environmental impact, creates skilled jobs, and promotes the use of local biomaterials to combat depopulation.

A paradigm shift

The day began with a panel discussion on the reasons to transition from traditional construction to bioconstruction. Speakers included Jorge López, Deployment Chief Manager of the New European Bauhaus at the European Cluster Alliance; Carlos Llibre, Business Development Lead at 011h (a next-generation construction company focused on sustainable and healthy housing); Ana Carvajal, Andalusian delegate at Arquima (a leader in nearly zero-energy building envelopes certified under Passivhaus standards); and Eva Aguado, Territorial Coordinator for Central-Southern Spain at CaixaBank Dualiza. The panel was moderated by Susana Gómez, Dean of the Official College of Architects of Málaga.

Speakers emphasized that bioconstruction is more than just a construction technique—it is a commitment to the health of the planet and its inhabitants. It encompasses water management, the use of renewable energy, and the optimization of natural resources.

This was followed by a roundtable addressing the question “Can Andalusia and Málaga embrace bioconstruction using local products?” Panelists included influential experts such as Gabriel Ángel Gutiérrez, advisor to the Directorate-General for Forest Policy and Biodiversity of the Andalusian government; Javier Calvo, Head of the Forest Bioeconomy Department at Cesefor; Edgar Lafuente, Executive Director of Club Madera, who presented the sustainable building project that will house the future Maderaula Lab Training Center of the Soria Provincial Council; and Rafael Cintora, CEO of Redverde Bioconstruction. The discussion was moderated by Manuel García, Coordinator of the Wood Construction and Training Division at Cesefor’s Maderaula.

Redverde Bioconstruction is also participating in the Horizon EMBEDED European project, which aims to valorize forest biomass from Málaga’s woodlands by industrializing it into structural and decorative panels for construction, engineering, and marine use, and exporting these products to other European regions. The project, which also includes Cesefor and the Málaga Provincial Council, kicks off this month and will run for approximately three years.

The debate highlighted that the current growth in industrialized wood construction presents a major opportunity to develop a sustainable local economy based on forest resources. This emerging market demands locally sourced construction products, supports quality rural employment, and helps retain population in those areas. Andalusia is aligning with this trend through a new, ambitious, and participatory Forestry Strategy that promotes forest use as a key pillar of conservation.

Participatory workshop

After the coffee break, a participatory session was held, led by Javier Frades and Manuel García, Cesefor’s technical lead for Biocities and coordinator for the Wood Construction Training Division. Over a hundred participants from the construction ecosystem explored the challenges and opportunities of transitioning to a bio-sustainable construction model. The results of this workshop will help shape a roadmap for Málaga to become a reference point for low-carbon, innovative solutions connecting rural employment with the construction industry.

Business speed chatting

Club Madera, an initiative supported by Cesefor and more than 45 eco-sustainable companies, organized a business speed chatting session—an open space for brief one-on-one meetings. Nine leading companies took part, including Finsa, Egoin, Arquima, Treehood, Xlam Dolomiti, Timberfour, Biohaus, RedVerde, and Simpson Strong-Tie.

Live demonstrations

In the afternoon, participants visited the mini home built in March by students of the “Introduction to Sustainable Construction” course, located in the gardens of La Noria. The project applied lessons learned in prefabrication and wood structure assembly.

This was followed by a hands-on demonstration led by Maderaula trainers Roberto Adolfo and Juan Carlos Rubio. Attendees could join the prefabrication process of a lightweight Scots pine wall using all the biomaterials taught during the course.

The demonstration featured Superpan board by Finsa, manufactured via a continuous pressing process that gives it high stability and strength.Bio-based insulation solutions were provided by Biohaus, including vapor barriers and breathable, waterproof membranes made from oak wood, recycled cotton, cellulose, and expanded and granulated cork to ensure airtightness and prevent moisture infiltration that could damage the structure or insulation.

Various fastener systems from Simpson Strong-Tie were installed, and the exterior cladding used thermally treated wood to enhance durability against fungi and insects common in humid environments. Finishes included lime mortar over natural cork panels and clay for interiors, provided by RedVerde Bioconstruction.

Innovative system presentation

Antolino Gallego, professor at the University of Granada and founder of Iberolam, together with Alfredo Ávila, Technical Director of the firm, presented their patented MCLamBS system. This is a hybrid wood-concrete industrialized flooring system, developed as part of the LIFE Wood for Future project. The 100% Andalusian spin-off—winner of the UGR Emprendedora Award and TOP50 Emprendemos Andalucía 2025—offers a highly efficient, cost-effective, fast-to-assemble, aesthetically pleasing, and low-carbon solution compatible with any structural method.