Environment

Environmental Issues

Wood is the only truly sustainable material and CO2 is the main enemy.

The twin problems of climate change and global warming are about to transform the way we live and the structures we live in.

CO2 is the enemy and governments around the world are being forced to respond to the crisis. Their intention is to build ‘low carbon’ economies using sustainable resources. The construction industry, being very visible, will be very much a part of this process. Sustainable design and use of sustainable materials will become one of the most significant agents of change in client expectations and building technologies in the coming decades.

Low carbon Building

Climate Change and Global Warming is destined to change the world of construction and architecture. Many Governments have made international commitments such as Kyoto to reduce the amount of carbon released into the atmosphere.

Building materials are seen as part of the problem and are expected to come under close examination. And timber increasingly will be seen as part of the solution. Compared with other common building materials, such as steel, aluminium and concrete, timber not only stores carbon it uses up to 85 times less energy in processing.

The government is trying to find ways to encourage the development of a low carbon economy, not the least in house building and construction.

The latest building regulations in Europe, part of the United States, Australia and Nordic countries are starting towards the enforcement of more energy efficient construction and for example Energy Performance Certificates will be issued in future for every new building in some of these countries.

We can expect similar regulations to be adopted here in the near future. And this is only the beginning of a whole new regime of energy regulation.

World wide political pressure will continue to mount and low carbon building could become mandatory in the near future. Many architects around the world are moving voluntarily to preempt both client and government demand for low carbon building design.

Wood is the Material of the Future

For every cubic metre of wood used instead of other building materials, 0.8 tonne of CO2 is saved from the atmosphere.
Wood grows naturally. Unlike other materials, Stratalam manufacture needs very little energy and is in fact almost carbon neutral.
Wood products act as a carbon sink throughout their life.
Wood has the lowest energy consumption and the lowest CO2 emission of any commonly used building material.
Compared to other building materials such as steel, aluminium and concrete, timber not only stores carbon it uses up to 85 times less energy in processing.
Wood’s thermal insulation properties means that buildings using wood consume less energy through their life cycle.
Wood is uniquely renewable.
Using wood encourages forest planting increasing the carbon sink effect.
Wood can be recycled
Wood is bio-degradable

Green Design Strategies

These strategies are being adopted around the world and are increasingly being used as benchmarks to assess the environmental impact of a particular building. It has been said by the international architectural community that now “Green building is smart building”.

Sustainability

Minimise the use of non-renewable energy in production, construction and operation.

Thermal Comfort

Produce materials that naturally insulate thus consuming minimal non-renewable energy.

Low Environmental Impact

Minimise environmental impact using environmentally sound materials.

Cost Effective Life Cycle

Minimise both initial and future energy costs to maintain building including manufacture of materials, construction, in use, renovation and demolition.