In October, the OpenDoorUkraine.nl team, together with partners PROFBUD, Hempire UA, and Rawblox, held a presentation of the Build Back Bio project in Chernihiv. The event was dedicated to community representatives, beneficiaries, and partners of the initiative aimed at creating affordable and environmentally friendly housing for people affected by the war.
The initial area for the project’s implementation is the Kyselivska community in the Chernihiv region, where OpenDoorUkraine.nl already has experience in reconstruction. Seven houses have already been built here: six in the village of Novoselivka and one in the village of Tovstolis.
The first five houses were built in collaboration with the Solidarity Charitable Foundation, whose representatives also attended the event in Chernihiv, supporting the further development of the partnership within the Build Back Bio programme.
In November, a production line for manufacturing straw panels, recently delivered from the Netherlands by Rawblox, is scheduled to be launched.
Local biomaterials purchased from farms in the region are used for production. This allows funds to remain in the community, supporting the development of the local economy and stimulating small businesses. Thanks to this approach, the project has a broad socio-economic impact, combining green construction with local production and professional employment.
An important role in this process is played by the partner PROFBUD, which, together with the Chernihiv Professional Construction Lyceum, organises short-term training courses for fitters, plasterers, tilers, painters, electricians and plumbers.
After completing their training, participants will be able to join the Build Back Bio programme directly, gaining practical experience and the opportunity for further employment. For more information about the training programmes, please visit – https://lnkd.in/gkA3mDQn
The event was covered by local media:
Cheline – https://is.gd/DFo6k7
Cheline TV – https://is.gd/ZjsRQl
NEW CH – https://is.gd/wjfyMD
Recovery Win – https://is.gd/SxQPme
Chernihiv Regional Development Agency – https://is.gd/Ir4NAx
The programme also includes cooperation with the All-Ukrainian Union of Building Materials Manufacturers (VSBU) aimed at supporting Ukrainian companies in their transition to new EU environmental standards. The main topic is the implementation of EU Regulation No. 305, which will come into force on 1 January 2026 and sets out modern requirements for the quality, safety and sustainability of building materials. For more details on the launch of this initiative, see the Kyiv Inform report at: https://is.gd/3s2F7V
The initiatives are implemented with the support of the Ukrainian Partnership Fund (UPF), a programme of the Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend Nederland (RVO) of the implemented on behalf of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken).