The environmental benefits of using timber for large-scale commercial buildings have been highlighted in a report from New Zealand’s Ministry of Agriculture & Forestry (MAF).
The report compared the energy use over the 60-year life cycle of four similar office building designs constructed using concrete, steel, timber and what is known as “timber-plus”, which uses wood for the building’s structure and fit-out.
Of the four, the timber-plus building had the lowest environmental impact, producing about 4,500 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent. Timber was second lowest at 5,454 tonnes, and steel had the highest at nearly 7,000 tonnes.
MAF sector performance director Iain Cossar said that as well as providing valuable information on the life cycle environmental impact of various construction materials, the report also filled an information gap concerning how much wood could be used in the construction and fit-out of commercial, large-scale buildings in New Zealand.
“The study found that from a technical point of view, a commercial building of up-to six storeys could feasibly be constructed on a timber structure, something that does not typically happen in New Zealand,” said Mr Cossar.
