Wooden Skyscrapers

Renewable energy sources have great potential and among them, we include environmentally friendly construction materials, such as wood. The construction of wooden houses is one of the biggest trends in architecture worldwide and has come to stay and provide solutions to a number of problems related to conventional homes. But who would have expected the architecture to go so far as to talk about Wooden Skyscrapers now?

Already pioneering countries in the field of architecture, such as Japan, America, and Sweden have turned in the direction of the Wooden House.

The Japanese company Sumitomo Forestry intends to complete the construction of the 350m high. building in 2041. The W350 as it is called, will have 70 floors and will be made of 90% wood, and will also use steel. It will be designed to withstand both strong winds and earthquakes. The building will house shops, offices, hotels, and apartments. When completed it will be the tallest building in Japan but also the tallest skyscraper in the world.

But what are the characteristics of wood that make one of the largest Japanese companies prefer it for such a strong construction?

The advantages of the construction of a Wooden House are multiple and multi-level.
The Wooden Houses have better seismic behavior, respect the environment and people while at the same time having a higher energy efficiency than conventional structures.

Seismic Behavior: the Wooden House provides safety

In a seismogenic country like Greece, seismic behavior is one of the most important issues when designing and building a home.
The Wooden House has excellent seismic behavior – it is no coincidence that wooden buildings have been saved from catastrophic earthquakes in extremely seismic countries, such as Japan.
The lightweight of the wood allows even the addition of floors to existing buildings with minimal burden.

Sustainability and Respect for Human

Both climate change and urbanization emphasize the urgent need for alternative architectural solutions that respect the environment and man.
The Wooden House provides the solution since it is a technology with zero greenhouse gas emissions. On the other hand, it is estimated that concrete and steel constructions are responsible for 8% of total gas emissions.

In addition, you should not overlook the human factor, both physical and mental health. A study in Japan showed that blood pressure decreases in areas made of wood while on the contrary, it increases when we are in areas made of steel and concrete. In addition, wood makes us feel closer to nature and the environment. This results in us feeling euphoric and energetic when we are in spaces made of natural materials versus homes made of synthetic and heavy materials such as concrete.

Energy Efficiency: ensure the maximum

The Wooden House has a guarantee of quality and long life. The extreme mechanical strength of Wood constructions ensures energy savings of up to 60% compared to a conventional house.

The Wooden House offers maximum sound and heat insulation thanks to the way its frame is constructed while at the same time ensuring the highest energy efficiency thanks to the thermal facade system with which it is covered externally.

 

So are wooden skyscrapers the Eco-Friendly houses of the future?

Watch the video posted by the University of Cambridge

As a Pioneer company, we follow the global trends in the architecture of wooden houses, we have implemented dozens of Wooden Houses throughout Greece.

 

Contact us for your Project.

 

Bibliography:

Naftemporiki.gr
Wired.com
Capital.gr
CNN
National Geographic