Web Site Updated on 27 May 2008

The Chairman of the COST Action E37 «Sustainability through New Technologies for Enhanced Wood Durability» and the Local Organizers  are delighted to invite you to the 12 th WORKSHOP on “Enhanced durability focussing on differences in end-use related requirements” and the 11th Management Committee Meeting which will be held in Hersonissos, Crete. The Workshop will take place in the Aldemar resort hotel, which provides a perfect environment for all activities, scientific, business and recreational.

A key issue for the competitiveness of wood as construction material is the possibility to control the safety and performance of timber structures by improving the durability, the reliability of durability, the service life and life cycle costs for constructions and components in different use conditions.

The Workshop comprises of a number of sessions intending to touch current developments, scientific views and market opportunities including viewpoints on treatment, preservation, actives, market challenges and, based on a national level report, what is the regulatory situation today.

The Workshop comprises of scientific sessions (seminars), on 'Market Challenges for New Technologies', on 'Service Life Prediction - SLP' , on 'Test Methods', on 'Waste Management' and on  'New Chemicals and Treatments' with all three Working Groups of the Cost Action E37.

Workshop Topics  

Working Group 1 "Principles" - "Sustainability Benefits"

• Review new technologies

• Scaling-up

• Market challenges

• Effective challenges to plastic, concrete, metal

• Sustainability aspects

 Working Group 2 "Performance" - "Realistic efficacy prediction - relation between testing and practice"

• Short term test methods

• Promising non standardised indicators methods

• Relation between decay indicators - standard lab testing - field testing methods

• Ideas on how to improve existing standard tests to improve their predictability

 Working Group 3 "Properties" - "Perspectives for wood durability enhancement according to the environmental protection standards"

• Biodegradability

  • biodegradation of actives during service life caused by biological factors (preservative treated wood)

  • degradation of actives caused by other factors (wood coatings)

  • biodegradability of final products (WPC, modified wood)

• Waste management

  • disposal

  • burning

  • Recycling (electrodialytics or electrokinetcs method)

• Legislation, approval, certification, labelling

  • frame formulation (BPD definition)

  • new biocides and their threshold values

  • approval and certification systems in different member states

We are looking forward to welcoming you in the Island of Crete and to give us the opportunity to offer you the traditional Cretan hospitality which has always  been among our core values.

 The local organizers will be happy to assist you with all relevant details