On May 29th, representatives from Australia, Korea, Fiji and Japan hosted a webinar titled “Promoting Wood Culture” as part of the Greening Construction with Sustainable Wood initiative under the Forestry and Climate Leaders’ Partnership (FCLP).
Webinar Concept
Sustainable wood is a viable choice in the construction industry, offering flexibility in materials and design while achieving long-term environmental benefits. Advances in technology now allow wood to be used in mid- to high-rise buildings. However, the development of social system, enforcement of promotional regulations, and rising consumer awareness are on the way.
This webinar aimed to bring together government officials and a researcher share their experiences, good practices, and challenges in promoting the use of wood in construction.
Program Overview
The webinar opened with welcome remarks by Ms. Emelyne Cheney, Executive Director of FCLP, followed by opening remarks from Mr. Kiyotaka Kouchi, Director of International Forestry Cooperation Office, Forestry Agency of Japan. The session was moderated by Dr. Joseph Morrall, Director of International Forest Policy, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry of Australia.
The program was divided into two sections:
1. Measures, Activities and Policies to Promote Wood Use
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Dr. Jun Fukuda, Director, Wood Products Industry Division, Forestry Agency of Japan, presented Japan’s legislative and promotional efforts to encourage wood use in both residential and non-residential sectors.
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Ms. Katie Stokes, Assistant Director, International Forest Policy, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry of Australia, presented Australia’s supporting policy and regulatory environment to enable increased use of sustainable wood products in construction.
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Mr. Sung Jin Lee, Director, Wood Industry Division, Korea Forest Service, introduced Korea’s wood use promotion policies, awareness raising initiatives, and notable high-rise wooden buildings.
2. Benefits of Wooden Construction and Promoting its Awareness
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Dr. Sang-Joon Lee, Senior Researcher, National Institute of Forest Science of Korea, examined the current status and prospects of Korea’s wood architecture as a means to achieve national carbon neutrality targets, and introducing the latest R&D outcomes and ways forward to revitalize wood architecture.
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Mr. Hiroaki Nishimura, Senior Deputy Director, Counsellor’s Office for Building Regulations, Housing Bureau, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism of Japan, shared insights on the rationalization of fire safety and structural regulations under Japan’s Building Standard Act.
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Mr. Tevita Bulai, Acting Conservator of Forests, Ministry of Forestry of Fiji, discussed sustainable forest management and capacity building in the timber industry to support sustainable wood use in Fiji.
The webinar concluded with a constructive Q&A session moderated by Dr. Morrall.
Webinar Recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urSddtkNSSw
Presentation Slides: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1U-e89ng8c8RzNeRCVZTWvxD7cyI4edQw
