Sustainability has become the key to a future in tune with the environment and the selection of building materials plays a crucial role in determining our environmental impact.

Energy efficiency and decarbonization are central issues for our future. So much so that the UN has set them as major goals in the 2030 Agenda. Energy is, in fact, the main contributor to climate change and itself accounts for about 60 percent of global greenhouse gases.

The transition to low-impact wood buildings is not only an ethical choice, but also a smart and necessary response to preserve our planet.

Why wood?

This material proves to be an appropriate ally in many ways for building sustainable houses: besides being a renewable natural resource, building with wood requires less energy than traditional construction materials during production, transportation, and processing. This has two important consequences: the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions for this industry and the reduction of water consumption with the use of dry processes, natural materials or efficient water treatment systems.

The extraction and production of traditional materials, such as cement, are likely to have significant impact on the environment, including habitat destruction and pollution. In contrast, the use of wood from sustainable forest management contributes to the preservation of forest ecosystems and biodiversity, protecting natural habitats and preventing deforestation and land degradation.

Reduced energy consumption is achieved primarily using high-performance insulating walls and the installation of energy-efficient systems. Whether it is a house, an accommodation facility, or a public building, every wooden construction is provided with a rock wool insulation coat and high-quality triple-glazed windows and doors. Although apparently minimal, these solutions play a key role in thermal insulation, which results in a significant reduction of the energy waste and in an optimal indoor temperature for every season.

In terms of certifications

The heart of sustainable wood building construction lies in the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes (PEFC), a certification that represents clear evidence of a company’s commitment to sustainability.

This approach ensures that human activities related to wood production do not compromise the ecological balance of forests, preserving vital habitats and contributing to the conservation of biological diversity. In addition, traceability of resources is ensured, allowing the wood to be tracked from the forest to the construction site, thus eliminating the risk of illegal deforestation or environmentally harmful practices.

Five interesting facts about wooden houses

Versatile, earthquake-proof, quiet, and with less construction time and cost. For more than 30 years, wood construction has become common practice in Canton Ticino and throughout the country. This choice not only takes advantage of local resources and ensures lower costs, but also provides greater flexibility in construction time. This is because the assembly phase takes place directly in the production centers, and the wall structure arrives at the construction site ready-made.

Moreover, wooden houses are safe and earthquake-resistant thanks to the material’s elasticity, and quiet thanks to wood’s excellent sound isolation properties.

Lastly, their versatility allows them to blend harmoniously into any urban context, thanks to the possibility of customizing the facade finish.

Our partner Abito Holz is specialised in the construction of fine buildings with a wooden supporting structure.

Article published in March 2024 on Tutto Green – Edimen.