Queensland Government officials and timber industry representatives met at The University of Queensland on the 22 August 2023 “National Forestry Day” to discuss utilising mass timber construction and other timber products together with establishing timber plantations to achieve a “climate positive” Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The Timber 2032 Forum was hosted by Timber Queensland and the ARC Advance Timber Hub.
Timber Queensland’s Strategic Relations and Communications Manager Clarissa Brandt said, “National Forestry Day is the ideal time to highlight how the natural warmth and beauty of wood can enhance the overall atmosphere of the venues and athlete villages, creating a memorable experience for athletes and spectators alike whilst delivering an infrastructure and natural capital asset legacy for Queensland.”
“Brisbane 2032 is a chance for Queensland’s timber industry to shine alongside our athletes. Our beautiful hardwood and softwood timbers are the gold medal solution to lowering emissions and reducing embodied carbon in construction,” she said.
“Timber 2032 Forum attendees will also gain insights into another winning aspect of using timber; the health and wellbeing benefits associated with timber buildings to improve Olympic athletes, and subsequent residents, mental state, stress levels and performance.”
Professor Keith Crews, ARC Advance Timber Hub Director, reiterated on the day, “The purpose of today was to firstly showcase what can be done with wood, and secondly, and especially, to start a conversation about how timber can contribute towards a carbon positive games and perhaps more importantly what the legacy might be beyond that and how there can be a lasting value for Queensland and Australia more broadly. The people in this room can make this happen if we work together.”
Mrs Brandt said the Queensland Government’s Brisbane 2032 Legacy Plan defines how to drive economic, social and environmental outcomes that ensure lasting benefits before, during and after the Games.
“Planting production trees ticks all the boxes for delivering a climate positive legacy. A Legacy Plantation would deliver carbon sequestration to offset Olympic infrastructure construction, it would grow regional jobs now and into the future and it would help provide a solution to our growing timber production shortfall.
“To put this in perspective – by 2035 Queensland will face a timber production shortfall for house frames equivalent to the size of Cairns, because we don’t have the trees growing in the ground right now to meet that demand. The shortfall gap will only get worse if action is not taken.”
“National Forestry Day is the perfect opportunity for Government decision makers to reflect about the important role of timber and wood in everyday lives as well as how it will be utlised for Brisbane 2032. Happy National Forestry Day 2023!,” said Clarissa Brandt.
To learn more, please view Wood Central’s article “Brisbane 2032 Olympic Decision Makers Discuss Timber & Carbon” and follow on article “Architects Back Timber Vision for Brisbane 2032 Olympics”.
ARC Advance Timber Hub Chief Investigators, Associate Professor Paul Dargusch and Associate Professor Joe Gattas, alongside Mahomed Ayoob, Technology Strategist, Microsoft presented on “Utilising timber in construction to lower emissions and reduce embodied carbon: life cycle assessment and greenhouse gas Inventory of mass timber buildings”.
This video represent the work to be undertaken in the ARC Advance Timber Hub Research Nodes “Towards a Low-Carbon & Circular Economy” and “Value-Chain Innovation”.
