MainWood – Mainstreaming Wood Construction
Building with wood can mitigate climate change by sequestering carbon in forests, storing it in buildings, and substituting C-intensive materials such as cement and steel. To realise this, we need to adapt how we source, produce, and use wood in construction. Challenges include maintaining healthy forests as carbon sinks, developing new wood materials, adapting construction supply chains, shifting consumer preferences, and creating supportive political and economic conditions.
Using a systems dynamics approach and working with a range of stakeholders, we model the wood construction supply chain and factors affecting its operation. By understanding drivers and barriers shaping the adoption of wood as a sustainable building material, we identify leverage points to overcome challenges and maximise opportunities. MainWood brings stakeholders together to collaborate on research and develop practical strategies for mainstreaming wood construction.
Policy and Management Relevance
Enhancing the use of wood in construction will lead to more sustainable buildings and reduce carbon emissions.
MainWood - Mainstreaming Wood Construction is part of the ETH Domain Joint Initiative Programme, funded by ETH Board (2023-2026).
Partners:
external page Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL)
external page Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa)
external page École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)
Project team
Anne Dray
Researcher
Go to profile
Maaike Goedkoop
Project manager
Go to profile
Dr. Giacomo Vaccario
Researcher
Go to profile