Craftsmanship is alive and well in the Alpine region and many modern advancements in wood building are based on traditional skills.
in business today. The company produces solid wood panels, door frames, door blanks and timber under the brand REMA. “There is widespread consensus in the Alpine region about the sensible, sustainable use of wood. Starting with a functioning forest, which is vital because it protects everyday life,” he says. In Austria, people have always liked to build with wood and this will continue to be the case, Dengg believes. “New products such as CLT have brought a breath of fresh air into the industry and ensure that wood will continue to gain in popularity. The growing prefabricated house sector is also trend- ing more and more towards the use of modern wood products.” The rich wood construction heritage of the Alpine region is clearly alive and well. Wood has always been used as a building material in the region due to its good availability and ease of use. “In part, this ancient art still lives in traditional log buildings. Many developments and standards of today’s timber construction are based on and derived from these traditions.” “The craftsmanship has certainly remained. Without it, there would be no modern wooden buildings today,” Dengg says. Alternatives abound Balteschwiler and Rema are both long-time Metsä customers. Moritz Burk , Sales Manager, Kerto Offsite, for Metsä Wood in Bremen, says that wood is very prominent in new construction, such as beams and visible timber connections. The current sustainability drive is a force to be reckoned with – and it is only getting stronger, Burk reports. For Metsä Wood products, this bodes well. “We can be a good partner for customers because we provide the right products for their systems. Our products are suitable for massive timber frames, especially for multi-storey buildings and timber frame production.” Riding the hot green wave Burk says that wood construction is a topical subject for archi- tects, too. Moreover, as low-carbon policies and regulations are increasingly emphasising wood, investors are asking for it. “Some traditional building companies are being asked by inves- tors if they can offer something ‘greener’,” Burk says. From Metsä’s perspective, the prospects for Alpine wood con- struction look appealing: “The future is great. Wood products themselves, along with wood-driven building methods and systems, are presently going very strong, and trends such as the circular economy are contrib- uting to their popularity.” •
“Wood has always been used as a building material in the Alpine region.”
Sustainable building on tradition Riedweg points out that wood building is a centuries-old tradition in the Alps. “In the canton of Valais, for example, there are wooden buildings that were erected in the 14th century and still exist today. They are a wonderful example of how durable wood is when it is used the right way.” Riedweg points out that two main types of timber construction are used in Switzerland today: timber frame construction and solid wood construction. “Wooden post-and-beam construction is still currently more common, but solid wood construction is steadily gaining in im- portance.” Riedweg says that general awareness of sustainability has cer- tainly grown throughout Switzerland in recent years. “Especially in the Alpine region, people are increasingly turning their attention to the traditional and sustainable timber construc- tion method.” Sustainability is a central factor for Balteschwiler’s operations: the company seeks to make its entire business as responsible as possible. “Our product range already meets high standards, thanks to the clear focus on wood that we have always had.” Craftmanship that endures Gerhard Dengg , Purchasing Manager for Austrian Rema Mas- sivholzplattenwerk GmbH, agrees that sustainability is a top issue
Moritz Burk Kerto Offsite Sales Manager for Metsä Wood in Bremen. Knows that sustainability trends and architects’ preferences are both contributing to the popularity of wood in the Alpine Region.
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