Portrait
NRP 66 aimed to develop scientific principles and practical approaches for making the renewable resource wood more readily available and widely used.
In this context, researchers were collaborating with industry to develop innovative technologies and services for the material, chemical and energetic use of wood with a view to establishing a sustainable material life-cycle management.
In close collaboration with the Commission for Technology and Innovation (CTI), NRP 66 facilitated the transfer of new knowledge and technologies to the practical realm based on its four thematic dialogue platforms and various communication and implementation measures.
NRP 66 pursued the following goals:
- a broader understanding of wood-based material flows, improvements to wood supplies and decision-making aids for authorities and for the forestry and timber industries;
- new knowledge and technologies for using wood as a basic component in chemical products and for manufacturing new composite materials;
- further technical advances in the generation of power from wood and in using it as a material for structures and buildings;
- competitiveness through increased added value in wood-based industries, enhanced skills and research capacities in Switzerland, and a new impetus for commercial innovation.
NRP 66 had a budget of 18 million Swiss francs and the research lasted from 2012 to the end of 2016.
The 30 research projects of NRP 66 reflected the broad spectrum of new approaches to wood use and showed possible solutions for better resource availability and sustainable management of the material cycle. At the end of 2013, the Steering Committee defined four thematic dialogue fields. These cover the essential areas of the forest-wood value chain and were further developed in exchange with industry, associations and authorities within the framework of the dialogue platforms. The results from research and dialogue led to four partial syntheses.
The Swiss Wood Innovation Network S-WIN was an important partner for knowledge and technology transfer. The association was founded in 2012. Its goal is to strengthen the Swiss wood industry along the entire value chain and continues the activities in the four dialogue fields.