With the progression of technology, great masterpieces of architecture have also become popular around the world. They provide interesting tourist attractions and are a hallmark of the city itself. Dubai is the best example of a concrete place in the midst of the desert. It is no surprise that great design and planning, for different types of buildings, are flooding the city with more tourists, as well as residents. Interestingly, Finland is catching up with a twist. It has revolutionized the concept of high skyscrapers by using wood to build a five-storey school building, which might be the future of construction now.
Although several of the inside walls are already lined with smooth oak panels, the school won’t be finished until next year. Additionally, wood has been employed as exterior cladding, to support the ceilings between the levels, and in load-bearing constructions. According to Miimu Airaksinen, an engineer and Vice President of Development at SRV, the Finnish construction firm that built the school, “It’s a more sustainable solution.” But we’re also working with wood because people like and appreciate wood and the way it’s designed,” she continued.
As the world is taking various effective measures towards sustainability of the environment, it is important to also introduce this practice in the construction field since it contributes plenty to carbon emissions all around the world – which is why, the undertaking fits into a developing pattern in the Finnish construction sector, more and more often, builders are choosing wood over more commonplace materials like concrete and steel. It is related to the nation’s aspirational goals to become Europe’s leading circular economy by 2035 and become carbon neutral.
There is less fear about fires among the general public in Finland than there may be in other regions of the world where the use of wood as a construction material is less widespread since separate wooden houses and summer cottages are so prevalent there. However, SRV continues to confront flammability concerns, particularly in bigger buildings. Despite this, cross-laminated timber (CLT) is shown to perform well in flames, according to Airaksinen, as it is made to endure intense heat and can take longer to collapse than concrete.
Additionally, wooden structures can store the carbon that trees take in from the environment for five to six decades, removing more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than they produce. Steel and concrete, however, have significant carbon footprints.
There is also a brand-new neighborhood, Wood City, with hundreds of brand-new wooden apartments in the heart of Helsinki. It also serves as the location of Supercell’s global headquarters, where the walls of the eight-storey, open-plan office space, cafes, and even nap rooms are lined with wood. The Supercell offices feature a striking reception area with large carved wooden characters and dramatic curved panels.
Due to worries made by environmental advocacy groups like WWF that the increased development of wooden structures may place an undue strain on the world’s forests, Finland’s wood-producing industries have committed to replanting logged areas in a considerate and sustainable manner. It is highly possible that Europe follows Finland’s footsteps toward a sustainable environment after carefully weighing its pros and cons.