Cool wooden structuresadmin2023-03-12T23:06:25+01:00 Cool wooden structuresMany architects are passionate about wood, and it is also a building material that contains great potential, provided you are able to solve the challenges. We share this enthusiasm and are ready to assist with our expertise. The Karolinelund Day Care Centre in Aalborg is expected to achieve DGNB Platinum, and one of the reasons for this is the use of certified wood. The sustainability aspect is just one of many advantages of wood as a building material, which is why we are seeing a global trend right now in this area. Building with wood is gaining ground on the other side of the Atlantic in the United States, and especially in Canada. In Europe, this is the case in countries such as Austria, Sweden and England. London is one of the cities where they are experimenting a great deal, and the height of wooden buildings is increasing. Increased use of mass timber In particular, the use of mass timber as a structural material is gaining ground. Mass timber is a product where the wood is glued, nailed or connected with dowels. The structural elements acquire greater strength and stiffness than ordinary construction timber by taking advantage of the grain direction of the wood and avoiding weaknesses from knots and flaws. This will also make it easier to produce long, light elements with a high bearing capacity, which will enable the creation of spectacular architecture. 40 % Approximately 40 % of the world’s energy is used on construction work. The sustainable properties of wood are therefore popular. Karolinelund Børnehave i Aalborg Bygherre Aalborg Kommune Totalentreprenør Lund & Staun Arkitekt Bjerg Arkitektur As several studies have shown, the visual nature of wood can have a positive impact on the psyche. This is another reason why the popularity of wood buildings has grown. The lightweight materials also contribute to building faster. It requires less transport to the site and fewer lifts. In addition, the elements can quickly and easily be mounted, and there is no time consuming casting work. Low CO2 footprint Approximately 40 % of the world’s energy is used on building work. This is why the sustainable properties of wood are yet another reason for its popularity. Less energy is used for the production of wood products than other building materials, and wood stores CO2. In a life cycle perspective, wood can easily be recycled, while energy can be extracted by burning the wood. If you include the recycling of wood, you can actually argue that the CO2 footprint is negative. Sustainability is also about using materials locally. In Sweden they cut down 1 % of the forest over an 80-year period and continually plant new trees to replace what they cut down. The new trees can thus grow for 80 years and absorb additional CO2, while maintaining and creating new nature. Kistefossdammen Day Care Centre Client Asker Municipality Architect CCO Architects Resident buildings at Lisbjerg Bakke If you really want to reap the benefits of building with wood, volume is also required. A good example of this is a new residential project at Lisbjerg Bakke with 6 buildings of three and four stories. Artelia is the engineering consultant for the construction project and the Technical Director for Wooden Structures, Bo Pedersen, is particularly pleased that they succeeded in disproving prejudice against price and moisture problems during the construction period. “The square metre price of DKK 11,000 excl. VAT for craftsmen expenses, is at the low end of what we normally see.” Bo PedersenTechnical DirectorWood Structural Bo adds, they have tackled the moisture problems by planning the building work so that the load-bearing structural elements are erected within a period of 4 weeks for each block. The remaining and more moisture-sensitive elements were then installed under full cover. Fire safety is of course also an area of concern with wood. But Artelia has quite a few fire safety specialists with good solutions that can accomodate the challenges. As our new Corporate Technical Director for Sustainability, Karoline Geneser, describes the professional environment: “In my field, we see a great potential in wood as a building material, but there has also been some scepticism in the industry. It is very inspiring to be with a professional company where people are willing to explore new ideas” Karoline GeneserCorporate Technical DirectorSustainability Lisbjerg Bakke Sustainable public housing of the future Client Al2bolig Architect Vandkunsten Architects
