On May 6 and 7, 2026, part of the FITFORWOOD project team attended the 5th D-A-CH Conference, “Three Countries, One Mission: Wood Construction—Economically Strong and Regional!”, organized by the Baden-Württemberg Wood Construction Initiative in Friedrichshafen. The conference brought together stakeholders from research, planning, architecture, industry, and politics to discuss current developments, challenges, and future prospects for timber construction in German-speaking countries.
For FITFORWOOD, the event offered numerous fascinating insights into current debates surrounding sustainable construction and urban timber construction. Throughout the presentations, panel discussions, and conversations, one central question kept recurring:
How can wood construction contribute to a more sustainable transformation of the construction sector—and what factors are currently promoting or hindering this development?
Wood Construction: A Technical Challenge or a Cultural Shift?
A recurring observation during the conference was that many of the frequently discussed “problems” in wood construction are no longer primarily technical in nature. Challenges such as fire safety, sound insulation, and structural requirements were described by experts and practitioners as issues for which solutions already exist—provided that planning and implementation are carried out professionally and at an early stage.
At the same time, it became clear that timber construction often requires different planning and coordination processes than conventional construction methods. Compared to traditional construction, earlier coordination, more detailed advance planning, and closer interdisciplinary collaboration are necessary.
Several comments also highlighted the advantages of this approach: better predictability, fewer unforeseen cost overruns, and less pressure to make changes during the construction phase.
From FITFORWOOD’s perspective, these discussions are particularly relevant. The project examines the sociopolitical dimensions of urban wood construction: Which institutional structures, forms of governance, planning cultures, and networks of stakeholders influence the spread of wood construction in cities? And how do perceptions, routines, and administrative practices shape transformation processes in the construction sector?
Reflections on Regulation and Building Culture
Anna Heringer’s keynote address, in which she spoke about the relationship between regulation, creativity, and building culture, provided a special source of inspiration.
Heringer argued that increasing regulations in the construction industry can foster a culture of “building out of fear”—characterized by the worry of making mistakes, incurring liability risks, or deviating from established standards. She contrasted this with the idea of “building out of love”: with more creativity, intuition, and responsibility.
Even though her work focuses primarily on earthen construction rather than timber construction, her reflections tied in with many of the discussions at the conference. It became particularly clear how strongly values, routines, and institutional logics influence the ways in which buildings are constructed, planned, and decisions are made.
For FITFORWOOD, these reflections underscore a key point: The transformation of the construction sector toward greater sustainability is not merely a technological challenge. It is also a cultural and institutional transformation.
Networking and exchange
In addition to the official program, the conference offered numerous opportunities for discussion and networking. Conversations with practitioners, researchers, and other stakeholders provided valuable insights for the further development of the FITFORWOOD project and helped establish initial networks related to the project.
The conference once again demonstrated just how dynamic and interdisciplinary the current debates surrounding wood construction have become—and how important the exchange between research, practice, and policy will be for shaping sustainable urban futures.
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