Tallinn, Harju County, Estonia (Image courtesy of Pexles/CCL)
SEOUL, Feb. 23 (Korea Bizwire) — A delegation representing Estonia’s wood construction and architecture design industry visited South Korea, aiming to expand their presence in the local market by promoting advanced modular wood-building techniques amid global interest in eco-friendly construction methods.
The delegation, composed of representatives and architects from eight Estonian wood construction companies, hosted a media roundtable at Seoul’s Four Seasons Hotel on January 21, highlighting their innovative modular construction technologies and business prospects.
Rene Puusepp, CEO of Creatomus Solutions, showcased a modular school building in Estonia, constructed using 26 prefabricated modules, accommodating approximately 200 students.
These modules were produced in a factory over three weeks and assembled on-site in just three days. “The system is designed using open-source principles, allowing production and design to easily transfer to Korean factories,” Puusepp emphasized.
Estonian Wood Construction and Architecture Design Delegation’s Press Conference in South Korea (Image provided by Enterprise Estonia)
Annika Kadastik, a representative from Woodhouse Estonia, highlighted the efficiency of modular construction, noting that a five-story building can be completed in less than six months.
“We have already secured partnerships through affiliates with major South Korean corporations like Samsung and LG,” Kadastik revealed.
Sten Schwede, the Estonian Ambassador to South Korea, underscored the growth potential, noting timber products already account for about 30% of Estonia’s exports to South Korea. “We are actively pursuing partnerships with Korean companies to further expand our presence,” Schwede added.
With forests covering 51% of its land, Estonia is renowned globally as the largest exporter of prefabricated wooden houses, supported by more than a century of timber-processing expertise.
As of 2023, Estonia accounted for 22.3% of wooden building exports within the European Union, contributing approximately €3 billion annually to its economy.
Estonian timber exports to South Korea reached approximately €32 million (48.2 billion KRW) last year, a figure expected to rise significantly given the industry’s innovative building techniques and strong global demand for sustainable construction.
Ashley Song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)
