Metsä Wood, a Finland-based manufacturer of engineered wood products, says its sustainable, material-efficient products can store carbon for decades, helping to combat climate change.
To build its new concrete plant of 17,000 square meters, German construction specialist Brüninghoff, which makes prefabricated wooden materials, such as laminated veneer lumber, wanted to use materials that fit its sustainability strategy. So the company chose Kerto LVL—prefabricated panels and studs made by Metsä Wood—for the plant’s exterior non-load-bearing walls. The panels were attached to load-bearing concrete frames.
Metsä Wood’s Kerto LVL, a structural laminated veneer lumber, takes up less volume than other wood materials and also has an excellent strength-to-weight ratio. In addition to supporting the sustainability strategy, Kerto LVL led to optimized assembly times.
The Brüninghoff plant has a total of 239 wall elements with an area of around 5,000 square meters. It used a total of 242 cubic meters of Kerto LVL. The team used a carbon storage calculator to determine that the Kerto LVL stores 165.8 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (a unit based on global warming potential)—meaning that, compared to other construction materials, the wood in Metsä Wood’s product is “highly sustainable,” the company says.
“Through this construction, we are forcing structural change towards construction that supports circular economy. Change is needed as the construction sector is responsible for consuming huge quantities of resources. It is a question of optimizing construction methods, developing low-emission concepts, and increasingly backing recycling solutions,” Frank Steffens, managing director, Brüninghoff, said in a statement.
The building has already received pre-certification per the ecological, economic, and social criteria of the German Society for Sustainable Construction (DGNB).
Related Stories
Wood | Apr 22, 2016
Revised 2015 Manual for Engineered Wood Construction available
American Wood Council Document offers design information for structural applications.
Structural Materials | Apr 13, 2016
How post-frame construction has evolved over the years [Infographic]
The National Frame Building Association released an infographic showing just how far the industry has come since the colonial Jamestown days.
Wood | Apr 8, 2016
New LEED Pilot ACP designed to help eliminate irresponsibly sourced materials
Illegal wood is primary target to restrict illicit material in the supply chain.
Wood | Mar 28, 2016
Waugh Thistleton designs one of the tallest timber office buildings in London
The nine-story Development House has vertical open spaces for light and air flow.
Wood | Mar 23, 2016
APA updates Engineered Wood Construction Guide
Provides recommendations on engineered wood construction systems.
Wood | Feb 8, 2016
BEST IN WOOD: WoodWorks announces 2016 design award winners
The Aspen Art Museum, Scott Family Amazeum, and Whitetail Woods Regional Park Camper Cabins are among the projects honored by this year’s awards.
Wood | Feb 3, 2016
American Wood Council releases guide to wood construction in high wind areas
The guide is directed toward ensuring structural integrity to resist wind loads.
Wood | Jan 4, 2016
Concerns over new wood-frame, mid-rise residential building construction in Charlotte
Cheaper construction material may increase risk for firefighters.
Sponsored | Wood | Dec 7, 2015
Compelling conversations about wood: Engineered wood as expressive design
This installment features a wide-ranging discussion that reveals how a mix of engineered wood products lend themselves to expressive design — and what’s blocking today’s designers from fully embracing this aesthetic.
Wood | Nov 24, 2015
2015 Code Conforming Wood Design publication now available
Summarizes provisions in the 2015 International Building Code.
