Latest news with #timber
Times
7 days ago
- Business
- Times
London's most sustainable office is block of wood as builders branch out
On the site of an old Costa Coffee roastery in Vauxhall, one of London's most unique office spaces has opened its doors. Paradise SE11 — aptly named, given its location on Old Paradise Street and its deep connection with nature — is the latest in a growing number of timber workspaces across the city proving that net zero carbon buildings can be as beautiful as they are sustainable. This one is arguably the most unusual. Sandwiched between the train tracks at Waterloo station on one side — such is the proximity that when trains stop, it is perfectly feasible to catch a glimpse of passengers' book titles — and a public park and tree canopy on the other, the six-storey, emerald structure is the only space in London where a timber environment in such a dense urban location butts up against green space. It is also the lowest-carbon mass-timber office development in the UK, can be deconstructed and recycled when it reaches the end of its life cycle, and packs a hefty architectural punch. As far as showcases for sustainable development go, it is pretty compelling. That's not to say timber development is without risk. Fear of getting caught up in lengthy, not to mention costly, insurance hurdles due to the potential for fire and water damage remains a deterrent for many developers. However, for a bold few, the benefits of looking beyond more commonly used materials, such as steel and concrete, have prompted a wave of ambitious timber developments across London. Developments, say the teams behind them, that have the power to save the planet and make us happier and healthier. 'Being surrounded by timber, rather than steel or concrete, just feels different,' says Theo Michell, chief operating officer of Bywater Properties, the developer behind the Paradise building. 'It even smells and sounds different.' He's right, it does. The exposed wooden ceilings and vast 800kg timber columns zigzagging around its internal perimeter are, first and foremost, structurally essential. They are also architecturally arresting. And they bring a softness and a sense of calm to the space, both in terms of the aesthetic, brought to life by the architects Feilden Clegg Bradley, and the acoustics. 'Here we are in an unashamedly urban location,' says Michell as another packed train flies past the floor-to-ceiling third-floor windows. 'And yet, all around us, is a natural material that not only reduces carbon, but makes people feel better.' • BlackRock boss wants London growth but can't find office space Indeed, a growing body of evidence suggests that spending time in spaces made from natural materials can lower our blood pressure and heart rate, elevate our mood and reduce cognitive fatigue by 40 per cent. 'Research clearly shows that wooden buildings provide better air quality, reduce stress and increase productivity,' says Annica Anas, chief executive of Atrium Ljungberg, the Swedish developer building Wood City in Stockholm which, at 2.5 million sq ft, will become the largest mass-timber project in the world when it is completed in 2027. While no one is taking a punt on an entirely wooden district in London just yet, projects such as Timber Square, the developer LandSec's 370,000 sq ft net zero mixed-use scheme, designed by Bennetts Associates, are paving the way for increasingly large-scale examples of a timber-led urban realm. It will be completed later this year on Lavington Street in Southwark. • Frescoes reveal Southwark was the 'Beverly Hills of Londinium' 'Timber construction has the potential to transform London into a greener, healthier city, reducing carbon emissions, improving air quality and creating spaces that connect people with nature, all while supporting sustainable urban growth,' says Marcus Geddes, LandSec's managing director for the building. 'We know that businesses are also increasingly focused on occupying low-carbon, high-quality office space.' When it comes to the environmental impact, carbon stats are definitive. The Black and White Building, London's tallest mass-timber office in Shoreditch, designed by Waugh Thistleton Architects, which has an entirely wooden structure on concrete foundations, generates 37 per cent less embodied carbon than a concrete building. It equates to a saving in excess of 1,000 tonnes of CO₂. Even hybrid projects, such as Paradise and Timber Square, where wood is used alongside other materials, are infinitely more sustainable than their fully concrete and steel counterparts. Paradise has removed 1,800 tonnes of CO₂ from the atmosphere, the equivalent to the carbon emissions of building 24 homes — a calculation that includes the emissions derived from sourcing and transporting the timber from Austria, which supplies most of Europe. It helps that wooden buildings are quick to build. 'Paradise's timber structure went up in about 20 weeks, all told,' says Michell. 'That was with just seven people on site for the most part; a crane operator and six others bolting the pieces of timber together like a giant Meccano set.' Of course, it's not all plain sailing. 'There is a perception that timber buildings might be uninsurable,' he says. 'In our experience, the process has been complicated and technical, but not insurmountable.' Nor does the plethora of insurance-related hurdles mean timber developments are unsafe. In an office context, insurance issues are not so much based on a concern about the safety of inhabitants, but against the loss of the building. A loss that, contrary to widespread belief, is more likely to occur because of water damage than fire. It is one of many misconceptions and challenges that Michell believes will subside as more timber projects get built. 'Plenty of sceptics thought we were crazy,' he says. 'Now, larger developers are intrigued by what we have done and the best thing would be for them to swing in behind us because, once we build up a pattern of these projects, that sets a precedent and life gets much easier. We never expected to be pioneers.' Standing on the third floor of a former Costa Coffee roastery in one of London's most unique new office buildings, the scent of freshly cut wood in the air, pioneers rather says it all.
CTV News
17-07-2025
- Business
- CTV News
N.S. to prioritize using timber in new construction, heating of public buildings
Nova Scotia Public Works Minister Fred Tilley makes an announcement about the timber industry in Enfield, N.S., on July 17, 2025. (Jesse Thomas/CTV Atlantic) The Nova Scotia government says it's turning to timber every opportunity it can in the construction and renovation of new public buildings, while also moving to heating public buildings with wood products. The province's Natural Resources Minister Tory Rushton and Public Works Minister Fred Tilley announced the province's new priority to utilize wood products outside the Ledwidge Lumber facility in Enfield, N.S., Thursday morning. 'Now more than ever, we want to use local products for building and heating in Nova Scotia,' said Tilley. 'That's why government is leading by example and using more wood products in our own buildings. 'It's one of many steps our government is taking to make Nova Scotia more self-reliant and energy-secure and to grow our economy and create jobs through innovation in our forestry sector.' The announcement comes on the heels of Northern Pulp's announcement this week that the company, which had long operated a paper mill in Abercrombie, N.S., is leaving the province for good. Northern Pulp was forced to shut down its mill in 2020 after failing to meet environmental guidelines set out by the province regarding its new wastewater treatment facility. The closure and permanent departure leaves a major void in the timber economy, with the absence of a major buyer of low-grade wood, which was a key source of revenue for woodlot owners, sawmill operators and others in the forestry sector. 'This will produce economic benefit for Nova Scotian families while we increase the use of local, sustainable products,' said Rushton. 'Building and heating with wood will produce jobs and reduce our carbon footprint. It's a great way to support our forestry sector and take charge of our low-carbon future.' Currently, 20 public buildings across the province, including schools and hospitals, are using wood-based heating systems and the province says two more are in development. Tilley said the province is updating its design and procurement policies to make wood a preferred choice in future construction and renovation projects, while transitioning oil-based heating systems to wood. For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
Wall Street Journal
17-07-2025
- Business
- Wall Street Journal
Qarlbo Biodiversity Aims to Reshape Timber Production
Qarlbo Biodiversity, formed by the founder of Swedish private-equity firm EQT AB, expects its latest deal to show that improving timber production sustainability can benefit both the environment and profits. The investment and forestry management business has agreed to sell as much as 500,000 tons of material generated by U.S. forest thinning—removing trees and underbrush to improve health and growth—to Woodland Biofuels in Canada over a number of years. The maker of renewable natural gas based in Toronto will use the supplied material as feedstock.
CBS News
10-07-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Trump admin. wants to increase logging on federal land to reduce fire risks. Not everyone agrees.
Jeff Brink takes pride in working on the same land his father did, in the national forests surrounding Oakridge, Oregon. But in the decades since his father ran the family logging business, less and less timber has been harvested, and more and more megafires have threatened his hometown. "There needs to be some active management, because no management has given us this result," he told CBS News. When the Trump administration announced executive actions aimed at increasing timber production on federal lands, Oregonians had mixed responses. Loggers and timber towns celebrated the attention from the White House, while environmentalists sounded the alarm over fears of deregulation and environmental harm. Local stakeholders wonder what forest management will look like in practice. "This is my backyard, my home, and I don't want to see it burn. I also don't want to see it logged heavily," Brink said. "There's two extremes here." The White House made a series of announcements over the past several months pertaining to timber harvesting and managing national forests. An executive action in March ordered federal agencies, including the departments of the Interior and Agriculture, to focus on increasing logging on federal lands with the purpose of increasing timber production, while simultaneously reducing forest fire risk. U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said in April that the country is facing a "national forest emergency," and President Trump's executive order targets a 25% increase in timber production on federal forests. The agency also announced it would rescind rules like the "roadless rule," which prevented logging on 58 million acres of federal land. The timber industry and environmentalists still have questions as to the actual implementation of policy and changes in practices by federal agencies. Oregon Wild is one of many environmental groups that believe the new executive actions threaten landmark environmental laws such as the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), which date back to the 1970s. The nonprofit said it fears that language in executive orders prioritizing federal lands for timber production could lead to clear-cutting forests, habitat destruction and loss of old-growth forests. Old-growth or mature forests do not have an official definition, but they are understood to be undisturbed forests with large, older trees that scientists believe serve key roles in ecological functions like purifying water. They also store more carbon than younger forests and are said to be vital as a carbon sink. "This idea that there's some kind of national emergency is laughable," Quinn Read, executive director of Oregon Wild, told CBS News. "It's really more of a pretext to loot our public lands to benefit very, very few people at the expense of all Americans." Timber groups counter that practices have changed in the decades since the 1990s, when timber output from federal forests was much higher. After new federal forest plans were adopted in the 1990s, timber output on northwest federal lands declined by 80%, according to the American Forest Resource Council, which represents companies in the timber industry. They argue that wood products made with American timber are more environmentally and socially ethical, arguing that environmental regulations and labor laws are stronger in the United States than in countries the U.S. imports timber from. Many of those laws were positive for the industry, timber groups say. "We have the strongest environmental and labor laws on planet Earth. That's where I want our wood to come from," Travis Joseph, president of the American Forest Resource Council, told CBS News. "Yes, we're making some tweaks or changes to policy to make that more efficient, but we're not undermining, nor is the administration undermining, the fundamental structure of how public lands are managed." Some in the timber industry also argue that increased logging doubles as fire risk mitigation. The logic makes sense to Brink. His company pivoted from traditional logging to land management that focuses on cutting smaller logs, thinning forests and removing debris from previous fires in the name of fire risk mitigation. When timber outputs on national forests began to decrease, pivoting to the new business was how the Brink family business survived. "Every year you see equipment go up to auction, there's names of loggers that are legends here," he told CBS News. But prominent voices in forestry have their concerns, even if there is broad consensus among foresters that forest thinning, when done properly, can reduce the risk of fires. Former U.S. Forest Service foresters such as Steve Ellis, chair of the National Association of Forest Service Retirees, are concerned that staffing cuts at federal agencies since the second Trump administration took office will make it difficult for them to complete timber harvesting contracts, a lengthy process that often takes years and frequently faces litigation. "You're going to have to have people to do it and set it up to do it right. And there's laws to be followed, if that's the intent, to follow NEPA and follow ESA and follow the Clean Water Act," Ellis told CBS News. Timber project managers like Sarah Altemus Pope, executive director of the Southern Willamette Forest Collective, similarly worry about federal staff having the capacity to properly design timber projects that adhere to environmental requirements. She said she's found that dialogue between loggers, federal employees, community members and environmentalists gives projects the best chance to succeed, and in recent years, she had seen that dynamic improve. With the current administration, she worries it may begin to fray. "I absolutely think it's important that the administration be talking with all parties that have that, all stakeholders and all parties that have an interest in how our forests are managed," she told CBS News. Pope thinks it's especially important because finding ways to better manage the forest will require budgets, Congress and community buy-in. "The executive orders alone are not going to move the needle," she said.
Irish Times
03-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
Forest clean-up after Storm Éowyn `not moving fast enough'
About 80 per cent of the Republic's timber harvesting machinery is working on forests hit by Storm Éowyn , but one industry group says work on the clear-up is not moving fast enough. Forestry was one of the worst hit industries when the record-breaking storm struck in January. The winds floored 26,000 hectares, almost three years' harvest, of mostly mature trees, sparking calls for measures to collect and sell the timber. More than 80 per cent of timber-harvesting machinery here is now working on storm-hit forests, according to a spokesman for Michael Healy-Rae , Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture . READ MORE Paddy Bruton, of industry group Social Economic and Environmental Forestry Association, and Mark McCauley, director of Ibec affiliate Forest Industries Ireland, which represents growers and sawmills, both confirmed this figure. However, Derek McCabe, chairman of industry group Irish Forest Owners, estimated that just 2 per cent of storm-felled timber had been recovered by last week. He acknowledged that most machines were engaged on sites hit by the storm, but maintained that they were harvesting standing trees as well as those knocked over by the storm. 'There's up to €800 million of our timber on the ground, that's a huge loss to the country and to the economy,' he said. His group represents private forest owners, many of whom originally planted trees on their properties several decades ago. However, the Minister's spokesman and Mr Bruton said that Mr McCabe's 'maths simply do not add up'. Mr Bruton noted that his business, Euroforest Ireland, alone had recovered about 2 per cent of the timber knocked over by Storm Éowyn. Mr Healy-Rae's spokesman pointed out that the Minister had streamlined licensing regulations to speed up collection. Along with that he prioritised certification that would allow timber to be exported, including to markets not previously tapped by the Irish industry. The Minister established an industry taskforce soon after the storm whose members include representatives of Irish Forestry Owners. State company Coillte owns 14,500 hectares of the 26,000 that Storm Éowyn damaged. The rest belongs to private landowners, including those represented by Mr McCabe. Coillte said it had made 'significant progress' in recovering its storm-damaged forests. The company has about 18 months to two years to salvage windblown timber. 'Coillte is on target to have all windblown forests recovered by end 2026 and replanted by 2027,' it said. The State company cautioned that there was a shortage of drivers to transport the harvested timber, but added it was working on tackling this.
