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Timber!: How Wood Can Help Save the World from Climate Breakdown
The carbon emissions generated by concrete and steel construction are well-known. Why then are we not using more carbon-friendly building materials? In a passionate and compelling argument Paul Brannen advocates the use of timber in buildings wherever possible. His controversial and counterintuitive argument is planting trees is not enough to reduce carbon, we also have to chop them down and use more wood in our buildings and cities.
This is the first book to take timber from the margins to the mainstream, from the forests to the cities. The book tackles head-on questions about sustainability, safety, the biodiversity of commercial forests and the pressures on land use. The case for timber as a construction material is persuasively made – the creation of new engineered timbers with the structural strength of steel and concrete enable us for the first time to build wooden skyscrapers – and draws on the latest developments in engineering and material science. In addition to the familiar forestry models, the book advocates alternatives such as wood farming and agroforestry that bring with them added biodiversity gains for farms.
With the built environment currently responsible for 40 per cent of the world’s carbon emissions, Brannen's message is we must change how we build. Timber! offers fresh and inventive ideas that over time could see our expanding cities storing more carbon than our expanding forests.
This is the first book to take timber from the margins to the mainstream, from the forests to the cities. The book tackles head-on questions about sustainability, safety, the biodiversity of commercial forests and the pressures on land use. The case for timber as a construction material is persuasively made – the creation of new engineered timbers with the structural strength of steel and concrete enable us for the first time to build wooden skyscrapers – and draws on the latest developments in engineering and material science. In addition to the familiar forestry models, the book advocates alternatives such as wood farming and agroforestry that bring with them added biodiversity gains for farms.
With the built environment currently responsible for 40 per cent of the world’s carbon emissions, Brannen's message is we must change how we build. Timber! offers fresh and inventive ideas that over time could see our expanding cities storing more carbon than our expanding forests.
230 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 27, 2024
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February 6, 2025
I love timber, and this book has been a revelation! Timber! offers an insightful and compelling perspective on the critical role wood plays in climate action. Paul Brannen does an outstanding job of illustrating how sustainable forestry and timber construction can help us reduce carbon emissions and build a more sustainable future.
A huge thank you to @PaulBrannen for this eye-opening read and highly recommended for anyone interested in climate solutions, sustainable materials, and the future of construction.
A huge thank you to @PaulBrannen for this eye-opening read and highly recommended for anyone interested in climate solutions, sustainable materials, and the future of construction.
Displaying 1 of 1 review