Grupo Gámiz began in a forest. It was in 1942, in Kanpezu, the heart of the Alava mountains. Since then, quality sawn wood has been the driving force for the successive generations that have led our company.

Today, Grupo Gámiz, the humble dream of five siblings, is, among other things, the top world manufacturer of hardwood glulams.

This would not have been possible if we hadn’t been concerned about protecting our forests all this time. To the extent that today, in a world threatened by environmental disasters and climate change, the companies that make a living from wood dedicate a large part of our resources to innovation, with the aim of manufacturing sustainable materials, bringing our processes closer to the circular economy and, like the project we’re presenting today, making a commitment to forestry models with as little intervention as possible.

The LIFE HAYA project: Hardwood for the Home. Building with beech

The LIFE HAYA project aims to help Spanish beech forests combat climate change using forestry methods that better respect nature (Close to Nature Forestry).

The idea is to help these forests better adapt to climate change and increase the variety of plants and animals that live there. In four regions of Spain, the project will demonstrate how to do this in 10 different areas.

In addition, 250 tonnes of wood from these forests will be used to make innovative products and construct an ecological building called the “Hayabitat”, which will be designed to be highly efficient and respectful of the environment, following strict sustainable construction standards (PEFC and Passivhaus).

Project goals

At Grupo Gámiz we’ve been working on this project since 1 September 2023. Alongside the other participating entities, we’ll be undertaking different actions until August 2028.

Over these five years we’ll try to meet the following main objectives:

1. Better understand beech forests:

We want to find out more about how beech forests grow and change, their current situation, the variety of life they host, the problems they face and how they help absorb the carbon dioxide from the air.

2. Test new forestry methods:

We’re going to use techniques that better respect the natural surroundings (Close to Nature Forestry). If the results are good, we could use these methods in more forests in northern Spain.

3. Create a new way of using wood:

We seek to innovate in how we use the wood from beech forests for construction, making products that store carbon for longer, such as glulams and special boards.

4. Improve the use of knowledge and technology for beech forests:

We want to ensure we’re using everything we know about beech forests and beech timber to make the industry more competitive from the forest to the factory.

5. Construct an illustrative building:

We’re going to construct a pilot building using the new wood products we develop. We hope this building will be an example and source of inspiration for architects and engineers.

6. Evaluate how beech forests can combat climate change:

We’ll analyse how much carbon the beech forests managed using these new techniques can absorb in different conditions, to really see how much they can help against climate change.

Union builds sustainability: who is participating in LIFE HAYA?

LIFE HAYA is funded by the EC through the 2023 edition of the LIFE Programme with grant agreement no. 101114227.

This project has brought together various companies and organisations concerned about our forests and the environment. At Grupo Gámiz we’re proud to participate in this project, alongside Cesefor, Egoin, Hazi, iTec, Nasuvinsa, PEFC and Tecnalia.

If you’d like more information on LIFE HAYA, consult the website https://lifehaya.pefc.es/. To contact the project team, click on this link.

And if you’d like to be kept up to date with what we’re doing, you can follow LIFE HAYA news on LinkedIn or X.

At Grupo Gámiz we protect forests every day

This is one of the various projects we’re participating in, because at Grupo Gámiz we’ve always been sure that only with action and innovation will we make a more sustainable world.

We act every day, bringing maximum energy efficiency to our processes at our Kanpezu factory.

The process results in primary and secondary processed wood products of maximum quality, efficiency and sustainability.

Products that are ideal for the development of industrial enterprises that use wood with a sustainable view of life.

Follow this link to find out more.

WOOD PRODUCTS FOR INDUSTRY

La entrada LIFE HAYA: we’re showcasing a unique species that helps us to build, decorate and protect the environment se publicó primero en Grupo Gámiz.

In matters of sustainability and environmental protection, wooden curtain walls improve on the efficiency of traditional walls built with materials such as concrete or steel.

The Wood IoT Wall project seeks to exceed these expectations with an even more innovative focus, with economic backing by the Basque Government and the ERDF, within the framework of the Hazitek programme.

The objective of this project is to further improve wooden curtain walls with cutting-edge technology and innovative proposals. The plan includes the creation of an advanced BIM model for curtain walls, in conjunction with a digital twin that provides smart assistance in its design, construction and scalability.

This system aims to optimise the energy efficiency of curtain walls through detailled management of aspects such as ventilation, shade, lighting and temperature.

Gymnasium München Nord, Alemania | Arq: h4a Gessert + Randecker Generalplaner | Product: VIGAM: oak glulam beam

New: radiata pine curtain wall

This year’s new development is marked by the tests conducted on radiata pine. To date, research to design a smart wooden curtain walls had been on the only oak glulam in the world with the CE marking for structural use.

The tests on pine have been very positive, which opens up the possibility of applying this technology to other species. An interesting fact is that each wood not only has its own characteristics, but also its own advantages in terms of application in different industrial sectors.

In this case, the radiata pine curtain wall would not have been possible without the CE marking for structural use of the radiata pine glulam wood of GRUPO GÁMIZ

Accompanying us on this adventure are Uxama, Carpintería Irastorza, Genelek and Tecnalia.

Energy efficiency achieved with beauty, elegance and sustainability

That is the true objective of R&D+i: being able to live in a better world without sacrifices. In the case of architecture, construction and industry, wood provides sustainability, function, elegance and beauty.

Thanks to research at Grupo Gámiz for example, in addition to designing and manufacturing the only single oak glulam in the world with the CE marking, we are able to make curved beams in any measurements. This boosts sustainable architecture, as we help architects shake off any limits to their creativity and their drive to respect nature.

Similarly, our glulams enable the development of curtain walls that, combined with glass and occasionally with other materials such as aluminium, result in more beautiful, radiant, elegant and natural façades.

Grupo Gámiz, innovating since 1942

With the Wood IoT Wall project we are taking a step further in perfecting the spaces where we live our lives with maximum energy efficiency.

Improving our products, protecting forests and contributing to our customers’ processes are the main starting points for our everyday work, which began in 1942. Today we are continuing along the same path of innovation and sustainability, working day by day in search of the best primary and secondary processed wood products.

Click on the link to discover how they can help you with your project.

Wood products for industry

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Sustainable architecture is a magical cocktail. The first of its ingredients is the architects’ desire to build a better world. Then comes the hard part: finding the materials, the certifications, the working methods… The guarantee that each step is as efficient as possible: achieving goals with the lowest possible carbon footprint.

The Passivhaus certification began in Germany in 1988. This construction model can be summarised in five key points, with the aim of achieving practical and comfortable buildings and reducing energy consumption in their construction by at least 70%, compared to conventional building standards.

This ambitious aspiration consumed the creators of the project, Fernando Ortea and A54 Architects. After a time, the Kora Green City complex of studios and apartments appeared in Vitoria-Gasteiz: the largest Passivhaus accommodation in Europe.

A forest of 13,500 trees at the heart of the Basque capital

Thanks to the Passivhaus standard, Kora Green City has saved the atmosphere 98% in CO2 emissions. This is equivalent to the purification produced by 13,500 trees in one year.

At the same time, Kora Green City obtains the majority of its energy from nature: photovoltaic panels, air source heat pumps, geothermal energy, etc. The goals for lighting and heating the rooms using natural sunlight are achieved through a kind of teamwork to which the wooden curtain wall of the façade contributes in good measure.

¿Fachadas sostenibles? Con madera certificada, por supuesto

Thanks to technology, laminated wood has been revolutionising sustainable architecture for several years. Custom structural beams, curved beams, creative designs with beams with lengths and widths that were unthinkable some time ago are now possible.

Thanks to technology… and certifications. Lightweight sustainable façades with wood are only possible thanks to certifications such as the CE marking for structural use, the seal awarded to VIGAM, the glulam beam by Grupo Gámiz, available in oak (in this case it is the only oak glulam in the world with CE marking for structural use), ash, iroko and radiata pine. The latter is the material chosen for the wooden curtain walling of the Kora Green City façade.

To see all the images from this project, consult the technical data.

Wooden curtain wall: beauty, elegance, warmth and a more protected planet

Certified laminated wood has achieved just that: that sustainability takes creativity by the hand. Today architects are not forced to forego designing what they see in their minds due to materials that are unsuitable for their sustainability goals.

As an example, a button: here are eight real examples of oak curtain wall on façades. You can see how leaders in the profession such as Renzo Piano and Herzog & de Meuron create their sustainable façades.

La entrada This is the largest Passivhaus accommodation in Europe se publicó primero en Grupo Gámiz.

Sustainable architecture is developed based on different prerequisites related to respect for the environment. Of course, the use of natural materials, such as wood, that promote a lower carbon footprint in the gestation stage of projects, is a major factor. But it can be said that sustainability begins with the gaze, in the attitude to commissions.

In the end, sustainability is just that: the ability to progress without endangering the well-being of the generations to come. In the case of Le Dôme, a winery in Saint-Émilion in the Bordeaux region, designed by Foster + Partners, the desire to preserve the landscape and the sensations generated by the environment where it lies became the axis of the project.

Like just another vine

The owner of Le Dôme was sure: the vineyard in which the new winery was to be built was so beautiful that nobody would be able to compete with it in capturing the emotions of the visitor, and nor should they. Consequently, Foster’s team designed a modestly sized building with the idea that it would go unnoticed, blending into landscape.

Actually, one of the decisions that achieved this objective, so as not to diminish the quality of the installations necessary for the services inherent in a winery, was to set the building a few metres below ground. The idea of blending into the environment was achieved quite literally: Le Dôme is rooted in the vineyard, like just another vine.

A beautiful oak roof that protects the horizon

UNESCO was also clear on this: the area is Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Nothing, nor any person, may modify the landscape or its effect. Not even the balance of the horizon can be broken, marked by the small gently rolling Bordeaux hills, home to one of the most celebrated wines in the world.

With this in mind, the studio considered a 40 m roof , subtly tilted to imitate the incline of the surrounding hills. This roof is made with oak timber, specifically VIGAM, the only oak glulam in the world with the CE marking for structural use.

The elegance of the roof seen from inside, with the oak glulams drawing a beautiful circular trail, adds to the accomplishment of comfort and freedom of movement for staff and visitors, connected in an open space, with no columns in the hall. This technical challenge was overcome thanks to the structural building advantages of VIGAM.

Norman Foster, the utopian pencil

It was the Foster + Partners architecture studio, the studio created by Norman Foster in 1967, that was responsible for the design of Le Dôme. For a long time, one of the hallmarks of the British architect, a Pritzker prize-winner, has been a sustainable understanding of architecture.

Foster, now in his eighties, one of the most well-known and influential architects in the world, is still teaching new generations to design with the conviction that anything is possible. Whole 100% sustainable cities have sprung up from the utopian spirit of his architect’s pencil, such as Masdar in the United Arab Emirates, and Amaravati in India, projects yet to be made reality.

By definition, utopias are practically impossible to make reality. But if it weren’t for those who strive for them, like Norman Foster (or other contemporary architects such as Renzo Piano), what we might not have would be progress. Nor wineries with such beautiful roofs as Le Dôme.

La entrada Here’s to views of the Bordeaux hills se publicó primero en Grupo Gámiz.

The fact that wood is a building material experiencing an upturn has been seen for some time. In reality, rather than just a current trend, it would be ideal if sustainable, certified wood with structural capacity were here to stay. In the end, it may well be the material that can best help architecture finally become sustainable architecture.

To the qualities of wood as a natural and ecological material —in addition to beautiful, elegant and warm, of course— we must add technology. Research has helped glulam wood achieve extraordinary levels of structural quality. As proof of this we have VIGAM, the only oak glulam beam in the world with the CE marking for structural use, designed and manufactured by Grupo Gámiz. As well as this project that we’re talking about today.

Tübingen City Hall | Arch: a+r Architekten GmbH | Product: VIGAM: Oak glulam.

‘Wood IoT Wall’. A step further in energy efficiency

We know that wooden curtain walling provides greater efficiency than conventional curtain walling (concrete, steel, aluminium, etc.). The Wood IoT Wall project aims to go even further, an ambitious objective funded by the Basque Government and the ERDF through the Hazitek programme. 

Compared to curtain walling models used currently Wood IoT Wall differs in the concept of its design with emerging technologies and capacities. For example, the project anticipates the generation of a complex BIM objective of curtain walling, as well as a digital twin for smart management of this curtain walling, and provision of knowledge, traceability and action on aspects of the structure related to energy efficiency: ventilation, shade, lighting, temperature, etc.

To make this reality, this adventure has participants who are exceptional in the world of construction, wood, industry and research. Grupo Gámiz is accompanied by Uxama, Carpintería Irastorza, Genelek and Tecnalia.

Smart curtain walling has to be wood

Today wooden curtain walling is the sustainable alternative to other applications with materials that are less respectful of the environment. This sustainability is also related to efficiency, as shown by the protagonism of wood in passivhaus buildings.

Agricultural centre, Salez | Arch: Andy Senn Architektur GmbH. | Product: VIGAM

So it is logical that when studying the creation of smart wooden curtain walling wood is the main material, like in this project, Wood IoT Wall, in which GRUPO GÁMIZ is participating with its R&D department… and with all the enthusiasm of people working here. We’ll keep you informed!

La entrada Innovation: GRUPO GÁMIZ is participating in a smart curtain walling project se publicó primero en Grupo Gámiz.

Since the journal Arquitectura y Empresa was launched in 2016, its bosses did not want it to be limited to being just another architecture website, “merely a space on the web to post projects and attractive images”. The nature of its content and its activity, eminently practical and aiming to generating synergies in the sector, has transformed it into an essential benchmark for the construction sector in Spain.

This motivated and proactive drive is evident in their meetings between architects and companies, their “Foros Contract”, which are not to be missed and are eagerly awaited by architecture professionals and the heads of companies related to the sector, such as GRUPO GÁMIZ.

The human factor is the key to success in collaborations

Short distances, personal service, closeness in the transfer of information and opinions, these things are like gold in a world marked by an apparent digital proximity that sometimes seems so distant. Even in pandemic times, where human contact is so fragile. The organisers of the latest Foro Contract, held in Málaga last March, went to great effort, like they did last year, to ensure the preventive measures were as safe as these times require.

There we were, available to speak to architects and listen carefully to them. Because at GRUPO GÁMIZ we are very proud of our products, of our projects and, in general, of our contribution to sustainable architecture and architectural creativity. But we have always felt that innovation is especially important, and therefore we need to know what the people with the designs of future constructions in their hands are looking for.

VIGAM and ACCOYA®: wooden curtain walling and exteriors that withstand everything

We spent a few very pleasant, intense and creative days in Málaga. We presented our products and, as expected, two of our gems were a great success with the architects: VIGAM and ACCOYA®.

VIGAM is, no more and no less, the only oak glulam beam in the world with the CE marking for structural use. This certified quality makes it possible, for example, to build wooden curtain walling, a solution that is widely used in northern European countries and that is gaining ground in our country. The result: warm and elegant façades, with all the flavour, beauty and warmth of wood, the oldest building material in the world.

At the same time, as official distributors of ACCOYA® in Spain, we have once again had the opportunity to share the incredible performance of this acetylated wood, for which we offer a 50-year written guarantee. ACCOYA® is becoming more widely known and used, but at the Foro Contract held in Málaga there were still some who were left open-mouthed when told about its almost invincible properties in exteriors: resistant and durable, it needs no maintenance is not affected by moulds or insects, as they do not recognise it as food thanks to a completely natural treatment that modifies its molecular structure.

In short: we have, once again, come away very content from this Foro Contract by Arquitectura y Empresa. Now it’s time to organise all our ideas and get back to work. Because we have seen that architects with creative and sustainable drive need creative and sustainable solutions.

La entrada Arquitectura y Empresa: Foro Contract 2021 se publicó primero en Grupo Gámiz.

It is very likely that if you invite us to think about beams, we think of straight lines. Nevertheless, the current possibilities of glued laminated timber or glulam, allow architects let their imagination loose, beyond the limits set by traditional manufacture methods.

It is currently possible to commission and create custom curved or cylindrical beams. An increase in the creative and functional possibilities of oak glulam beams that, in addition, provides the added value of supporting sustainable architecture projects more than ever.

Curved oak beams

Two Germans, Michael Thonet and Otto Hetzer, were the pioneers of curved wood. The former, famous for his Thonet chairs, was the first, in 1841, to patent a method for curving wood using heat. Hetzer, in turn, may be considered the creator of glulam wood. In 1906 he patented the first curved beams in glulam wood.

The production technique for glulam timber has evolved to date, where the commitment to innovation by manufacturers such as Grupo Gámiz is still providing creators with solutions, especially in the area of design and sustainability.

Newsstand in Plaza Mayor in Ampuero (Cantabria). Roof constructed with curved oak glulams

Cylindrical oak beams

The curve of oak glulam beams may be longitudinal or total. The creation of cylindrical pillars or columns of glulam wood ad hoc is a resource used more and more frequently by architects seeking resistance, beauty and versatility in their restoration or new-build projects.

Refurbishment of the Santa María cathedral in Vitoria-Gasteiz | Arch: Leandro Cámara | Product: curved oak glulams

Stairways, façades, wooden curtain walling, large curved beams or curved beams for interior design or decoration are some of the proposals that are possible using oak glulam beams.

At Grupo Gámiz it is possible to order custom curved and cylindrical beams that, although they do not have the CE marking for structural use (something that their straight counterparts VIGAM do have) they are able to provide function and decoration to a multitude of timber projects that seek original and sustainable design alternatives.

La entrada The curves of innovation se publicó primero en Grupo Gámiz.

Any enthusiast knows that wine is usually aged in barrels made of oak (French or American). Nevertheless, this essential part of the art of producing wine arose by chance. The Romans, who stored wine in clay amphorae, upon arriving in Gaul, discover that the contemporaries of Asterix and Obelix preferred to do so in oak barrels. The Romans, kings of the world at the time, converted this Gaulish speciality (based on their mastery in curving wood) into standard practice, as this storage method contributed to speed and savings: the barrels could be transported by rolling and did not break.

One day, after some years, someone realised that wine that had spent time in these oak barrels tasted better. And so began oenology. This shows that the two most important things that foster progress may well be creativity and luck. There is a third thing that makes the other two more productive: everyday hard work, dedication, passion. Only then is it possible to innovate and encourage concepts such as sustainable architecture. Designing and building with respect for the environment.

VIGAM: the scent of oak covers it all

Oak has a special class. The resistance and beauty of this unique wood is the hallmark of architecture projects that aspire to permanence and elegance. Wine culture is no exception. The most highly regarded architects are consolidating the image of exquisiteness and a taste for work well done, love for detail, transmitted by the wine industry.

The legendary wineries of Vega Sicilia, for example, with the designation of origin Ribera del Duero, cover their production plants with beautiful oak roofs made with VIGAM, the only oak glulam beam in the world with the CE marking for structural use. Beauty, resistance and stability are assured. And the pleasant scent of oak is all around, in every corner.

Vega Sicilia wineries production plants | Executed with VIGAM by TRC Estructuras de madera | Product: Oak glulam

Sustainable architecture is also innovative

Many other winery projects all over the world are examples of innovation in architecture. Frank Gehry, Norman Foster, and Renzo Piano great architects who have let themselves be conquered by the possibilities of design and creativity of a culture that, like architecture, always looks to the future with creativity and sustainability.

As shown by the roofs of this winery, projects using VIGAM achieve spectacular aesthetic results thanks to the capacity for innovation in architecture and construction. In this regard, VIGAM beams are ideal for creating ecological wooden curtain walling, in other words, building lightweight façade in one hundred percent sustainable wood.

La entrada Wine and oak: inseparable se publicó primero en Grupo Gámiz.

The “ring model” or “doughnut model”, created by the Oxford economist Kate Raworth, is the inspiration for Amsterdam’s plan to design a city based on the circular economy. The aim of the authorities of the Dutch capital is to come out of the recession caused by the coronavirus with a vision committed to the environment that successfully fosters economic reactivation.

It is a proactive and ecological response to the debacle caused by Covid-19. Looking to the future full of confidence in the socioeconomic results of a sustainable commitment in the medium and long term.

Regarding sustainable architecture, one of the measures already presented by Marieke van Doorninck, deputy mayor of Amsterdam, is the creation of the “materials passport”, that which aims to seek reusable materials in demolitions and promote the use of sustainable materials, such as wood, in the construction of the new buildings.

Amsterdam on the river Amstel

Objective: to get out of the hole

Kate Rawoth’s theory states that socioeconomic success must be shaped like a doughnut. The inner ring is what we need to live better than now: nothing more nothing less than meeting the sustainable development goals of the UNO (foods, health, education, equality, income, housing, etc.). Not enjoying these minimums cancels the concept of well-being and places us, literally, in a hole (the doughnut hole).

The outer ring is the limit of well-being that humanity can aspire to without damaging the environment. From this perspective it can be deduced that general well-being is located in the middle (ground) of the doughnut, where the needs of living beings and the planet in general are satisfied fairly.

Construction in wood, one of the keys to Amsterdam’s plan

Focusing on architecture and sustainability, within this plan, wood becomes a key component. A construction component, in fact. The deputy mayor Ms van Doorninck states that the city will regulate that the construction materials used most frequently are recycled or natural, and biologically based such as wood.

Aside from the terrible aftereffects of the coronavirus, Amsterdam has a serious housing problem, and constructing most buildings traditionally, for example using materials such as steel and concrete, would radically increase the local CO2 emissions, already very worrying, that are up by 31% in the city since the 1990s.

Floating wooden house in Amsterdam

Wood reduces carbon dioxide emissions

Wood is fundamental in Amsterdam’s plan because building with wood drastically reduces carbon dioxide emissions. Studies state that replacing steel and concrete with wooden structures could reduce CO2 emissions by between 14% and 31% worldwide.

The explanation lies, in addition to the virtues of its cell structure (wood absorbs CO2, making air healthier), in the minimal energy generated in its production. Unlike other materials such as steel and aluminium, wood products avoid greenhouse gases in their manufacturing process.

Oak forest

Sustainability is beautiful and creative

Many architects design their projects with ecological responsibility. Today it is much easier with the structural possibilities of wood, which makes it possible to develop sustainable construction solutions full of creativity, warmth and natural beauty. 

One example is wooden curtain walling. Thanks to products such as VIGAM, the only oak glulam beam in the world with the CE marking for structural use, by GRUPO GÁMIZ, lightweight façades all over the world are starting to acquire the unique personality and elegance of wood, and saved from other materials with a less ecological footprint, such as steel and aluminium.

Cambridge Biomedical Campus | Arch: Herzog & de Meuron | Product: Application of curtain wall – Oak glulam

Architects also have access to ACCOYA® sustainable wood, the perfect product for exterior construction. This acetylated wood (a toxin-free process) has a written 50-year guarantee.

In short, it will be solutions like these that help architects all over the world to build post-coronavirus Amsterdam.

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