Swedish Forest Industries Federation and China
The Swedish Forest Industries Federation has a strong commitment to China. Since 2004 we have been actively involved in the country through our work with the European Wood. With a focus on the Chinese market, European Wood supports the development of modern building systems in wood.
This is done via technology transfer and training to Chinese professionals and experts in the building and construction sector. Engagement in Chinese development of national codes and standards supporting modern wood building has been high priority for European Wood. Member countries are Sweden, Germany, Austria, France and Norway.
With our involvement in the Expo 2010, the Swedish Forest Industries Federation hopes to strengthen our ties to the Chinese building and construction industry one step further.
Expo 2010 in Shanghai
We are one out of approximately twenty large Swedish companies and organisations involved in the Swedish Expo project as an official partner. During the World Expo 2010 we will arrange seminars and discuss large scale building with wood and sustainable forestry. We will invite people from our Chinese network of:
- policy makers
- key developers
- designers
- traders
- industry organisations
- journalists
Wood and the Swedish pavilion
The Swedish pavilion consists of four large cubic blocks, each three stories high. The grand entry part of the Swedish pavilion is a large, modern engineered wood design delivered by member companies of the Swedish Forest Industries Federation. The timber used is glued laminated timber (glulam) with greater strength and stiffness than corresponding dimensions of structural timber. In comparison by weight, glulam is stronger than steel.
The Chinese market
China is the world's largest building market. Every year some ten million new housing units are completed. During the next decade, an additional 75 million apartments will be needed to house the 300 million people who are expected to move into the cities. China is facing a situation where 60-70 per cent of the population will be living in urban areas by 2040. Concrete, masonry, steel and glass are the main building materials.
Urban development and the environment
Urban development has a significant effect on the environment. The materials themselves, and the processes used in construction, have a wide range of impacts. These range from mineral depletion to water pollution and carbon dioxide emissions. Of course, there are also wider issues of air quality, water shortages and increased energy consumption.
Building with wood
Building with wood reduces CO2 emissions in two ways:
- reducing the energy needed for heating
- reducing the energy embodied in the building materials
Sourced from sustainably managed forests, wood is naturally renewable and recyclable. Forests are a carbon sink. They also produce oxygen, stabilize the soil, encourage rainfall and clean the air of pollutants. Wood products are a carbon store. And wood can be used as a source of energy at the end of its life as a product.
Building with wood creates the least impact on the environment and has a positive effect on the carbon balance.
Wood and safety
It is natural to build with wood in areas likely to be subject to seismic activity. Wood’s ability to flex, together with its light weight and the way the panels, connectors and framework provide structural redundancy, make it safer than other materials in earthquakes.
The Swedish sawmills
World-wide, Sweden is the third largest exporter of sawn timber. In Europe, the Swedish sawmilling industry holds a prominent position, as the second-largest producer and the largest exporter of sawn softwood.
Sweden’s total production of sawn and planed timber 2009 was approximately 16 million m3 and the export was approximately 12 million m3 (export 70 % of the production). The sawn timber is mainly softwood - spruce/whitewood (picea abies) and pine/redwood (pinus sylvestris) - and just a few percent is hardwood.
Large investments in modernisation of the Swedish sawmills has resulted in an automated high speed manufacturing technology. This enables sawmills to produce high quality products according to customer demands in an efficient way.
Long term partner and stable supplier
The Swedish sawmills always have a long term perspective. Quality is number one; by partners and clients they are described as trustworthy providers in a highly complex and modern industry. Coupled with sustainable forestry management the long term perspective is even stronger. A growth rate higher than the rate of logging guarantees infinite supply.
Swedish Wood Effect
Sweden is one of the most forest covered countries in Europe. The forest is one of Sweden’s most important natural resources and has a central role in an ecologically sustainable society. Sustainable forestry ensures an increase in the stock of growing wood – for each tree that is cut down at least two new ones are planted.
The growing forests in Sweden contribute efficiently to the uptake and net storage of carbon dioxide. On a global scale, when renewable materials such as wood, paper and bio-fuel are used instead of fossil products, climate change can be counteracted.
Good to know
• Using wood building technology in urban development is very energy, material and cost efficient; it is safe, durable and proven particularly suitable for earthquake stricken areas.
• When the forest is managed sustainably, it becomes an infinitive resource - for each tree that is cut down at least two new ones are planted.
• Growing forests contribute efficiently to the uptake and net storage of carbon dioxide. On a global scale, when renewable materials such as wood, paper and bio-fuel are used instead of fossil products, climate change can be counteracted.
• The Swedish sawmills always have a long term perspective. Quality is number one and they are trustworthy providers in a highly complex and modern industry.