Wood Safari - experience creative wood ideas for sustainable living environments

The advances made in wood construction are attracting more and more attention from contractors and architects that are discovering the advantages of building in wood. In Skellefteå you can take part in something as rare as a wood safari. A learning experience in how creative wood ideas create climate-smart living environments and how sustainable building ensures that the city develops in an attractive way, in both the near and more distant future.

Finding new ideas for sustainable living environments is a key factor for the development of new smart cities. In Skellefteå the proximity to high quality of timber has been crucial for the development of an innovative Skellefteå-based industry working with wood. Together, the local timber companies, and an industry-leading institute for wood research and development, Skellefteå is working to find new, innovative ways to use wood as a building material. This trend is steering the wood construction industry firmly towards sustainability and is creating attractive, robust and sustainable living environments. For both the short and the long term.

The boost of wood construction in Skelelfteå is no coincidence, but a result of the wood construction strategy that Skellefteå municipality adopted in 2014. The policy aims to continue to increase construction in wood, both where it is visible and also where it is used as a load-bearing structural material. Because the aim of sustainable construction is to use building materials that emit the lowest possible levels of carbon dioxide, wood is considered a potential material in all projects

Skellefteå also has a strong regional reinforcement that forms an industry leading Wood Innovation Cluster. It connects companies with partners in research, development, education and testing activities and encourages the public sector to become a better client of services. The cluster consist of: Stiftelsen Träenigheten, Skellefteå municipality, Luleå Tekniska Universitet, Träcentrum Norr, RISE, and Träbransch Norr.

Today, wood buildings are a natural part of Skellefteå with more than 50 modern wood constructions, a result of the latest years advances in wood construction paired with the city’s long tradition of building in wood. The broad range of buildings stretches from multi-storey car park built of solid and glue-laminated timber, low-energy preschools, wooden bridges and Sweden’s first shopping center entirely of wood, to the crown jewel of Skellefteå – Sara Culture house, a 20 story high wooden building and one of the world’s tallest wooden building.

In Skellefteå, we are proud of our role in the success of building sustainably in wood and we happy to share our knowledge and experience. Come and experience a wood safari that will make you want to live in wood!

FOUR REASONS TO BUILD USING WOOD

1. MINIMAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTAn apartment building made of wood has an environmental impact half that of an equiva- lent concrete building.

2. ONLY YOUNG-GROWTH FOREST SEQUESTERS
Forest that has stopped growing no longer sequesters carbon dioxide – it’s environ- mentally friendly to cut down and plant new trees!

3. CLIMATE + ECONOMY = SMART!
Thanks to our creative solutions in modern timber construction technology, there need be no quality compromises.

4. PLEASANT LIVING ENVIRONMENTS
Wood is the natural choice of material to create a cosy and harmonic experience of life.