KUCHING, May 12: Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation (STIDC) and KIRK Architects are bringing together global timber experts to discuss the economic opportunity of engineered timber in Sarawak at the upcoming International Engineered Wood Conference 2023.
The conference, which will be held at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) from May 16 to 17, offers a platform for all participants to gain and share knowledge from local and foreign experts.
KIRK Architects founder and director Richard Kirk said Southeast Asia has been curiously slow to join the global timber transformation, with fewer than 1,700 mass timber projects commissioned as of December 2022.
That was why STIDC and KIRK, leading architects in engineered timber, hope to change this scenario.
Kirk said there is a tremendous opportunity to elevate Sarawak’s timber industry to new heights by embracing engineered wood and glulam construction, which is in high demand globally with the push for sustainable construction materials and methods to meet net-zero emission targets.
“Projections indicate that the timber required for a 12,500 sqm engineered wood building could nearly triple the region’s GDP (gross domestic product) contribution.
“To seize this economic potential, Sarawak needs to be investing in sustainable timber plantations, engineered timber machinery, and upskilling of the local workforce now,” he said in a statement today.
To further expedite the development of engineered timber construction, he added that Sarawak need only look to successful building code models implemented in Europe, the USA, and Australia. — DayakDaily
