Mari Blokhus Nordtun

One of the Norwegian Wood Cluster’s goals is to help increase companies’ export value by 40 percent by 2035, compared to 2024 levels. As expected, the results of this spring’s member survey show significant variation in companies’ interests and needs regarding internationalization.

Several of the cluster’s member companies already have significant export operations and their own sales teams, while others have no plans to export. However, there are several companies that have clear ambitions and are seeking concrete, practical assistance. The cluster will now make an offer to these companies.

Contribute to international growth

Interested member companies are now invited to express their interest in joining the cluster’s new Internationalization Working Group.

The plan is for Norwegian Wood Cluster will develop and offer its own an internationalization program for interested companies in the professional group. The draft program will be based, among other things, on the responses to the member survey and will be presented at the professional group’s kickoff meeting in August. Innovation Norway provides SME support for such an internationalization program.

Practical and results-oriented

Project Manager Knut Amund Skatvedt says the program is designed to be practical and results-oriented

“The goal is to drive real progress and set companies up for success, not just to increase awareness,” says Skatvedt.

The preliminary plans are that thethe work will focus on:

• Export Strategy and Strategic Market Selection

• Specific entry strategies for new markets

• Building Networks and Partnerships

• Experience-based learning and knowledge sharing

To achieve this, experienced member companies that have already achieved international success will be invited to share their practical advice and case studies with companies in the start-up phase.

Close ties to leading academic communities

In addition to sharing experiences within the cluster, NWC will actively engage its strategic partners. This will make it easier for companies to access relevant support measures:

• Innovation Norway: Provides market insights, consulting services, and access to international networks.

• Eksfin: Provides financing solutions and risk-mitigation measures.

• Treteknisk: Brings solid industry expertise and professional expertise to the table.

• Kristiania University College: Provides cutting-edge expertise in strategy, marketing, and business development.

Kickoff on August 26

There are plans to bring together the participating companies for a kickoff meeting on August 26. The goal is to clarify shared ambitions and needs, identify specific market opportunities, and determine which initiatives should be prioritized in the internationalization program.

At the kick-off event, we will also receive information about Innovation Norway’s services.

– The event has a clear focus on sharing experiences, addressing specific challenges, and identifying the next steps in each company’s internationalization process. “The goal is for the kick-off to provide a solid foundation for the work ahead—and to help ensure rapid progress,” says project manager Knut Amund Skatvedt.

The kick-off event marks not only the launch of the expert group, but also an important step in NWC’s efforts to strengthen the cluster’s international competitiveness. The experience gained here will ultimately benefit more member companies.

Would you like to join us?

The task force will consist of a small group of member companies with specific goals. The insights gained here will be shared over time, so that the entire cluster can benefit from them. Project Manager Knut Amund Skatvedt will assist in developing and implementing the internationalization program, while Cluster Manager Berit Sanness will manage the expert group for the time being.

If you missed the member survey and would like information about internationalization, please contact:

Interregprosjektet Circular Bioeconomy Arena arrangerte nylig en studietur til København. Under turen møtte de svenske og norske deltakerne interessante eksempler på hvordan danskene leverer på reduserte klimafotavtrykk gjennom moderne trebyggeri og sirkulære løsninger. Ett av besøkene som gjorde sterkt inntrykk var den nye bydelen Fælledby som er under utvikling.

Fælledby – målrettet og visjonært

København kommune, via utviklingsselskapet By & Havn, og Pension Danmark eier Fælledby-prosjektet. Den tidligere søppelplassen til København utvikles nå til en ny bydel, og det vil bli en kombinasjon av salg og utleie av ca. 2000 boliger samt skole, barnehager, eldreboliger og næringsarealer. Ferdig utviklet vil Fælledby bestå av tre nabolag og dekke et 18 hektar stort område. Planleggingen startet opp i 2020 og skal fullføres innen 2032.

Henning Larsen Architects har utviklet masterplanen for området, som vil utvikles i tre etapper over en tiårsperiode. Utviklingen av Fælledby har lagt stor vekt på bærekraft og lavt karbonfotavtrykk.

– Visjonen for Fælledby er å skape tre nabolag som passer sammen, og der hver bolig har utsikt til natur. Fælledby er det eneste store grønne området igjen i København. I masterplanen har vi optimalisert plassering av boligene med tanke på vind, utsikt til natur og dagslystilgang, sier arkitekt Jakob Strømann-Andersen, Henning Larsen Architects.

Innenfor masterplanen er utviklingen av området fordelt på flere arkitektkontor, og Pension Danmark har krevd at de store arkitektkontorene må ha med et lite arkitektkontor som «lærling». Det har store og små arkitektkontor glede av.

Tester løsningene

– Ansvarlig materialvalg, ressursbruk og energiløsninger, og utsikt til natur er vektlagt, sier Fælledbys kommunikasjonssjef Simon Madsen.

– Vi har bygd et midlertidig testbygg for å presentere de ulike løsningene som er utviklet for Fælledby. Disse må testes og godkjennes før de tas i bruk, samtidig som det midlertidige bygget brukes som byggekontor og informasjonslokale, sier Madsen.

Svarer på danske klimakrav

I 2023 ble det innført klimakrav i dansk bygningsreglement, med en skjerping av grenseverdiene hvert 2. år frem til 2030. Klimakravet fra 1. juli 2025 er på 7,5 kg CO₂ pr m² for etasjeboliger og næringsbygg.

– Selv om tre er valgt som hovedmateriale i Fælledby som følge av klimakravene, brukes det betong under bakken, og det forårsaker høye CO₂-utslipp som følge av både utgravingen og materialbruken, men det kommer vi ikke utenom, sier arkitekt Jakob Strømann-Andersen, Henning Larsen Architects.

– I tillegg til at CO₂-kravene gjør tre viktig, vil vi også gjerne ha synlig tre, og dette har vi lagt vekt på under utviklingen av Fælledby, sier Strømann-Andersen. Han forteller at under utviklingen av bydelen bygger man kontinuerlig på erfaringene som gjøres, for å forbedre løsningene og redusere klimafotavtrykket

– Vi startet med et utslipp på 8 kg CO₂ pr m². Nå er vi nede på 6,1 kg CO₂ pr m² i de seneste etasjeeiendommene, sier Strømann-Andersen.

Current cluster leader Berit Sanness (68) announced a year ago that she wanted to step down as cluster leader in August 2026 to take up a freer position. The recruitment process is now over, and the board has appointed Ona Flindall (41) as the new cluster manager in Norwegian Wood.

Ona Flindall is a graduate architect from the Oslo School of Architecture and Design and has a background in the voluntary sector in the UK. She has previously been the general manager of Oslotre AS and now comes from the position of group leader for wooden structures in Sweco Norway.

– “With Ona Flindall, we are getting a resource person who has the best prerequisites for contributing to the further development of Norwegian Wood Cluster,” says chairman Jan Tore Meren. He points out that Ona Flindall has a large network and personal qualities that are very well suited to fill the role of cluster leader.

– “We’ve been looking for a relationship-driven leader who is strategically strong and wants to further develop a growing cluster. This is exactly what we believe we have found in Ona,” says Meren.

Engaged in wood construction

The incoming cluster leader of Norwegian Wood has a strong personal commitment to building in wood.

– “I have a strong commitment to the development of our wood industry. I know Norwegian Wood Cluster from previous roles and I’m looking forward to taking on the job of cluster manager in August. It will be exciting to get to know the member companies, and I look forward to working with the rest of the cluster administration,” says Ona Flindall.

Ona Flindall will take up her position as cluster leader in Norwegian Wood Cluster on August 17, 2026.

Current cluster leader Berit Sanness (68) announced a year ago that she wanted to step down as cluster leader in August 2026 to take up a freer position. The recruitment process is now over, and the board has appointed Ona Flindall (41) as the new cluster manager in Norwegian Wood.

Ona Flindall is a graduate architect from the Oslo School of Architecture and Design and has a background in the voluntary sector in the UK. She has previously been the general manager of Oslotre AS and now comes from the position of group leader for wooden structures in Sweco Norway.

– “With Ona Flindall, we are getting a resource person who has the best prerequisites for contributing to the further development of Norwegian Wood Cluster,” says chairman Jan Tore Meren. He points out that Ona Flindall has a large network and personal qualities that are very well suited to fill the role of cluster leader.

– “We’ve been looking for a relationship-driven leader who is strategically strong and wants to further develop a growing cluster. This is exactly what we believe we have found in Ona,” says Meren.

Engaged in wood construction

The incoming cluster leader of Norwegian Wood has a strong personal commitment to building in wood.

– “I have a strong commitment to the development of our wood industry. I know Norwegian Wood Cluster from previous roles and I’m looking forward to taking on the job of cluster manager in August. It will be exciting to get to know the member companies, and I look forward to working with the rest of the cluster administration,” says Ona Flindall.

Ona Flindall will take up her position as cluster leader in Norwegian Wood Cluster on August 17, 2026.

Current cluster leader Berit Sanness (68) announced a year ago that she wanted to step down as cluster leader in August 2026 to take up a freer position. The recruitment process is now over, and the board has appointed Ona Flindall (41) as the new cluster manager in Norwegian Wood.

Ona Flindall is a graduate architect from the Oslo School of Architecture and Design and has a background in the voluntary sector in the UK. She has previously been the general manager of Oslotre AS and now comes from the position of group leader for wooden structures in Sweco Norway.

– “With Ona Flindall, we are getting a resource person who has the best prerequisites for contributing to the further development of Norwegian Wood Cluster,” says chairman Jan Tore Meren. He points out that Ona Flindall has a large network and personal qualities that are very well suited to fill the role of cluster leader.

– “We’ve been looking for a relationship-driven leader who is strategically strong and wants to further develop a growing cluster. This is exactly what we believe we have found in Ona,” says Meren.

Engaged in wood construction

The incoming cluster leader of Norwegian Wood has a strong personal commitment to building in wood.

– “I have a strong commitment to the development of our wood industry. I know Norwegian Wood Cluster from previous roles and I’m looking forward to taking on the job of cluster manager in August. It will be exciting to get to know the member companies, and I look forward to working with the rest of the cluster administration,” says Ona Flindall.

Ona Flindall will take up her position as cluster leader in Norwegian Wood Cluster on August 17, 2026.

Current cluster leader Berit Sanness (68) announced a year ago that she wanted to step down as cluster leader in August 2026 to take up a freer position. The recruitment process is now over, and the board has appointed Ona Flindall (41) as the new cluster manager in Norwegian Wood.

Ona Flindall is a graduate architect from the Oslo School of Architecture and Design and has a background in the voluntary sector in the UK. She has previously been the general manager of Oslotre AS and now comes from the position of group leader for wooden structures in Sweco Norway.

– “With Ona Flindall, we are getting a resource person who has the best prerequisites for contributing to the further development of Norwegian Wood Cluster,” says chairman Jan Tore Meren. He points out that Ona Flindall has a large network and personal qualities that are very well suited to fill the role of cluster leader.

– “We’ve been looking for a relationship-driven leader who is strategically strong and wants to further develop a growing cluster. This is exactly what we believe we have found in Ona,” says Meren.

Engaged in wood construction

The incoming cluster leader of Norwegian Wood has a strong personal commitment to building in wood.

– “I have a strong commitment to the development of our wood industry. I know Norwegian Wood Cluster from previous roles and I’m looking forward to taking on the job of cluster manager in August. It will be exciting to get to know the member companies, and I look forward to working with the rest of the cluster administration,” says Ona Flindall.

Ona Flindall will take up her position as cluster leader in Norwegian Wood Cluster on August 17, 2026.

– “We are now addressing both students who are about to choose a master’s program and people who are working and want a refresher,” says Thomas Haavi, associate professor and responsible for the new master’s program in building informatics and wood structures at NTNU Gjøvik.

Combine work and study

The program is initially a 2-year full-time program, but it is possible to get a customized study plan over several years. Communication with students takes place via a digital platform, where lectures, assignments and other relevant information are posted. Many of the lectures are also video recorded. In some courses, there may be mandatory requirements that require physical attendance on certain days, such as in connection with lab exercises.

Admission requirements

You must have a bachelor’s degree in engineering with at least 25 credits in mathematics, 5 credits in statistics and 7.5 credits in physics, or equivalent education. The program is suitable for all engineers with an interest in construction.

Job opportunities

The construction industry is one of Norway’s largest industries, where there is a great need for digital expertise and an increasing focus on sustainable, circular solutions. You can work in architectural offices, in consulting engineering companies and with contractors. Common tasks include project management, design, construction and operation and maintenance of buildings.

More about the program and how to apply for admission

Video with relevant information about the program: Study program NTNU

You apply for admission here: https://www.ntnu.no/studier/mibit/opptak

Contact person at NWC: Knut Amund Skatvedt

The consultation proposal has been prepared by the Norwegian Building Authority (DIBK) and proposes changes to the Building Code Regulations (TEK17). The consultation deadline is May 5, 2026.

What is new in the consultation proposal?

1. Several building types are subject to greenhouse gas accounting requirements

In 2022, a requirement was introduced to prepare greenhouse gas accounts for apartment blocks and commercial buildings. The requirement is now being extended to apply to larger single-family house projects over 1,000 m² of usable floor space (e.g. larger terraced house or field developments).

2. More building components must be included in greenhouse gas accounts

Today’s regulations have a relatively limited scope of building components. The consultation proposal expands this to cover the most emission-intensive parts of the building, including foundations and ground structures. The greenhouse gas inventory must include at least:

• Support system (slabs, columns, beams and load-bearing walls)
• Exterior walls, floor partitions and roofs
• Foundations and ground structures

Technical installations (HVAC and electrical) are currently not included.

3. Limit values are measured for the entire building

The limit values for greenhouse gas emissions must be measured in kg CO₂ equivalents per m² gross floor area (GFA). There are no requirements for specific types of material, and it is the overall emission level that determines whether the building meets the requirement, not the level of the individual building elements.

4. The emissions must be documented in a completion certificate

The proposal sets clearer requirements for how the limit values should be documented:

• A greenhouse gas account shall be prepared based on a recognized method (life cycle analysis).
• The documentation must be part of the measure’s documentation in the building case
• The carbon footprint shall:
  • Available at completion certificate
  • Could be presented at inspection
  • Handed over to the building owner

Reporting does not take place to a central national database, but is part of the municipality’s ordinary building case processing. Responsibility follows other responsibility rules in the Planning and Building Act, with clearer expectations for designers and builders.

What does the proposal for climate requirements in TEK mean for the construction industry?

For building product manufacturers, the climate requirements will mean that documented low climate footprints (EPDs) and the lifespan of materials will be given increased value. While clients and contractors will have greater responsibility for the choice of materials, waste and processes.

Initially, the proposed climate requirements are not very ambitious – but will help the “worst in class” to lift themselves up to a minimum level. There is also an alternative proposal for 10% stricter climate requirements, which many believe is a more sensible starting point. In any case, we must believe that the proposal marks the start of a gradual tightening of climate requirements in the construction sector.

The Norwegian Wood Cluster is organizing a team meeting for its members on 27 March, in collaboration with Treindustrien. At this meeting, we will provide further information about the consultation proposal and discuss a joint statement from the cluster – also regarding the handling of biogenic carbon.

What do the organizations say about the consultation proposal?

NHO The construction industry

“When the focus is shifted from individual requirements to actual climate results, we can clean up a fragmented regulatory framework and remove requirements that result in high costs and little effect,” says Guro Hauge, Director of Business Policy at NHO Byggenæringen.

Read the full post from NHO Byggenæringen

Building products industry

“The construction projects that will find it difficult to meet the requirements are probably those that are primarily based on imported building materials. If you use Norwegian-produced building materials, you are reasonably confident of meeting this moderate level of requirements,” says Trine Dyrstad Pettersen, Technical Manager in the building materials industry.

Read the full post from Byggevareindustrien

The wood industry

“It’s time we had requirements that contribute to actual climate improvements, and not just documentation. The most important investment has already been made in that manufacturers have prepared environmental documentation in the form of EPDs for their products. Now it’s about giving value to these investments,” says Heidi Finstad, CEO of Treindustrien.

Read the full post from Treindustrien

Contractors’ Association for Building and Construction

“We also believe that the requirements for limit values are at a reasonable level that makes it predictable and justifiable within technical solutions, but we will be clear that we do not want requirements that are phased in faster than the EU will do,” says Audun Blegen, CEO of Entreprenørforeningen Bygg og Anlegg (EBA).

Read the full post from EBA

Want to understand more about the background to climate requirements in TEK?

Here you can read about Opprop om klimakrav i TEK which was started by Grønn Byggallianse, Futurebuilt and Skift in 2025 and has been signed by 288 companies. As well as Investigation of climate requirements in TEK, the report from the investigation that Asplan Viak did on behalf of DiBK, to look at a possible climate requirement in TEK17 and how the requirement can be designed.

At present, there is no legal requirement for manufacturers to produce environmental product declarations (EPDs), but more and more developers are requesting EPDs in order to document the total environmental impact of the materials in a building.

The life cycle assessment is the foundation

Before an EPD can be created, a life cycle analysis (LCA) is needed that explains the environmental impact of the product throughout its entire life cycle, from the raw materials entering the factory, to production and transportation to the customer, use and disposal at the end of the life cycle. The aim is for the product’s “life cycle” to have the lowest possible environmental impact, and to be able to see where in the life cycle it pays to make changes. For most manufacturers of wood products, the raw material and production phases (A1-A3) of a product’s life cycle offer the greatest opportunity to influence its environmental impact.

The life cycle assessment forms the basis for the figures to be included in the environmental declarations/EPDs.

The environmental declaration follows the product

The process of creating environmental declarations/EPDs for products is often carried out in collaboration with a third party that has the necessary data tools. In a typical process in collaboration with Treteknisk, you will start with a start-up meeting to plan the data collection. Then both the company and Treteknisk will go through a process of collecting data and feeding it into a demo version. After a few rounds of quality assurance of the data, the environmental declaration/EPD can finally be finalized. Treteknisk assists with the verification at EPD Norway, and then the EPD is ready for use.

The data collection

So what product and factory data is being requested? It could be, for example, shed yield, energy use and transportation distances for purchased materials and raw materials. This is data that the manufacturer has control over. It’s important to ask yourself whether you can use data that has been collected in other contexts, so that you can reuse figures from the financial system or logistics system, for example, instead of performing calculations from scratch.

You also need generic data, i.e. industry data that does not come from your own production. For a sawmill, this could, for example, apply to data on emissions from forestry or timber truck transport (but transport distance is entered specifically, including return loads).

Environmental documentation and the market of the future

It has been announced that there will be digital product passports through the EU system, so that this data can be found digitally. Work is underway to simplify the EU’s Construction Products Regulation, so we can also expect the processes for developing EPDs to become simpler in the future.

Arkitekt Christian Fredrik Morgenstierne, som også er daglig leder og partner i TUNR AS, forteller at selskapet har som formål å drive rådgivningstjenester innenfor praktisk, strategisk rådgivning og konseptutvikling innen bolig- og stedsutvikling samt arkitekttjenester. Bedriften har forretningsadresse Oslo.

– Som byggherrerådgiver bistår vi eiendomsbesittere, utviklere og kommuner. Tjenestene spenner fra mulighetsstudier og reguleringsplaner til rammesøknader, prosjektledelse og juridisk rådgivning, forteller Christian Fredrik Morgenstierne.

– Vi mener økt bruk av tre er avgjørende for å nå fremtidens bærekraftsmål innen eiendomsutvikling, og vi ønsker å bidra aktivt til denne omstillingen. Gjennom medlemskap i Norwegian Wood Cluster ønsker TUNR å være del av et faglig sterkt nettverk som jobber systematisk for å utvikle, dokumentere og fremme trebaserte løsninger i bygg- og eiendomssektoren, sier Christian Fredrik Morgenstierne.

Han leder et nystartet selskap som ønsker å bidra til at flere aktører ser de økonomiske, miljømessige og kvalitative fordelene ved økt bruk av tre, både i bolig- og områdeutvikling. TUNR jobber med prosjekter der helse, fellesskap og bærekraft er sentrale verdier.

– Vi håper å kunne bidra til å omsette klyngens kunnskap og innovasjon til realistiske, gjennomførbare og salgbare prosjekter i markedet. Sammen med øvrige medlemmer i Norwegian Wood Cluster ønsker vi å utvikle økonomisk og teknisk gode løsninger som senker terskelen for å velge tre i fremtidige byggeprosjekter. Vi mener det er viktig at også aktører på utviklersiden er representert i klyngen, og vi ser medlemskapet som en naturlig og strategisk forlengelse av TUNR sitt arbeid og verdigrunnlag, sier Morgenstierne.

CEO and partner Christian Fredrik Morgenstierne is the founder of the company TUNR AS.

Utvider kompetanse og nettverk i NWC

Klyngeleder Berit Sanness ønsker TUNR AS velkommen som nytt medlem i Norwegian Wood Cluster. Hun peker på at det har stor verdi for klyngen å komplettere medlemsmassen ved å få inn en aktør som er byggherrerådgiver og samarbeidspartner for utviklere og offentlige aktører.

– Med TUNR som medlem får vi utvilsomt inn ny innsikt og nettverk i Norwegian Wood Cluster, så vi ser fram til å bli bedre kjent med bedriften, sier Sanness.

Formelt er det styret i Norwegian Wood Cluster SA som behandler søknad om medlemskap i klyngen. TUNR AS ble tatt opp som medlem den 12. februar 2026.