Scientists from Lodz University of Technology are looking for solutions that will allow to reuse wood from demolitions as a building material. They received an EU grant for the project 'WoodStock Horizon Europe: a new future of wood in architecture', headed by Antonio Nevešćanin, PhD.
The research began at the end of last year and will continue for four more years.
'We are looking for a solution that will replace the current practice of disposal or simply burning wood from demolitions. In our team, in addition to architects and constructors, we also have chemists and biologists, thanks to whom the wood will be tested. We hope that these tests will answer the question of what should be done to make the material from demolitions a full-value construction material again', says the project manager, Antonio Nevešćanin from the Department of the History of Architecture, Heritage Conservation and Urban Regeneration at the Institute of Architecture and Urban Planning of the Lodz University of Technology.
He points out that old wood is currently used mainly as a decorative element, often in interior design. However, the WoodStock project is about something more - using the wood obtained from demolition as a building material, which can be achieved, for example, by creating modular, prefabricated elements from it. According to the researcher, such prefabricated elements would allow to accelerate the construction process, especially in the case of creating temporary architecture or supplementing urban frontages during revitalization.
'In Poland, wooden construction materials are not used in modern architecture. However, when we look at the trends in the European Union, some countries are already providing subsidies for projects in which wood is to be used as a construction material. The justification is that the construction industry is becoming more sustainable thanks to this. Building with wood is much cleaner and faster than with other materials and, of course, more ecological', the architect from the Lodz University of Technology emphasises.
According to Nevešćanin, the trend of returning to the use of wood in construction should also reach Poland and various forms of rewarding the use of this raw material should also appear here. Nevešćanin realizes that convincing investors and contractors to use a raw material that is not new, but comes from recycling, will certainly be a challenge.
'However, we are all able to understand the benefits of this project, because by extending the life of wood, we give forests time to rebuild, while at the same time not stopping the development of society and the entire construction industry. We know that forest resources in the world are not infinite, so we must not waste raw materials that we have already obtained once and can use again', he says.
The question remains whether the participants of the WoodStock project will manage to develop wood recycling technologies that prove profitable. According to the architect, it is possible.
"'If we create modular and prefabricated solutions, we can significantly shorten the construction time, reduce the number of employees, and improve safety. Working with wood involves less risk and requires less specialist knowledge than, for example, working with steel or concrete. Additionally, we shorten the coal trail. To sum up, reusing wood may prove to be an economic solution', he adds. (PAP)
PAP - Science in Poland
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