To be able to build more with wood and other bio raw materials, a reliable chain is needed. “There is still room for improvement in the Netherlands,” says Henk Wanningen, raw materials expert at Staatsbosbeheer. “We have taken the initiative to ensure that all parties in that chain, from forest owners to wood processors, work together better.” According to him, it is also important to process wood within the national borders.
By using wood in construction, you retain the stored CO2 and prevent CO2 emissions through less use of concrete.
More and more wood in construction
Wood is increasingly being used in construction. And that is not surprising. It is a renewable and sustainable raw material that is not inferior to, or even better than, other materials. With current woodworking techniques, wood is even suitable for the construction of sturdy apartments. The need for other bio raw materials in construction is also growing. Wood chips, grass, reed and other fibers can be used to make excellent insulating panel material. The benefits of building with bio-based materials are evident. Not only do you retain the stored CO2, but you also prevent many CO2 emissions because less use of concrete is required. The production of concrete worldwide is responsible for approximately 7% of total CO2 emissions.
In addition, building with wood is much faster than with concrete and most of the work is done in the factory. Henk: “The construction of a new neighborhood is currently causing long-term nuisance in the area due to noise and truck transport. Prefab timber construction can be built much faster. So a lot of time can be saved and inconvenience can be prevented.”
Trust in the chain
If the benefits of biobased construction are so great, why does it happen so little? “That has to do with several factors,” says Henk. “Many people think that timber construction is more expensive than conventional construction, but that is not necessary if you do it right. However, the price does of course matter. Just like trust in the chain. If, as a project developer, you are not completely sure that you will receive sufficient material, you choose material with more certainty.”
That is why Henk advocates a return to the raw materials policy. “We had that too until the 1990s. This was then abolished because the government no longer considered it necessary to regulate it. I think that the increasing demand for bio-based raw materials - not only in the Netherlands but throughout Western Europe - justifies such a raw materials policy: how do we ensure that we have sufficient bio-based raw materials in our country and how do we arrange them so well? possibly be used?”
“Less than 10% of all the wood we use in the Netherlands comes from our country”
Henk Wanningen, raw materials expert at Staatsbosbeheer
Our own responsibility
Isn't it also possible to import? “Certainly, and the Netherlands does that a lot,” Henk answers. “Less than 10% of all the wood we use in the Netherlands comes from our country. But precisely because the demand for organic raw materials is increasing everywhere, it is also our own responsibility to contribute as much as possible. Our FSC forests are an important and sustainable source of wood. And it is not just about contributing wood, also about the cultivation of crops such as hemp, flax or miscanthus. Its fibers can be used well in sheet material. I think it can be a good business model for farmers to grow such plants. So what we need is more forests to produce wood and more fiber cultivation. Both are good for biodiversity, store a lot of CO2 and can be used very sustainably in construction.”
Processing outside the Netherlands
To make better use of wood and other bio-based raw materials from the Netherlands, a more reliable wood chain is needed. What does that chain look like now? Henk: “Since the largest sawmill in the Netherlands closed its doors in 2017, we can no longer sell a large part of our wood in the Netherlands. There are still regional sawmills. They mainly supply products for the packaging industry (pallets) and for individual construction projects. We cherish those sawmills, but miss a modern wood processing company that can supply products for timber construction on a larger scale, for example. That is why quite a lot of our wood goes to larger sawmills in Germany or Belgium, after which it often returns to the Netherlands for use. We also do not have a CLT factory in the Netherlands. CLT stands for cross laminated timber and is currently the way to make wood strong enough for construction. The processing of our wood therefore largely takes place outside the Netherlands.”
Development of the chain
Staatsbosbeheer is working on the development of a more efficient timber chain. “To achieve this, we seek cooperation with all parties in the chain: other forest owners, sawmills, wood processors and customers in the construction and chemical industry. We advocate a large, modern woodworking factory that can also handle residual flows.” As an example, Henk mentions the processing of a round trunk. “If you turn that into a square beam, you are left with residual flows. These can be used directly in, for example, the chemical industry or as sheet material. If such a wood processing factory has direct sales channels in the area, you make very efficient use of residual wood.”
Link between suppliers and buyers
Such a factory is not only needed for wood from Staatsbosbeheer, but also for wood from other Dutch forest managers. “We are in consultation with Natuurmonumenten, with provincial landscapes and with private forest owners to organize more cooperation at the beginning of the chain. At the same time, we are committed to cooperation with the processing market and construction. In this way we can also be the link between other wood suppliers and customers. That is not necessarily necessary, but it can make the chain clear and efficient.”
Source: Forestry Commission
