Wood-Based Construction: The Fire Safety Scenario

In Europe, most buildings are constructed from concrete, which is made by mixing steel and cement. The process of manufacturing concrete is neither renewable nor sustainable, accounting for a substantial 10% of humanity’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Environmentalists and industry experts believe that one possible solution to this pressing issue lies in wood frame-centred construction. A sustainable alternative building with wood is an excellent way in which to reduce the carbon footprint.

In Finland, for example, wood accounts for 40% of construction, an incredible result given that it only represents 4% in the rest of Europe.

There are numerous advantages to building with wood. For example, it could reduce carbon emissions by up to 60%. That’s not all. Wood-framed buildings are lighter than their concrete counterparts, meaning that construction requires less logistical support and often lighter, optimised foundations.

Additionally, demolishing a wooden building generates far less waste as most of the materials can be either reused or recycled.

The benefits of wood frame-based construction are too numerous to list here, but the examples mentioned above perhaps go some way towards explaining why the French Government has decided to promote a sustainability law, which should focus on using a significant – if not a majority – element of wood for new public buildings. These changes stem from France’s strong desire to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the construction industry and position itself as a leading country in this arena.

Mitigating fire risks

While wood-framed buildings offer many advantages, they also pose a significant fire risk during the construction phase. The highly flammable nature of wood makes it vulnerable, especially so when structures are incomplete and fire protection measures are not fully in place.

Further, during the assembly phases (and when using CLT panels, for example), wood dust significantly increases this risk. However, that risk can be effectively mitigated through appropriate technologies.

The WES3 system, combined with the REACT system, offers a powerful solution to significantly reduce fire incidents on wood construction sites. The WES3 system is proactive, allowing for the rapid detection of any fire risks before they can spread, in turn notably reducing the risk of major damage.

Moreover, the REACT cloud platform ensures that project managers are immediately alerted to any fire alarm activation directly on their smart phones, even when the site is unoccupied. This 24/7 real-time monitoring enables quick responses and continuously improves site safety.

By combining the WES3 and REACT systems, construction teams can protect their workers and safeguard projects by securing wooden buildings from the outset.

Regulations and technologies

Reducing carbon emissions involves changing not only our lifestyles, but also how we build our cities. Such change comes with a series of risks and challenges, which is why innovative technologies are at the forefront of the fight to preserve the environment and create nearly carbon-neutral buildings.

Since 2022, the wood frame construction market has been growing at an annual rate of 10%. This shows that, by implementing motivational legislation focused on sustainability, countries can significantly reduce their carbon footprint, bringing humanity closer to the goal of ‘Net Zero’.

New regulations are also being discussed in various European countries (including France) to support this growth and continue efforts purpose-designed to secure structures during the different phases of construction.