COVER STORY LANDGUARD POINT
Promoting Greener Construction Landguard Point supplies timber and pioneering eco-friendly alternatives to the UK construction industry that point the way to a greener future – this now includes its Rebo Bamboo Division.
A
t the end of last year, the UK hosted the 26th UN
as hardness and durability, anti-flammable properties and corrosive
Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in
resistance. Not only do these highly important and desirable benefits
Glasgow. The COP26 summit brought parties together
emerge from the process, but also the ability to produce an elegant
to accelerate action towards the goals of the Paris
and attractive product. Meaning it can play an important role in both
Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
commercial and domestic design in many ways. However, it is bamboo in its natural form which is of interest in
Timber and forests played an important part in the summit’s discussions, with deforestation playing a significant part in mitigation
the fight against climate change. Bamboo has one big difference to
plans against global warming. Timber offers a natural sink for carbon
timber products. Where timber products are derived from tree species,
emissions whilst also emitting oxygen to the atmosphere. This means TIMBER IMPORTER sustainableTRUSTED practice isBRITISH of inherent importance globally. Fortunately,
bamboo is of the grass family. Grasses offer much faster growing rates,
in Europe we are already conscious of this, and have the practices and
only means that it is highly regenerative, but also offers huge potential
commissions in place to ensure we operate in a sustainable manner.
as a carbon sink. One study estimates that a one-hectare plantation of
with some species potentially growing up to a metre daily. This not
bamboo and its products could store over 306 tonnes of carbon over a
FSC and PEFC are organisations in place managing the
60-year period compared with 178 tonnes
chain of custody of timber products globally, meaning
for softwood tree species. A 42%
there are traceable chains from the beginning
difference in absorption rates.
to end, meaning these practices can be monitored and maintained effectively.
By using bamboo we can
However, as an industry this does not
help in the fight against climate change. As well as
mean innovation and exploration for
absorbing and storing
change should be disregarded.
carbon, bamboo
Landguard Point, a leading UK timber importing company
products can ‘avoid’
are pioneering the introduction
the carbon produced by more emissions-
of bamboo products as an
intensive materials. Research
alternative to traditional timbers imported to the UK. They have
conducted on European
partnered with Rebo Bamboo, a
industrial bamboo products, such as cladding, flooring and
company based in China who through their innovation, have developed methods
beams, has shown that they have a low or even negative eco-
allowing bamboo to become a genuine alternative to many
cost, over the course of their lifecycle, outperforming even
timber products on the market.
FSC-certified hardwoods, and can be used as replacements for steel and concrete.
They have developed carbonisation procedures, which
This durability is critical to realising bamboo’s carbon
involves heating up the natural product. This process enhances
storage potential, according to researcher Pablo van der
natural characteristics, whilst also introducing elements such Timber Trader UK Magazine
Winter 2021-2022
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