Why wood construction?

Wood is a carbon-storing, renewable and strong construction material, yet it accounts only for a very small fraction of global construction.

Urbanisation is accelerating and creating pressure to increase housing construction. At the moment, construction produces 30% of the world's carbon dioxide emissions, and it is clear that the course must be changed. We need ecologically more sustainable solutions.

Another key factor in urban construction is speed. The construction industry is undergoing a major transition, with construction moving from building sites to offsite manufacturing. Elements and modules are assembled in industrial factory conditions and delivered to building sites for quick installation. The lightness and strength properties of engineered wood products, like Kerto^® LVL (laminated veneer lumber), make offsite construction a very attractive option.

When using wood for any construction, economic efficiency goes hand in hand with combating climate change. A wooden building acts as a carbon storage though out its lifecycle. And after the building has served its purpose, the wooden parts can be reused of recycled.

The natural qualities of wood, especially its lightweight and strength, are much-needed features in building today’s urban environments. The engineered wooden beams compare well in strength to concrete and steel alternatives. This allows longer spans and more open space.

Wood is a light and resource efficient material and therefore transporting the wood elements is cost efficient. The lighter the building parts are, the less there is need to spend energy on their transportation and erection. This, in turn, leads to saving time and money.

Lightness of wood makes it also a perfect material for building extension on top of existing building.

Renewable and ecological, wood is an excellent construction material from the environmental perspective. By increasing its use, we can reduce the consumption of non-renewable natural resources and the carbon dioxide emissions of construction.

One of the most important ways to mitigate climate change is to find new ways of capturing carbon from the atmosphere. As the building sector contributes up to 30% of global annual greenhouse gas emissions, it plays a vital role in battling climate change. Wood construction is a part of the solution, as timber products lock approximately 1 ton of CO₂ per 1 m³ of wood.

Metsä Wood’s raw material comes from sustainably managed Nordic areas where the forests grow more than they are harvested. As the climate is cold, trees grow slowly and this is why the wood fibres become dense, making the wood particularly strong but light, and visually consistent – the best raw material in the world.

As a leading supplier of wood products, Metsä Wood knows from experience that Nordic premium wood is the best renewable raw material in the world. When used right, it saves money, time and nature. We're not saying that everything should be built of wood. We are saying that wood should always be considered as a true alternative in everything from structures to exteriors.