LLP Leonardo da Vinci Partnership
Construction trainers training /CT - train/
Partnership meeting in Latvia February 6th-8th 2013
News and current events:

Teachers and students of Barkava Professional secondary school will take part at Song and
Dance Festival in Riga. We wish them resonant voices and smooth dance steps!!!

With the last seminar in OMNIA and conference in Finns (Finland) LLP Grundtvig
Learning Partnership project ”Host with the Most” finished, where 8 organizations
(vocational schools, training centres, associations of industry, companies) from 6
countries (France, Italy, Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Spain) collaborated for 2 years in the
field of sustainable tourism and organic farming.

There have been two LLP Leonardo da Vinci partnership project ”Construction
trainers training / CT-train” meetings. Project team of Barkava Professional
secondary school ( J. Smelters, A. Oļukalns, R. Grudulis, S. Zepa, J. Smelters, M. Laizāns
un A. Freibergs) has received certificates of recognition of new skills on how to use stone
and dolomite in construction ( stone masonry ). International training seminar for builders
took place in Saaremaa and Vilsandi isle.
Congratulations to our colleagues!!!!

Teachers of Barkava Professional secondary school started to learn sign language
to improve the communication with partially-deaf and deaf students. We are
waiting for new students in all education programs of 2013 / 2014 s. y.!

Students from education program „Agriculture” (ESF group, qualification –
manager of rural property) successfully passed theoretical part of their qualification
exam and will start their qualification practice on 15th of July at farms and
companies in Madona, Gulbene and Varaklani region.
Participants:
Meeting Participants
COORDINATOR
E-Umbrella (Estonia)
Sirje Ellermaa
Ave Paaskivi
Andres Meisterson
Indrek Aavik
Toomas Teresk
Mehis Kallas
PROJECT PARTNERS
Qualitas forum Srl (Italy)
Kristi Bauer
Simone Mignolli
Barkava professional secondary school (Latvia)
Anita Juška
Jurģis Smelters
Andris Rozentāls
Raimonds Grudulis
Jānis Smelters
Andrejs Kuzmins
Māris Laizāns
Skaidrīte Zepa /Madona/
Vitālijs Silmanovičš
Helmuts Banderis
Līga Krūmiņa
Maija Vaļka
Silvija Smeltere
Skaidrīte Zepa /Barkava/
Raivita Sondore
Gunārs Ikaunieks
Jānis Vilciņš
Māris Dolbe
Raimonds Melders
(list in Dropbox)
Wednesday, February 6th 2013
Arrival of all partners /Riga/ visit to “RC Daiļrade –Koks”( http://www.dailraderc.lv/EN/about_us.htm )
Welcome to Madona
Thursday, February 7th 2013
Welcome to Barkava.
Seminar
Speech of Silvija Smeltere (headmistress of Barkava Professional secondary school)
Presentations

Log building in Latvia and Vidzeme / Madona region (State of Affairs)- Skaidrite Zepa, head of
Madona cluster- Latvian Association of Civil Engineers (LACE) - http://www.buvinzenierusavieniba.lv/eng/
Skaidrite introduced all guests with her organization and its tasks; discussed and particularized
situation in the field of wooden construction and usage of wood in construction in different ways.
-Latvian Association of Civil Engineers (LACE) is a voluntary organization open to all
professional civil engineers, adjoining professionals operating in the Republic of Latvia. Today LACE
unites more than 700 professionals from all regions of Latvia. This number includes not only civil
engineers, but also designers, architects, as well as road, bridge, water, heating and plumbing
engineers.
LACE activities include design and construction development with close ties to education and
scientific institutions. LACE is a member of European Council of Civil Engineers (ECCE).
-Forests — Latvia’s national wealth covers 44.7% of territory (2922 thousand ha). Forest
growing stock per year is 16.4 million m3. It allows cutting out 10-13 million m3 wood in one year.
-History of wooden construction house building in Latvia is very old. Historically it has
influence of different factors and in every region it has another distinction. Nowadays sense of living in
wooden house again is topical, many people have desire to live and enjoy quality of wooden house, but
main negative reason is disinclination to live in traditional craft built environment. Solution is to create
new concept of wooden construction design — to maintain historical achievements and to involve
modern industrial manufacturing, with that approach is possible to create “modern craft” or industrial
craft”.

Common mistakes at log house building in Latvia. Andrejs Kuzmins - head of Rezekne clusterLatvian Association of Civil Engineers (LACE), managing director of “Rezeknes nams” Ltd / Design Office "
Rezeknes nams " Ltd. http://www.rezekne.lv/en/economy/construction/
Andrejs Kuzmins introduced visitors with his organization and long-term experience in the field of wooden
construction, common mistakes, technologies and technical solutions and statements.
During war and soviet years Latvia lost largest part of wooden houses. Latvian Open Air museum has
collected a couple ten memorial log houses. Those buildings are the best samples of yesterdays witness.
Today there is immeasurable demand for log house buildings what create agiotage in log house market.
Many Latvian manufacturers disregard Latvian building traditions, climatic conditions, material
harmony and funds. Expert examined and discussed most characteristic mistakes in log house building
today.
Without a good understanding of or experience in construction, the project can end in disaster and often
costs much more than hiring out to a professional builder. Construction is much more complicated than
it may appear. I understand the urge to build without practical experience, and with great
embarrassment.
Not allowing enough room for shrinkage in the wall systems -- Never underestimate the power of
shrinkage! Shrinkage and settlement is a natural process that occurs with time and is created as the
content of the moisture in the logs drop. The design detail of shrinkage is not hard or complicated for an
experienced carpenter to understand with proper detailed drawings. It only becomes difficult when
ignored! The least expensive bid is not always the best choice, whether in log work or general
construction. It is often hard to know how to evaluate an overall bid, but with a good contractor,
experience becomes very important. Many homeowners base their decisions solely on the bid amount
and not on the content and supporting documents of the bid. I also often see homeowners who turn down
well prepared, professional contracts because they are very long (and intimidating), often not
understanding much of the content or do not agree with just a small part of the contract, opting for the
inexperienced contractor with the one or two page contract that seems less threatening.
Inguna Spaile, representative of Ergli vocational secondary school administration, head of
further education department, introduced us with school, its achievement at the
implementation of education programs, especially with education program that is connected
with woodworking, training of masters of log buildings and arborists. Inguna’s presentation
raised discussions about experience of Ergli vocational secondary school in the procedure of
international and ESF projects.
http://www.ergliarods.lv/en/programs
Ergli vocational secondary school offers the following studies:
Log house building
Obtain: 2nd professional qualifications.
Duration: 10 months.
From age 18 and with secondary school education.
Students acquire basis skills of building log houses, preparing of the wood materials, work safety,
drawing, economy, computer study, professional terminology in English
Arboriculture
Obtain: 2rd professional qualifications
Duration: 10 month
From age 18 after secondary education.
Students acquire basis skills of dendrology, tree care and pruning, machinery, climbing and work
safety.
We are only one school who offer this tranning in Latvia.
Carpenter
Obtain: 3rd professional qualifications.
Duration: 4 years
From age 15 - 16 after compulsory education. Students acquire professional skills in frame, block,
panel constructions and log house building, simple roof constructions and roofing, installation of
doors and windows, chainsaw and different hand tools operation. Study secondary school subjects.
Students acquire the Diploma of Secondary Education.
E-learning opportunity

Log house building

Carpenter

Arboriculture
We offer short-term module training:

Computer study

English

Log house building

Chainsaw operation

Small skills equipment usage in forest
Our students can spend their free time taking part in amateur theatre, folkdance groups, choir,
sport activities (basketball, volleyball, athletics and skiing) and other activities of Ergli town.
There is a dormitory, canteen, library, and sport hall and sport grounds.
Our cooperation partners are educational institutions in different foreign countries as Denmark,
France, Netherlands, Germany, United Kingdom and Sweden. Our cooperation provides exchange
of teachers and students and training programs improvement.

Presentation of wood craftsman and builder Maris Laizans. Local individual entrepreneur Maris
Laizans from Madona and Saikava layed out his experience of working with wood, also about
making and restoring of art and design things; deals with his tricks of the trade with other
colleagues. Demonstrations, presentations and discussions.

Presentation of builder Andris Rozentals (wood craftsman and civil engineer from Gulbene region).
Head of ”Sirc” Ltd woodworking department Andris Rozentals demonstrated his verities of restoration
works in the large castles and churches in Latvia, tells about his experience of working with wood, also
about making and restoring of design things. Andris deals with his tricks of the trade with other
colleagues. Demonstrations, presentations and discussions.

Presentation of Arnis Avisans (perennial teacher of construction subjects) about woodworking things,
the use of wood and importance of it in the building process in the past and nowadays. Discussions
with foreign colleagues about organization nuances of teaching process and practical training.
At the end of the seminar guests could see teachers and students’ works in the field of woodworking
and usage. All participants of the project could take part at small creative workshop – woodworking
using ancient tools in the labs and workshop of the school.
Demonstrations, presentations and discussions.
Visit to „Ezernieki” (the largest log building in Vidzeme). Representative of Latvijas Valsts meži
introduces guests with the history of this building, choice of timber for this excellent log building,
usage of it and operating features.
Returning to hotel Madona. Introducing with the wooden buildings in Madona.
Wednesday, February 8th 2013
This day tour took part in four places in the central part of Madona region where it was possible to see
Latvian traditional experience in the wood construction (Sarkaņi, Lazdona, Madona (Smeceres sils)
and Mārciena).
Best practice examples of wooden construction in Madona region:
- „Madonas guļbūve” Ltd in Sarkaņi – log buildings and woodwork making.
-
-
Visit to construction company ”A.A.& Būvkompānijas” in Lazdona manor.
V. Silmanovics and H. Banders, experts of construction company, presented their
experience in the field of timber construction, detailed experience of the major sites
(“Medzābaki” at the coast of Lilaste lake, wooden construction of complex
“Smeceres sils”, restoration of Judges House).
G. Ikaunieks, manager of sports complex, demonstrated wooden building houses in
„Smeceres sils” and introduced with technologies, technical solutions and operation
caracteristics of them.
Woodworking workshop „Grantini” in Berzaune – the largest wood processing
complex in Madona region restored with the support of ESF.
Visit to Marciena manor, best practices in wooden construction and demonstrations
of restoration.
Partners’ meeting

Project progress and further tasks, information about final seminar – Ave Paaskivi. E- Umbrella
o
o
o
Meeting in hotel Madona. Evaluation of the project seminar and planning and updating of
project further development.
Closure of the project.
Decisions and tasks for further period - Ave P.
Decisions
Dates for next meeting:
Kuressaare, Estonia: May 15 - 17, 2013 (Vilsandi isle)
Deadlines: