Mark Ross’ Post

Housebuilding deficits alone globally require viable alternatives to concrete and steel to reduce emissions. Learning from high knowledge forestry value chains will be essential to optimise land use and biodiversity: "the rate of timber harvesting and deforestation in natural forests worldwide is faster than the overall growth of forests." https://lnkd.in/eRB6hrq2 Catherine Early Andrew Macpherson Built by Nature Finbar Charleson Anders Kjellow Andrew Lawrence #sustainablebuilding #sustainableforestry #naturebasedsolutions #naturalcapital #builtenvironment #embodiedcarbon #sustainablematerials #sustainabletimber #strategicfinance #sustainablefinance #climatefinance #carbonmarkets #carbonpricing #modularconstruction #communities #impactinvesting

Unlocking the Value of Our Forests: Time for High-Value Products! 🌲   Gone are the days of merely viewing forests as sources of low-value, high-volume products. Across the world we're seeing examples of a shift towards high-value products to maximise the economic return and minimise the impact of the environment. Finland's innovative use of wood in a high-rise wooden apartment building, the Puukuokka Housing Block showcases the beauty and durability of timber buildings.   New Zealand and Canada's investment in advanced wood processing technologies, turning timber into high-end engineered wood products like cross-laminated timber (CLT) for sustainable urban development.   Brazil's focus on creating value-added products from Amazonian hardwoods, supporting local economies while preserving precious rainforests.   By shifting our focus to high-value products, we're not only enhancing the economic viability of forestry but also promoting sustainability and conservation efforts. It's a win-win for both industry and the environment. 🌿💼   Let's collaborate, innovate, and elevate the forestry sector towards a future where every tree contributes to a thriving, sustainable economy. 🌳💡 #Forestry #Sustainability #Innovation #HighValueProducts #EconomicDevelopment 🌱🌎

This policy focuses on developing the supply chain for regenerative building materials, specifically through incentives for UK forestry. https://lnkd.in/e2WUV3JN

Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) offers a greener alternative to traditional materials like concrete as it helps reduce carbon footprint and mitigates greenhouse gas emissions. CLT locks in carbon dioxide absorbed by trees during their growth, supporting sustainable forestry while using less energy compared to concrete. While CLT is seeing significant use in Scandinavian countries, Australia could benefit from this sustainable material as our nation has vast forest resources and CLT promotes forest management that balances ecological preservation with economic benefits. #sustainability #buildingmaterials #CLT

The blogTO article "Mass Timber Construction: Forestry for the Future" paints a vision of a greener future not just for city skylines, but for our streets and neighborhoods too. #CLT takes center stage as a potential game-changer for #sustainablehousing solutions. #affordablehousing #sustainablecommunities #revitalizedneighborhoods . . https://lnkd.in/egQgZcp8

Great article from The Washington Post highlighting the benefits and opportunities that mass timber can provide. New technology and newly constructed mass timber buildings continue to push the limits of what is possible, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and storing carbon. We’re excited to see more interest in this technology! Read the article here: https://lnkd.in/eQ62cF-a #sustainableforestry #sustainablefinance #masstimber

In the town of Brandsen, within the Province of Buenos Aires in Argentina, an adaptable residence sits on cantilevers beside the San Luis stream. The 1,798 sqft residence, sits on cantilevers mounted on concrete footings giving the residence an appearance of floating. This construction style, raises the house up above the floodplain, futureproofing it in a sense for potential flooding. The residence utilizes multiple passive house building methods to reduce its overall carbon footprint. These methods include galleries, cross venthilation, solar radiation incidence regulation, thermal insulation and exploitation of natural sunlight. The home utilizes a rainwater collection system for irrigation, a biodigester for breaking down waste, a solar collector for water heating, and recycled insulation. Surrounding the residence are local native gardens, which were added to help restore the original ecosystem in the region and increase biodiversity. This residence is a phenomenal example of a low impact, sustainably built home that can adjust to a ever changing climate. We’re all in this together #sustainabledesign #sustainability #renewableenergy #renewablematerials #recycledmaterials #futureproofing #sustainableconstruction #construction #regenerativedesign #regenerative #architecture

Why there is a need for architects to engage with tree professionals to build a more #sustainable future 🌲 Identifying truly sustainable forestry practice through collaboration is an important element of cross-profession engagement: https://ow.ly/6IUf50R1XqK

In Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, a recently completed mixed use highrise has become the most densely vegetated project of its type in the country. Comprised of 30 storeys, 194 apartments, 592,000sqft, two storey rooftop garden, and a 15,000 sqft ground level garden, this project shows the potential of urban forests in unique settings. The densely vegetated project, is home to 251 local varieties of vegetation, including over 550 trees and 25,000 plants. The building utilizes solar power to reduce energy usage, and harvests rainwater and grey water for irrigation. The project is a 6 star green star project, which is equivalent to a LEED platinum rating and is posed to be the greenest residential tower in Southeast Asia. We’re all in this together #sustainabledesign #sustainablearchitecture #sustainableconstruction #sustainablecities #sustainablebuilding #sustainability #cleanenergy #solarenergy #urbandesign #urbandevelopment #carbonneutrality #brisbane #australia #urbanforestry #urbanforest #cleanenergy

How can we take a page from the natural world to reduce our #carbon footprint? Forests are great at removing carbon dioxide from the air; however, this benefit is eventually neutralized when it’s released at the end of the tree’s lifecycle. #Masstimber provides us with a unique opportunity: take the wood out of the forest and put it into a building. This #design strategy reduces the need for more carbon-intensive materials while safely storing what the plants already collected. Through sustainable forestry practices, the benefits don’t stop there — now new trees can grow, capturing even more carbon from our atmosphere. See how this design choice is leaving us breathing easy: https://lnkd.in/eKpvvdhf