One of Australia’s leading environmental organisations is joining forces with Forest and Wood Products Australia (FWPA) to encourage the use of sustainably-sourced wood.
FWPA, the industry body behind the Wood Naturally Better programme, has teamed up with Planet Ark to promote sustainable timber as a climate change solution.
Planet Ark is interested in helping housebuilders, developers, architects, the general public and school children recognise the environmental benefits of using sustainable timber over other, more polluting alternatives.
It will develop educational materials, an interactive website and deliver an extensive media campaign to raise awareness.
“Sustainable timber use is an important step in the transition to a low carbon economy”, said Planet Ark CEO Paul Klymenko.
”Substituting wood products for more greenhouse gas-intensive building products could reduce the emissions of typical house by up to 18 tonnes over its life.
“That’s more than a medium-sized car emits over seven years but research shows that few people understand that carbon is stored in the wood for life.”
The partnership announcement comes at a time when construction firm Grocon has just unveiled plans to build Delta, a 10-storey, 50-unit apartment timber building as part of the redevelopment of the Carlton United Breweries site in Melbourne.
It will be the first project in Australia to use cross-laminated timber.
