Karmėlava has officially launched a prefabricated renovation project, with the technology developed and certified by the VMG Lignum team.

We are proud to be part of Lithuania’s first project of this kind. The technology created by our specialists is now being applied in the renovation of Karmėlava Gymnasium – on February 20, the first façade panels were installed. This will be the first and currently the only building in Lithuania to be modernised using prefabricated renovation technology.

A Breakthrough in Building Modernisation
Traditionally, Lithuania renovates only 1–2% of its buildings annually – one of the slowest rates in the European Union. Conventional renovation projects typically last 2–3 years, require extensive on-site labour, generate continuous noise and dust, and rely heavily on scaffolding that disrupts daily activities for residents and surrounding communities.

Prefabricated renovation offers a fundamentally different approach. According to a survey conducted by VMG Lignum Systems, residents consider an acceptable renovation timeframe to be around seven months on average. Traditional renovation often exceeds this limit several times over, whereas prefabricated renovation can shorten the process by up to three times.

The entire process – from 3D building scanning and digital design to manufacturing and installing façade panels – can be completed within just 2–3 months.

Survey results also indicate that, given a choice, residents would prefer prefabricated renovation over traditional methods.

An Advanced and Efficient Solution
The core of the prefabricated renovation technology lies in high-precision façade panels manufactured off-site in a partner factory. These panels are delivered fully finished, with integrated thermal insulation, pre-installed windows, window sills and engineered solutions.

This factory-based approach significantly reduces the risk of errors, ensures millimetre-level precision and guarantees superior insulation and airtightness performance. As a result, heat loss is reduced and, over time, building users benefit from lower heating costs.

The system also requires significantly fewer human resources on-site, generates minimal waste and creates a quieter, cleaner construction environment.

According to Girmantas Juknys, representative of Ecodomus, the panels arrive at the construction site fully assembled, including windows and finishing elements – meaning virtually no construction waste is generated on site.
“Prefabricated renovation takes just a few months. The majority of work is completed in the factory, and since scaffolding is not required for panel installation, the impact on residents is significantly reduced,” says Justinas Bortkevičius, CEO of VMG Lignum Systems.

First of Its Kind in Lithuania
At the national level, renovation challenges are clearly identified – lengthy project timelines, limited construction capacity, rising costs during implementation and community fatigue caused by noise, dust and scaffold-covered windows.
“The prefabricated renovation of Karmėlava Gymnasium is not just the renewal of a single building. It is a demonstration project for the entire country, showing how buildings can be renovated faster, more precisely and with greater benefits for people and the state,” adds J. Bortkevičius.

The internal layers of the prefabricated system are designed and manufactured in accordance with strict technological standards. The solution ensures high energy performance, enabling buildings to achieve B and A energy efficiency classes, reducing heat loss and significantly lowering heating expenses for residents and public building operators.

Importantly, prefabricated renovation is also a strategic step towards sustainable urban development. The system is primarily based on wood, a material that stores carbon dioxide and significantly reduces CO₂ emissions compared to traditional materials such as concrete or steel.

The renovation solutions comply with the highest safety requirements – fire performance is managed according to the strictest standards, and all materials meet European Union regulations.

On December 20, 2024, following comprehensive testing, Lithuania’s Construction Product Certification Centre officially certified the prefabricated renovation system developed in Lithuania. The system has also received a National Technical Assessment, confirming its compliance with regulatory and performance standards.