Wood could potentially replace petrol in chemistry and concrete in construction, according to studies conducted under the National Research Programme “Resource Wood.” They show how precious chemical compounds can be extracted from wood, how its usability as a building material can be improved, and how forest management can be optimsed. Wood is not just a conventional material, it also has great innovation potential as a high-tech component and raw material for chemistry. This is one of the conclusions of the National Research Programme “Resource Wood” (NRP 66), which is nearing its end after five years of research. Research participating in NRP 66 have developed new construction methods and analysed forest management in Switzerland. … “Exploiting forests makes sense in terms of ecology and biodiversity as it can stabilise CO2 emissions for decades and diminish the greenhouse effect,” Martin Riediker says.