Timber

AT ONE WITH NATURE

Growing populations, changing demographics and concentration towards urban areas are contributing to a booming construction industry, with estimates putting the additional floorspace needed to satisfy demand at more than 200 billion m2 by 2060.

The sector is heavily polluting and remains largely unsustainable with the value chain from materials through to operations accounting for more than one third of annual global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

In response to the ever-increasing global recognition of the environmental impact of construction, in both the public and private sector, a spotlight has been shone on timber as a viable alternative to steel and concrete, and especially Kebony wood, a global leader in the production of sustainable wood.

Located in verdant woodland just a stone’s throw from the entrance of Norway’s largest hospital, two sensitively-designed wooden shelters are aspiring to make hospitalisation easier and more comfortable for patients and their families. Clad in Kebony, the two shelters reinforce the importance of nature in providing much-needed physical and mental respite from hospital treatment by providing them with a calm oasis to rest in the beautiful Norwegian forest. The use of Kebony in the development by the Department of Psychosomatics and Child Psychiatry at Oslo University Hospital marries excellent craftsmanship with a commitment to mental, physical and environmental care.

For the Norwegian architecture firm, Snøhetta, which designed the wooden shelters, Kebony was a perfect fit. The specially-modified Kebony wood has allowed these magical retreats to reduce their carbon footprint, an important feature in order to respect the nature that the patients and their families enjoy. The modified cladding also requires littleto-no maintenance, making the choice of Kebony an investment in the future of these shelters.

In terms of education, Kebony has also proven a popular choice for public sector projects, demonstrated by the Sydskogen school. Located just outside of Oslo, Kebony wooden cladding was used on the exterior of the school to provide an aesthetic as well as practical function. The striking project has been awarded the Nordic Swan Eco-label, one of the most prestigious and difficult environmental honours to be awarded. Kebony was deliberately chosen for this project due to its innovative green wood modification process. Another key requirement for the award was that all the timber used had to be sustainably sourced.

The collaboration between Kebony, the Røyken local authority and the architectural practice, tegn_3, has allowed 400 students and teachers to enjoy the beauty of design with the knowledge that this has not come at an expense to the environment. By using sustainably-sourced materials, such as Kebony, in private sector projects, changemakers are looking to encourage environmentally-conscious construction that protects the world in which we live.

Kebony is one of the world’s foremost environmentally-friendly wood modification technology companies, recognised as a global leader in sustainability and one of the most exciting technological companies pushing the megatrend of sustainable materials for the construction industry forward on an international stage.  www.kebony.com