UPV Students to Contribute to the Spanish Demo Site of DeCO2 through Hands-on Learning

The Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV) hosted a session organized by the European project DeCO2 in collaboration with the Maderamen Chair, bringing together students and faculty to explore innovative approaches to sustainable timber design. 

During the event, Lucía Pareja, representative of the Valencia Institute of Building (IVE) and partner of the DeCO2 project, presented the main goals of this European initiative, which is co-funded by the European Union. DeCO2 aims to advance the decarbonisation of the built environment by integrating technological, social, and policy innovations. Pareja underlined that “DeCO2 seeks to promote a circular and sustainable approach to renovation by connecting digital tools, bio-based materials and reuse strategies within the construction sector.” 

Professor Isaac Vilanova, from the Maderamen Chair, introduced the design challenge that UPV architecture students will develop this academic year: to design a timber structure for an elevation on an existing building on the UPV campus. Set to underpin Spain’s DeCO2 demo site, the structure will act as the platform for integrating and testing project partner technologies from AIDIMME, IAAC and WASP. The proposal encourages participants to combine creative thinking with practical, sustainable construction strategies. 

Hands-on Learning for a Low-Carbon Future 

The academic exercise is structured around clear sustainability and efficiency criteria: 

• Assembly and disassembly by two people, without heavy machinery. 

• Simple construction techniques enabling guided self-building. 

• Speed of execution, combined with flexibility and adaptability to multiple uses. 

• Economy of means and affordable solutions. 

• Basic dimensioning of structural elements and joints. 

• Low environmental footprint, evaluated using TURIA, the environmental assessment tool developed by the IVE. 

  
  

This learning-by-doing approach not only strengthens technical and design skills but also fosters awareness of architecture’s role in responding to the climate emergency and promoting low-impact construction. 

University–Industry Collaboration for Sustainable Innovation 

The collaboration between DeCO2, the Maderamen Chair, and the UPV exemplifies how education and research can work hand in hand to foster innovation in sustainable construction. This partnership provides students with direct exposure to real-world challenges, tools, and materials used in European research projects focused on circular building and renovation. 

The Spanish demo site of DeCO2, coordinated by the IVE, combines the rehabilitation of a historic library in Castellón with the construction of a Living Lab on the UPV campus, which will serve as a testing ground for new technologies and bio-based materials. The demonstrator illustrates how heritage rehabilitation and experimental construction can be part of the same circular ecosystem, advancing the transition toward a low-carbon building sector. 

Building Knowledge, Inspiring Change 

Through this joint initiative, UPV students contribute to designing lightweight, adaptable, and sustainable timber structures, echoing the principles of circularity, efficiency, and environmental responsibility. 

The partnership between DeCO2 and the Maderamen Chair reaffirms the shared commitment of IVE and UPV to sustainable architectural education, applied experimentation, and the transition toward a decarbonised construction model.