CRMR at the Grand Rendezvous of Research, Creation, and Innovation at Université Laval – 2026 Edition!
On March 31, 2026, Université Laval held the second edition of the Grand Rendezvous of Research, Creation, and Innovation at the Québec City Convention Centre. This major event, which brought together over 700 participants, aimed to showcase the richness, excellence, and diversity of work carried out within the University and its many partners, while honouring individuals whose outstanding contributions illuminate the scientific community. The day was marked by remarkable energy, reflecting the dynamism and vitality of research at ULaval.
The program, both rich and stimulating, offered an excellent platform for researchers, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows. Through lectures, presentations, and interactive booths, participants shared their work on major contemporary issues: fundamental research, technological innovation, internationalization, knowledge transfer, and the development of interdisciplinary partnerships. These exchanges fostered the discovery of innovative projects, encouraged dialogue across disciplines, and contributed to the emergence of new collaborations.
The Renewable Research Materials Centre (CRMR) and several centers and platforms from the Faculty of Forestry, Geography, and Geomatics (FFGG) were proudly represented. Their participation highlighted flagship projects, showcasing scientific excellence and the crucial importance of interdisciplinarity in addressing environmental challenges and driving innovation.
Through an interactive and dynamic booth, the CRMR team showcased its innovative initiatives and demonstrated their impact. Among the most notable projects were forest economy and climate-adaptive silviculture, including pyro-silviculture (Nancy Gélinas, Alexis Achim), carbon management (Evelyne Thiffault), as well as remote sensing and dendrochronology (Alexandre Morin-Bernard). Other research focused on the transformation of wood and lignocellulosic material into by-products (Tatjana Stevanovic), development of cellulose filaments for fire-retardant gels (Maxime Parot and Alexis Achim), and reinforcement of timber structures (Alexander Salenikovich). Work was also presented on fire performance and sustainable building systems (Christian Dagenais) and eco-friendly cementitious composites incorporating local by-products (Luca Sorelli).
The Wood-Based Composite Panel Research Consortium focuses on valorizing sustainable and diversified fiber sources, reusing wood residues, and recycling materials from construction, renovation, and demolition. This research has enabled the creation of multifunctional panels for various applications: door panels (Johanna Alvarez, Alain Cloutier) and particleboard and MDF panels for outdoor use (Tiam Mahmoudian and Alain Cloutier). Other work explores the development of bio-based adhesives from local resources, such as lactose, tannins, or lignin, reducing formaldehyde emissions and improving product durability. Notable innovations include a lactose-based bio-adhesive (Ilyas El Ouahabi and Véronic Landry). A wood stabilization project using ultrafiltration permeate from whey (Assira Keralta, Véronic Landry) illustrates the circular economy approach adopted by CRMR.
Among the significant advancements is the production of panels made from raw earth and wood fibers, an eco-friendly alternative to gypsum. This innovation, developed by the Canada Research Chair in Sustainable Buildings (Pierre Blanchet and postdoctoral fellow Simon Pépin), could help reduce the approximately 200,000 tonnes of gypsum waste produced each year in Québec. Another flagship project involves implementing a circular economy concept in the wood‑forest‑construction sector, integrating production, processing, and material reuse, accompanied by a roadmap for deployment (Rebecca Holbach, Bertrand Laratte). This initiative illustrates the CRC-BD’s commitment to creating tangible synergies between innovation, sustainability, and circular economy.
Finally, the CRC-BD is exploring biophilic design in construction, a project rethinking the relationship between nature and the built environment to improve well-being, quality of life, and energy efficiency in buildings. It promotes the use of natural and renewable materials and optimizes interior and exterior spaces to enhance comfort, health, and sustainable practices.
Interactions with visitors, researchers, partners, and students were particularly enriching, strengthening the visibility of CRMR and fostering new collaborations. We warmly thank all attendees as well as the organizing committee of the Grand Rendezvous for their welcome and the excellence of this event, a true showcase for research and the creation of synergies within our university.
