Infrastructure construction as a decarbonization contribution
06.12.2021
The motion "Research and innovation of wood as a material for use in infrastructure construction as a contribution to decarbonization" was adopted in the Council of States and the National Council. The task now is to replace reinforced concrete with CO₂-storing materials such as wood in infrastructure construction. Timbatec is looking forward to this exciting task and is happy to support the federal government.
Infrastructure construction is one of the largest CO₂ emitters in Switzerland. in Switzerland. The main cause is the use of reinforced concrete. Cement production with annual CO₂ emissions of around 2.5 million tons, contributes over 5 percent of national CO₂ emissions. For the construction of infrastructures, in building sector, but also in other areas such as the road sector, There are already a number of solutions available today using materials that do not emit that do not produce CO₂ during production, but instead store it, such as wood. One cubic meter of wood stores about 1 ton of CO₂ in the long term. When used properly wood is a very long-term and also cost-efficient CO₂ store in infrastructure buildings in all areas. and cost-effective CO₂ storage.
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The first promising There are already promising applications for wood in infrastructure construction. The Neuenkirch and Rynetel wildlife overpasses are good examples. Nevertheless, increased support for research and innovation is needed so that a timely and significant contribution to the storage of CO₂ and the reduction of CO₂ production can be achieved.
The advantages over the currently discussed CCS (Carbon Capture and Storage) are obvious. With CCS, you pay a high amount per ton of CO₂ for the pure storage function. storage function, whereas this is included in the price of wood used for the This is included in the price of wood used for infrastructure construction, i.e. it is free of charge, so to speak.
The motion "Research into and innovation of wood as a material for use in infrastructure construction as a contribution to decarbonization" by Lignum President and Council of States member Jakob Stark and National Councillor Erich von Siebenthal was adopted by the Council of States on 15.06.2021 and by the National Council on 30.11.2021. in the National Council.
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Now the the Federal Council, in cooperation with the universities and the relevant standards commissions to explore the possibilities for Explore options for decarbonizing infrastructure construction. In particular to examine or strive to replace reinforced concrete with CO₂-storing materials. or replace them with CO-saving materials. The research and innovation of wood as a material for widespread use in infrastructure construction should be a priority. Timbatec, together with the Bern University of Applied Sciences, has already developed such a and recommends to the federal government and FEDRO the use of wood in the in the following nine areas to use wood instead of reinforced concrete in the future. Already today, wildlife overpasses, noise barriers and cross-axis bridges are already being built in timber. We are convinced that, with the right research and development work, wood will soon be can also be used for tunnel construction or bridges on the axis.
Research strategy for infrastructure buildings as a decarbonization contribution © Franke, Bern University of Applied Sciences
Wood on Austria's highways
In Austria, too, infrastructure buildings are to infrastructure buildings to dispense with steel and concrete in the future. ASFINAG, which is mainly responsible for Austria's highways and expressways, has recognized the advantages of wood. The company has its own stock of trees along the roads or in the immediate vicinity of them. Part of the tree population is already being processed as biomass, and the usable wood is to be put to visible use as construction timber in the future. In a public call, ASFINAG invites you to submit ideas for new uses of wood in the for wood in the area of freeways and federal roads. Timbatec, together with the Bern University of Applied Sciences presented the same nine solutions as in the research strategy mentioned above.