Green has advocated timber use for over a decade. Now the results are finally becoming visible. As the global pop- ulation continues to grow, the need for environmentally sound buildings and houses is undeniable. However, the mass use of timber in building has been slow to take off. “Developers and architects need to be incentivised to in- corporate timber into their projects,” Green says. “The problem is that there is more money to be made per project if it uses traditional materials and working methods. I think that if cities granted tax breaks or densi- ty bonuses for companies working with timber building, it would be an important incentive.” •
The many benefits of timber • Renewable, natural material • In wood engineering, the main part of the energy needed comes from side streams such as saw dust, wood chips and bark • Light yet strong – ideally suitable for urban construction
• Quick assembly with ready-made elements • Esthetically appealing, a natural carbon storage
that contains some 3,600 cubic metres of wood. This vol- ume of timber is mostly in the form of nail-laminated timber. The NLT will sequester about 3,200 tonnes of carbon for the life of the building. Another interesting feature of the building is that the NLT was made of wood from trees killed by the mountain pine beetle. After being infested with the insect the tree dies, but remains viable for use for many years, although its market value drops. The seven-storey 3T has over a thousand 8-by-20' NLT panels, which span the same space as nine ice hockey rinks.
Michael Green An award-winning architect, speaker, and author known for using design to create meaningful, sustainable built environments that benefit people and the planet.
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