TALKING TIMBER
Modern wood-based construction materials are safe if treated and used correctly . They will also maintain their integrity in most fire situations , and will not melt , deform , or collapse .
GOOD FOR THE ECONOMY
The South African forestry and forest product sector employs 158 000 people , with 690 000 people dependent on it for their livelihoods . The sector currently generates a gross value of R42-billion , of which R29-billion is exported in the form of beneficiated products .
The uptake of timber-based products in the built environment can further improve the prospects of the forestry industry ’ s lumber producers . It will be as important for the sawmilling industry , as nanocrystalline cellulose , bioplastics and biochemicals are proving to be in countering the decline of traditional paper products .
GOOD FOR THE BRAIN
According to a recent Workplaces : Wellness + Wood = Productivity Report , weaving wood into workplace design can be a major driver of wellbeing , job satisfaction and productivity .
SUMITOMO FORESTRY & NIKKEN SEKKEI
The 350-metre-high skyscraper made mostly from wood designed by Sumitomo Forestry .
Biologist and author Edward Wilson first popularised the ‘ biophilia ’ hypothesis that “ humans have an innate tendency to seek connections with nature and other forms of life ”.
When we consciously acknowledge that sustainably-produced wood provides work for thousands of people from tree nurseries to the housing sector , we truly can see the good in wood .
22 JUNE / JULY 2021 // www . timberiq . co . za