5-10 percent of new multi-storey buildings in Italy and 4-5 out of 10 new homes are made of wood and the turnover of wooden houses it is bound to grow. He is convinced of it Vittorio Salvadori, Business development manager of Cree building, Austrian consultancy company for the construction of multi-storey buildings in wood and speaker at the Klimahouse 2023 Fair underway in Bolzano.
“From Europe and from private investors – explains Salvadori – comes the push to create sustainable buildings and sustainability means wood, in terms of construction material. It is an obligatory choice”. The sector “will certainly grow exponentially” because the construction of buildings, he explains, “is fast” and there is a great demand for the construction of volumes of buildings that the traditional construction system will never be able to satisfy in the future. times required by customers”.
The advantages of wooden construction
In addition to the speed of construction that wood allows, with the right designer, according to Salvadori, “superior quality” is obtained. Customers, adds the expert, “sometimes are willing to spend a little more and know that the wood criterion complies with ESG criteria”. “That’s why in my opinion – he continues – customers will realize that wood is the only solution to have an asset that will last forever”. To build an eight-story building, for example, if the planning is done well, “it takes a year and a little more if in wood compared to almost two for a building built with traditional materials”.
The wooden house is already, for many, a “philosophy” of building.” Those who want to live well have understood that they must have a wooden house – observes Salvadori – not only for sustainability but for the quality of the construction and the quality of the life inside the house”.
Costs of wooden houses
As regards costs, reference should be made, according to Salvadori, “not only to those of the raw material”, which are certainly higher, but at costs ranging from “design to delivery”. It must therefore be considered that with the reduction in construction times, a similar cost is reached” thanks to “lower costs for logistics, manpower, building practices”.
Salvadori sweeps away fears that a massive use of timber in construction could jeopardize the forest heritage. “There is no risk because all the wood that is used in is certified and the companies must comply with the certification conditions”. Furthermore, “companies that produce wood have a long-term mentality, they are used to planting a tree and knowing that in twenty years time they will use it and this way of doing also remains in their processes”. The important thing, however, is “relying on competent designers”.
“In Italy – concludes Salvadori – the main multi-storey project is undoubtedly that of via Cenni in Milan, which has been the global reference point for the innovative technological solutions adopted. But there are various projects that will continue to push the Italy as a pioneer in the construction of multi-storey wooden buildings”.