Decarbonising the built environment
Climate change, shifting demographics and urbanisation are making the case for the construction sector to transform. Construction materials account for 11% of global CO2 emissions worldwide, but this can be reduced by substituting concrete and steel with wood. We provide the building sector with renewable, safe and low-carbon wood-based solutions that help decarbonise the built environment.
Wood is a low-carbon construction material
Replacing traditional construction materials with wood in structural systems can reduce emissions by 60% (Oregon State University: Use of structural wood in commercial buildings reduces greenhouse gas emissions).
Global building stock grows by roughly 2 Billion m² every year. If these 2 Billion m² were built with wood, we could reduce carbon emissions by approximately 500 Million tons every year. Material substitution can make a considerable difference in decarbonizing the built environment.
Wood is a lightweight yet strong building material, and it matches concrete’s load-bearing capacity (CEA13-14823835.pdf (hrpub.org)), allowing for lighter foundations building on top of existing structures. Less weight can also result in fewer transport emissions/logistics costs.
Lightweight and prefabricated construction methods offer numerous environmental and social benefits. These benefits include less noise generated during construction, shorter construction times, and traffic in urban settings, safer construction sites, and less on-site waste.
Learn more about the advantages of building with wood: Whitepaper: 10 Advantages of Building with Mass Timber (storaenso.com)
Natural carbon storage
When trees grow, they remove CO₂ from the air. The carbon is then stored in buildings while new trees grow back and absorb more CO₂.
Our wood products store approximately 750 kg CO₂ /m³ as third-party verified in our Environmental Product Declarations.
But are there enough trees to continue building with wood? In short, yes. Europe’s forests are getting bigger. Listen to the podcast: Europe's forests are getting bigger - here's why
Circularity
Wood buildings can be reused, repaired, rebuilt, refurbished, refinished, resold, repurposed, and redesigned too. After all of that, they can be burned for bioenergy, and the next generation of trees capture the CO₂ and regrow. Reusing or recycling prolongs the already long-term carbon storage, keeping the CO₂ away from the atmosphere even longer. We can do so much more with wood if we are strategic about making long-life products like buildings.
Do more with less – Building Concepts by Stora Enso
- Too often buildings are demolished not because they are starting to fall apart but because the needs have changed.
- Stora Enso took this to heart and developed a mixed-use Building Concept that reduces the need for climate-damaging demolition.
- Mixed-use concept enables multiple upcycling of the building structure for various purposes. What’s an office today can be a hotel tomorrow.
Wood boosts health and wellbeing
We all feel a positive attitude towards wood’s natural, warm, and healthy qualities and it’s also scientifically proven (Strobel, K.; Nyrud, A.Q.; Bysheim, K. Interior Wood Use: Linking User Perceptions to Physical Properties. Scand. J. For. Res. 2017, 32, 798–806).
An increasing amount of evidence shows that the benefits of wood as a construction material go beyond environmental sustainability. Wooden buildings have a positive effect on health and wellbeing and foster creativity.
Read our wellbeing whitepaper: 10 reasons why wooden buildings are good for you
Forests are the foundation of our renewable solutions
Stora Enso is one of the oldest and largest private forest owners in the world. We own forest covering 2 million hectares worldwide.
We view our history and forest ownership not just as a significant investment but also as a profound responsibility.
This dual perspective guides our approach to sustainability, ensuring a balanced and comprehensive strategy.
We are committed to safeguarding forests for their positive and direct impact on climate change and biodiversity. Forests are also our largest and most important long-term asset, from which all our renewable materials begin.
