| SUSTAINABLE TIMBER RETAINING WALLS |
| The widely accepted definition of Environmental Sustainability is - |
| ‘Development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.’ |
| One of the key areas for Environmental Sustainability is the reduction of the level of CO2 emissions which is currently causing global warming and climate change, and anyone specifying products should be mindful of their responsibility to select materials which generate low volumes of CO2 during the cycle of production and delivery to site. |
| The Building Research Establishment has determined that concrete production results in CO2 emissions. However the use of timber as an alternative construction material has an overall positive effect on our environment. Trees absorb CO2 from the atmosphere, replacing it with oxygen, and any increase in the harvesting and use of timber results in increased reforestation and therefore more absorption of CO2. |
| The European Commission has stated that - |
| ‘Trees play a major role in combating climate change. Greater use of timber products will stimulate the expansion of Europe’s forests and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by substituting for fossil fuel intensive products.’ |
| Choosing wood for retaining walls reduces climate change through: |
| 1. Substitution for other less environmentally friendly materials such as concrete |
| 2. Storage of the carbon from the tree throughout the life of the product |
| 3. Regeneration of the forests, as using timber encourages replanting, which in turn removes more CO2 from the atmosphere. (Using 1m&Mac184; of wood instead of other materials results in 0.8 tonnes of CO2 removal). |
| Timber for Phi Group’s Permacrib retaining walls is sourced from managed plantations where trees are harvested and replanted in a continuous cycle, and the environmentally friendly finished wall can be landscaped with a variety of plants to enhance its already natural appearance. |
| SUSTAIN YOUR ENVIRONMENT – USE TIMBER RATHER THAN CONCRETE |
