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297 presentations of the latest knowledge on sustainable, healthy and sustainable construction

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At the end of August 2021, 365 researchers and professionals from 45 countries gathered at the International Building Physics Conference 2021 to share knowledge on how we can create healthier and more sustainable and durable buildings. Video recordings of the 297 presentations are available until the end of 2021.


At the International Building Physics Conference 25-27 August, 365 researchers, educators, practitioners etc. gathered and discussed topics such as opportunities and challenges in the circular economy, the durability of wood and other building materials, and how we can reduce the risk of infection through better ventilation.

The conference featured 297 presentations of new research in all aspects of Building Physics.

“There is a great need to focus on building physics because it is an area that contributes with crucial knowledge to create a more sustainable, healthy and durable built environment. It was good to see so many contributions from researchers around the world,” says Conference Chair, Professor Carsten Rode from the Technical University of Denmark.

Video-recordings of all presentations are available on the virtual platform until the end of 2021 for all registered participants. If you missed the conference, it is possible to buy access to the presentations. Go to registration and and choose the ‘view only’ option.

Increased focus on indoor air quality

Because of COVID-19, the conference was held virtually with participants from all over the world. Professor Umberto Berardi, Ryerson University, defied the six-hour time difference and got up in the middle of the night in Toronto, Canada, to attend. He points out his highlights from the conference:

“We learned that COVID-19 has not stopped researchers. New things are happening – more attention to indoor air quality and materials that can absorb pollutants. But also, the increasing focus that urban building physics is receiving suggests the critical role we can play at the community and city scales. So, we have once more appreciated the multiple applications of Building Physics.”

Challenges with wood as building material

Fifty participants chose to meet at DTU to follow the conference together. Some had travelled to Denmark from England and Sweden. Villu Kukk, an early stage researcher from TalTech University, had travelled from Estonia to join the conference at DTU.

“It was a good experience to be able to visit a conference venue again. It was much easier to follow the presentations and focus on the results. In my experience, there are usually a lot of distractions in virtual conferencing because you listen to presentations while doing other work in parallel,” says Villu Kukk.

“My highlights from the conference were the keynote speakers, especially on the first and third day, where the topics were sustainability and moisture in wood. Particularly interesting was Professor Dominique Derome’s presentation Wood, used for millennia, fit for the future which dealt extensively with the most innovative approach in science to the moisture transport in wood,” says Villu Kukk.

IBPC 2024 in Canada

At the end of the conference, Ryerson University was announced as the hosting university of the next conference, IBPC 2024, to be held in Toronto, Canada, 28-29 May 2024. Professor Umberto Berardi will lead the planning.

“We will try to promote works on climate resiliency and the importance of radical technological shifts,” says Professor Umberto Berardi.

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