Innovation in the wood construction sector

Growing interest in novel, efficient production systems and products such as prefabrication and in decarbonization benefits of engineered wood products (EWP) have led to a new boom in timber construction in European countries. Research and innovation in novel EWP and related construction solutions is growing, however, bridging the 'valley of death' of innovations to a broader market uptake is confronted with a number challenges. Besides technical, economic, knowledge and acceptance factors, the main barriers lie in financial and regulatory challenges.

The study presents an overview of innovative products that have obtained a European Technical Assessment (ETA) certification from the European Organisation for Technical Assessment (EOTA). The ETA is an alternative, faster way to obtain the CE marking required for products regulated by the Construction Products Regulation (CPR) to be commercialized in Europe. The results show an increasing trend since 2015. The main groups of innovations include connectors for structural applications, building kits, structural wood products and thermal insulation materials.