A new partnership has been formed to promote using sustainably sourced wood as a building material.
Planet Ark is joining forces with Forest and Wood Products Australia (FWPA), the industry body behind the Wood Naturally Better program, to encourage the use of sustainably sourced wood.
The initiative comes during the International Year of Forests, a global platform to celebrate people’s action to sustainably manage the world’s forests.
“Sustainable timber use is an important step in the transition to a low carbon economy”, says Paul Klymenko, CEO of Planet Ark.
Planet Ark says it is interested in helping homebuilders, developers, architects, the general public and school children recognise the environmental benefits of using sustainable timber over other, more polluting alternatives.
Over the coming months, Planet Ark will develop educational materials, an interactive website and deliver an extensive media campaign to raise awareness.
“We are thrilled to be working with Planet Ark to help educate the public about the important role wood can play in helping address climate change,” said Ric Sinclair, managing director of Forest and Wood Products Australia.
“Wood is unique among building materials because it is a natural carbon store — up to 50 per cent of its dry weight is carbon, which means that by using more wood in our built environment we can not only reduce carbon emissions, but also store carbon.”
The announcement of the new partnership to promote the use of wood comes at a time when Grocon has just announced plans to build Delta, a ten storey, 50 apartment timber building as part of the redevelopment of the Carlton United Breweries site in Melbourne.
