and compatibility with a low-carbon world”
Industry News
Subscribe to newsletter
| 17 Jun 2011 |
|
The Gates to the City. |
The gates along with external cladding and screens at Masdar City are made from Palmwood a more sustainable alternative to exotic and hardwood timber. The timber is harvested from coconut palm tree plantations once the trees stop producing nuts, around 70 to 80 years.
The advantages of using this material are:
- Knot free as the tree naturally doesn’t grow branches or growth rings.
- The product has good insect resistance properties
- Good resistance to rot and mould
- Good moisture resistant properties
- Very durable
- Recyclable
- 100% biodegradable
- Using this material helps turn a waste by product into a profitable timber substitute
Twenty years ago, the manufacturer Pacific Green set up the world’s first factory dedicated to the research and development of coconut palms. Using proprietary processing technology, it created a consumer-orientated product (Palmwood) that recycles the abundant plantation material, providing customers with a sustainable alternative to rainforest hardwood.
For the Masdar project, Pacific Green produced a range of external Palmwood architectural features specified for our environmental credentials and aesthetic appeal.
Eight gates at the entrance routes act to filter the hot desert winds; 4-metre tall screens channel cooling air currents through the internal corridors and help to dissipate sunlight; and external louvers provide shade to exposed classrooms and glazed areas. Palmwood’s durability makes it suitable for the desert setting.
