Environmental protection thanks to Swiss wood
16.04.2021
Wood construction is gaining significant market share throughout Switzerland. There are good reasons for this: Wood, preferably from Switzerland, is by far the most climate-friendly building material. The timber calculator from KBOB provides the proof. A good example is the new Raiffeisen Arena.
The naturally renewable raw material needs only solar energy and only solar energy and water for its production. Harvesting and processing require very little and the material also stores the greenhouse gas CO₂. The situation is quite The situation is very different with steel and concrete. These building materials emit of CO₂ during production. Anyone who wants to make a contribution is to build with wood - or even better, with Swiss wood. Because: Transport routes weigh heavily in the eco-balance.
A good example of the use of regional wood is the Raiffeisen Arena in Pruntrut. The timber was cut from the surrounding forests. In this lighthouse project, Timbatec was not only responsible for the for this lighthouse project, Timbatec was responsible not only for the statics but also for the timber flow.
Transport routes
are a significant factor
One cubic meter of cross laminated timber
of Swiss wood emits 177 kg of CO₂ during production, transport and disposal.
disposal emits 177 kg of CO₂. If the wood originates from Hungary and is processed in Austria
processed, emissions of 433 kg CO₂-eq/m3 are to be expected. This is a
difference of 256 kg of greenhouse gas emissions per cubic meter. Better than
better than reinforced concrete - regardless of the origin of the wood.
origin of the wood. This is because wood stores one ton of CO₂ per cubic meter of building material.
stored.
Anyone who wants to calculate the greenhouse gas emissions of wood products and other building materials themselves can find good working tools at www.treeze.ch.
Own wood in
public buildings
Every builder is free to demand wood
to demand wood construction from the outset. Regardless of the required
tendering procedure, this does not violate any WTO principle. In the invitation to tender
Swiss wood or wood from the region is not permissible - even if it would make sense
even if it would make sense from an ecological point of view.
However, there are ways in which wood from the public invitation to tender, wood from the surrounding area can be used: The The provision of wood by the building owner, so-called in-house procurement, is one of them. in-house procurement, is one of them. It is also particularly interesting that the degree of processing of the products is optional. This means that whole logs, sawn timber or even glued products can be provided.
Two possibilities of inhouse procurement
| Direct use of wood from own forests | Indirect use of wood from own forests |
|---|---|
| Direct use ensures that the wood felled in the company's own forests is actually used for a specific construction project. Each tree felled is planned for a specific use and its traceability is guaranteed at all times. | In indirect use, the same amount of wood is cut as is used for a specific construction project. This principle allows a forest owner to use his own resources. The wood is not used directly for the specific construction, but the same quantities of wood are traded on the Swiss market. |
Early
Decision necessary
For the planning process, it is crucial,
that the decision to use regional wood is made early.
Timber is preferably harvested in winter, so planners and builders should know which trees
know in the fall which trees are needed for the project.
At least a rough planning of the cross-sections including reserves and the
approximate proportion of hardwood and softwood is essential at this stage.
Lignum has published helpful information on public procurement and tendering with Swiss wood. (Lignum Comapct Tendering with Swiss Wood)