Category Archives: Wood, Paper & Green Building

Made of solid timber and situated about an hour from Stockholm in the Kajstaden district of Västerås, a recently completed multifamily development has become the tallest timber building Sweden. The walls, beams, balconies, elevators, and stairwells are all made from cross-laminated timber. Rising 8.5 stories and spanning 7,500 sm, the Kajstaden project features four apartments on each level. Each floor took three craftsmen an average of three days to build. The project uses mechanical joints and screws, which means, if necessary, the building can be taken apart at a later date and the materials reused. It is estimated that a building made of solid wood instead of concrete will have a total carbon dioxide savings of 550 tons of CO2 over the building’s life

Over the last few weeks the Icelandic Forest Service, Límtré/Vírnet and Innovation Center Iceland have been conducting research into the possibility of using Icelandic lumber to produce glue laminated structural beams, sometimes called glulam, RÚV reports. Imported wood has hitherto been used for the application. Glulam is a type of engineered wood, made from lumber that is bonded together with structural adhesives. It is commonly used as structural beams in all types of man-made structures, such as sports halls, glasshouses, gazebos and even bridges. “We’re very excited about this. It’s great that we’re embarking on this journey,” says forester Trausti Jóhannsson. “Finally we’re creating real lumber from our trees, people are saying. Not just cutting them down, putting them in the wood chipper and then burning them. We’re now thinking towards the future.”

C.F. Møller Architects have completed Sweden’s tallest timber building, which is now accepting its first tenants. Situated in Västerås, one hour from Stockholm, the building is constructed from solid timber in order to radically reduce CO2 emissions, positively affect the indoor climate, and enhance the interior quality of life. The 8.5-story-high tower features an elevated ground floor and double-height top floor, with all walls, beams, balconies, lifts, and stairwells made from cross-laminated timber. The use of CNC-milled solid timber and glulam allows for an airtight, energy-efficient structure without the need for additional cladding. Each floor of the scheme has four flats, with each floor taking three craftsmen an average of three days to construct. The use of mechanical joints and screws allows for the future dismantling of the building, so as to allow for materials to be reused.

Steve Binnie

BOSTON — Sappi Limited is pleased to announce that it has joined the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) and will use the group’s sustainability measurement suite of tools, the Higg Index, to drive environmental and social responsibility throughout its supply chain. With its membership in the SAC, Sappi joins more than 240 global brands, retailers, and manufacturers, which are collectively committed to improving supply chain sustainability in the apparel, footwear, and textile industry. …Sappi Limited CEO Steve Binnie commented: “Sappi’s sustainability strategy… expand our range of products derived from woodfibre, including packaging and speciality papers, woodfibre based bioproducts and importantly dissolving wood pulp for the textiles industry.

Australia is only behind the US in building the biggest freestanding houses in the world at an average of 230.8 square metres. …So is bigger always better? One Melbourne-based business is proving that it is not, with an innovative housing concept that addresses key issues such as affordability and youth homelessness as well as environmental sustainability, thanks to certified timber from Responsible Wood. This ‘tiny home’ business began with international architects Grimshaw winning a cubby house design competition held by Kids Under Cover in 2017. …Timber is used extensively in The Peak’s design with the structure comprising of sustainably sourced Laminated Veneer Lumber with some metal external wall cladding while the angle of the roof allows for optimal photovoltaic performance. 

Concrete is everywhere, but it’s bad for the planet, generating large amounts of carbon dioxide. Creative alternatives are in the pipeline. …Making buildings from wood may seem like a rather medieval idea. But there is a very modern issue that is driving cities and architects to turn to treated timber as a resource: climate change. …Concrete is the second most used substance in the global economy, after water – and one of the world’s biggest single sources of greenhouse gas emissions. …The problem with replacing concrete is that it is so very good at what it does… Chris Cheeseman, at Imperial College London… and is likely to continue to be used. …Using wood, for example, is not straightforward. Wood absorbs moisture from the air and is susceptible to rot and pests, not to mention fire.

Barbara Lane

Since publication of the paper I co-authored with Susan Deeny on fire safety design in modern timber buildings, CLT suppliers and designers from the UK and Europe have engaged with us, as well as the Structural Timber Association. We see a desire within this industry to meet the fire safety challenges of timber – challenges that are not unique to this material, however. We want to be clear that we support a framework which produces robust methods for engineered timber in low-, medium- and high-rise buildings. Our paper has been used by industry body the Concrete Centre to imply that its content suggests the need for limitations in the use of timber. This is wrong. We need all construction industry stakeholders to be more usefully focused on supporting open and honest investigations into advancing fire safety design and construction, in all material types – something that recent events show has been far too long in the waiting. 

UNITED KINGDOM — Following the success of last year’s conference, the Wood Technology Society is pleased to announce Timber 2019. The July 3-4 event will bring together wood scientists, wood technologists, and businesses from all areas of the timber industry. The primary aim is to showcase the latest developments in timber research in the UK, and to prompt discussion of new products, processes and concepts and their potential within the UK. This conference will span all topics related to timber – from the largest structures to the smallest models of the influence of ultrastructure on performance. …Topics will range from preservation to panel products; modified wood to engineered lumber.

Remember when England was going to lead the world on zero carbon homes? Three years after that was meant to happen, a report published today by the government’s independent advisor on climate change reveals that we are instead going backwards. The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) warns that “UK homes are not fit for the future”, with progress stalled on reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and efforts to adapt the housing stock falling far behind the risks posed by higher temperatures, flooding and water scarcity. …It warns that “there is a risk that the government’s intended ban on combustible materials will affect the uptake of wood in construction (both engineered wood and timber frame homes), with some anecdotal evidence that this is taking place. Clarity from government on the role and fire safety of wood in construction is needed”.