Whisky Project squeezes every wee dram, insects could be key to Mars colonization, commercial-scale lab-grown chicken, and more: The Digest’s Top 8 Innovations for the week of December 25th

#8 Wood is making a construction comeback in Finland

In Finland, architects and contractors are looking toward Scandinavia’s vast forests to reduce the carbon intensity of construction.

Business Finland says 80% of detached houses in Finland already have a wooden frame, and many public buildings are also constructed with timber.

The trade group also highlights new, wood-based technologies being explored in Finland. Woodio, for example, manufactures basins and bathtubs from a waterproof wood composite. The technology can replace traditional tubs made from carbon-intensive ceramics.

Beyond construction, Helsinki’s Sulapac is making nanocellulose products that can replace single-use plastics, and Spinnova is converting wood pulp into textile fibers with low water intensity.

Wood is plentiful in Finland, which is home to more than half of Europe’s protected forests. The country also practices sustainable forestry, planting four new trees for every one felled—equaling 150 million trees planted annually. For this reason, Finland’s forests have 50% more timber available than they did 50 years ago.

More on the story, here.