There is a positive force for change underway. It’s helping combat climate change. It’s making buildings healthier places to be. It’s even helping solve the housing crisis as the world’s population expands. And it’s right in front of our nose, growing in the forests all around us.
Choosing wood is an important decision with a huge impact. At Stora Enso, we call it the #WoodHouseEffect.
Whitepaper: 10 reasons why wooden buildings are good for youIf you want to combat climate change, plant some trees. Every growing tree absorbs CO2 and keeps that CO2 stored for as long as it’s being used. That kitchen table and those wooden ceiling panels are all storing CO2. And when the wood you use comes from sustainably managed forests, then you know that more trees are being planted than are being cut down.
But it doesn’t stop there. Every time we replace concrete and steel, we’re doing the environment a favour. Using wood in buildings can cut emissions by up to 70% compared with concrete and steel; good news for a growing construction sector that needs sustainable alternatives quickly.
Join forces with us to take the next steps towards a completely carbon-neutral construction sector. Read more about sustainable buildings and get inspired.
An ideal way to provide the next generation with a healthy planet is to transform how we build. This is already happening in many countries around the world where new schools are being built – in wood. There is an urgent need for new educational buildings as the population grows and environmentally conscious consumers require change.
Over the last couple of years, many wooden schools have been built, with a focus on environmentally friendly solutions, indoor climate, low carbon footprint and less waste. Together, we can create sustainable and healthy learning environments for future generations.
Can the material a building is made from really affect your mood? It can do more than that. Lower stress levels, higher productivity and better creativity are all proven benefits from living and working in wooden buildings.
This can be explained by better air and acoustics but also from what’s known as biophilic design; our desire to be connected with the natural environment. When we spend nearly 90% of our time indoors, choosing the right materials makes a big difference.
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Listen to our podcast on biophilic design
Some architects are calling it a revolution. New innovations in wood mean that we can now build higher than ever with a raw material that is lighter than concrete and stronger than steel.
It’s not just new massive engineered wood elements that are making this happen. A series of new digital tools is making it easier to be creative and at the same time efficient with this natural raw material.
Stora Enso's new head office in Helsinki showcases the potential of wood construction in a sensitive urban environment.
In the middle of the Singapore Management University campus rises a brand new education facility that seamlessly bonds CLT by Stora Enso to the building’s steel frame.
The Finnish-Russian school, to be completed in August 2021, is one of the largest wooden schools in Finland.
Negotiating jammed city streets with heavy loads day after day is enough to turn anyone’s hair grey. But massive wooden elements are tailor-made off-site so the time on-site is much faster, with fewer disruptions for the local community.
These days, digital tools also make sure that just the right pieces arrive at just the right time ensuring a smooth build. Developers save time and money, and locals save themselves the headache of a long and noisy building project next door.
Want to talk to us about the wood house effect? Get in touch here.
