Timber Consumption Research Articles

Alternative Timber Applications for Sri Lankan House Construction during the Economic Crisis


 
 
 
 A crucial component of civilization, housing construction has evolved in a variety of ways based on new technology and materials. However, due to Sri Lanka's economic crisis, house building is now one of the most in-danger industries there. Subjectively, the cost of imported base building materials has grown due to the danger of inflation, and this increase is dependent on the US dollar exchange rate. The reason is that more than 50% of the building and raw materials are imported, and a rise in the US dollar value will raise the price of construction supplies. In order to find the best materials to reduce the cost of building a house based on imported materials, this study compares the life cycle quality of imported and local alternatives for imported materials made of timber. There are many various kinds of materials that have been utilized in house construction, but the focus of this study is on timber-based alternatives. The study is mainly focused on aluminum and glass as imported materials and timber as an alternative material. Based on life cycle cost analysis, these materials were compared using material costs and data gathered through interviews. Additionally, weighted analysis has been utilized to choose the optimum material based on consumer preferences, appearance and aesthetics, durability, and local availability of resources. Even though local materials are more affordable and score higher on other metrics, it was discovered that they may no longer be comparable to imported materials. People also rapidly switch back to imported materials when they are affordable after the economic crisis. It also found that local timber consumption increased during the economic crisis leading to deforestation.
 Keywords: Alternative materials, Appearance, Durability of materials, Finishing materials, House construction, Life Cycle Cost Analysis, Timber
 
 
 

The impact of the German timber footprint on potential species loss in supply regions

Previous own assessments have shown that a) Germany has a wood consumption above global average, b) is strongly dependent on imports and c) has a domestic roundwood production that is at the limit of the sustainable harvest potential. Thereby Germany further increases the pressures on global forests which are already stressed by climate-change related impacts and a continuously growing global demand for wood. This leads to negative impacts on the biodiversity in the areas where wood is harvested. This paper aims to show the connection between Germany's timber consumption footprint and the impact on the biodiversity in the regions where the roundwood is sourced. A two-step process is used. In the first step, high-resolution land cover and land use maps are used as a basis for the countryside species-area relationship model, assessing the projected loss of the four taxa amphibians, birds, mammals and reptiles in relation to undisturbed natural ecosystems due to forests occupied for roundwood production. In the second step, roundwood equivalents consumed in Germany in 2015 are traced back to the region of origin using an environmentally-extended input-output analysis and the thereby induced potential species loss is calculated. We show that the highest impact on projected species richness loss caused by roundwood logging is taking place in Oceania (3.34E−03 species/m3), Carribean (1.56E−04 species/m3), and East Asia (1.43E−04 species/m3). German roundwood consumption has the highest projected species loss in the United States (7.4 species), followed by China (7.3 species) and Brazil (4.8 species). From a biodiversity impact perspective, Germany could theoretically reduce its impact by relocating imports to European countries. In view of the planetary boundary of sustainable roundwood consumption, which has already been exceeded, reducing consumption appears to be the only viable long-term option for high-consumption countries such as Germany to reduce negative impacts on global biodiversity.

Volume of Timber Consumption in Sawmill Industries of Valley Districts of Manipur State, India: Its Determinants and Implications

"The present paper seeks to determine the volume and species of timber consumption in sawmill industries of Valley districts of Manipur State, India. The study finds a high growth rate of prices for all timber species. Species-wise data shows that about 60 percent of total inputs consumed by sawmill units are for furniture use and the rest for housing and construction. The study employs a log-linear multiple regression model to determine input consumption’s determinants. The regression analysis shows that units are not fully utilizing their installed capacity, as shown by the negative relationship between installed capacity and input consumption. Other factors like the area of the unit, capital investment, and perennial operation are factors that have positive impacts on the input consumption of the sawmill units."

The study of impact factors on timber trade between Ghana and China

PurposeTimber export is an important economic development pillar in Ghana, which has a direct effect on Ghana’s domestic forestry industry development, local communities’ income and sustainable forest management and deforestation. China, as the Ghana’s largest timber export destination, brought significant impacts on Ghana’s timber export. However, there is a lack of quantitative analyses on impact factors of timber trade between the two countries in the past, which this paper sought to do.Design/methodology/approachThe authors first collected Ghana’s timber exports to China from 1997 to 2017, and then based on the literature review and trade theories, the authors set up a least squares estimate (LSE)-based multiple linear regression (MLR) model to analyse the specific impact factors. In addition, multi-collinearity, autocorrelation and heteroscedasticity issues of the impact factors were checked to guarantee the accuracy of the results.FindingsThe results showed China timber import volume, Ghana cedi (GHC)/US$ exchange rate, Ghana’s gross domestic product (GDP) and China timber consumption volume in construction sector had positive impacts; Ghana timber production volume and Ghana average timber export price had negative impacts. The results confirmed that China’s timber consumption had a positive linkage with Ghana’s timber export. The article also reviewed possible impacts caused by change in timber trade policies, which proved important but was hardly directly quantified. The authors pointed out the importance of optimizing these impact factors to make sure Ghana’s timber export to China went on the sustainable track.Originality/valueThere is no literature about timber trade and its impact factors between Ghana and China, which used econometric models. This paper provided new perspectives on the impact factors in timber trade between the two countries.

The timber footprint of German bioeconomy scenarios compared to the planetary boundaries for sustainable roundwood supply

Assessments of the past development of the German timber footprint of consumption have shown that a) the security of supply of roundwood from own territory was guaranteed in the past, b) Germany is strongly dependent on imports and c) Germany consumes wood from countries and regions that are highly likely to overexploit their roundwood resources. The pressure on global forests is increasing due to rising demands on the one hand and increasing climate-related damage on the other. This paper examines the future development of Germany's timber consumption footprint until 2030 from Germany's own territory and abroad and evaluates it in terms of sustainability. To put the footprint into the perspective of planetary boundaries, we calculate a sustainable roundwood supply potential. For this purpose, high resolution land-use and land-cover maps are combined with international and national forest inventory surveys to determine the global forest available for wood supply. We show that currently this area adds up to about 46 % (1.87 billion ha) of the total global forest area. In combination with country-specific net annual increment data, the annual sustainable roundwood potential is calculated based on a potential harvest rate of maximum 80 %. This leads to a planetary boundary for global roundwood removals of 4.2 billion m 3 in 2020. In comparison, global roundwood consumption was already higher than this in 2020, indicating overshoot, and it is likely to increase further. German roundwood production is currently beyond or around the upper limit of sustainable harvesting potential—depending on the scenario criteria, while roundwood consumption is already well above this level. Altogether, results show that a reduction in consumption in high-consuming countries like Germany is necessary to avoid further exceeding the range of sustainable roundwood supply and thus prevent overexploitation.

EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS OF ROOF SLOPE INFLUENCE ON MATERIAL CONSUMPTION IN TIMBER HOWE-TYPE TRUSSES

In Brazil, some tile manufacturers have proposed a 10% (5.5°) slope between chords to minimize timber consumption. However, after simulating 21 slopes from 7% (4°) to 27% (15°), it was discovered that the axial strengths are inversely proportional to the slope, creating overly large dimensions for the bars competing for support. The results were obtained using software developed following the guidelines specified in the revised version of the ABNT NBR 7190 (2022) standard. Finally, it was found that the minimum slope until no reinforcement is needed for the string bars is 16% (9°).

Nature and Volume of Timber Consumption in Sawmill Industries in Valley Districts of Manipur, India

Nature and Volume of Timber Consumption in Sawmill Industries in Valley Districts of Manipur, India

Role of Cultural Values on the Consumption of Timber for Architectural Purposes

Cultural values play a unique role in consumption decision of goods and services in general. This study aimed to identify the impact of cultural values on consumption decision of timber for the architectural purposes, especially on house construction in Sri Lanka and dilemma between physical properties of timber and cultural values. The sample included a range of professional carpenters (12), contractors of housing projects (08), timber stores owners (05) and consumers (30) engage in house construction. Story telling exercise was performed with aged and experienced carpenters, timber stores owners and contractors to obtain the insights on cultural values associated with the selection of timber for architectural purposes. Semi-structured interviews were conducted by telephone with individuals selected for relevant practical knowledge of cultural values associated with various types of timber. All interviews were audio recorded and then transcribed into qualitative tool. Local knowledge, traditions and experience were key tools in interpretation of various cultural values attached to the types of timber. Cultural histories, stories, experiences and recommendations of adults and the trustworthy carpenter heavily influence the purchase intention of the consumers. Intangible benefits such as religious, social, and cultural values associated with different timber types were influential in consumer decision. Moral and spiritual wellbeing were influential compared to economic benefits. Little or poor consumer knowledge on identification of timber types and heavy dependency on carpenters and contractors on identification of timber pushes consumers towards irrational purchase decisions. Super luxury, luxury and special class timber were usually replaced by the substitutes.
 Keywords: Architectural purposes, Cultural values, Timber consumption

Lateral forces determine dimensional accuracy of the narrow-kerf sawing of wood

The shrinking global forest area limits the supply of industrially usable raw resources. This, in combination with the ever-increasing consumption of timber due to population growth can lead to the lack of a positive balance between the annual volumetric growth and consumption of wood. An important innovation toward increasing environmental and economic sustainability of timber production is to reduce the volume of wood residues by minimizing the sawing kerf. It results in higher material yield but may impact the dimensional accuracy of derived products. Therefore, the cutting tool geometry as well as the sawing process as a whole must be carefully optimized to assure optimal use of resources. The goal of this study is to better understand the causes of machining errors that occur when sawing wood with saws of varying thickness of kerf, with a special focus on re-sawing thin lamellae performed on the gang saw. Numerical simulations were tested against experimental results, considering influence of diverse components of cutting forces, in addition to the initial and operating stiffness coefficients of the saw blade. It has been demonstrated that asymmetric loads from the cutting process for the scraper saw blade can cause sawing inaccuracies. The simulation methodology developed in this research can be straightforwardly extended towards determination of optimal geometry of other cutting tools, particularly with the reduced sawing kerf. This may lead to more sustainable use of natural resources as well as an increase in economic gain for the wood processing industries.

Increasing Mass Timber Consumption in the U.S. and Sustainable Timber Supply

Mass timber products are growing in popularity as a substitute for steel and concrete, reducing embodied carbon in the built environment. This trend has raised questions about the sustainability of the U.S. timber supply. Our research addresses concerns that rising demand for mass timber products may result in unsustainable levels of harvesting in coniferous forests in the United States. Using U.S. Department of Agriculture U.S. Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) data, incremental U.S. softwood (coniferous) timber harvests were projected to supply a high-volume estimate of mass timber and dimensional lumber consumption in 2035. Growth in reserve forests and riparian zones was excluded, and low confidence intervals were used for timber growth estimates, compared with high confidence intervals for harvest and consumption estimates. Results were considered for the U.S. in total and by three geographic regions (North, South, and West). In total, forest inventory growth in America exceeds timber harvests including incremental mass timber volumes. Even the most optimistic projections of mass timber growth will not exceed the lowest expected annual increases in the nation’s harvestable coniferous timber inventory.

Comprehensive assessment of embodied environmental impacts of buildings using normalized environmental impact factors

Buildings are responsible for many environmental issues during construction. Although many studies have evaluated buildings' life cycle embodied environmental impacts (LCEEI), the difference in units usually results in isolation and separation of impact assessments. Assessment results of different indicators and environmental issues often cannot be compared with each other. This paper proposed a building LCEEI evaluation approach by integrating building information modeling (BIM) and life cycle assessment (LCA). In the proposed approach, 24 environmental impact factors (EIFs) from the cradle to the grave are firstly calculated and then linked to 10 building-related environmental issues. The comprehensive assessment of embodied environmental impacts is conducted with a three-step normalization process, including characterization, nondimensionalization, and quantitation. A reinforced concrete structure building is selected as a case to demonstrate the proposed approach. The case indicates that mineral resource consumption, timber consumption, and fossil fuel consumption contribute the top 3 largest proportions (over 80%) to the LCEEI of reinforced concrete structure buildings. The material production stage is the most crucial stage to improve a building's environmental performance. Concrete, steel, and timber are the top 3 materials generating the most EIF. The study enriches the knowledge of sustainable construction by proposing a BIM-LCA integration approach to comprehensively evaluate the LCEEI of buildings at the design stage.

Domestic large-diameter log use in the Japanese lumber manufacturing industry: focusing on regional differences

ABSTRACT Japan’s postwar policies with respect to forestry management have led to the aging of planted forests and a shift toward large-diameter logs that has created a challenge for how to use such logs in the lumber manufacturing industry. In recent years, medium-diameter logs have been the predominant type, and there has been less demand for large-diameter logs. This study examines the Japanese lumber manufacturing industry’s consumption of domestic timber using survey data from 21 member companies of the Domestic Timber Sawmill Association. The results suggest that regional characteristics and the tree species consumed are the two main factors that drive the decision to use large-diameter logs. While current demand for large-diameter logs is considered low, the results show that demand is present, and there are signs of growing consumption of these logs within the lumber manufacturing industry. As the current machinery that handles medium-diameter logs depreciates, it is expected that companies will respond by either introducing machinery that can accommodate large-diameter logs or changing their products.

The Use of Marketing Monitoring Web System Application to Estimate Cempaka Wood Product Consumption Level in North Sulawesi, Indonesia

Cempaka or Magnolia spp. is categorised into primary local wood mostly used by the people in North Sulawesi. Efforts to cultivate cempaka and supply of raw materials continue to be carried out. However, there is no measurement of consumption of cempaka wood at the industrial and household levels. This will threaten the existence of cempaka or cempaka cultivation is not attractive to the Minahasa community. The objective of this study was to obtain the information of consumption ratio of cempaka wood in North Sulawesi in household scale. This study was carried out for approximately eight months in Minahasa, South Minahasa, and North Minahasa. There are 13 industries of cempaka wood in household scale, and 99 respondents are gathered successfully. The study findings indicated that cempaka wood products identified were not only wooden houses construction but also furniture. Average consumption of cempaka wood products in North Sulawesi reached 0.17 m3/capita/annual. If the total population of North Sulawesi reached 2,5 million, the total consumption of cempaka timber was estimated to reach 435,000 m3 annually. With enormous demands for cempaka wood in North Sulawesi compared to its inefficient availability, it is recommended to promote more intensive cempaka plantation development in the region.

What does Brazil know about the origin and uses of tree species employed in the housing sector? Perspectives on available species, origin and current challenges

Timber consumption is a complex discussion for the industry, in part because the issue has been marked by doubts about lineage and origin. This paper aimed to identify challenges related to species, origins and wood use in the Brazilian construction sector. Searches on corporate websites and face-to-face interviews were used to identify involvement by species and origin in the domestic production of timber for housing. Relevant results were obtained for both methods since their margins of error were low. Forty exotic and nine native species were revealed to contribute significantly to the construction sector. 'Grapia' and 'Angelim pedra' native woods and eight eucalypt and pine species were shown to be the most popular through both methodologies. Pine timber was found to be in greater demand than that of Eucalyptus species. Despite some lack of clarity relating to the origin of certain species, the sector's status was better than expected. However, it still requires assertive actions to increase the use of legalized wood in order to favour product certification and integration into foreign markets.

Influence of roof slope on timber consumption in plane trusses design

The growing world consumption of wood in civil construction is evident, especially in structural roofing systems. Despite being from a renewable source, its rational and intelligent use is of vital importance in the execution of structural designs. Because it is a system that is recognized worldwide in the design of trussing roof structures, there are several empirical assumptions for structural calculation. To reduce timber consumption, some tile manufacturers suggest a 10% (6°) slope between chords. However, after simulations of 11 slopes with angles from 5° to 15°, the timber consumption was inversely proportional to the slope, reaching a 90% difference between extreme angles. The method used to obtain the results was software designed according to the routines prescribed by the new draft standard of ABNT NBR 7190 (2021). Considering a prefabricated truss with 5 cm thickness sections, the design criterion was that of minimum height, increasing by 0.10 cm until all checks were satisfied. Finally, the minimum angle after which no strengthening is required on the bars was 10°.

Socio-Economic Impacts of Livelihood from Fuelwood and Timber Consumption on the Sustainability of Forest Environment: Evidence from Basho Valley, Baltistan, Pakistan

Forests across the world are considered to be a huge socio-economic and environmental benefit to host and adjacent communities. This study focuses on assessing the impacts of fuelwood and timber consumption on the livelihood of households in the Baltistan region in Pakistan. Primary and secondary sources of data were employed for the study. The primary sources involved the use of questionnaire survey and interview while the secondary sources involved the use of documented information in textbooks and internet materials. The study revealed that 82% of the people within the region were involved in agricultural activities, 71% depended on the extraction of forest resources for their livelihood, while 18% depended on off-farm activities for their livelihood. The study also observed that among the number that depended on forest resources for their livelihood, 59% were involved in the extraction of non-timber forest products while 41% were involved in the extraction of timber forest resources. The study further revealed that there was no significant difference in the level of benefits from the forest across the seven districts under investigation with a chi square value. The volume of forest products extraction was found to be high closest to the forest and to be low with increasing distance from the communities. The major benefits from the forest range were due to employment that increases the individual and family income. Forest also helps to control erosion and enhances aesthetic beautification and temperature regulation. The research suggests that the policy makers must provide a sustainable solution to reduce the overexploitation of the forest resources by providing better alternative earning resources to the resident communities.

Regional Linkages of Agroforestry Production Value Chain (Case Study in Kon and Ba River Basin)

This research aims to set a foundation for the establishment of the Ba and Kon river basins’ regional linkages between the Central Highlands and the South Central region according to the value chain of plantation timber and sugarcane. The research uses data collection and statistical analysis methods to establish a database for linking planting, processing, and consumption of plantation timber and sugarcane. The research adopts the Rural Rapid Assessment (RRA) method to assess the efficiency of wood linkages along the value chain of plantation timber goods and uses SWOT analysis to assess strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and challenges for regional linkages of the plantation timber value chain. The research results show that the Ba and Kon river basins have great potentials for the production of sugarcane and plantation timber. In these basins, there have been many models linking along the value chain of goods, linking the stages of production, purchase, transportation, processing, and consumption in order to increase the value of goods. The study has established areas specializing in sugarcane cultivation and concentrated planted forest areas with wood processing factories, and sugar factories in these two river basins. Regional linkages in the basins of the Ba and Kon rivers for the plantation timber and sugar cane value chain are established according to a number of major traffic routes such as national roads 19, 19C, 25 and 29.

Globalisation Impacts on Timber Consumption in Slovakia

Research background: Globalisation is nowadays phenomenon which affects all economic sectors. The pros and cons of globalisation can also be observed in the case of forestry and forest-based complex in Slovakia. Timber trade and market follows the theory of derived demand, which means that demand for wood depends on the demand for final products. We can observe a significant impact of globalisation on changes in the use of wood from traditional to new ecological and sustainable use. Since 1993 the consumption of industrial roundwood in Slovakia has increased by almost 185%. Purpose of the article: The aim of this study is to examine the impact of globalisation on the consumption of coniferous and non-coniferous industrial roundwood in Slovakia, and to determine the relationship between the consumption of industrial roundwood and trends of globalisation trends in Slovakia. Methods: The development of KOF globalization index was analysed in the period 2003 to 2018. In addition, the development of the consumption of coniferous and non-coniferous industrial roundwood was examined. The correlation analysis and linear regression were used to analyse the relationship between the KOF globalisation index and development of consumption of coniferous and non-coniferous industrial roundwood in Slovakia. Findings & Value added: The results of correlation analysis show statistically significant relationship between globalisation and the development of consumption of industrial roundwood in Slovakia. We can conclude that the development of globalisation has more significant impact on consumption of non-coniferous industrial roundwood than on consumption of coniferous industrial roundwood.

Early Modern Forests and the Habsburg-Ottoman Wars

Scholarship traditionally emphasises the destructive nature of wars on landscapes, with the impact of military activities on forests referred to most frequently. Modern weapons and, consequently, modern warfare have undoubtedly had a tremendous impact on landscapes. The American Civil War, the two World Wars and the Viet Nam War all fundamentally changed the landscape of the areas where they were fought. Two distinct problems regarding the impact of pre-modern warfare on forests are discussed in contemporary literature; the deliberate destruction of forests — that is scorched earth tactics — and the different war-related industries. The article approaches the second problem using the example of the western part of the Carpathian Basin in the early modern period. The area in question was affected by a period of war between the Ottoman Empire and the Habsburg Empire (including the Kingdom of Hungary) that lasted approximately one and a half centuries. During this period (ca. 1540−1690), the Ottomans gradually expanded their power to part of this area. In order to secure the hinterlands on both sides, major fortification works began in the middle of the sixteenth century. According to the scholarship, this had a devastating impact on the forest resources in the area as most of the fortifications were built of wood. The article offers a methodology to study the impact of fortification works on forest resources, which, with some limitations, can be applied to other case study areas as well. The timber requirement of an individual earth and wood fortification can be estimated relatively easily, and by gathering a database on the fortifications in a certain area, drawn from existing scholarly opinion, the most important new sphere of timber consumption can be understood with at least a rough approximation. In this article, I will argue that the Habsburgs’ measures to protect the forests in the Kingdom was most probably not a sign of resource scarcity but in fact shows the beginning of conscious forest management.

Socioeconomic profiles of timber consumers in the buffer zones of Bu Gia Map National Park, Vietnam

SummaryPeople who live on the edges of protected areas may harvest timber to make their living from this natural forest product. Therefore, understanding timber consumption at the household level is critical for developing effective conservation policies. Previous studies have highlighted relationships between the consumption of forest products and socioeconomic status, but they have failed to examine timber consumption under cultural contexts. In this study, we interviewed 121 villagers to examine the socioeconomic profiles of timber consumers with regards to their indigenous culture in the buffer zones of Vietnam’s Bu Gia Map National Park. We found that indigenous identity, landownership, number of crops grown by villagers and proximity to markets are statistically significant for explaining the consumption of timber from natural forests. Given the high likelihood that most of this timber was collected illegally, we make several recommendations for forest managers on how to interact with villagers to improve park protection.