RNZ (Radio New Zealand), has a news story out about wood being a construction industry darling when it comes to helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions over high carbon materials like concrete and steel.
In Switzerland, construction is underway on the world’s tallest residential building with a load-bearing structure in wood. The 100-metre tall wooden apartment tower Rocket&Tigerli is being built by Scandinavian architect firm Schmidt Hammer Lassen. Its head of global innovation Enlai Hooi says the use of timber in high rise construction reduces carbon emissions, provides quality housing and reconnects people with nature.
That’s great, but don’t call it a comeback. Wood has always been there for us to choose over less-sustainable building materials. This is more of a renaissance.
