The Built by Nature Annual Summit is a gathering for people working to change how buildings are designed and constructed through responsible timber and other biobased materials. Its 2026 edition took place in Barcelona on 5–6 October, bringing together industry and city frontrunners, strategic partners and experts. The summit was organised by Built by Nature with its Spanish network partner Mass Madera. 12
The central question was how to provide housing at scale without exceeding planetary boundaries. Discussions addressed the relationship between housing need, construction and climate policy, and the potential for timber and other nature-based materials to support lower-impact building. The programme combined a conference with a city tour of built projects, intended to offer participants practical examples and lessons from the teams involved. 131415
The summit’s format serves senior leaders and innovators through keynotes, focused debates and project insights, while the city tour connects participants with practitioners and examples of timber and hybrid construction. Built by Nature describes its broader work as connecting industry and city frontrunners, enabling innovation and collaboration, and sharing solutions that advance the responsible use of timber and biobased materials. 214
Built by Nature was founded by Laudes Foundation in 2021 and launched as a network and grant-making fund to accelerate timber construction, initially across Europe. Its network and activities engage developers, designers, investors, asset owners, insurers, policymakers and city leaders. 311