The two-day meeting was the first in-person meeting between researchers at the University of Primorska, the project coordinator Universita degli studi di Genova, and other project partners – Regione Liguria, ART-ER Universita degli studi di Firenze, Federazione Italiana delle industrie del legno de IT, Comite Europeen de Coordiantion de l'habitat social aisbl and Politechnika Wroclawska.

The meeting began with an opening address by the University of Genoa’s rector, Mr Federico Delfino. Later participants reviewed the overall content of the project and presented the establishment of the NEB Academy Pioneer SUD Hub. A special focus was on the presentation of the planned communication and dissemination activities with external stakeholders. A timetable for the implementation of various seminars, the autumn school and the podcast were adopted. They held also the Steering Committee meeting.

Prof. dr. Andreja Kutnar, the project leader at UP IAM, presented the process of establishment of the New European Bauhaus Academy Pioneer Hub for Sustainable Built Environments with Renewable Materials (NEBAP Hub).

The following day, the project coordinator organised a tour of Imperia and ARTE Imperia, where participants took part in the first press conference and visited the pilot project for the building restructuring in Imperia. The municipality bought the building to carry out a sustainable renovation, where 18 social housing units and two common areas for the elderly are planned. They will renovate the building by using wood and other natural materials, test innovative methodologies and include on-site demonstrations.

The project is financed under the LIFE2027 initiative of the European Commission and aims to promote the decarbonization of buildings, improve circularity in the building sector, and overcome barriers hindering the widespread use of wood and bio-based materials.