REWINNUSE project if focused on the reuse of discarded wood and alternative wood species and the development of wooden windows for complete disassembly. In cooperation with the project partners (Biotechnical faculty of the University of Ljubljana, Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research NIBIO and the Slovenian Forestry Institute), the project covers two main areas, through which we are promoting in implementing circular economy principles in the wood processing industry and beyond. The first area involves the development of a new model of wooden window with glass, which is installed only with dry components, which allows easy disassembly of the window into its basic components and their reuse after the end of its life time. Another area deals with the research of alternative wood species and the reuse of discarded wood, since spruce will become scarce in the coming decades due to the consequences of climate change according to the forecasts of global researchers. More about the project...

Since 1.12.2018 we started with project WOOLF – Wood and wooden products over lifetime. It's main goal is to develop wooden construction and wooden window elements that will be equipped with integrated sensors and ICT technology based on which we will be able to monitor wood quality in real time and to predict the life expectancy of wooden products. Developed products and systems will be presented in the demonstration platform unit

In the 3 years long programme 8 consortium partners are collaborating that are coordinated by M SORA. Operation is following the Slovenian smart specialisation strategy (S4) focusing especially on smart buildings and home including wood chain. The total budget of programme is 2.945.250,00 EUR that will be co-funded by Slovenian Ministry for education, science and sport and EU – European regional development fund.

The project "Development of an application for collection of waste wood" (RecAPPture) is dedicated to the development of a mobile and web application that will connect users who want to get rid of the waste wood and M SORA, which will use the wood for the production of wooden windows. In the multidisciplinary project RecAPPture, experts from the University of Primorska, InnoRenew CoE and M SORA, and the students of the University of Primorska (FAMNIT) and the University of Ljubljana (ALUO) are involved. The RecAPPture project was selected through a public call "Creative Path to Knowledge 2017-2020" published by the Public Scholarship, Development, Disability and Maintenance Fund of the Republic of Slovenia and is co-financed by the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport and the European Union European Social Fund.

The main goal of the ReWin project is the development and commercialization of wooden windows made of old, discarded wood, with special emphasis on wooden beams. The operation will reduce the amount of discarded wood, which is deposited at landfills or consumed for incineration. A new service life will be given to old wood and its lifetime will be extended which directly influence on the prolonged storage of CO₂. The key sources of old wood will be defined, technological solutions for the use of such wood will be developed and procedures for the production of windows will be developed in cooperation with R&D institutions with an emphasis on the analysis of contaminated wood, physical properties of wood and the appropriate surface treatment of such products. The ReWin project is co-funded by the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology and the European Regional Development Fund. The progress of the project can be monitored at online blog.

M SORA was successful with an application at call “Co-funding of individual presentations of companies at international fairs abroad in 2017” by SPIRIT Public agency for implementation of project of participation at international fair BATIMAT in Paris (6. 11. 2017 – 10. 11. 2017). Goals of the project are an increase of export at French market and in Benelux countries, get contacts of new potential customers, establish new partnerships and increase the visibility of company at international markets. Project is co-funded by Republic of Slovenia and European Regional Development Fund.

Programme TIGR4smart - Sustainable and innovative construction of smart buildings - connects 16 companies and research institutions with an overall budget of 9.184.425,00 EUR. TIGR4smart is involved in Smart buildings and home, including wood chain priority area of Slovenia’s Smart Specialisation Strategy (S4). The main goal of the TIGR4smart programme is the development of products and technologies, which enable the establishment of a healthy living and working indoor environment, by combining the research and development potential of companies and research organisations. Technologies and products, which will be developed, are divided into three groups of interrelated products: (I) wooden construction systems, (II) intelligent controls and building blocks and smart building management, and (III) building envelope products. All will be integrated into the TIGR4smart demonstration modular living unit. TIGR4smart started on 1.9.2016 and will last until 28.2.2019. Programme is coordinated by Slovenian company Trimo d.d, whereas M SORA coordinates one of three main pillars -  wooden construction systems.

The goal of XtremelY project - Numerical modelling of reinforced slender wooden window elements – is development of parametric numerical model of reinforced slender wooden window elements, which will lead to future development and production of oversized openable window systems with extreme height. A PhD or equivalent expert is financed by European commission for a period of 1 year in the scope of XtremelY project which is supported under Horizon 2020, SME Innovation Associate call. Innovation associate is a part of M SORA R&D team with a focus on XtremelY project which start on 1.9.2017 and will last for 12 months. You can check some results at M SORA blog.

M SORA is a partner in KOC SOTRAG (Competence center for human resources development in modern sustainable construction), which answers tocurrent challenges and was established with the aim of improving the competencies, productivity, creativity and innovation of employees in partner companies, and is strengthening the competitiveness of the Slovenian economy in the field of smart buildings and homes with wood chain.

Nowadays, a great amount of energy is consumed for heating and cooling of buildings. Windows remain the weakest point in terms of heat losses and therefore there is a strong need for further improvement of existing windows by applying new coatings that enable smart light and heat management. Goal of project is synthesis of new materials based on transition metal oxides as functional coatings on glazing surfaces to make “green” windows: environmental and energy efficient. Realisation of goals will be done through several research directions: (I) preparation of thermochromic coatings on glass and plastics, (II) preparation of photocatalytic coatings on glass and plastics and UV-protective coatings on wood, (III) their application in design and modelling of a window and (IV) exploring their physicochemical properties in order to relate them with functional characteristics of a window – illumination and thermal comfort, pollutant removal, self-cleaning, self-sterilizing and anti-fogging surface. University of Nova Gorica, National institute of chemistry and University of Ljubljana are a part of this project co-funded by Slovenian research agency and will last from 1.3.2016 until 28.2.2019.

Renewable Materials and Healthy Environments Research and Innovation Centre of Excellence (InnoRenew CoE) was established in January 2017. An objective of InnoRenew CoE is improved, innovative and efficient use of renewable materials for building products and materials and development of new techniques for cascade use, reuse, and recycling of wood products, residues and waste. Coordinator is Universtiy of Primorska with close collaboration of Fraunhofer WKI institute from Germany. M SORA is a part of Living Laboratory (LL InnoRenew) which goal is to gather stakeholders representing industry, consumers, and researchers to collaboratively explore, design and validate themes, opportunities, and risks for new innovative renewable material based products, services and systems.

WINTHERWAX project was the first Horizon 2020, SME Instrument project coordinated by Slovenian company. The value of the project consortium wass 1.85 mio € and was structured by M SORA and the Slovenian company Silvaprodukt. Other partners in the project were University of Ljubljana (Biotechnical faculty, Department of wood science and technology), University of Hannover, SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden, the Inspiralia company from Madrid, the Kambič company from Slovenia, and the Slovenian Wood Industry Cluster. Timber windows (the main focus of the Nature Optimo XLT passive window) made of Silvapro® thermally modified spruce and surface treated with a special, naturally based Silvacera® wax was developed and tested in the scope of the project. Windows were installed in 5 test objects, and sent to 5 different locations in Europe (2 in Slovenia, 1 each in Germany, Spain and Sweden) and their performance characteristics were measured. Alongside this an accelerated ageing chamber was be developed to test windows in extreme climatic conditions and simulating an aging process of several years. More about the project can be found at website of WINTHERWAX and M SORA windows website.

Since 1.5.2014, M SORA has been working with the European project CaReWood (Cascading Recovered Wood), a large international project coordinated by the Technical University in München (TUM). Participating project partners come from Germany, Austria, Finland, France and Slovenia. Alongside M SORA the other Slovenian partners are the University of Primorska and the company Abelium d.o.o. The project, lasting 3 years, will see intensive work on the recycling of wood after its normal lifespan with special emphasis on wooden windows.

M SORA, in collaboration with the University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical faculty, Department of wood science and technology, and the University of Primorska, Andrej Marušič Institute, organized a student competition called the “ReWin – M SORA talent competition”. Students, together with their mentors, developed different products out of older waste timber windows. More about ReWin can be found at: www.m-sora.si/si/rewin

M SORA windows are marked with an eco-innovation label on the European market. Natural wood insulation with special air cavities represent a genuine alternative to synthetic insulation materials, resulting in lower CO² emissions (carbon footprint) and higher thermal insulation.

Three students, M SORA and the Department of wood science and technology, University of Ljubljana, collaborated on a project in which four different coating systems form seven different producers of window coatings were tested. The project was financed by the Slovene human resources development and scholarship fund and lasted 6 months.

M SORA joined the international ENERGYViLLab project in 2013. The aim of the project is to build a network of so-called “live laboratories called “EnergyViLLab (Energy Virtuos Living Lab) or virtual laboratories. In these laboratories various private and public organizations interested in innovative applications and solutions based on using energy from renewable sources, energy saving and sustainable mobility methods are participating.

In 2013, M SORA joined the European Union pilot project EURL3A (European Real Life Learning Lab Alliance), aimed at strengthening collaboration between universities, research institutions and companies. Partners from Czech Republic, Netherlands and Slovenia will organize multidisciplinary teams of students in the planning and monitoring of buildings with low energy consumption. M SORA participates as an industrial partner on the project idea of energy-driven renovation of older city buildings. The pilot project will take place in main building of University of Ljubljana at Kongresni trg.