Wood construction

Today, 56,2% of the global population lives in urban areas. By 2050, it is projected that this number will increase to 68%. One of the greatest opportunities, and responsibilities, for the construction sector is to design sustainable, inclusive, and beautiful cities.

The construction industry uses more raw materials than any other industry (about half of all materials extracted from Earth’s crust), while building construction accounts for 36% of CO2 emissions in the EU. The embodied carbon in the built environment has been estimated as equivalent to 10-12% of total carbon emissions in several EU member states, while construction and deconstruction/demolition waste are some of the heaviest waste streams generated in the EU, and at 25%-30% of total waste volume, some of the biggest.

As buildings become more energy efficient, their share of embodied carbon is increasingly significant, making it ever more important to promote low-energy materials. Timber buildings are known as low carbon building solutions. Research has shown that wood products used in construction have the longest average lifetime and therefore carbon storage potential. Using wood instead of fossil-based alternatives, or wood substitution, is an essential component for reducing negative environmental impact.

So, how do we increase the use of wood in our cities?