© BioMat
It is a well known fact that the enormous scale of resource consumption in the building industry contributes to equally enormous problems. The building industry consumes 50 % of raw materials globally and is responsible for producing in excess of 35 % of greenhouse gases. The dominant construction materials are steel, concrete and aggregate materials. The construction field is increasingly focussing on alternative and renewable raw materials such as wood. However, trees take time to grow. The question is, thus, raised whether wood alone can meet the enormous demand for materials in the building industry without posing a risk to the global climate balance.