Wooden structures serve as carbon sinks and are also healthy environments- leading to a lower heart rate and blood pressure. Image source: Shutterstock (#285254234)
The highest timber building- 52metres, will be finished in Brisbane in 2018. It is engineered using solutions such as cross-laminated timbers (CLT) and glue, being put together with the Glulam method. As Chris Ammundsen, the Aurecon lead structural engineer behind the building in Brisbane states, “the CLT process involves glueing thick layers of wood together with the grain alternating at 90 degree angles.” As the the load-bearing elements in the 52 metres-high building will be made of timber, interesting questions during the design process of the building arise, so Ammundsen.
But the construction does not only fascinate through its design and construction material, but also throught the fact that the timber acts as a carbon sink, whereas every tonne of cement creates 900kg of GHG emissions thus making the construction of the office building environmentally friendly yet more expensive.
The radically different building style is one of the main barriers to CLT, is one obstacle in the growth of this market. Safety aspects are another- buildings completely made of wood rise questions on fire safety and suprisingly also chainsaw attacks.
The Guardian
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