ArabianBusiness.com - Middle East Business News
Saturday, 21 November 2009 15:01 UAE time

YOUR DIRECTORY /

| Share |

Back to basic construction

by This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it  on Saturday, 26 July 2008

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.

Story continues below
advertisement

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.

Growth of wood in renewable forests works to remove carbon from the atmosphere.

"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.


| Share |


READERS' COMMENTS

Disclaimer: The views expressed here by our readers are not necessarily shared by ArabianBusiness.com or its employees.

Click here to post a comment


Add your Comment
All posts are sent to the administrator for review and are published only after approval. ArabianBusiness.com reserves the right to remove any comment at any time for any reason. Please keep your responses appropriate and on topic.
Arabian Business would like to point out that only comments relevant to the story will be published. Any containing personal insults or inappropriate language will not be approved.
Name *
Remember me on this computer
Email *
(Your email address will not be published)
City
Country
Subject *
Comment *
Notify me of further comments


Please click post only once - your comment will not be published immediately.


MORE FROM ARABIANBUSINESS.COM

From  Current Issue

SHARE PRICE CHECK

RELATED LINKS

  1. Al Danube Building Materials Company»
  2. Messe Frankfurt GmbH»

 EMAIL ALERTS

  1. Al Danube Building Materials Company

  2. Messe Frankfurt GmbH

  3. Construction & Industry


Tell us your story

READER COMMENTS

  1. Somali pirates free UAE-owned cargo ship 02
    21 Nov ' 09 at 07:58
    In the old days pirate ships were blown out of the water as soon as spotted.Now they have to wait until they attack a ship and then...   More  »
  2. UAE announces Eid and National Day holidays 01
    20 Nov ' 09 at 15:56
    Eid and National Day are two great occassions and very close to each other. It would be a great act for the UAE authorities to extend...   More  »
  3. Where have all the optimists gone? 01
    20 Nov ' 09 at 16:54
    Dubai unfortunate is not more in fashion, the bubble was big , the growing went fast and the down turn even faster.Many of my clients...   More  »

Read all user comments >

Gitex 2009

MORE FROM ARABIANBUSINESS.COM