Mari Blokhus Nordtun

Building at height is an interesting way of reducing the degradation of land and thus reducing the pressure on biodiversity, among other things. Companies in the Norwegian Wood Cluster have identified acoustics as an important area for strengthening the competitiveness of wooden buildings, including in the 4-6 storey segment. The cluster has now set up a project that will collect and make available sound measurements for floor partitions in wooden buildings with a view to producing several preaccepted solutions and providing the basis for a guide.

Well anchored

– “The idea for the ‘3LYD’ project came up in a working meeting with key people from our members NTNU, Norconsult and Sweco,” says cluster leader Berit Sanness. She says that the project idea then received full support from the cluster’s specialist group “Future building solutions”.

– That’s why we went ahead and planned the project. A number of member companies, NTNU and SINTEF actively contributed to finalizing the project plan. With support from Innovation, the three-year project is underway, and we have had the first meeting of the project group,” says Sanness. She is now handing over responsibility for the project to the cluster’s new project manager Julie Gedde-Dahl.

Gladsak from NTNU Gjøvik: This fall, a new 2-year Master in Building Informatics and Timber Structures (MIBIT) is offered. Through this master’s program, students are trained as civil engineers with knowledge in building informatics, sustainability and wooden structures.

The application deadline is April 15.

Important expertise
The new master’s programme focuses on building informatics and how digitization is becoming increasingly important for the industry, as well as the use of wood in building structures and how digitization and proper design can facilitate more efficient production.

At the heart of the program is the challenge of how to exploit the opportunities offered by digital information to build sustainable buildings with efficient processes from design to production. Wood as a building material can help to reduce the environmental impact in several areas, but requires good expertise in material properties, design and production.

Both compulsory and elective courses

The program consists of compulsory and elective courses based on the choice of specialization. You can choose a specialization in digitalization, or sustainable and circular use of wood, or a combination of these. The specialization starts with a specialization course in the second semester, followed by a project in the third semester and a master’s thesis in the fourth semester. The specialization can take place in collaboration with a company.

More information

The basis for admission is a completed bachelor’s degree in engineering or equivalent education.
The program can be combined with e.g. work, as much of the teaching can be followed digitally and the study plan can be adapted to your life situation.

For more information: https://www.ntnu.no/studier/mibit/

Application deadline: April 15

If you’re curious about the new program, we recommend taking a look at this video:

The administration of the Norwegian Wood Cluster recently visited cluster member Sweco in Lillehammer for inspiration on modern timber construction and high-rise extensions.

– “It is well known that Sweco has cutting-edge expertise in wooden structures. For us, it was very valuable to be updated on Sweco’s work related to tall wooden buildings and extensions,” says cluster leader Berit Sanness.

Sweco’s list of achievements includes Mjøstårnet in Brumunddal, where Sweco delivered the detailed design of structural engineering, building physics, acoustics, fire and project management on assignment. Sweco was also responsible for the detailed design of glulam and solid wood as well as global statics and dynamics for the structure for Moelven Limtre AS. The Mjøstårnet project is a good example of innovation in wooden high-rise buildings. Sweco’s 30 “wooden shells” are distributed among the offices in Lillehammer and Oslo.

– “It’s right that Sweco has tried to streamline the wood environment at these two offices, which take on assignments all over the country. At the same time, we are concerned with the correct use of materials, and not wood at any price,” says Sweco Innlandet Regional Manager Asgeir Kvam. He explains that the consultancy covers all disciplines within architecture, construction, infrastructure and project administration.

– “Sweco has a wide range of expertise overall. We also have a separate department for building rehabilitation at the Oslo office, utilizing expertise and capacity across regions,” says Kvam.

High-rise extensions in Oslo

At present, high-rise extensions are one of the relevant areas that have been put more strongly on the industry’s agenda. This is a necessary consequence of the ambition to reduce floor space and extend the life of existing buildings. Among the members of the Norwegian Wood Cluster, ARE Treindustrier AS and Landheim AS, for example, are suppliers of roof trusses that are interesting for extensions. Moelven Limtre AS is another key manufacturer and supplier for high-rise extensions.

When Øvre Vollgate 11 in Kvadraturen in Oslo was to be renovated, developer Anthon Eiendom AS was clear that they wanted a sustainable solution. The brick building from 1875 was five storeys high. The load-bearing capacity of the existing structure cannot withstand much extra load, so the choice of material was simple. Sweco was brought in together with Moelven for a turnkey contract for a two-storey high extension. The extension, which will have a usable area of 300 square meters, will house offices for around 35 workplaces. The building is expected to be completed in 2025.

The cluster held its annual meeting at Frich Hotel outside Hamar on May 6, 2025. After the formal business and elections, it was time for the owners’ meeting with very exciting speakers.

At the annual meeting, the chairman of the board, Jan Tore Meren, reported on the work of the cluster.

– We believe the cluster is developing well. Despite a tough market for the member companies, their involvement in the cluster is still very satisfactory. Together we are working well to achieve the cluster’s vision of providing the world with innovative, sustainable building solutions in wood. The plan now is to apply for admission to Innovation Norway’s cluster program for 2026-2028,” said Jan Tore Meren.

– “While Norwegian Wood Cluster started in the Inland region, the cluster is now a national cluster with its main focus in the Inland region. The nomination committee has therefore emphasized reflecting this, said Tor Henrik Kristiansen when he presented the nomination committee’s unanimous recommendation to the annual meeting.

After the annual meeting, the board of Norwegian Wood Cluster consists of:

Chairman of the Board Jan Tore Meren

Deputy Chairman Magne Vikøren, Moelven Industrier ASA
(deputy: Vera Flatebø, Moelven Industrier ASA)

Board member Tarje Braaten, Dynea AS
(deputy: Hans Olav Wedvik, Sparebank 1 Østlandet)

Kristian Hanssen, Forestia AS
(deputy: Jan Helge Nordby, Statskog SF)

Glenn Andre Jensen, Bergene Holm AS
(deputy: Marthe Lie, ARE Treindustrier AS)

Board member Berit Nordseth Moen, Alvdal Skurlag AS
(deputy: Jørn Nørstelien, Gausdal Treindustrier SA)

Øyvind Moshagen, Norconsult Region Innlandet
(deputy: Jørn Reiner, Kontur Arkitekter AS)

Erik Trømborg, NMBU
(deputy: Vibeke Tronrud Teslo-Andersen, Viken Skog SA)

New election committee:

Chairman Mads Severin Lo, DNB Bank ASA
(deputy: Lars Storslett, Moelven Industrier ASA)

Deputy Chairman Ylva Kleiven, Gausdal Treindustrier SA
(pers. dep.: Eva Skagestad, Skogkurs)

Member Anita Ihle, Glommen Mjøsen Skog SA
(deputy: Per Morten Wangen, Stangeskovene AS)

In recent years, Moelven Byggmodul has delivered modules for everything from rigs on tugboats, to parental accommodation at Rikshospitalet and student housing. In 2024, the company delivered module number 100,000 – a milestone. Over the past couple of years, however, Moelven Modular Buildings has also taken a closer look at what the company can do in connection with the reconstruction in Ukraine and has carried out a pilot to gain experience. A task with extra meaning.

Becoming Europe’s largest construction site

With 6.5 million people without permanent housing, the need for new housing in Ukraine is enormous. For the duration of the war, soldiers also need temporary housing to gather strength between the brutal battles on the battlefield. Here, too, the need is great.

– With so many men in the war, there is a labor shortage in the construction sector. Through our research, we became aware of both the importance of prefabricated solutions and access to materials,” said CEO Frode Henning Killi of Moelven Byggmodul. Frode Henning Killi of Moelven Byggmodul to the owners’ meeting in Norwegian Wood Cluster.

From concrete to wood

Ukraine has not been accustomed to wooden buildings, but many now want to switch from concrete to wooden structures to free themselves from Russian building practices.

– However, there are major regional differences and a need to change legislation to enable timber construction, so work needs to be done here,” said Killi.

He emphasized the importance of understanding the culture and how decision-making processes take place. “Moelven has chosen Itera as a partner because Itera has extensive experience of working in Ukraine. It has been a useful collaboration.

A job with meaning

-“Moelven finds it meaningful to work with this. We can build houses, schools, kindergartens etc. to help. In collaboration with our suppliers, we are now running a pilot to test all aspects of deliveries to Ukraine. The house is built from 8 prefabricated modules and will be offered to four doctor families in a municipality with a shortage of doctors. We know that the need for new buildings is formidable. At the moment, however, the financing of new buildings has not been resolved,” said Killi.

– A final reflection; An impressively large part of Ukraine is functioning. One third of Ukraine is hardly affected by war, one third is very affected in terms of many internal refugees and in the last third are the acts of war. That’s the reality in Ukraine now,” said Killi.

The Norwegian labor market is characterized by high employment and low unemployment, which makes it difficult to recruit new employees with the right skills. The main goal of the Heartwood project has been to improve the skills of employees in the woodworking industry, with special emphasis on lifelong learning, digitalization and advanced manufacturing.

Pressured labor market

After two and a half years of targeted work, the Heartwood project, initiated and led by the Norwegian Wood Cluster, was officially concluded with a successful conference in Mjøstårnet on June 20, 2025. Here it became clear that the results after two and a half years of work, respond well to the industry’s challenges.

A tight labor market makes it difficult to recruit new employees with the right skills. This challenge is further exacerbated in the woodworking industry, which is undergoing rapid technological change and therefore has an increased need to develop the skills of existing employees.

Timber and building products need to be protected to retain their quality, but the use of plastic packaging is a constant headache. That’s why Blåne AS, Gausdal Treindustrier SA and Gausdal Landhandleri AS are currently collecting plastic film. They are all participating in the “Circular lumber foil” project under the auspices of the Norwegian Wood Cluster.

Expectations for the project

– “In this phase of the project, we are gaining concrete experience with logistics. Østlandet Gjenvinning AS and Litra Containerservice AS will collect the collected plastic and deliver it to Norfolier GreenTec AS’s plant in Folldal,” says logistics manager Paul Erik Hattestad, Gausdal Landhandleri. He says that when the volume is sufficient, Norfolier will produce granules from recycled plastic. The granules will then go to Haagensen Plast AS, which makes the recycled lumber foil. The companies will then test the quality.

– “Of course, we’re excited to see if the quality will be good enough, as we want to solve our packaging needs in a way that reduces greenhouse gas emissions,” says Paul Erik Hattestad, who is a member of the “Circular Lumber Foil” project group.

-“This project is fully in line with Gausdal Landhandleri’s sustainability strategy, and we look forward to the results. We have already changed our use of plastic. If it becomes more difficult to recycle plastic with an imprinted logo, we will have to rethink here too,” says Sales and Marketing Manager Unn Elisabeth Tofthagen at Gausdal Landhandleri.

Positive response in department stores

The collection of plastic film is well underway at Gausdal Landhandleri’s department store in Jevnaker, which is one of the largest department stores in the Group. Department store manager Atle Roen says that the largest volume is collected in the store itself, where customers pick out their materials from the shelves.

– At Jevnaker, we also have a large regional warehouse for department stores and end customers in Oslo, Akershus and Buskerud. There is less plastic waste here than in the warehouse, as it is often whole packages that go in and out of the warehouse, but of course we also collect this,” says Roen.

Gausdal Landhandleri is known for good logistics.

“We receive customer-packaged goods wrapped in plastic film directly from Gausdal Treindustrier. This is packed together and sent on. An efficient solution,” says Lars Ole Magnussen, operations manager for the regional warehouse at Jevnaker.

Both Atle Roen and Lars Ole Magnussen are positive about the project and hope for useful results that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions from plastic use in the future.

– For more than 30 years, we have helped to create good homes, attractive commercial premises and new and important buildings within culture, health and knowledge in Østfold, Follo and Oslo. Since 2007, we have been focusing on element production, and in recent years also solid wood. This is sustainable and efficient, and contributes to shorter construction times,” says Reinert Hersleth, CEO of Hersleth AS.

If we are to change today’s building practices, we need to meet and share knowledge and experience at all levels of the industry. That’s why it was gratifying that among the 60 attendees were builders, building materials manufacturers, architects, contractors and recyclers.

Traffic light method for reuse in renovation projects

When Betonmast Trøndelag was commissioned to refurbish and build Trondheim Cathedral School in 2022, there was a clear desire from the client, Trøndelag County Council, to look at existing buildings as a source of reused materials. Sondre Synnevåg of Betonmast presented the project, which had a collaborative development phase and included a reuse survey to see which materials could be suitable for reuse and how easily they can be dismantled.

All materials that were defined as “suitable for reuse” were put into a decision matrix to clarify whether reuse would be profitable. The “traffic light model” was established, where Green = low threshold for reuse, Yellow = unsure of the dismantling or reuse potential, Red = not suitable for our project. Whatever fell into the Red category, it was up to the developer to decide whether it should be demolished/thrown away, or sold elsewhere – in which case the income was transferred to the project.

The rehabilitation of Trondheim Cathedral School has shown that it is possible to make the reuse of materials a profitable part of a construction project. The recommendation from the contractor is not to be afraid of tackling the issue, but to make sure you have all the decisions ready before you start demolishing and building. Heather Mason from the county council added that the project had applied for funding from Enova and Klimasats, not large sums of money, but enough to provide scope to try new things and at the same time relieve the contractor of risk.

Do you want to learn more about the traffic light method and the Trondheim Cathedral School project?

• Watch recording of of the webinar “Contract forms for reuse” (Circular Resource Center 27.11.2023)

• Read more about the about the construction project at Betonmast Trønelag