NEB-STAR (New European Bauhaus Stavanger) is a European collaboration focused on creating sustainable, beautiful, and inclusive urban spaces. As part of the EU’s New European Bauhaus initiative, the project emphasizes the reuse of materials, innovative design, and community-driven transformation of urban areas.
This month, the European Council gave the green light to the certification framework for carbon removals, including carbon storage in wood buildings. This is great news for the timber industry and timber architecture.
Through NEB STAR, our region aims to align local development with European green transition goals.
New Partners
A key partner in the NEB-STAR project is Helen & Hard, an architecture firm specializing in environmentally friendly architecture. They have already created leading examples in Stavanger with projects like Innoasis and Bjergsted Financial Park. This partnership highlights NEB STAR’s commitment to combining sustainability and beautiful innovation.
Sustainability Meets Aesthetics
Both in the European Council and the public sector Timber is increasingly recognized as key to sustainable construction. It is characterized by low carbon footprint and the ability to store CO2. Therefore, it is considered an environmentally friendly building material and a material with unique aesthetic qualities.
Randi Augenstein, Head of Innoasis at Nordic Edge, an important partner in the NEB-STAR project, shares her insights on timber architecture in Stavanger with the following reflections:
Timber is a material that corresponds well with NEB values:
It is sustainable, both a low CO2 footprint and because trees are central to the storage of CO2.
Aesthetically,wood in buildings is perceived as beautiful, friendly, and comfortable.
Innoasis is an innovation hub in Stavanger designed to foster collaboration and a community feel.
The building is a pioneering project showcasing how timber can be used in building transformation to reduce CO2 footprint and creating an unique and warm work environment.
Foto: Sindre Ellingsen
Award-winning Projects
Helen & Hard also designed Bjergsted Financial Park in Stavanger. A project emphasizing timber’s potential in large-scale construction, combining functionality with sustainable design. This building was a leading project at the time, earning recognition as both Building of the Year and Timber Building of the Year in 2019. You can read more about this project here.
