Tomas Gecys

To reduce the negative impact on the environment, architects, designers, and construction companies need to find and apply eco-friendly and sustainable building solutions. Due to its renewable nature and numerous advantages, timber has become an attractive substitute for steel and concrete in both residential and non-residential construction projects. However, timber application in the construction of grocery stores is a relatively new concept. The purpose of this research is to propose three alternative timber-based structural systems for a grocery store in Lithuania and to select the most efficient option based on multi-criteria decision-making methods. Three alternative glued laminated timber (glulam) structural systems—the glulam column and truss system, the glulam three-hinge frame system, and the glulam column and double-tapered beam system—were designed. The systems were evaluated against ten criteria, reflecting structural properties, cost efficiency, assembling complexity, and aesthetics. Multiple-criteria assessments by the COmplex PRoportional ASsessment (COPRAS) method and simple additive weighting (SAW) method revealed that the best-performing alternative is the glulam column and double-tapered beam system due to the lower cost of load-bearing structures, the smaller quantity of required steel details and fittings, and the highest maximum utility ratio according to serviceability limit states compared to other alternatives.

The built environment significantly contributes to climate change. There is pressure on the construction industry to find and use alternative sustainable environmentally friendly building materials to reduce the climate impact. Timber is increasingly being considered in the literature and used as a viable alternative for steel and concrete in both residential and non-residential building projects as it is a renewable material and has multiple benefits for reducing carbon (CO₂) emissions and consequently climate change. This study aims to research the benefits of sustainable timber construction in terms of climate change. To achieve this aim, a systematic literature review was performed based on the research conducted between 1998 and 2022. For this purpose, research papers were searched from the Web of Science database and screened by applying a combination of keywords and the criteria for academic publication selection, including climate change, timber or wooden building, renewable material, sustainable material, carbon sink, carbon reduction, embodied energy, lifecycle assessment, and the circular economy. Further, a quantitative analysis of publications was performed using a science mapping approach, and qualitative content analysis was then conducted in three areas of research: timber as a sustainable construction material, the carbon storage of and reduction in GHG/CO₂ emissions, and the circular economy. Research trends, general findings, and knowledge gaps were identified, and future research directions were indicated. The literature review proves that timber construction is a potential solution to reduce climate change.

As woodworking and construction technologies improve, the construction of multi-storey timber buildings is gaining popularity worldwide. There is a need to look at the design of existing buildings and assess their sustainability. The aim of the present study is to assess the sustainability of modern high-rise timber buildings using multi-criteria assessment methods. The paper presents a hierarchical system of sustainability indicators and an assessment framework, developed by the authors. Based on this framework, the tallest timber buildings in different countries, i.e., Mjøstårnet in Norway, Brock Commons in Canada, Treet in Norway, Forte in Australia, Strandparken in Sweden and Stadthaus in UK, were compared across the three dimensions of sustainability (environmental, economic/technological, and social). Research has revealed that none of the buildings is leading in all dimensions of sustainability. However, each building is unique and has its own strengths. Overall multi-criteria assessment of the buildings revealed that the Brock Commons building in Canada has received the highest rank in all dimensions of sustainability. The paper contributes to the theory and practice of sustainability assessment and extends the knowledge about high-rise timber buildings. The proposed sustainability assessment framework can be used by both academics and practitioners for assessment of high-rise timber buildings.