Early Adopter Cities
Taking a leading role in the project, closely collaborating with the Consortium to intensify the use of wood in both, urban core and surrounding municipalities.
What is an Early Adopter City?
To understand and overcome individual barriers implementing Build-in-Wood solutions, six very different European cities have been selected as Early Adopter Cities. They range from capital metropoles to mid-size and small mountain cities, making one thing clear: Any city can decide to build in wood and benefit from it.
The Early Adopter Cities take a leading role in the project, receiving detailed context analyses, workshops and implementation support from the Consortium and Advisory Board. Their stories shall inspire cities around the world to rethink construction and social responsibility.
Brasov, Romania
Located in central Romania, ~160 km from the capital Bucharest, Brasov is nestled in the Southern Carpathians, an area rich in forests and other natural resources. The city grows fast, becoming one of Romania's biggest industrial and touristic hotspots.
Challenge: Increased demand for housing, renovations, need to decrease GHG-emissions
Build-in-Wood focus: strengthening of local wood value chain, developing strategies for wood use in multi-storey new builds and retrofits
Project status: first workshop completed
Population: 290.000
We need to ensure the sustainable, inclusive and competitive development of our region. The Build-in-Wood project will help us to strengthen the value chain in the wood and construction industry by developing the local added value and capacity.
Dragoș David, General Director of Brasov Metropolitan Agency

Trento, Italy
Trento, Italy's greenest city and its region Trentino Alto Adige are home to the country’s most important cluster in the wood industry as well as a growing green economy cluster, hosting innovative companies active in the bioeconomy and renewable energy sectors.
Challenge: high-density urban area with increasing population growth, situated in a valley constrained by mountainous landscape
Build-in-Wood focus: Strengthening of local economy and urban-rural linkage, facilitating the cooperation between industry and administration, raising awareness to sustainability
Project status: signed commitment
Population: 118.000

Copenhagen, Denmark
The city of Copenhagen is one of the most sustainable and energy efficient cities in the world - striving to become the first carbon neutral capital by 2025. The metropolitan area of Copenhagen is home to nearly a third of Denmark's population.
Project status: informal confirmation
Population (Greater Copenhagen Region): 1.3 Million
Innsbruck, Austria
The outdoor sport destination Innsbruck is nestled between high mountains, leaving little space for the Tyrolean capital to expand. Since not only tourists and students seek it out, housing prices have significantly increased, exceeding even those of the capital Vienna.
Project status: signed commitment
Population: 130.000
Innsbruck is looking forward to collaborating with Build-in-Wood to create a new era of timber constructions while protecting our climate and strengthening Tyrolean economy.
Georg Willi, Mayor of Innsbruck
Trondheim, Norway
Trondheim, Norway’s former capital city and technology hotspot is also known as a centre of excellence in sustainable urban development. The Trondheim region, Trøndelag accents the sustainable valorisation of natural resources, including measures for promoting the bioeconomy and circular economy.
Challenge: lack of expertise (on tall timber buildings), material sourcing / lack of local producers, timber building costs
Build-in-Wood focus: enhance personnel qualifications/trainings, re-use of building materials after end-of-life
Project status: signed commitment
Population: 200.000
London, UK
As one of the world's most relevant economical metropoles, London has a huge urban growth with people moving in from all over the globe. London's population is expected to grow to 10 Million by 2030.
Project status: pending
Population: 9 Million

to be confirmed