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Onesta and the University of Cordoba establish Spain’s first Chair for research on bioproducts for construction
It is the first in Spain specialising in this field, encompassing the forestry-industry-construction value chain, from research into the genetic improvement of species, to the optimisation of forest use, and the development and innovation of products for their integration into construction solutions.
Last Monday, 9th October, the presentation of the ONESTA Chair of Bioproducts for Constructionmarking Spain’s inaugural chair on this subject. Its focus centres on the forest-industry-construction value chain, addressing issues related to agroforestry management and resources, ecosystem services, and the associated industry to advance the understanding of bioproducts and promote their use in construction.
The event, chaired by Mr. Manuel Torralbo Rodríguez, the esteemed Rector of the University of Cordoba, was well-received, gathering numerous dignitaries and representatives from the sector and public institutions. Notable attendees included Mr. Agustín López Ortiz, regional delegate for Economy, Finance, European Funds, and for Industry, Energy, and Mines in Cordoba, Mr. José María Bellido, Mayor of Cordoba, Mr. Antonio Díaz Cordoba, Chairman of CECO, Mr. Miguel Ángel Tamarit, Chairman of ASFACO; as well as Ms. Lourdes Arce, Vice-Chancellor of Innovation and Transfer, and Ms. Rosa Gallardo, director of the Superior Technical School of Agronomic and Forestry Engineering (ETSIAM), along with other academic authorities. Degree and master’s students from the Superior Technical School of Agronomic and Forestry Engineering also attended, showing keen interest in the Chair’s objectives and activity schedule.
The esteemed Rector of the University of Cordoba, Mr. Manuel Torralbo Rodríguez, commenced the event with welcoming remarks. Following him, Mr. Francisco José Espejo Jiménez, chairman of Onesta, highlighted one of the chair’s main objectives, to serve as “a magnet to foster synergy creation and promote a spirit of collaboration with all those research centres and universities, both domestic and international, whose study focus relates to the future of bioeconomy.” In his address, Mr. Agustín López Ortiz emphasised Onesta’s innovative nature and the establishment of the Chair as an exemplar of public-private partnership.He also portrayed it as a vehicle to “progress towards a low-carbon economy with reduced environmental impact,” seeing it as “an opportunity for businesses in the reindustrialisation of Andalusia under the principle of sustainability.”.
The innovative nature of Onesta and the creation of the Chair as an example of public-private collaboration, a vehicle to advance a low-carbon economy with less impact on the environment and which represents an opportunity for companies in the reindustrialization of Andalusia under the principle of sustainability.
Subsequently, the Chair’s director, Mrs. Marta Conde, presented it. She underlined society’s increasing interest in sustainability-linked values and noted that 80% of wood products are directed towards construction. She shared the new Chair’s focal points: the role of natural, renewable materials and bioproducts; sustainable raw material management; digitalisation; sustainability; innovation and industrialisation; and lastly, decarbonising the construction sector.
Following this, members of the Chair’s Advisory Council took the stage, composed by Mr. José Antonio Tenorio Ríos, from the Eduardo Torroja Institute of Construction Sciences (IETcc CSIC), Mr. Rafael Navarro Cerrillo and Mr. Ángel Lora González, both from the Higher Technical School of Agronomic and Forestry Engineering (ETSIAM), and D. Juan Ignacio Fernández-Golfín Seco, of the National Institute of Agricultural and Food Research and Technology (INIA-CSIC). They emphasised the need to educate society on the importance of forest management and debunk prevailing myths about it. They stressed that the correct progression of this task demands the commitment of public administrations and the boosting of the forest industry, which, though underdeveloped in our country, holds significant potential. The Chair presents a substantial opportunity to begin strides in this direction and bolster the sector.
To conclude, a roundtable discussion was held on the day’s topics, featuring the Chair’s director, its Advisory Council, and Onesta’s executive chairman.
The event aimed to introduce the Onesta Chair of Bioproducts for Construction, present its goals, the challenges set out, and to emphasise the opportunity its inception represents, both for the involved sectors and society at large. It seeks to serve as a magnet that stimulates synergy creation and encourages a collaborative spirit with all those research centres and universities, both domestic and international, whose studies relate to this field.
