The winners of the “Best Building of the Year in Latvia 2024” awards were announced on 10 September 2025. The AS “Latvijas Finieris” plant “Kuldīgas fabrika” (Ganību iela 12, Kuldīga) took first place in the category “New public building. Production building”. “Kuldīgas fabrika” also received the “BIM Object of the Year” award for the use of digital tools in design and construction.
“Kuldīgas fabrika” is a primary hardwood processing plant (mainly birch) producing wet rotary-cut veneer – the raw material for high-quality plywood. It is equipped with unique technology that makes it possible to obtain the maximum possible veneer yield from every birch log, peeling veneer blocks down to a core of just 25 mm.
Construction of the plant in Kuldīga began in February 2023 and was completed on 3 April 2024, on a site that had long stood derelict and where a concrete products factory had once been planned. The design was produced by “UPB Projekti” and the construction work was carried out by “UPB”. Right at the start of the design process, the decision was taken to retain as much as possible of the existing building's load-bearing structures, supplementing them with new extensions. The staff facilities block was built using timber structures with extensive glazing, giving the building a scale in keeping with the urban environment of Kuldīga. In total, 180 m³ of timber structures were used in the construction of the building, storing 149 tonnes of CO₂.
A compact hydrothermal treatment chamber for veneer blocks has been installed on the plant site, where round timber is prepared for peeling by steaming. The production process provides for the pre-treatment and reuse of wastewater within the system, while the remaining wastewater is treated to the requirements of SIA “Kuldīgas ūdens” and discharged into the municipal sewerage system.
The building has been awarded an A energy efficiency rating for heating and A+ for primary non-renewable energy consumption, meaning that it meets the requirements for a nearly zero-energy building. A 100 kW solar power plant has been installed on the roof, partly covering the building's own consumption.
A working environment that is pleasant for employees has been created at “Kuldīgas fabrika”: ventilation is provided, natural light comes in through windows in the facades, and the flows are arranged to suit the technology, ensuring safety in the working environment. The rest and changing room area is built with timber structures, and Latvian-made timber interior details and fittings have been used in the finishes, creating a homely setting and consistently continuing the working environment quality standards set by “Latvijas Finieris”. Car parking spaces, an electric vehicle charging station and a bicycle rack are located beside the building.
AS “Latvijas Finieris” Member of the Board Aigars Veitmans:
“For some 20 years now we have been constructing industrial buildings, using timber construction products as much as possible in load-bearing and other structures. The “Kuldīgas fabrika” project is based on the “Latvijas Finieris” philosophy of sustainability and well-being. By combining the advantages of timber structures, care for employees, the community and the environment, digital BIM solutions and world-class technology, we show that sustainability is a business and cultural standard at “Latvijas Finieris” and an inseparable part of what we do. Thank you to the “UPB” team for their professional and efficient cooperation in delivering this project!”
“UPB Nams” Chairman of the Board Kaspars Rožkalns:
“This project was challenging at both the design and the construction stage – we had to ensure that the technological solutions fitted harmoniously into the structure of the building and the landscaping of the site. Thanks to our skilled team, we managed to find a number of non-standard solutions that allowed the project to be completed on schedule. This successful delivery has given us the opportunity to continue working together on other “Latvijas Finieris” development projects as well, including the construction of the “Zābaki” tree nursery. We are pleased that our work has also been recognised by industry professionals – it is further confirmation of the job we have done.”
It should be added that AS “Latvijas Finieris” has invested 16 million euros in creating “Kuldīgas fabrika”; the planned production turnover is around 14 million euros a year.
The “Best Building of the Year in Latvia 2024” awards were organised by the Latvian Builders Association and the Latvian Association of Civil Engineers in cooperation with their supporters and 17 industry organisations, the State Construction Control Bureau, VAS “Valsts nekustamie īpašumi”, the Latvian Association of Local and Regional Governments, Riga Technical University, the Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies, Riga Building College and the RISEBA Faculty of Architecture and Design. The purpose of the event is to raise the quality of the construction process by identifying and promoting the best buildings by Latvian construction companies and examples of good practice in the construction process in Latvia and abroad.
In this awards cycle, 67 projects from every region of Latvia were entered in eight categories for assessment by a jury of almost 50 industry professionals. The experts visited all the buildings in person and assessed more than half of them in the final round through presentations by the architects, builders and clients.
All the entries submitted to the “Best Building of the Year in Latvia 2024” awards can be viewed in the awards yearbook.
http://gadabuve.lv/index.php/2025/09/10/nosauktas-2024-gada-labakas-buves/