Offsite construction conference: a turning point for the timber sector in Wallonia
On 27 March 2026, during the Bois & Habitat trade fair, Ligne Bois and CAP Construction organised a professional conference dedicated to a key strategic issue for the sector: the development of offsite construction.
The conference brought together more than 170 professionals and was fully booked. This strong turnout confirms the growing interest in these new construction approaches and their importance for the future of the sector.
Offsite construction: a response to current challenges
In a context marked by a shortage of affordable housing and public infrastructure, offsite construction is emerging as a concrete solution.
It enables:
- faster construction
- better cost control
- while ensuring quality and performance
Throughout the presentations, a clear consensus emerged: offsite construction is no longer a trend, but a structural shift in the way buildings are designed and built.
A timber sector at the heart of the transformation
The timber industry, strongly rooted in prefabrication practices, is positioning itself as a key player in this evolution.
The conference also highlighted the need to evolve roles within the sector, particularly that of prescribers, in order to enable offsite construction to scale up.
A wide range of topics addressed
The discussions provided concrete insights into several key dimensions:
- technical challenges: performance, precision
- organisational changes: co-design, coordination between design and production, contractual frameworks
- economic and logistical impacts
- architectural opportunities
A broad range of expertise involved
The richness of the discussions came from the diversity of contributors, including:
Buildwise, Campus Hors Site, Stabilame Construction en bois, ModuleHome, Aché Terra, Convergences Architectures et Techniques, BIM-Expertises, and SWL – Société wallonne du Logement.
A panel discussion on sector perspectives
The morning concluded with a panel discussion moderated by journalist Cédric Wautier (RTBF). The debate focused on the realities of offsite construction in Wallonia, Flanders, Luxembourg and France.
The discussions highlighted a key issue: the evolution of roles within the construction value chain, particularly that of prescribers, to support the development and scaling of these new methods.
A rapidly accelerating dynamic
This conference confirms the growing interest in offsite construction and its potential to address current sector challenges. It also highlights the central role of the timber sector in this ongoing transformation.
You can find the full and detailed programme here, as well as the presentations from the various speakers here.
