Wood is the sustainable construction material of the future

27.09.2019

Wood is a healthy, elegant and flexible natural material that makes a positive contribution to the carbon accounts. And when the wood is FSC®-certified, developers and consultants are able to document that it comes from responsibly managed forests. In a new online theme, Troldtekt A/S takes a look at the advantages and benefits of building with wood.

A number of prominent wooden buildings have been taking shape in recent years, and with good reason, because laminated wood matches concrete in terms of both its strength and price. At the same time, wood offers significant environmental benefits, as trees absorb carbon dioxide while they are growing. Therefore, wood counts positively in the leading certification schemes for sustainable buildings, including DGNB.

“Wood certainly has specific advantages when it comes to sustainable building, such as its carbon footprint, flexibility and deconstruction ability. So, it is positive to see that wood is once again becoming a major material in larger constructions – not just for decoration or interior furnishing, but as part of the structural systems,” says Dr Christine Lemaitre, CEO of the German Sustainable Building Council ( DGNB eV).

Wood can make a real difference

White Architects in Scandinavia is one of the firms of architects that goes out of its way to use wood in construction, providing it is feasible, and it harmonises with customer wishes.

“Both customers and architects would like to use more wood. At the moment, approx. 13-14 per cent of multi-residential buildings in Sweden have been built from wood, and this figure is growing. Within a few years, we estimate that wood will be used in 25 per cent of building projects. The reason is, more than anything, the increased focus on health and the environment, and wood as a building material can make a real difference,” says the architect Jan Larsson from White Architects.      

Know-how and new routines can pave the way

The two interviews with Dr Christine Lemaitre and Jan Larsson are part of a new online theme at www.troldtekt.com. The theme focuses on the advantages of and barriers to using wood as a building material. 

It also includes an interview with architect and partner Lone Wiggers from the Danish firm of architects C.F. Møller Architects.  She has produced a comprehensive analysis of the barriers to using wood as a building material, and she points out that the most frequently cited objections to wood can easily be overcome by applying the right know-how and introducing new routines at the building site.

The new online theme also has photographs of and reports from prominent wooden buildings in Denmark, including Lisbjerg Bakke, which is highlighted in a collection of cases from the Nordic Wood in Construction Secretariat, and the multi-purpose community and cultural centre The Heart.

High demand for certified wood

Wood is a main ingredient in the acoustic panels manufactured by Troldtekt, which is publishing the theme. Troldtekt produces its acoustic panels in Denmark, and buys large volumes of FSC-certified wood (FSC®C115450). The certification documents that the wood comes from responsibly managed forestry operations – which counts positively in the leading certification schemes for sustainable building: LEED, DGNB and BREEAM.

“A significant proportion of the acoustic panels we produce are FSC-certified, but we would like to produce even more as the number of FSC-certified forests in Denmark hopefully grows. Our strategy is based on sustainable production using local raw materials, and the market is ready for larger volumes of certified products. We are seeing a growing demand,” says Peer Leth, CEO at Troldtekt. 
 
>> Read the new theme on wood in construction here

TROLDTEKT – FACTS:

  • Troldtekt is a leading developer and manufacturer of acoustic ceiling and wall solutions.
  • Since 1935, wood and cement have been the main natural raw materials in our production, which takes place in Denmark in modern facilities with a low environmental impact.
  • Troldtekt’s business strategy is founded on the Cradle to Cradle design concept, which plays a key role in securing environmental benefits.

FURTHER INFORMATION:

Peer Leth, CEO, Troldtekt A/S: +45 8747 8130 // ple@troldtekt.dk       
Tina Snedker Kristensen, Head of Marketing and Communications, Troldtekt A/S: +45 8747 8124 // tkr@troldtekt.dk  

Troldtekt A/S
Sletvej 2A
DK 8310 Tranbjerg J
www.troldtekt.com

Wood is a healthy, elegant and flexible natural material that makes a positive contribution to the carbon accounts. And when the wood is FSC®-certified, developers and consultants are able to document that it comes from responsibly managed forests. In a new online theme, Troldtekt A/S takes a look at the advantages and benefits of building with wood. Copyright© Troldtekt A/S.
Inside the Torvehallen in Ry (Denmark), wood is repeated in the Troldtekt ceiling panels. Copyright© Thomas Mølvig.
The new and award-winning wooden building in the Danish railway town of Ry effectively unifies the urban space by simple means. The load-bearing construction itself is elegantly built from sawn timber, and wood is also used in the Troldtekt acoustic panels. Copyright© Thomas Mølvig.
Three-dimensional wooden slats mounted on a wooden façade construction make the cruciform-shaped Rahewinkel primary school near Hamburg in Germany a real eye-catcher. The wooden slats are echoed on the inside in the central atrium. Troldtekt ceiling panels ensure superior acoustics. Copyright© Olaf Wiechers.
Built in honour of the writer and musician Alf Prøysen, the Prøysenhuset cultural centre is located in the middle of a forest near Ringsaker in Norway. On the outside, the building is clad with treated pine. Copyright© Troldtekt A/S.