“BUILDING WITH WOOD” Seminar
Following the successful series of seminars “Building with Wood”, organized since 2008 by MEDEXPO and EPIPLEON magazine, this year’s forum is once again held within the framework of MEDWOOD and focuses on the modern challenges facing the construction industry.
The program covers the development of prefabricated system technology, the behavior of wood under fire and seismic conditions, and the importance of proper connections in timber constructions.
It concludes with presentations of domestic and international examples of contemporary wooden buildings, designed according to current building codes and standards.
Saturday, March 28, 2026
Duration: 12:30 – 18.30
Coordinator: Georgios Ntalos, Professor, University of Thessaly
The Historical Evolution of Wood as a Structural System and Its Contribution to Combating Climate Change
• SESSION 1
FROM TRADITIONAL USE OF WOOD TO ENGINEERED PRODUCTS
SESSION 1.1
Classic Saw
Michalis & Alexandros Chliapas – Owners, Chliapas S.A.
LECTURE 1.2
Applications and Advantages of EWP
Maria Milita – Business Development Manager & Building Engineer, Stora Enso
Bernd Troppmann – Sales Director, Stora Enso
LECTURE 1.3
Seismic Behavior of Timber Structures | Insights from Research
Stelios Kallioras – Assistant Professor, Seismic Structural Engineering, University of Pavia
LECTURE 1.4
Case Studies in Greece
1.Architecture & Construction
Nikitas Rontogiannis, Civil & Architectural Engineer, CLT Houses
2.Structure & Production
Maria Milita, Business Development Manager & Building Engineer, Stora Enso
3.Steel Connections for Timber Constructions
Spyros Mitsakos, Sales Director, Rothoblaas srl
• SESSION 2
SAFETY OF TIMBER CONSTRUCTIONS
LECTURE 2.1
Wood & Fire | Fire Academy Experiment
Dionysios Kolaitis – Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering School, NTUA
LECTURE 2.2
Wood & Earthquake | Seismic Experiment on a Timber Building in Japan
George Ntalos – Professor, University of Thessaly
LECTURE 2.3
Laminated Composite Products and Their Structural Behavior
Konstantinos G. Ninikas – Teaching Staff, School of Technology, University of Thessaly
• SESSION 3
CONTEMPORARY WOODEN PROJECTS IN GREECE & INTERNATIONALLY
LECTURE 3.1
Timber Roof with Zinc Cladding & Tiled Roof at a Hotel in Rethymno
Livas Charalampos – Production and Management Engineer, MSc in Timber Technology
LECTURE 3.2
KYATHOS I Indoor Basketball Gymnasium with a Load-Bearing Structure of Engineered Timber
Alexandros Kitriniaris – Architect, PhD Candidate NTUA & Founder of KAAF
LECTURE 3.3
From Japanese Joinery to Structural Systems | Evolving Tradition into Contemporary Timber Architecture
Aris Kafantaris – Chief Project Manager, Kengo Kuma & Associates (KKAA)
LECTURE 3.4
Wood Is the Future of Construction
Anastasios Vasilainas – CEO of WandS & Wood Engineer
LECTURE 3.5
Study and Construction of a New Tensile Canopy at Avenue Mall
George Nikokavouras – Managing Director of Arka Synthesis, Architect
• SESSION 4
LECTURE 4.1 | ter Hürne
Real Wood at Its Best – Get Started Now with the Full Performance
Torsten Nienhaus – CEO, Terhurne & Burkhard Hessing – Export Manager
LECTURE 4.2 | Logika
Next-Generation Import Logistics: Transportation & Supply Chain
Sotiris Syrigos – CEO, Logika
Sunday, March 29, 2026
Duration: 14:00 – 17:00
Under the Patronage of the Panhellenic Association of Wooden Fenestration
• SESSION 1
LECTURE 1.1 | ter Hürne
Real Wood at Its Best – Get Started Now with the Full Performance
Torsten Nienhaus – CEO, Terhurne & Burkhard Hessing – Export Manager
LECTURE 1.2 | Logika
Next-Generation Import Logistics: Transportation & Supply Chain
Sotiris Syrigos – CEO, Logika
• SESSION 2
BEHAVIOR IN OUTDOOR ENVIRONMENTS
1. Mechanisms of Wood Degradation under Outdoor Conditions
Dimitrios Koutsianitis – Assistant Professor, Department of Forestry and Natural Environment Management, Agricultural University of Athens
2. Wood Windows in the Mediterranean Climate
Claudio Colombo – Area Manager, ICRO Coating Spa
3. Back to the Future
Tin Panduric – International Export Manager, Rubio Monocoat
4. Technical Failures and Common Mistakes in Using Wood for Outdoor Structures
George Ntalos – Professor, University of Thessaly
