A B2B meeting on April 15, 2025, focused on developing sustainable construction and local wood industries, featuring Pierre Gautier (Bâtiment Bois de Normandie) and Petteri Ryhänen (Lieksan Kehitys Oy LieKe).

Pierre Gautier introduced a post and beam structural system designed to add value to local Normandy hardwood, primarily oak, which is currently often exported as raw material. The system specifically targets three- to four-story social housing, a segment with substantial annual demand in the region. The innovation lies in a highly standardised 3.50 x 6.50 module built from minimal, industrialised components. This design delivers key advantages: components are prefabricated, allowing for the assembly of one level per day on-site, drastically cutting building time and associated costs. Furthermore, hardwood structures are inherently durable, lasting centuries without chemical treatment, and their greater CO₂ absorption aids compliance with French RE 2020 sustainability standards. Economically, this model operates on a “short circuit” principle, ensuring 75% of the total building cost remains local. The main logistical hurdle is securing a stable, continuous timber supply from the region’s numerous small, private wood owners.

Petteri Ryhänen highlighted Finland’s focus on softwood and the current recession in its construction market. Finland’s goal is to maximise local processing and labour to stop the inefficient practice of exporting raw wood and importing back processed components. The discussion confirmed that the Bâtiment Bois de Normandie’s system, while fast to assemble, relies on efficient 2D (palletised) component delivery rather than 3D modules. This avoids the high transport costs associated with shipping pre-assembled structures (“moving a lot of air”). The system’s economic viability is tailored for multi-story buildings, making it less cost-effective for the smaller, one- or two-story structures now easier to build under recent changes in Finnish law.