The most extensive construction competition in Latvia, 'Latvian Construction Annual Award 2023', organised by the Building Design and Construction Council association, has identified the most outstanding architectural objects and engineering structures. The new seedling sorting and processing complex of AS Latvijas valsts meži (LVM) in Mežvidi, Madona Municipality, received 1st place in the 'Timber Building' category, while the 'Grand Prix' was awarded to the 'Ķekava Bypass' project, in which LVM was also involved in the construction.
The use of timber in a production facility
The Mežvidi nursery seedling sorting and processing complex was commissioned at the end of last year. The new 8,000 square metre complex houses production facilities, seedling cold stores, and the nursery’s administrative premises. Additionally, a 500 square metre warehouse for inventory and machinery was built, along with the installation of utility networks and landscaping across a 2.8-hectare site.
Uģis Perševics, Construction Manager of the LVM Real Estate Department, talks about the innovative solutions used in the Mežvidi nursery seedling sorting and processing complex and the advantages of using timber in industrial building construction: “Using timber in construction is a responsible and climate-sustainable choice. Thanks to the availability of raw materials in Latvia and relatively simple assembly work, wood is a suitable material for production and warehouse facility construction, as confirmed by the new Mežvidi nursery complex commissioned at the end of last year. Sustainable solutions were implemented there: timber was used in both the finishes and the load-bearing structures. The total volume of timber used in the nursery complex reaches approximately 600 cubic metres, and the longest continuous timber beams built reach 30 metres in length. The building also uses environmentally friendly building management solutions, such as solar panels installed on the roof to generate electricity and solar collectors for heating water, while a pellet boiler has been installed for heating. Furthermore, rainwater will be collected from the building's roof to be used for watering the seedlings in the nursery.”
Use of 'LVM Zemes dzīles' mineral materials in construction work
This year, 145 applications were submitted for the 'Latvian Construction Annual Award' competition, with the top three winners celebrated in 10 categories, while three objects were awarded the 'Grand Prix', including the first public-private partnership project – the Ķekava Bypass. 'LVM Zemes dzīles' is one of the most significant resource suppliers for the implementation of the project. Furthermore, 11.9 hectares of state forest land were transferred to the Ministry of Transport for this purpose.
Karīna Āboliņa-Zalpētere, Executive Sales Director of 'LVM Zemes dzīles', explains: “For the needs of the Ķekava Bypass, mineral materials were extracted from four 'LVM Zemes dzīles' extraction sites – 'Riekstu mežs', 'Ezeri-2', and 'Gediņi-Zvirgzdes mežniecība 1979/1986' – providing 726 thousand cubic metres of mineral materials. Upon completion of the mineral extraction process, one extraction site has been fully recultivated, a second quarry is close to the end of recultivation, and in the third quarry from which mineral materials were extracted, recultivation work has been carried out on approximately 50% of the territory. 'LVM Zemes dzīles' ensures responsible and sustainable management of natural resources throughout the land management cycle – from exploration to the end of each quarry's life cycle, when the extraction site is recultivated, preparing it for the next management purpose, most often the planting of a new forest.”
The 'Latvian Construction Annual Award 2023' is the most extensive construction competition in Latvia, which highlights both outstanding architectural objects and engineering structures, as well as the teams behind the implementation of the objects.
LVM client centres and buildings have also received awards in the 'Latvian Construction Annual Award' competition in the past; for example, the LVM Zemgale region client centre building in Jelgava last year received 2nd place in the 'Most Sustainable Public Building 2023' in the Baltics and 'Timber Building 2021', while the LVM Ziemeļkurzeme client centre in Dundaga received the 'Best Building of the Year in Latvia 2016' award. The buildings stand out for their application of environmentally friendly and innovative solutions.