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The UAE is growing in prominence as a primary trading hub for the regional wood industry, says Shikha Mishra.

There is a rising tide of awareness among the public with regard to climate change and the impact of human development on the natural environment. A tide that has been rising for some time now.

The construction boom taking place in the UAE is fuelling the demand for wood and wood products, giving rise to a market that is seeing unprecedented levels of growth.

Melanie Beese, exhibition manager for the Messe Frankfurt Hardware and Tools trade fair, says that frenetic pace of development taking place across the region is seeing the demand for timber reach record levels.

"The numerous infrastructure and building projects seen in the UAE and across the Middle East has led to a phenomenal demand for wood-based industries and woodworking products," she says.

Over the years, the UAE has always imported wood and wood products; commerce that grew around its traditional industry of dhow building. Early trade involved the shipping of teak from India to manufacture the boat's hulls and keels, but following the construction boom of the last few years, wood is now sourced from all over the globe; with the major suppliers coming from a diverse array of destinations that include the African continent, Malaysia, Indonesia, Canada, the US, Chile and China.

The US is a significant exporter to the region and according to a US Department of Agriculture report, the country exported US $0.654 billion (AED2.4 billion) of soft-wood lumber to the Middle East in 2005, a 123% increase since 2001.

Last year, American hardwood exports to the UAE topped nearly $6.98 million (AED25.7 million), with lumber constituting the bulk of this trade. Analysts believe that these figures represent the region's transfer into a major wood importer and consumer.

According to a study released by The Consortium for Research on Renewable Industrial Materials (Corrim), wood is one of the most environmentally-sensitive building materials for home construction - it uses less overall energy than other products, causes fewer air and water impacts and does a better job of the carbon ‘sequestration' that can help address global warming.

James Wilson, professor of wood science and engineering at Oregon State University and vice president of Corrim says: "There's a significant consumer movement and even some voluntary standards that are interested in green, or environmentally conscious construction methods.

After some experimentation with new building materials such as concrete or steel in recent decades along with some new building methods, Wilson said, it appears that for environmental purposes we may return to one of the most ancient and reliable materials of them all - wood.

"We've seen a general substitution for wood in many aspects of home construction for years, using less of it for siding, windows, roofing, and other purposes. Price and availability of wood were some of the factors involved, along with building codes," he says.

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