The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Kim Min-gyu, Go Bo-gyeol bid farewell to 'The Heavenly Idol'

  • 3

    Han Suk-kyu on return of 'Dr. Romantic' with Season 3

  • 5

    Genesis launches 2023 G90 sedan

  • 7

    Churches, Seoul gov't unite to fight low birthrate

  • 9

    Burnout: Cardiothoracic surgery residents work 102 hours a week

  • 11

    Kakao Entertainment, Colombia Record team up for IVE's North American debut

  • 13

    What's next for Do Kwon?

  • 15

    BTS' Jimin releases solo album

  • 17

    Crypto founder Do Kwon is indicted in US, following Montenegro arrest

  • 19

    Over 70% of firms unwilling to embrace longer workweek

  • 2

    Zoo shares sad story of what caused Sero the zebra to escape

  • 4

    Kim Nam-gil to embark on Asia fan-meeting tour

  • 6

    N. Korea tests 'underwater nuclear attack drone,' cruise missiles for nuclear warhead: KCNA

  • 8

    North Korea will pay price for reckless provocations, warns Yoon

  • 10

    Hybe to sell SM shares to Kakao following failed takeover bid

  • 12

    Kyochon heralds 30,000 won fried chicken era

  • 14

    Second daughter of Daesang chairman promoted to vice president

  • 16

    More companies adopt electronic voting amid increase in shareholder activism

  • 18

    Samsung Electronics chief to attend China Development Forum

  • 20

    Samsung Display strike looms due to deadlocked wage negotiations

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
National
  • Forestry
Sun, March 26, 2023 | 04:40
INTERVIEWThe case for building cities out of wood
Posted : 2020-08-25 10:13
Updated : 2022-05-01 13:28
Jung Min-ho
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
The Hangreen, a 19.1-meter building mostly made of wood, stands in Yeongju, North Gyeongsang Province. The five-story structure symbolizes the new trend of eco-friendly construction in Korea. Korea Times photo by Kim Kang-min
The Hangreen, a 19.1-meter building mostly made of wood, stands in Yeongju, North Gyeongsang Province. The five-story structure symbolizes the new trend of eco-friendly construction in Korea. Korea Times photo by Kim Kang-min

Korea embraces timber as key construction material

By Jung Min-ho

The Hangreen, a 19.1-meter building mostly made of wood, stands in Yeongju, North Gyeongsang Province. The five-story structure symbolizes the new trend of eco-friendly construction in Korea. Korea Times photo by Kim Kang-min
Korea Forest Service Deputy Minister Choi Byeong-am speaks during a recent interview with The Korea Times at his office in Daejeon. Korea Times photo by Kim Kang-min
YEONGJU/DAEJEON ― For more than a century, concrete and steel have replaced wood as primary building materials, especially for tall structures. But thanks to increasing demand for "greener construction" and technological advances, timber is back in style.

The Hangreen, a 19.1-meter wooden building in Yeongju, symbolizes the new trend in Korea. The five-story structure, mainly made of Korean larch, a common tree species here, marks only the beginning of a new era of architecture, according to Choi Byeong-am, deputy minister of the Korea Forest Service (KFS).

"Imagine a wooden skyscraper in the heart of Seoul," Choi said. "You may see it in the near future. Wooden buildings are more eco-friendly, sustainable and aesthetic than concrete ones. Increasingly, people are rediscovering the value of the old material."

The Hangreen, a 19.1-meter building mostly made of wood, stands in Yeongju, North Gyeongsang Province. The five-story structure symbolizes the new trend of eco-friendly construction in Korea. Korea Times photo by Kim Kang-min
The interior of the Hangreen / Korea Times photo by Kim Kang-min

The biggest development in timber construction of the past few decades is "mass timber," which refers to composite-wood systems that combine multiple layers of planks into larger structural elements; cross-laminated timber (CLT), its most common form, makes it possible to build tall buildings by offering high strength.

So, in theory, architects and engineers today can build a modern town ― or an entire city ― mostly out of wood. This is one of the plans Choi has in mind.

"In collaboration with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, we are planning to select a few towns or cities (most likely three) next year and will transform them into sort of like wooden towns or cities as part of the government's urban renewal projects," he said.

"To make it possible, we should ease regulations on wooden structures, including the height limit of 18 meters (the Hangreen was an exception), which the ministry has been considering positively. Besides, we need to improve our technology, which, at the current level, enables us only to construct a 12-story building (about 36 meters)."

The world's tallest timber building is the 18-story Mjostarnet tower in Brumunddal, Norway. Completed last year, it is 85.4 meters high and includes a hotel, offices and private homes. HoHo in Seestadt Aspern, near Vienna, Austria, is the second tallest at 84 meters. But Japan, another country known for its advanced wood construction technology, is planning to build a 350-meter tower in Tokyo ― a project expected to be finished in 2041 ― to challenge them.

According to the KFS, only 17 percent of wood used in Korea is domestic timber. But this is projected to increase to 30 percent by 2035, given that the country started a massive tree planting campaign about 50 years ago.

"Many trees will be mature enough to be used in the coming decade or so," Choi said. "This means Korea will soon enter a new era of opportunity."

[INTERVIEW] Korea seeks to take initiative in preventing deforestation
INTERVIEWKorea seeks to take initiative in preventing deforestation
2022-05-01 12:57  |  Forestry
Why we should start building homes out of wood [VIDEO]
Why we should start building homes out of wood [VIDEO]
2020-09-21 10:31  |  News

The Hangreen, a 19.1-meter building mostly made of wood, stands in Yeongju, North Gyeongsang Province. The five-story structure symbolizes the new trend of eco-friendly construction in Korea. Korea Times photo by Kim Kang-min
The 85.4-meter Mjostarnet tower in Norway is the world's tallest timber building. Courtesy of Vjus

Mass timber is sturdy as concrete and just as fireproof

One of the most popular misconceptions about wooden buildings is that they are a lot more hazardous than ones made of concrete and steel in the event of a fire.

But mass timber is not like dry sticks. It is difficult to ignite in the first place and, if a fire occurs, it takes quite a long time to burn completely. For instance, the Hangreen has a fire-resistance rating of two hours ― the duration that a material can withstand exposure to fire.

In addition, when the wood burns, it does so in a predictable way, unlike buildings made of concrete, steel, glass and other materials, which can suddenly explode or snap.

The Hangreen, a 19.1-meter building mostly made of wood, stands in Yeongju, North Gyeongsang Province. The five-story structure symbolizes the new trend of eco-friendly construction in Korea. Korea Times photo by Kim Kang-min
It is difficult to ignite mass timber. If a fire occurs, the wood burns slowly and predictably. Korea Times photo by Kim Kang-min

The bottom line is that there is no such thing as a "perfectly fireproof" building. All materials are combustible, albeit to varying degrees, and can pose a hazard to life and property.

"Concerns about wooden buildings' fire safety are overblown," Choi said. "Such worries will disappear as more people get to see and learn about modern wooden buildings."

Designed and built correctly, wooden buildings are also very durable. Across the world, there are many examples that have survived for hundreds of years with proper care.

Mass timber has proved to perform well in earthquakes. If damaged, the material can be repaired relatively easily; concrete buildings with extensive cracks are more difficult to fix.

In addition, wood is lighter and less time is required to build a structure from it.

"It would take twice as much time to build something like the Hangreen with concrete," Choi said. "Wood is more expensive ― about five to 10 percent higher. But lower labor costs for reduced construction time can help offset the material cost."

The Hangreen, a 19.1-meter building mostly made of wood, stands in Yeongju, North Gyeongsang Province. The five-story structure symbolizes the new trend of eco-friendly construction in Korea. Korea Times photo by Kim Kang-min
A dense forest in Yeongju / Korea Times photo by Kim Kang-min

Cutting down trees is not always bad for the environment

Cutting down trees for building material may sound bad for the environment. But this is not always true.

"Young trees can absorb and store far more carbon from the atmosphere than old ones," Choi said. "In a study, a 20-year-old tree absorbs more than twice as much carbon a year as a 60-year-old one does. So, replacing mature trees with new ones would actually be better for fighting climate change.

"Of course, tree-cutting on a large scale could lead to deforestation and hurt biodiversity in the affected region. So the key point is to balance it wisely with careful long-term planning."

Research shows that trees store carbon when growing and give off oxygen. After becoming wood products, such as furniture and buildings, they continue to store that carbon.

Trees are a renewable natural resource, different from other natural resources such as metal ores, coal, petroleum and natural gas, which are non-replaceable. Moreover, lumber byproducts such as sawdust and wood chips can be useful and are environmentally benign.

According to the KFS, a recent survey shows that 82 percent of respondents said they would support logging for the use of wood; although 72 percent said, in doing so, the environment should be considered first.

"We will continue to implement our selective logging policy and make the best use of forest biomass to improve the public understanding of wood construction," Choi said.



Emailmj6c2@koreatimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
Top 10 Stories
1Zoo shares sad story of what caused Sero the zebra to escape Zoo shares sad story of what caused Sero the zebra to escape
2Genesis launches 2023 G90 sedan Genesis launches 2023 G90 sedan
3Churches, Seoul gov't unite to fight low birthrate Churches, Seoul gov't unite to fight low birthrate
4North Korea will pay price for reckless provocations, warns Yoon North Korea will pay price for reckless provocations, warns Yoon
5Burnout: Cardiothoracic surgery residents work 102 hours a week Burnout: Cardiothoracic surgery residents work 102 hours a week
6Kyochon heralds 30,000 won fried chicken era Kyochon heralds 30,000 won fried chicken era
7What's next for Do Kwon? What's next for Do Kwon?
8Second daughter of Daesang chairman promoted to vice president Second daughter of Daesang chairman promoted to vice president
9More companies adopt electronic voting amid increase in shareholder activism More companies adopt electronic voting amid increase in shareholder activism
10Over 70% of firms unwilling to embrace longer workweek Over 70% of firms unwilling to embrace longer workweek
Top 5 Entertainment News
1Kim Min-gyu, Go Bo-gyeol bid farewell to 'The Heavenly Idol' Kim Min-gyu, Go Bo-gyeol bid farewell to 'The Heavenly Idol'
2Yoo Yeon-seok threatens to sue people spreading accusations about him Yoo Yeon-seok threatens to sue people spreading accusations about him
3Han Suk-kyu on return of 'Dr. Romantic' with Season 3 Han Suk-kyu on return of 'Dr. Romantic' with Season 3
4Kim Nam-gil to embark on Asia fan-meeting tour Kim Nam-gil to embark on Asia fan-meeting tour
5Lee Som, Ahn Jae-hong to play married couple in Tving's new series Lee Som, Ahn Jae-hong to play married couple in Tving's new series
DARKROOM
  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group