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> Forest Report 2015 Condition and Use of Swiss Forests FOEN / WSL 2015
6.7 Wood end use
Ulrike Krafft
> In 2009, a total of 9.6 million cubic metres of wood was used in Switzerland.
> 52 per cent of the wood was used for wood products and for paper and cardboard production, and 45 per cent was used for energy.
> The construction industry has contributed most to the increase in wood products. For a few years now, the use of timber has been steadily increasing in both new buildings and in conversions and renovations.
Use
In 2009, a total of 9.6 million cubic metres (m3) of wood was used and 9.9 million m3 of wood-based raw material were produced in Switzerland (Neubauer-Letsch et al. 2012). This amount meant that all of the wood used could theoretically be in the form of raw material from the home market. However, substantial amounts of wood are, in fact, also exported and finished wood products imported (section 6.8).
How is the wood used in Switzerland? In 2009, 52 per cent was used to manufacture other products and 45 per cent for energy. The remaining 3 per cent was used for other pur- poses, for example, in landscape gardening (Table 6.7.1).
An investigation in 2009 determined the specific use of wood as an end product in Switzerland (Neubauer-Letsch et al. 2012). This wood end use refers to the market volume of wood products that are not further processed. Wood that is used for energy or for producing paper and cardboard was not included. The study shows that wood is mainly being used in the construction industry, but also for outdoor construc- tions, for furniture and fittings and for packaging and wooden products (Table 6.7.2). The consumption of wood products has risen by about 10 per cent to 2.77 million m3 since the last data collection in 2001.
Categories of use
In 2009, 1.25 million m3 of timber was used in the construc- tion industry, equivalent to 45 per cent of the total wood used.
Most of this timber was used for constructing new buildings and for conversions and extensions to private homes (Einfami- lienhäuser), followed by commercial buildings, construction aids and apartment blocks (Fig. 6.7.1). The figures for 2012 show that the amount of timber used for buildings in Switzer- land has continued to increase. This increase has meant that timber now accounts for 14.2 per cent of the building material in newly built private homes and for 6.5 per cent of the mate-
rial in apartment blocks. The amount being used in exten- sions and conversions is even greater: 31.4 per cent for private homes and 30.2 per cent for apartment blocks. The absolute amount of timber used for constructing new apartment blocks is now greater than the amount of timber used for constructing new private homes.
One of the main reasons for the increase in wood end use in the construction industry is the recent construction boom.
But the state measures promoting wood are also showing effect. The year 2005 saw the introduction of new fire pre- vention regulations. The FOEN supported the development of these regulations as part of its programme ‘wood21’. These regulations have opened up the market for wood in this area, and since then 1,500 apartment blocks with a timber construc- tion have been built.
In Switzerland, the building sector contributes con- siderably to emissions that result in hazardous pollution for the environment and climate. It also consumes considera- ble resources: about 45 per cent of the energy is used when constructing buildings and for heating, air-conditioning and providing hot water. Construction methods that conserve resources are, therefore, of great importance. Wood conserves resources since it is renewable and climate neutral, as well as a versatile replacement for more energy-intensive materi- als. Using wood from Swiss forests means it does not have to be transported long distances, jobs can be kept in the region and a sustainable management of the Swiss forests is sup- ported. The public is sensitized to using products made from domestic wood through the label of origin ‘Swiss Wood’ (Her- kunftszeichen Schweizer Holz – HSH) and the FOEN cam- paign ‘Proud of Swiss Wood’ (2011–2013).
Using wood outdoors for terraces, garden sheds and other outdoor facilities is popular, and 72,000 m3 of wood were used in this way in 2009. The market in this area is also develop- ing dynamically, with DIY stores making most of the sales.
> 6 Social Economy 6.7 Wood end use 115
0.86 million m3 of wood was used for furniture and interior fittings, equivalent to about 31 per cent of the wood end use.
More than half of this wood was used for furniture in private households and commercial buildings – from children’s rooms to conference rooms and hotel fittings. However, a considera- ble proportion of the furniture was imported. The conversion and renovation of public and commercial buildings also play a large role in using wood for interior fittings.
Wood is an important raw material for packaging. In 2009, a total of 0.42 million m3 of wood were used for this, mainly for pallets and boxes. The development of the market in the packaging industry is strongly influenced by the eco- nomic climate. For example, in 2009 the amount of wood used for packaging was lower than that in previous years because the economy was doing badly. In the area of wood products,
a variety of different products were manufactured from about 0.17 million m3 of wood – from kitchen utensils to decorative objects. In this area, many goods are imported and exported at an international level.
Table 6.7.1
Wood end use in 2009 according to type of use*.
Source: Neubauer-Letsch et al. 2012
Use m3 %
Wood products 2,392,000 25
Paper and cardboard products, printed matter 2,610,000 27
Energy 4,294,000 45
Other purposes, loss 339,000 3
Total wood and wood products 9,635,000 100
Table 6.7.2
Use of wood products in various areas in 2009*.
Source: Neubauer-Letsch et al. 2012
Area of use m3 %
Construction industry 1,245,600 45.0
Timber for outdoors 72,000 2.6
Furniture and fittings 862,200 31.1
Packaging 424,900 15.3
Wood products 165,600 6.0
Wood end use 2,770,300 100
Fig. 6.7.1 Apartment block Kirchrainweg in Kriens (Lucerne).
The wooden construction made of Lucerne silver fir received the energy prize Watt d’Or. Photo: Gabriel Ammon, AURA
* The difference between the wood end use in Table 6.7.1 (2,393,000 m3) and that in Table 6.7.2 (2,770,000 m3) is due to the different data-collection methods used.
