Category Archives: Wood, Paper & Green Building

ENGLAND — The government is set to announce a timber-house-building roadmap to push for lower embodied carbon in the construction of England’s homes The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said it would shortly announce ‘a roadmap of policies to boost the use of timber in construction’ in England. Environment secretary Steve Barclay is expected to make the announcement at COP28. Under the plans, Defra might cap the embodied carbon used in housebuilding materials, reports The Times. …If the Defra proposals are enacted and the cap is set low enough, housebuilders could be forced to use timber frames as a low-embodied-carbon alternative to materials such as concrete and steel. …The sector-specific roadmap aims to ‘set out the current landscape and future potential for the use of timber as a sustainable construction material’.

At COP28 in Dubai the Australian Government, with 16 other countries committed to increase the use of timber in the built environment by 2030. The Forest and Climate Leaders’ Partnership Coalition on Greening Construction with Sustainable Wood made the announcement. Natasa Sikman, Acting CEO of the Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) said that, “AFPA congratulates the Australian Government for its commitment today. Wood from sustainably managed forests provides climate solutions within the construction sector. … This is an important step in the right direction by the Australian Government to build confidence in the timber construction market. We look forward to continuing our work with the Government on developing enabling policies which will turbocharge a greater use of wood in the built environment.” The 17 member Coalition committed to advance policies and approaches that increase the use of wood in the built environment by 2030.

Sweden’s National Museum of Science and Technology in Stockholm has unveiled a dome-shaped auditorium made from precision-engineered cross-laminated timber (CLT). Just over 12m high, with a diameter of 21.6m, the so-called “Wisdome” can seat 100 people for immersive, audiovisual science presentations. The structure is comprised of 277 unique CLT triangles produced at wood-product company Stora Enso’s Gruvön mill in Sweden. Covering the dome is a timber structure with a curving, shingled roof composed of 25 layers of 31mm-thick laminated veneer lumber (LVL) beams.

Chilean pulp producer Empresas CMPC SA is betting on a local startup that is working to create a wood alternative for concrete and steel in the construction industry. CMPC Ventures, CMPC’s venture capital division, led a $5.2 million investment in Strong by Form, a Chilean startup that develops wood panels that it claims can be used in construction and even in the automotive industry, according to a press release. Strong by Form said its wood panels achieve the strength of concrete with one tenth of the weight, and also use less trees than cross laminated timber products, according to the statement. 

LONDON, UK — Major concrete companies and cement plants, including Heidelberg, Cemex and Holcim, join architects, engineers, and construction firms in a collective acknowledgement for action. Mission Possible Partnership (MPP) have developed the new strategy with industry input, setting out milestones and commitments … over the next 25 years to make net zero emissions concrete and cement a reality. Concrete is the world’s most widely used material after water, and with cement, it is an essential part of the global economy, critical to buildings, transportation, and other infrastructure. The sector currently generates 8% of global CO2 emissions… Without efficiency gains, demand for cement is projected to increase by 50% by 2050.  ‘Making Net Zero Concrete and Cement Possible’ requires action across three levers: reducing the volume of concrete needed without compromising safety or durability …deploying Supplementary Cementing Materials (SCMs) to decrease the use of clinker …emission reduction/capture through fuel switch, power sector decarbonisation and carbon capture utilisation and storage.

AUSTRALIA — The tallest mass timber office building in Melbourne has been completed at 15 storeys, designed by Jackson Clements Burrows Architects. The 18,200-square-metre office building, named T3 Collingwood, has been designed with sustainability in mind. Constructed using Victorian oak responsibly sourced from Australian forests, the structure represents a 34 per cent reduction in embodied carbon. According to the T3 Collingwood website, the vision for the building was to provide a working environment that fosters a “greater sense of wellbeing, fufilment and work satisfaction” through the incorporation of mental respite areas such as the outdoor terraces. …Project developer David Warneford, has engaged Architectus and Wilkinson Eyre to design another green office tower at 600 Collins Street in Melbourne. The $1 billion Collins Street project is expected to be completed in the first half of 2026.

Happy Furniture, an established Vietnamese manufacturer of ready-to-assemble furniture, has worked with FII Vietnam to craft a new line of mid-to-high-end furnishings using western hemlock. This collaborative effort has resulted in the successful design and manufacturing of a display set, featuring a console table, coffee table, and end table. Since 2020, Happy Furniture has been an active participant in FII Vietnam’s educational programs, engaging in seminars focused on British Columbia’s unique wood species. Happy Furniture then joined the “Try Canadian Wood” program, where FII Vietnam provided a limited quantity of wood to support the development of new furniture designs. The FII team also offered guidance on the distinctive characteristics of western hemlock and optimal design and production techniques to accentuate the inherent beauty of the wood. This collaboration extended to the introduction of Happy Furniture to B.C. suppliers during a mission to the Vietnam market.

The sixth and final set of articles in the series commemorating the 100th anniversary of Canada-Japan wood products trade was published on November 22nd in the Nikkan Mokuzai newspaper (Daily Forest Products Journal). These articles have covered the period from 1923 to the present, focusing on the 2×4 construction method, SPF lumber, and the history of Coastal lumber in traditional Post & Beam construction. The latest articles explore the development of the Canadian structural sheathing market – specifically plywood and OSB – over the past 35 years. They highlight the collaborative efforts between COFI (the Council of Forest Industries) and the Japan 2×4 Home Builders Association in developing technical solutions to enhance the use of 2×4 construction in Japan. Additionally, they discuss Canadian sustainable forestry practices.

Swedish studio White Arkitekter has been named architect of the year at this week’s Dezeen Awards 2023 ceremony. Designers of the Year rewards the best emerging and established talent across architecture, interiors and design. It recognises those whose innovative work has made a notable impact on the industry. On behalf of the studio, CEO Alexandra Hagen picked up the prize at the Dezeen Awards 2023 party this week… In 2020, the firm pledged that every building it designs will be carbon neutral by 2030. …Amongst its notable projects is Sara Cultural Centre, a mass-timber building in Skellefteå, Sweden. Standing at 75 metres tall, the building features the world’s second-tallest wooden tower. …The studio recently completed the first wooden office building in Gothenburg called Nodi, which was designed to showcase the structural possibilities of wood.

Mass timber offers certain advantages over steel-and-concrete construction. It weighs less and can be prefabricated for quick assembly on site. Sourced from responsibly managed forests and reused after the end of a building’s life, it can contribute greatly to carbon sequestration. Made of pre-engineered wood, mass timber can exhibit high levels of fire resistance. When exposed, wood’s natural look is appealing to tenants and occupants. On top of all this, it smells nice. The following 10 projects—all completed during the past five years—include a campus for a Swiss watchmaking company, a recreational community center atop three active rail tunnels, a 10-story hotel built on top of a six-story office building, two buildings that meet the stringent performance standards of the Living Building Challenge, and a mixed-use district in a former freight railway station.

Carmen Gorska

Leading British fire and risk company, OFR, announced its employee Carmen Gorska has been internationally recognised with a major award. Based in OFR’s Bicester office, Ms Gorska scooped the Thomas Philip Medal of Excellence at the 14th International Association for Fire Safety Science conference in Tsukuba, Japan. Her paper, ‘Fire dynamics in Mass Timber compartments,’ earned her the accolade. Carmen Gorska had a period at CERN. She has a PhD from the University of Queensland, Australia and had a stint at CERN. She said “I’ve always been passionate about the timber structure subject as it continues its trajectory into becoming the construction material of the future. “The work I’m doing is my contribution to creating a more sustainable world, it was an honour to be recognised at the event.”