Power of the collective!

Ir. Jitze Koops - Director - Registered Structural Engineer at EversPartners

In college at the time, we were given three main structural materials: concrete, steel and wood. The project revolved around matching your design to the core qualities of the respective materials and, of course, the necessary structural underpinnings. Good to discover and explore where the strengths are, but also where the challenges are....

Sustainability, in its broadest sense, is of course an important and urgent topic. We are not building for tomorrow, but for the future. What is the impact now, but also later? What is the burden on the environment, but viewed over the entire lifespan of a building, component or material? Wood is currently the magic word in this, but is it the ultimate solution?

If you don't design and work with wood, you're out of the game. I agree with this in part. Of course, we also design more and more in wood and I see the value of this beautiful natural product. Yes, we need to look at a sustainable future, but always from the wider view. For the big picture, how do you achieve the best result? What is concrete without steel (reinforcement)? What is wood without its steel connections? We have been able to repair many foundations of buildings founded on piles, where it turned out that the superstructure was more durable than the wooden piles, but with new piles it will last for centuries. So is wood the solution?

In society, people are also increasingly choosing one or the other... Preferring to express one's point of view ad nauseam on various social media, discussion and contradictions often prevail over understanding and seeking the collective point of view. Whether it is about wars, soccer or political views: you have to choose one or the other. And that in our poldered Netherlands.

After zooming in on that specific part, it is important to step back and look at the bigger picture again. From a broader perspective, what is the right solution? Sometimes this is a compromise, but often targeted choices will actually strengthen the bigger picture. It's all about the effect you want to achieve! Building for the future. Wood is the fashion, it is totally zoomed in on at the moment. That zooming in is good, you discover the strengths and challenges once again, just like before in college already. Good to raise the bar higher and higher and go for it full force! Setting boundaries is good and keep pushing them, but it is also good to step back and look at the bigger picture. 

Building in wood is already widely done, many appropriate applications are also there. High-rise construction in wood is also possible, but with certain preconditions and limitations. You can go higher by building more hybrid with a rigid core of concrete, steel for the crucial connections and, above all, lots of wood, but each material in its strength. The sustainability ambition will remain and only grow. A future for ourselves, but also for future generations. There will be a place here for wood, but also for concrete and steel. Two wonderful materials with which we have been able to create the most beautiful structures for ages. Looking for the synergy between the materials!