WoodWorks North 2023: Inspiring Innovation and Nurturing Talent
We are excited to share the highlights from the WoodWorks North Event 2023, a pivotal event that's reshaping New Zealand's forestry and wood industry.
After an eight-year hiatus, WoodWorks organised two significant events - one in Christchurch and the other, WoodWorks North 2023, in Wellington. These gatherings united over 350 leaders in engineered wood design and construction.
WoodWorks North 2023, hosted at Wellington's Sky Stadium on September 19-20, 2023, explored mass timber technology advancements, including Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) and Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT), prefab techniques, and innovative connection systems. These innovations promise to revolutionise commercial construction for sustainability and efficiency.
The event emphasised sharing practical insights from industry professionals, both local and international, along with valuable 'Lessons Learnt' workshops. This provided attendees with a holistic understanding of wood construction challenges and opportunities.
An open industry expo and seminar added a new dimension, attracting over 200 representatives from various sectors within the engineered timber industry, fostering connections and mentorship opportunities.
The WIDE Trust sponsored attendees Ella Knapton and Anthony Schneider and Johannes van der Wielden, architectural students, William Allouche, a PhD student researching sustainable building materials, and draughtsman Emmett Sutherland. Ella found sound engineering with CLT and Glulam fascinating, enriching her studies. William expressed gratitude for the sponsorship and noted how the conference aligned with his research, providing practical insights. Emmett commented that the most valuable take-aways for him were that he was able to renew industry relationships and boost his confidence as a construction industry professional. Anthony enjoyed learning about the acoustic considerations of building in mass timber, which was particularly relevant to his current studies and the presentations about the AUT A1 building and the Pā project at Waikato University.
WoodWorks North 2023 aligns with our mission to support forestry and wood industry education and development. It's an event that fosters innovation, networking, and a sustainable future for the industry. We commend WoodWorks for their dedication to deliver impactful events for the industry. Together, we're shaping a brighter future for young people pursuing forestry and wood-related careers in New Zealand.