Timber Construction for Net-Zero by 2050
Created By RISC | 1 year ago
Last modified date : 1 year ago
RISC has set a goal of helping MQDC become "Nature Positive & Carbon Negative 2050". Here's why we've set this target and how we’re working to achieve it.
To mitigate the effects of climate change, the European Union (EU) and the United Nations have set a target of greenhouse gases equivalent to zero or “Net-Zero Emissions 2050" across various departments and governments in leading countries. To achieve net-zero carbon dioxide emissions, all sectors, including the building industry, must overhaul their entire systems.
What is the challenge for the construction industry?
The building industry contributes 39% of total carbon dioxide emissions, divided into 2 categories:
- 28% from carbon generated during building use, such as water and electricity consumption. Our current knowledge and technology make it easier to reduce carbon emissions to zero through energy-efficient building design or alternative energy use.
- 11% from embodied carbon in building materials and during construction. This element of reducing carbon emissions is more complex. We need to change the initial process of selecting resources to generate construction materials, affecting technology and the complete construction process.
So how can we reduce embodied carbon?
Timber construction is an option for reducing embodied carbon by replacing concrete. This concept is no longer too far from reality. Some high-rise buildings now use wooden structures, particularly in Europe. Concrete releases carbon dioxide during production and uses nonrenewable resources, while trees are renewable. Trees also absorb carbon dioxide during the growth and lifetime. Timber construction may become a new building trend raising hope for humanity.
Port Plus is a skyscraper with a wooden framework by Obayashi. Its structure combines modern construction methods with expertise to withstand fire for 3 hours. Its embodied carbon has been compared to steel and concrete in simulations. In Asia, the revolution in construction technology is credited to Port Plus.
What’s the future of timber construction in Thailand?
Thai homes used to be made of wood. But carpentry skills are becoming obsolete. We will see more high-rise structures made of wood in the future, but this change may take time. There are many hurdles such as technology, knowledge, labor skills, construction costs, building code requirements for fire protection, the location of plantations, and resistance to hot, humid weather, ultraviolet radiation, and termites, which are wood's worst enemy.
Mulberry Grove’s Clubhouse at The Forestias by MQDC is the project's focal point and one of the first buildings to employ wood construction technology in project development. To protect from the sun and rain, 56 glulam beams form an arched timber structure. MQDC's "Nature Positive & Carbon Negative 2050" goal promotes sustainability by seeking to make a positive impact on nature, reducing net carbon dioxide emissions to negative by 2050. The Clubhouse isn’t a high-rise building, but it still marks the start of change for the construction industry. We might soon see more new timber constructions.
Story by Tiptaptim Sunpaechudasil, Senior Sustainable Designer, RISC
References:
https://www.eesc.europa.eu/en/news-media/news/timber-construction-can-help-reduce-co2-emissions
https://www.oyproject.com/
https://worldgbc.org/
https://mqdc.com/our-business/discover-project/mulberrygrove/forestias