The Prospect of Constructing Skyscrapers from Wood: Bold Idea, Environmentally Friendly Solution
Article Title: Shifting to Mass Timber Construction: A Promising Solution to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions
In a groundbreaking study, the idea of building cities from trees is gaining traction as a potential solution to combat climate change. This innovative approach could transform our cities into part of the solution, not part of the problem.
The rise in demand for Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) is driving up the price of wood, incentivizing landowners to plant more forests and improve forest management. This is a significant development, as the construction industry is responsible for around 10% of all global emissions.
By substituting steel and concrete with engineered wood products like CLT in tall buildings, the construction industry can achieve large-scale carbon emissions reductions. According to research, if widely adopted, this shift could reduce life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions by 25.6 to 39.0 gigatons of CO2 equivalent by 2100 globally.
CLT offers great strength and stiffness while being a lightweight and regenerable material. These attributes make it suitable for multi-story structures, such as the 25-storey Ascent in Wisconsin and the 85.4-meter Mjøstårnet tower in Norway.
Key benefits of mass timber construction include carbon storage, lower embodied carbon, reduced material waste, quicker construction times, lower foundation requirements, biophilic and health benefits, and the potential for a circular economy.
Carbon storage is a significant advantage, as mass timber products like CLT store carbon within the wood panels, contributing to long-term carbon sequestration both in the building and through expanded, intensively managed forestlands.
Mass timber has significantly lower embodied carbon than concrete and steel because it is a naturally growing, renewable material that requires less energy-intensive processing. Advanced 3D modeling and precision fabrication further minimize material waste and transportation emissions.
The prefabrication of mass timber allows faster construction and reduces on-site activities, lowering emissions and disturbance. Its lighter weight compared to steel can also reduce the necessary volume of concrete for foundations, further cutting emissions from cement production.
Exposed mass timber can promote wellbeing by connecting occupants to natural materials, which may enhance productivity and reduce stress. At the end of a building's life, its components can be disassembled and reused or recycled, preserving carbon storage and reducing demand for new high-carbon materials.
As the world's population grows and urbanizes, the emissions from the building construction industry will likely increase. However, well-designed mass timber buildings are becoming cost-competitive, often within +/- 3-5% of the total cost of concrete or steel buildings.
This new approach involving timber construction, specifically Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT), could help reduce emissions related to building construction. Researchers have found that building more large timber buildings, including those made of CLT, could increase forest cover worldwide. The researchers' findings suggest that a global shift to mass timber could deliver a big blow to climate change.
[1] Source: Global Timber Model (GTM) [2] Source: Lifecycle assessments of timber buildings [3] Source: Researchers' findings [4] Source: The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment [5] Source: Journal of Cleaner Production
- The innovative use of Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) in city construction is being explored as a potential solution to counteract climate change.
- The growing demand for CLT fosters forest expansion and improved forest management, as the construction industry contributes to 10% of global emissions.
- Replacing steel and concrete with engineered wood products like CLT in high-rise buildings could lead to a substantial reduction in life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions.
- CLT offers both strength and regenerability, making it suitable for multi-story structures and helping to combat climate change via carbon storage.
- Key benefits of mass timber construction include reduced carbon emissions, lower embodied carbon, less material waste, faster construction times, and the potential for a circular economy.
- A shift toward mass timber construction, including the use of CLT, could lead to increased global forest cover, possibly helping to minimise the impact of climate change significantly.
