INSE 2026
Discussion Panel I: Innovation and R&D Funding in the European Energy Efficient Built Environment, EU Missions & New European Bauhaus Ecosystem
Moderator: PhD HDr Eng. Arch. Barbara Widera Member of the EU Mission Board on Adaptation to Climate Change, European Commission. Associate Professor at Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Architecture
Lead expert in Aesthetics within the New European Bauhaus Preparatory Action (Joint Research Center) and expert on the New European Bauhaus in the Strategic Programme Committee of Horizon Europe (NEB Facility). Co‑author of the methodology for interim and ex‑post evaluation of FP4–Horizon 2020 programmes, and co‑author of the Horizon Europe and New European Bauhaus NEXUS report. Expert for the European Commission and the European Parliament since 2014.
Specialist in energy efficiency and environmental strategies in buildings, as well as ecological and bioclimatic architecture. Co‑author of experimental concepts for climate change mitigation using nature‑based solutions for climate‑resilient buildings and cities. Participant in interdisciplinary research in marine biology and underwater archaeology. Author of the habilitation monograph The Process of Shaping Relations with Nature in Contemporary Architecture on biological architecture and the relationship between the built and natural environment, awarded by the Polish Academy of Sciences.
Member of scientific organizations working to improve accessibility, comfort, resilience, and safety of the built environment, including the Section of Architectural History and Heritage Protection of the Committee on Architecture and Urban Planning of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Wrocław, and the Scientific Council of PLEA Sustainable Architecture and Urban Design. Director of the international scientific conference PLEA 2024. Co‑founder of the Research Center for Sustainable Built Environment (RoSE) at Wrocław University of Science and Technology. Co-organizer of the 4th Forum of EU Mission Adaptation to Climate Change in May 2025, held under the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
Honorary speaker at the first New European Bauhaus Festival in Brussels (2022) and the New European Bauhaus Prizes (2023); juror at the final of the European Citizens Hackathon for Climate (2024); keynote speaker and panelist at numerous international conferences. Participant in the Pontifical Academy of Sciences workshop Resilience of People and Ecosystems Under Climate Stress in the Vatican, and co‑author of the memorandum for the UN Summit in Sharm el‑Sheikh (2022) including the message of Pope Francis.
Panelist: Radosław Gnutek, Project Director Carbon Capture & Storage at Holcim Polska S.A.
Radosław Gnutek is an experienced energy sector leader with 25 years of expertise in CO₂ capture, hydrogen, and renewable energy technologies. Since March 2025, he has been leading the CO₂ Capture and Storage Project as Director at Holcim Polska S.A., where he heads a key initiative in industrial decarbonization. He has managed large-scale industrial projects, secured funding, and implemented strategic innovations in sustainable energy. He previously served as Hydrogen Project Director at Polenergia and also held key positions at Bilfinger Tebodin, TAURON, and Vattenfall, contributing to the industry's transition toward low-emission solutions.
Panelist: Maciej J. Zawadzki MJZ architects / LURE urban think-tank EU partner in NEB
Maciej J. Zawadzki is a Polish architect, urban strategist, and founder of MJZ — an international architecture and technology studio based in Warsaw — as well as president of LURE (Laboratory for Urban Research & Education), an urban think tank partner of the EU Commission in NEB, focused on sustainable urban transformation and innovation in the built environment.
Panelist: Piotr Boulangé Bakery Ventures / MESGA.eu, Founding Partner
My specialisation sits at the intersection of venture acceleration, startup ecosystem development, and the commercialisation of innovations, supporting founders across CEE and broader European markets. I also serve as a Mentor at EUSPA – EU Agency for the Space Programme.
Panelist: Aleksander Kochański Łukasiewicz Centre
Aleksander Kochański is an employee of the Łukasiewicz Centre, engaged in activities at the intersection of research, innovation, and international cooperation. In his work, he focuses on supporting the development of R&D ecosystems, connecting the potential of research organizations with the needs of industry, and strengthening the participation of scientific and research institutions in European projects.
His professional interests include the green transition, the New European Bauhaus, innovation in the construction sector, the use of artificial intelligence and digital tools in research organizations, as well as the development of standards for cooperation between science, business, and public administration.
At the Łukasiewicz Centre, he participates in activities related to the development of research and innovation initiatives, the dissemination of research results, and building bridges between research, market needs, and European Union funding instruments. An important area of his activity also includes relations with German partners and the development of cooperation with R&D institutions and communities in Germany, particularly in the context of European cooperation, technological transformation, and the implementation of innovation.
Discussion Panel II: Sustainable and Safe Materials in Construction - technological and social dimension. High-level expert panel discussing the future of sustainable construction materials in Poland and Europe.
Moderator: Katarzyna Klejnowska, PhD Main Specialist and the Leader of Metallurgical Processes and Energy Modelling Research Group in Łukasiewicz Research Network – Institute of Non-Ferrous Metals.
She graduated from the Faculty of Environmental Engineering and Power Engineering at the Silesian University of Technology in Gliwice. She has completed two research internships at Łukasiewicz - Institute of Wood Technology (2021) and Mineral and Energy Economy Research Institute of the Polish Academy of Sciences in the Department of Circular Economy (2022), as well as research visit at TU Delft in the Industrial Design Engineering Faculty, Sustainable Design Engineering Research Group (2024).
Author and co-author of a number of publications, active participant and a manager in 6 international projects co-funded by EIT Raw Materials and a Work Package Leader in an European Defence Fund project. Key research team member in 3 projects funded by The National Centre for Research and Development. She provided LCA lectures to students as part of the RAVEN project financed by EIT RawMaterials. She delivered workshops on life cycle analysis during online courses, including the Leadership Course for Sustainable Reconstruction of Ukraine organised by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Member of EDSTAR standardization group Life Cycle Technical Documentation operating under European Defence Agency. Member of the Incubation Forum on Circular Economy in European Defence (IF CEED) at the European Defence Agency, member of the PC Circular Additive Manufacturing and Sustainable Ecodesign groups. Member of the Sustainability Team of the Chamber of Commerce of Non-Ferrous Metals and Recycling (IGMNiR), member of EMC 2023 and EPAE 2024 Scientific Committees, and the Equal Treatment and Anti-Discrimination Team.
In 2021 she achieved PRINCE2 Foundation certificate. In 2023 she was nominated for Personality of the Year 2022 in the category Science in the poll of the Polish magazine Dziennik Zachodni.
Panelist: Artur Miros, PhD Head of the Center for New Technologies in Construction at the Łukasiewicz – Warsaw Institute of Technology.
He specializes in the development of innovative building materials, energy-efficient technologies, and solutions supporting the circular economy. He leads national and international research and development projects on topics including low-emission materials, structural fire protection, the use of recycled materials, and the renovation of historic buildings. He is the author and co-author of numerous scientific studies and implementation projects combining the technological, environmental, and social aspects of sustainable construction.
Panelist: Wojciech Głuchowski, PhD Director of the Centre of Material Science and Processing
He works at the Łukasiewicz Institute of Non-Ferrous Metals. He led or executed over 60 research and development projects (including those commissioned by industry). He also authored or co-authored 12 expert opinions commissioned by industry, 7 patents, 9 patent applications, 1 license, 1 implementation, and 12 distinctions and medals for his solutions and inventions. His research focused on materials engineering and the processing of non-ferrous and precious metals. His areas of expertise include the intensive plastic processing, including those difficult to plastically deform. The goal of the work was to utilize the latest advances in materials science to develop innovative metal-based materials and technologies for their production for applications in areas of the economy where energy transmission, conversion, and storage are paramount. An equally important goal for the designed and tested materials was the ecological aspect, leading to the elimination of metals and compounds harmful to health and the environment, as well as reducing energy consumption and increasing process efficiency. He is the author of over 80 publications in the field of materials science and metal processing.
Panelist: Irena Łobocka Cluster Manager | Expert in International Collaboration & Innovation
A dynamic and results-driven cluster manager with extensive experience in fostering international cooperation, strategic project implementation, and sustainable innovation. A graduate of the prestigious Jagiellonian University in Krakow, holding degrees in English Studies, Management, and Business, as well as an additional qualification in Interdisciplinary American Studies. A certified and registered PRINCE2 Project Manager and an "Innovation Expert" graduate, specializing in the development and internationalization of business ecosystems.
Currently leading international cluster projects under Horizon Europe, COSME, and Erasmus+, I play a key role in shaping cluster collaboration strategies. As a cluster representative in the Malopolska Innovation Council, I actively contribute to regional and European policy discussions. I have served as a speaker at major international conferences, including the ClustersMeetRegions series, sharing insights on cluster development and innovation strategies.
My expertise extends to coordinating strategic cluster projects with a total budget exceeding €4.7 million, supporting internationalization and investment in innovation. I have successfully facilitated international matchmaking events, trade fairs, and networking initiatives, fostering strategic partnerships and opening new markets for cluster members. My leadership in cluster development contributed to the certification of the Sustainable Infrastructure Cluster as a National Key Cluster in 2016, 2019, and 2022. Passionate about sustainable and smart infrastructure, I also work as a trainer and coach in sustainable construction. My vision is to strengthen transnational collaboration, enabling clusters to drive innovation and sustainable development on a global scale.
Panelist: Szymon Firląg University professor at Faculty of Civil Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology
University professor at the Faculty of Civil Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology in the sustainable development team. He conducted research at the Passivhaus Institut in Germany, where he had the opportunity to stay, as a fellow of the Nowicki Foundation and the Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt. Thanks to a grant from the Center for Advanced Studies of the Warsaw University of Technology, he worked on control algorithms for smart windows at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in the US.
President of the Union of Employers - Manufacturers of Construction Materials. Cooperated with the National Energy Conservation Agency, the National Energy Conservation Agency, Buildings Performance Institute Europe and the Energy Conservation Foundation, where he was engaged in projects related to energy efficiency of buildings. He was involved in the design, construction and certification of the first passive and energy-efficient buildings in Poland. Expert of the European Research Executive Agency.
He is the author of numerous articles and books, and has participated in campaigns promoting energy-efficient construction and thermal renovation in Poland.
Panelist: Eva Schillinger Secretary General of the Innovative Advanced Materials Initiative (IAM-I)
She serves as Secretary General of the Innovative Advanced Materials Initiative (IAM-I), which runs the co-programmed public-private partnership IAM4EU. She is an organic chemist with a PhD in materials chemistry from the University of Ulm . Previously, she worked as Senior Innovation Manager at Cefic – the European Chemical Industry Council – and as Secretary of the SusChem technology platform dedicated to sustainable chemistry. She gained industrial experience at BASF Coatings, among others, in research, development, and innovation management.
Panelist: Agnes Vorbrodt Principal of VvS | Architects & Consultants
Dr. Vorbrodt is the principal of VvS | Architects & Consultants. She is the founder of the Polish Green Building Council and a former member of the LEED International Roundtable. A licensed architect and a member of the American Institute of Architects, she devoted her career to sustainable, resilient and energy efficient building design and construction. She has working experience on 100+ green projects in the USA and abroad, totaling over 13,000,000sf. Over the years, she held various teaching positions at Harvard University.