Wood enters the mainstream of construction - investors became interested

“Not only does wood construction produce fewer emissions than conventional construction, but the material efficiency of wood construction and where the wood used in construction comes from is in the center of the discussions. In the Central European market in particular, there is a growing awareness of material efficiency.”

According to Mattila, who is responsible for sales of Kerto® LVL, the average consumer in the US does not yet think about climate and sustainability issues in construction, but large listed customers demand information about the origin of wood and material sustainability. "It is interesting to see how the industry trade fairs used to be exclusively attended by forestry, wood and construction professionals, and now increasingly by investors and the financial world.”

“We can demonstrate that the wood used to make our customers' timber elements comes from sustainably managed forests, we use every piece of wood as efficiently as possible. Although wood products are manufactured in Finland, the customer's final product is often manufactured close to the market, where local conditions are best known, we manufacture products and solutions that are suitable for that market.

According to Mattila, it is important to discuss the sustainable use and vitality of forests in customer meetings, since the well-being of forests is the basis of all production. "It is interesting for customers to use the origin of wood in their own communication and marketing, since family ownership of forests is a great value in the eyes of consumers. Wooden architecture also plays a major role in the growing interest in wood construction.

Wood construction in a breakthrough phase

“We are at a breakthrough stage in wood construction. In the Benelux countries, for example, sustainability is starting to drive construction, as awareness of materials used during the building phase, energy efficiency, building life cycle and the low carbon credentials of wood has increased," says Mattila.

According to Mattila, many construction and real estate companies have seen that wood construction − or hybrid construction that partly incorporates wood products − can create a pioneering position by building more efficiently and better. "Wood construction can also create a brand for consumers and real estate investors who are considering their investments in the long term. As customers demand green buildings and homes, developers and builders will understand its value and want to be at the forefront of new innovative construction, and create new business for themselves in the process.

“It is good that regulations are guiding low-carbon construction. By taking the carbon footprint calculation in a harmonised direction, a real comparison between different materials and their sustainability will become truly visible. A fact-based comparison is essential if low carbon is to be genuinely used in the marketing of timber based construction. Its importance will grow with the climate change debate," believes Mattila.  

Traditional construction and wood can be combined

Mattila recognises that companies involved in traditional concrete and steel construction are not going to give it up easily and switch to wood. “We have started discussions on how to combine traditional construction with the use of wood. When we bring wood into existing operations and find ways to integrate wood into contemporary construction, the change will start from within the construction industry. Renewable carbon sequestering wood is already seen as having great potential, which will increase its use.

“Wood in construction will become mainstream in the next five years. Growth will be driven by the sustainability debate, the promotion of low-carbon construction and improvements in efficiency and cost competitiveness. The life-cycle thinking in construction will be strengthened and wood will offer a solution not only for carbon storage but also for reuse and recycling at the end of its life cycle.

According to Mattila, the aim is to develop more standardized wood-based building components in cooperation with the construction industry by increasing the market awareness and production capacity of wood-based products. We strive for effective solutions by using a small amount of wood and using the material as efficiently as possible.

Text: Markku Laukkanen

Article is published in the communication project “ The Future is in the Tree” in February 2024.

About the publisher

The communication project "The Future is in the Tree", funded by the Marjatta and Eino Kolli Foundation, publishes topical articles on forestry and forestry research. The Foundation supports research and development work related to agriculture, forestry and construction, with a particular emphasis on activities that have a positive long-term impact on our living environment.