FSC Ukraine at InterBuildExpo: sustainable construction through strategic partnerships, innovations and green initiatives

FSC Ukraine presented its activities at InterBuildExpo, one of the country's most influential exhibitions in the construction sector, which annually gathers more than a thousand brands and 30 thousand visitors. We held a number of meetings with key industry stakeholders - architects, educators, manufacturers of construction materials and furniture, as well as representatives of professional associations.

The exhibition participants learned about the importance of wood as a renewable resource that can reduce the carbon footprint of construction, and that FSC-certified wood prevents deforestation, which leads to climate change.

The fact that there are more than 470 FSC certificate holders in the info.fsc.org database clearly shows that there is a sufficient range of FSC-certified products on the Ukrainian domestic market. We were pleased to learn that among the exhibitors were companies that had recently applied for FSC certification. This confirms the interest in sustainable forest management.

The exhibition also featured a webinar on European initiatives for building a sustainable and inclusive future, aimed at raising awareness of initiatives and tools that play a key role in sustainable housebuilding and construction materials supply chains.

The first part of the webinar focused on the importance of forests for climate balance and sustainable construction. According to preliminary forecasts, Ukraine can meet 80% of the demand for construction materials for the country's recovery in the future, which is why it is important to use the available EU funding opportunities to accelerate this process.

The keynote speakers, Brian Milakowski and Svitlana Berzina, noted that there is a need to accelerate the adaptation of Ukrainian construction standards to EU standards, increase energy efficiency, reduce carbon emissions, promote international green building standards (in particular, BREEAM, LEED and DGNB) and develop own sustainability initiatives. Manufacturers, governments and architects should form strategic partnerships and set high goals, ensuring that FSC plays a leading role in the sustainable use of forest resources.

In the second part of the webinar, Miroslava Grausova, European Commissioner for the New European Bauhaus project, discussed the new environmental, economic, and cultural movement in construction, comparing it to the emergence of the Bauhaus a century ago.

Myroslava emphasized that the key to success lies not only in legislative frameworks such as the Green Deal, but also in active public participation. That is why local partnership and transparency through public reporting are important.

Pavlo Kravets, Director of FSC Ukraine, said: "We have made significant progress in promoting the ideology of sustainability in construction. The webinar proved that such a demand exists and that non-governmental organizations, such as FSC, can play an important role in implementing new planning and construction approaches. Sustainability criteria in terms of timber origin and carbon footprint reduction will increasingly find their place in the country's reconstruction plan through joint and coordinated efforts."