LET BE WOODEN
NEBletter of LIFE BE-WoodEN project Powered by ART-ER |
Let's start The LIFE Be-WoodEN project is entering the heart of its activities to promote knowledge and practices of the use of wood in the construction sector. As always, the aim is to offer a broad and systemic vision that allows the topic to be framed from different angles, addressing a diversified audience. The first action concerns the publication of free seminars, available on a web platform.
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THE NEB FACTOR Learning to build with wood today From the field to the impacts of bio-based materials with a NEB approach Capacity building activities are at the heart of the LIFE BE-WoodEN project: among the first actions there are a series of free online modules that address different aspects of the use of wood and bio-based materials in construction. We discuss it with Alessandro Bosso, expert in environment, climate and sustainable development at ART-ER, and two of the trainers who contributed to the realization of the webinars: Angela Amorusi (ART-ER) and Marco Togni (University of Florence). How do training activities fit into the project and what do they consist of? Alessandro: The LIFE Be-WoodEN project is based on two pillars: capacity building and experimentation. The training activities are diverse and include online webinars, a study visit, a winter school, innovation laboratories and focus groups. They are primarily addressed at professionals such as designers, architects, engineers, but also agronomists, because the theme is wood, which starts from the raw material up to construction and the finished product, including furnishings. Other important targets are students, companies operating in the wood supply chain, public administrations promoting projects and therefore assigning tasks. Some initiatives will also be open to artisans and artists, as in the Bauhaus, where technical and creative aspects were intertwined. These are activities that allow to acquire and update skills but also exchange knowledge, and share the approach of the New European Bauhaus. |
How are the online webinars structured? Are they accessible to everyone?
Alessandro: Yes, the webinars are available for free on the web platform of the Order of Architects of the Province of Genoa in asynchronous mode. Everyone can choose which one to follow and do it when it’s most convenient for them: to access, just register. For architects and agronomists and foresters, they are valid as for professional updates requirements and credits are obtained by answering the questionnaire at the end of each webinar. The webinars will remain available even after the end of the project. They are organized into three modules: one is dedicated to NEB and placemaking as an agent of change and explains how to integrate aspects of sustainability, beauty and inclusiveness, curated by the University of Wroclaw. Another module is dedicated to the characteristics of wood, to wood-based structural products, both in terms of production and use as a building material, entrusted to the University of Florence. The theme of Green Circular Building characterizes the module developed by ART-ER in collaboration with the Universities of Genoa and Primorska and deals with the environmental aspects related to the use of wood and bio-based materials in the construction industry. |
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What are the topics addressed in the module dedicated to Green Buildings?
Alessandro: In this module we talk about the use of wood in construction from the point of view of the Ecodesign and the life cycle of buildings, and how the use of these natural materials has a different impact in all phases, from the raw materials upstream to the "end of life" of the building, compared to other materials such as concrete or steel. There are different impacts in terms of resource consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, use of non-renewable resources, and generation of hazardous waste. In the webinar we also talk about the well-being of those who live in a building constructed with natural materials, specific aspects related to acoustics or green public procurement that concerns public administrations, that is, what criteria must a public tender for the construction of buildings made with wood materials or for the supply of wooden furnishings include. This module is useful both for public administrators who write tenders and for designers and companies who respond to the tender. |
Can we give some examples of the topics covered in the module on green buildings? Angela: We explored some crucial issues regarding the use of wood in the furniture and construction sector, with a focus on the integration of Minimum Environmental Criteria (CAM) in Green Public Procurement (GPP) practices, an environmental policy tool that promotes the adoption of low environmental impact products and services by public administrations, incentivizing the use of materials such as wood. Through GPP, the spread of certified wood products can be supported, ensuring that they come from sustainably managed forests and that they comply with rigorous environmental criteria. This not only contributes to reducing the environmental impact, but also strengthens the role of wood in achieving the objectives of the 2030 Agenda and the European Green Deal. |
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What are CAMs for? Angela: The integration of Minimum Environmental Criteria (CAM) in procurement procedures guides design and procurement choices towards low environmental impact solutions, promoting the use of wood as a sustainable material in construction. They can be applied to promote the use of certified wood, not only for load-bearing structures but also for interior furnishings, thus contributing to the creation of buildings that meet the highest sustainability standards. Another point to consider is environmental certifications for wood and its derivatives. |
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| What is the role of certifications? Angela: Labels such as the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) and the PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) are essential to certify the sustainable origin of the wood used. These certifications not only guarantee the sustainability of the forests from which the wood comes, but also add value to building projects and furnishings, making them more attractive for both public administrations and private consumers. Through CAM, the creation of a built environment that responds to the needs of a greener and more resilient future is promoted. Among the available webinars there are also those dedicated to wood, wood-based structural products and their characteristics, created by the University of Florence. What aspects of this material are addressed? Marco: The webinars that we have curated as the University of Florence have the objective of helping interested people, designers or professionals in general, to understand the characteristics of wood in relation to structural use. The need arises from the fact that wood is often considered in the same way as other construction materials. But wood is produced by a living organism that is the tree and which, in turn, lives in a sort of population that is the forest, where it is nice and healthy to take walks. |
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The eight webinars can be conceptually divided into 2 groups: the first four introduce the topic of wood in its characteristics, advantages and limitations; the other four are aimed at the structural uses of solid wood and products, and sustainability. What are the advantages of using this material? Marco: First of all, wood is sustainable because it has a low environmental impact and sequesters the carbon removed from the atmosphere. Furthermore, as a material of natural origin, it has the advantage of being naturally compostable, therefore non-polluting. At the end of its use, it can be recycled to make particle board (chipboard). From the point of view of the use of wood in construction, what are the structural characteristics that should be taken into consideration compared to other materials? Marco: Too often, for the very reasons I mentioned before, wood-based products in construction are used too lightly, with the risk of finding ourselves faced with structures that do not have the expected lifespan. This is due to little knowledge of the characteristics of the raw material, of its alterability, so we design with wood as if we were using an artificial material, but this is not the case. Therefore, we wanted to emphasize those aspects that designers should consider in relation to the durability of the building. In addition to the designers, we must also take into account the clients and what perception they have of the wood material for use in construction. Marco: Wood, as a natural material, can undergo alterations but it is also surprisingly resistant, which may be in contrast with the perception of those who are not experts: for example, the shrinkage cracks that can open up in a wooden beam and that worry many, are perfectly natural and we can see them even in beams that have been in place for more than a hundred years. How does a wooden structure behave, for example, in relation to fire? Marco: You might think that a building that has wooden structures is less safe than one made with artificial materials. In reality, the combustion speeds of wood are quite low, measured in a few millimeters per minute, and this allows more time to get to safety in the event of a fire. Buildings that have steel or concrete structures are also alterable in the event of a fire but they behave differently, paradoxically more dangerous: steel does not burn but, having reached a certain threshold temperature, it softens and suddenly collapses, all at once. Reinforced concrete is also sensitive to high temperatures and therefore could collapse suddenly. Furthermore, what often causes poisonous fumes or the rapid spread of flames are not wooden structures but synthetic materials that many objects we find in our homes are made of, such as curtains, carpets, sofas and plastic products. Can water be an altering factor? Marco: Wood is a porous and hygroscopic material, that is, it continuously exchanges water molecules with the air that surrounds it and tends to balance itself with the climatic conditions of the environment in which it is immersed. This factor, in high humidity conditions, can generate problems for the wooden material. In these cases, it is necessary to predict what exposure to humidity and water the structure will have to undergo. The designer, to guarantee its durability, must take into account what can happen to the structure over a long period of time. Wood is also an interesting material for the artifacts we have at home. Marco: Yes! We need to change our mentality on this! Many people, when faced with the choice of purchasing a manufactured product, may think: "I'll buy a plastic object instead of a wooden one because that way I'm sure they haven't destroyed the forests and therefore damaged the environment to produce it". This isn't the case for two reasons: in Europe there are very strict laws and controls so only legally cut wood can be sold. The other aspect to take into consideration is that every wooden object, from the cutting board to the chair to the beam, keeps a certain amount of CO2 sequestered in itself, removed from the atmosphere by the trees from which it was obtained. Therefore, by choosing wood, I contribute to having a positive impact on the environment and, consequently, to the reduction of the production of plastic or other artificial materials, which are instead responsible for the increase in CO2. On this, all of us consumers, with our choices, have a role and great power in promoting sustainable production in order to combat the climate crisis. |
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| Alessandro Bosso is a geologist with an international master's degree in integrated environmental management. He deals with natural resources management and environmental sustainability, and is an expert in issues related to natural capital, climate change, and circular economy. |
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| Angela Amorusi is a senior expert specialized in technical analysis and environmental qualification tools, with a degree in Geological Sciences. She has been working in ART-ER S. cons. p. a. in the Sustainable Development area since 2003 and has extensive experience in sectoral environmental policies and adaptation to climate change, Green Public Procurement, sustainable development, sustainable production and consumption. |
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| Marco Togni has a degree in Forestry Sciences, with a PhD in Wood Sciences, expert in structural wood, non-destructive testing, inspections of buildings and wood-based products. Already a freelancer, forestry doctor, since 2001 he has been an associate professor of Wood Technology at the University of Florence, in the DAGRI department. |
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EVENTS LIFE Be-WoodEN at the WorldSkills in Lyon. Here's what we saw |
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