A wooden bridge emits nearly half as much greenhouse gases from cradle to grave compared with a concrete bridge. Materials and maintenance account for the absolute largest part of the emissions. These are the results of a comparative life-cycle analysis done in Sweden by Tyréns and SP Trä on behalf of TräCentrum Norr, TCN.
Swedish Wood has brought together two Swedish institutes of education and the American University of Dubai to contribute to more international exchanges in the area of wood design. “It’s important to market Swedish wood products abroad. There is great potential in Swedish Wood showing the distinctive character of pine as a wood of beauty that can be brought out even more in finer furniture design”, says Léo Johannsson, lecturer at Carl Malmsten Furniture Studies, one of the two schools visited during the study trip, which also included meetings with Sweden’s wood processing industries.
Moroccan designers find inspiration in Sweden – through visits to various real environments covering the refinement process from tree-felling to modern wood products. “We’re on a voyage of discovery of wood culture”, say Kanza Ben Cherif and Said Guihia, two designers from Casablanca who are taking part in Swedish Wood’s tour.
On December 10, the winners of the “Swedish wood meets Arabia” competition were announced. The competition was an initiative by Swedish Wood in collaboration with AUD, The American University in Dubai. The participants had to design a piece of furniture or interior detail in Swedish pine or spruce that at the same time said something about Arabian culture and design.
In September, China approved a new fire norm that paves the way for more wood construction in China. The new norms cover single-family homes and multi-unit buildings as well as laminated timber constructions.
On 4 November, Swedish Wood arranged a conference in Casablanca for designers, architects and other professionals in the woodworking industry. Possibilities for Swedish wood in Moroccan interior design and architecture were the main theme.
Interest in Swedish wood products continues to grow in China. The market efforts that the Swedish sawmills and the trade organisation Swedish Wood have made in recent years have also positioned Sweden as a reliable supplier of high-quality products. These are two conclusions from the annual Global Wood Trade conference recently held in Qingdao, China.
Five students from the architecture programme at Shanghai Jiao Tong University visited Sweden this week. They gained a deeper insight into the Swedish forestry industry, and into wood's potential and advantages from architectural and environmental perspectives.
Building in wood is winning market share in France, and there is still great potential for the future. For this reason, Swedish Wood has created a new network for information about wood, together with CODIFAB, the French industry organisation for the development of the wood industry.
