At its essence, engineering is exploiting basic mechanical principles to develop useful tools and objects. Engineering principles have been around since simple inventions such as the pulley or lever. Modern engineering has taken a distinctively more high-tech approach, that leaves some people wondering whether wood has any place in the modern field.
Since building began, construction has utilized wood products, frequently benefitting from a primary natural resource: hardwood. As we think about engineering, building and design, you logically may think about the process and materials behind modern home construction. You may be wondering whether, with the vast array of modern metals and tools, wood is still relevant. Included here are a few reasons wood is still useful, and relevant, in modern engineering.
Greenhouse Gasses
With a rising awareness of the environment and earth-friendly options, you may be wondering what the best option is for construction to help save the planet. In many cases, the most optimal way to prevent excessive off-gassing from construction materials is to utilize sustainably sourced wood products.
Because wood is the only renewable building material, its popularity has lasted for centuries. In the current era of eco, it makes sense that we need to be removing carbon from the air as well as reducing new carbon emissions. Miraculously, natural wood is able to achieve both of these tasks single-handedly, making it invaluable to the construction and engineering industries.
Carbon Storage
As a tree grows, it removes carbon from the atmosphere, fulfilling the need for greenhouse gas reduction. Additionally, after the tree is harvested, the carbon it has absorbed remains in the wood for the duration of its life. Up to 50% of the dry weight in wood is carbon alone.
Appropriately managed forests can be a lasting renewable resource for generations to come, and a piece of the solution to carbon emissions. This is an incredibly sustainable way of removing carbon from the atmosphere and building sustainably. Achieving carbon neutrality is important in a day and age where the use of travel has grown higher. Taking a look at this post can help people understand it more and see what needs to be done to help the environment recover as time goes by.
Mental and Physical Health
Not surprisingly, reducing carbon emissions is great for your health, but did you realize natural wood can benefit you in other ways? New studies have revealed that natural environments, with wood grain and greenery, can actually lower blood pressure, reduce stress and balance your mental health. Building with wood could serve to make your home a more calming environment, which is wonderful for today’s stressed out society.
Better Production Methods
With appropriately grown and harvested wood materials, utilizing wood in engineering could be far more cost-effective and earth-friendly than other methods. Processing hardwoods is a much more energy efficient process than producing many kinds of metals. Additionally, wood can be used as a substitute for many different kinds of materials, including concrete, aluminum, steel and even plastics.