Poplar wood structural products. LIFE Wood for Future Project
New structural products with poplar wood such as micro-laminated beams are being researched by the IDIE Group and the University of Granada within the framework of the working group COMPOP project.
According to the UN, in 2050, 75% of the wood used for industrial purposes will come from plantations. Half of these needs will come from “short rotation plantations (SRP)”, such as poplar groves.
The aim of a “cultivated forest” is the production of wood to meet the growing world demand for this material, with a sustainable economic, social and environmental management.
In accordance with this understanding, the LIFE Wood for Future project arises, which we were able to learn about yesterday thanks to the interesting presentation by its coordinator Antolino Gallego at the University of Granada (UGR). The goal: the recovery of poplar groves in Granada to develop structural bio-products.
The growing interest in wood construction and almost zero energy consumption, offers a huge opportunity for the poplar.
Poplar wood can be used for the production of glue-laminated timber. A quite complete research is being develop on this subject at the University of Granada (Spain), which included the possibility of mixing poplar with other species and materials. In the building sector, beyond the possibility of using purposely-produced plywood, Poplar wood could also be a very good raw-material for the production of engineered panels (LVL, OSB).
This idea involves enhancing biodiversity and also creating a local industry for the development of technological structural products, micro laminated wood beams, such as: MCLam beams, mixed MCLam (pine-poplar) and MCLamBS.
Good initiative for the wood construction in Andalucía, to build more and better, with a logical use of the wood by reducing its carbon footprint with a more local production and supply.
