Homes from Sweden - sustainable housing

The project “Homes from Sweden”, where both Jönköping International Business School and the School of Engineering are participating, has received a planning grant of SEK 500,000 from Vinnova.

“Homes from Sweden” is run by SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden and it is a project that works with the development of the timber industry in the Swedish region of Småland. The project will lead to a renewal of the timber industry, partly to create growth in the region and also to provide more affordable new housing.

Jönköping University one of several partners

The project includes a number of partners including Jönköping University through Jönköping International Business School (JIBS) and the School of Engineering (JTH), regional development councils and the County Administrative Boards of the three counties in Småland, the municipalities in Jönköping, Växjö and Kalmar, among others. The application to Vinnova highlighted JTH’s research in industrial production for small and medium-sized enterprises, within relevant research areas such as built environment, product development and industrial production. It also emphasized JIBS’ focus on entrepreneurship and business innovation in international businesses. According to the SP Technical Research Institute, this is essential for the timber industry’s demand for renewal of business models, innovation and internationalization efforts.

Skills that support the industry

“In these tough times, we are delighted to see that Vinnova has realized the timber industry’s potential. If you put together all the resources, such as we have done in our application, you have an excellent foundation to assist the timber industry’s development. We will now build on this foundation and create a powerful centre that can support long-term business in their ambition to innovate, says Anders Melander, Associate Professor, Business Administration, JIBS. “The project is in line with the School of Engineering's focus on Industrial Product development. By combining our expertise in built environment, product development and industrial production, and by working cross boarders, we are creating a unique knowledge base. Our goal is to contribute to homes that are customized, easy to produce and environmentally smart, says Fredrik Elgh, Associate Professor Product Development, JTH.

More on "Homes from Sweden" at SP Technical Research Institute website