Stora Enso to host webinar on building wooden schools

Taking place on April 29 at 16.00-17.00 BST, “Why it's time to build more wooden schools” will explore the urgent need for more educational facilities in the UK, and how this new wave can benefit from the growing timber construction industry. With wood and the biophilic design’s significant positive impact on health and well-being, as well as lower carbon footprint – reductions of up to 75% of CO2 emissions can be achieved compared to traditional concrete and steel building processes –, wood is poised to play a vital role in the sustainable construction of schools.

The webinar will explore the benefits but also some of the challenges related to the growing use of wood as a construction material, such as the need for building awareness, competence and wood-based experiences as well as discussions around costs and collaborations. In light of this, the panel will discuss learnings from a successful, large-scale wooden school project, Northstowe Learning Community in Cambridgeshire, UK, a 15,000m² project that utilised cross-laminated timber (CLT) to meet sustainability targets and provide an inspiring and healthy space for students.

Moderated by Fred Mills, construction industry influencer and co-Founder of The B1M, the world's largest and most subscribed-to video channel for construction, the webinar will include expert panelists from: Northstowe Learning Community; The Cambridge Meridian Academies Trust; creative architectural practice, Frank Shaw Associates; leading UK construction and infrastructure company, Kier; timber construction specialist, EURBAN; and Stora Enso.

“This is a critically important subject to be discussing, at a critically important time,” said Fred Mills. “Our relentless use of conventional materials like steel and concrete is partly responsible for the climate emergency facing our planet. Responsibly-sourced timber is a hugely more sustainable building material that would dramatically reduce our impact on the environment, if it were adopted more widely. Our industry also has the power to shape people's lives and nowhere is that more important than in our schools, where we shape our children in the formative years of their lives. Building with timber can create fantastic spaces for learning that are proven to increase our well-being. I can't wait to discuss all of these issues and more with this world class panel of experts.”

As children between the ages of seven and 14 spend 90% of their time indoors, with the majority of that time at school, it is crucial to create a healthy environment for children and the next generation. As well as the feel-good factor, an ideal learning climate should provide a healthy, natural environment that invites learning, providing a space where students can concentrate better and be more creative.

“As research shows, wood has an integral role to play here,” said Rory Doak, Stora Enso’s business development manager UK and Ireland. “For example, a study in Austria showed that students in a wooden classroom experienced improved well-being, with significantly lower heart rates and a lower perception of stress when compared with those in a linoleum floored classroom with plasterboard walls.”

Participation is free, registration and further information at: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Y82uTdShSPakEZw-iKfLQw