The discussion covered the areas of state policy and regulation related to Ukraine's green recovery and decarbonization of the construction sector commitments, and EU integration efforts. The participants agreed that green principles should be the basis for Ukraine's reconstruction. Thus, they need to be clearly defined in state strategic documents and harmonized with European regulations and standards. Wood, as a renewable and environmentally friendly material, should play a significant, important role in reconstruction projects.
Kyiv, July 23, 2024 — FSC Ukraine organized the first in a series of roundtables “Wood in the Reconstruction and Development of Ukraine: State Policy, Regulation and Green Recovery Goals”. The event was held to highlight the potential of wood in the green recovery and development of Ukraine in the face of present-day challenges.
Thus, the discussion participants emphasized the need to develop precise indicators for the green recovery of the construction sector. This included the implementation of the New European Bauhaus (NEB) principles to deepen cooperation with European partners and attract long-term investments in Ukraine's economy. Among other significant aspects, the creation of a materials’ life cycle assessment system, the development of wooden modular construction, the promotion of certified materials use, and the integration of environmental solutions into urban planning were noted. There is a need to overcome established stereotypes about wooden houses as short-lived or fire hazardous, as well as to promote training of specialists in modern wooden construction.
The roundtable was attended by Olena Shuliak, Head of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Organization of State Power, Local Self-Government, Regional Development and Urban Planning; Dmytro Kysylevskyi, Deputy Head of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Economic Development; Natalia Duzhylova, Deputy Head of the State Inspectorate for Architecture and Urban Planning of Ukraine; Natalia Oliynyk, Acting Director General of the UkrNDNC; Volodymyr Vlasiuk, Director of the State Enterprise Ukrindustryexpertise; Valeriia Kolomiets, Regenerate Ukraine Initiative Director of the WWF-Ukraine; Orest Kiyko, Head of the Department of NLTU, and other leading experts.
“Ukraine's domestic woodworking industry is capable of providing a significant portion of building materials for reconstruction. Given the goals of the European Green Deal, which includes Ukraine's achievement of “decarbonization of the construction sector,” wood construction projects will be interesting for EU funding,” Brian Milakovskiy, an expert on economic recovery and sustainable development, began the discussion. “However, there are obstacles on this path, including legislative restrictions on the use of wood in high-rise buildings. In addition to changes in state policy, it is important to have public agreement on the perception of wood as a green resource, so it is necessary to strengthen the dialogue between the forest industry and the public.”
“We are currently discussing the adoption of a general legislative framework on what the basic principles of Ukraine's recovery will look like. And it is the principle of green recovery and transformation that will be one of the fundamental principles and will be enshrined in the current legislation. Today, we have statistics that 35% of greenhouse gases are generated by the construction sector, in particular, the production of concrete, metal, and plastic. Therefore, the use of wood is indeed an alternative and contributes to achieving the goal of construction decarbonization,” said Olena Shuliak, Head of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on the Organization of State Power, Local Self-Government, Regional Development and Urban Planning.
Dmytro Kysylevsky, Deputy Head of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Economic Development, noted that the recovery process is a huge opportunity to expand the domestic market for construction materials, including wood, for decades to come. This will have a positive effect on the country's economy.
“The first step is to speed up the adaptation of the normative framework to European regulations and standards. However, there is a technical barrier — the lack of laboratory facilities for issuing conformity certificates to quality and safety standards, as well as for creating declarations under the new law,” said Natalia Duzhylova, Deputy Head of the State Inspectorate of Architecture and Urban Development of Ukraine. Ms. Duzhylova also emphasized that the revision of building codes is already taking place with due regard to environmental criteria. But it is important to understand that European green building standards, such as LEED, BREEAM, Active House, DGNB, have been developed over decades. Ukraine has already developed the first version of the green building standard for public buildings, which which incorporates the potential of the domestic market and the provisions of European standards, in particular NEB.
“Through dialogue, we find common ground on green reconstruction between legislators, government agencies and civil society. There is already a solid foundation for using wood for these purposes, as 45% of Ukraine's forests and more than 400 woodworking companies are FSC-certified, but the products are mostly exported. It is expected that the introduction of green building criteria, including tools for encouraging and harmonization of standards, will help develop the domestic market, shift to responsible consumption, and ultimately facilitate EU integration. The reconstruction and development of our country are intrinsically linked to wood due to its regeneration ability, carbon storage potential, recyclability, low emissions and versatility,” summarized Pavlo Kravets, Director of FSC Ukraine.
This event laid the foundation for the formation of important partnerships and coalitions necessary to achieve the goals of Ukraine's green recovery. Having created an effective dialogue platform, FSC Ukraine plans to continue the series of roundtables, ensuring further discussion and deepening cooperation between all stakeholders.