Abstract

At a global level, the mid-rise timber construction is closely linked to sustainability and innovation processes. At present, in Chile, it is not possible to construct wooden buildings because the national regulations don’t consider this system. Furthermore, SMEs show low indexes of innovations and knowledge. Within this context, the University of Bío-Bío, in association with SMEs, develop the PymeLAB-Madera Project, which promotes a multidisciplinary network aiming to increase the innovation and associativity of the timber-related companies in the Biobio Region. One of the main activities to encourage an environment of association and innovation is the collaborative design and construction of a timber mid-rise building in CLT. This building will also be an innovation platform because it will be used as a laboratory for product test and prototyping. It is expected that the whole process of collaborative work tends to strengthen the business ecosystem and promote a culture of collaboration for the development of more complex products by SME companies.