Wooden high-rise buildings for a sustainable future

Wooden high-rise buildings are becoming an increasingly popular response to the global challenges of sustainable construction. With growing awareness of climate change and the need to reduce CO₂ emissions, wood, as a renewable natural material, is emerging as a key alternative to concrete and steel.

While the history of wooden structures spans centuries, it is only with the development of technologies such as cross-laminated timber (CLT) and glued laminated timber (glulam) that wood has gained significant prominence in high-rise construction. Early modern wooden towers were experimental, but today projects like Mjøstårnet in Norway demonstrate the technical capabilities of wood.

The advancement of these materials, coupled with cutting-edge design technology, has laid the groundwork for the construction of impressive wooden structures worldwide.

Wood is an exceptional construction material due to its high strength, light weight, and aesthetic appeal. CLT and glulam are the most commonly used materials in the construction of tall wooden buildings, enabling rapid assembly, high load-bearing capacity, and structural stability. Construction is often modular, reducing on-site building time and minimizing waste.

A key advantage of wood is its sustainability—trees absorb CO₂ during growth, and wooden construction contributes to a significantly lower carbon footprint compared to concrete and steel, whose production requires vast amounts of energy and results in high emissions. Additionally, wood provides a comfortable indoor environment due to its natural insulation and moisture-regulating properties.

Compared to other building materials, wooden structures adapt more efficiently to local and environmental conditions and are easier to recycle.

The future of wooden high-rise buildings is promising, as they combine sustainable, aesthetic, and functional aspects of construction. Advances in fire safety, moisture protection, and seismic resistance are enhancing the safety and reliability of this technology.

Wooden high-rise buildings represent a response to the need for green urbanization, as they can reduce the construction industry’s environmental impact. However, the number of wooden high-rise buildings remains small compared to concrete and steel structures, and there is limited data on their long-term performance. With increased investment in research and improved regulations, wood has the potential to become a central building material of the future.

It is important to acknowledge that concrete will still be needed for the building’s foundation, but it may no longer be necessary for the structure, which can be replaced by wood.