INTERREG BOTNIA-ATLANTICA AND INTERREG NORD 2014-2020 58 Supporting wood as multistorey building material How can we use more wooden structural and hybrid components in multistorey buildings? This is the focus of Interreg Nord cross-border project TallWood. – Using more sustainable wood and wooden hybrid components will reduce carbon dioxide emissions and lower the environmental impact, says Arman Kouch, project manager and researcher at Oulu University of Applied Sciences. The TallWood project is working to raise awareness about utilising wood as one of the main elements of multistorey buildings, especially wooden hybrid buildings. The project involves project partners from Finland, Sweden and Norway and about 20 companies as the project’s associate partners from the Nordic countries. According to statistics, especially Finland and Sweden have great potential for using wood as the structural materials in multistorey buildings in the region, since the annual growth is considerably greater than the annual harvesting of forests. – We have the raw material in the area. By employing modern technologies such as CLT, cross-laminated timber, a highly flexible wood product, and Glulam, glued laminated timber, and by supporting regional companies, particularly the small and medium sized enterprises, we can reduce the waste, increase the employment rate and make more sustainable construction materials. It can also effectively reduce the carbon dioxide emissions. Historically, we have had some issues with the policymakers when it comes using wood to build multistorey buildings, for instance, fire regulations. But I think the technology is reaching a level where we can overcome most of the main issues, says Arman. In the past decade, the modern technology and the companies’ expertise have made it easier to construct building modules or units as well as bigger and higher wooden TALLWOOD Lead partner: Oulu University of Applied Sciences, Finland. Project partners: Luleå University of Technology, RISE, Skellefteå, Sweden, Lapland University of Applied Sciences, Lappia, Finland, Nordland Research Institute, Bodö, Norway. Priority area: Research and innovation. The cross-border project team of TallWood want to raise awareness about utilising wood as one of the main elements of multistorey buildings, especially wooden hybrid buildings. Right: DAS Kelo in Rovaniemi, Finland is an eight-storey student housing block built with a cross laminated timber frame.
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