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Why Uganda is Africa’s New Ground Zero for Mass Timber

One of the world's fastest growing economies is now ramping up high-value timber production to meet a population surge.


Thu 01 Aug 24

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Timber construction is on the rise across Uganda, with one of the world’s fastest-growing economies turning to mass timber – rather than traditional brick-and-motor construction – to close a 2-million-plus deceit in housing supply and kick-start its circular economy.

“Traditional construction is linear, which means that you have to demolish a building should you want to move or modify it,” according to Bierens Wolf, the founder of Ugandan construction company Easy Housing, who is now building timber houses in factories, which provide greater flexibility to “relocate or expand dwellings to create more space.”

“We boast the fastest building cycle in Uganda and the highest guarantee of quality work,” said Brian Kulubya, Easy Housing’s marketing manager. “This is because we prefabricate everything before it is transported to the site, making it easy to identify and rectify any mistakes beforehand.”

Ugandan farmers are now growing “tree farms” to meet the huge demand for timber construction – with the population of Uganda expected to double over the next 25 years to more than 80 million. Footage courtesy of @cgtnaafrica.

Now, the pressure is on Ugandan authorities to update building codes to keep pace with demand, according to Shem Sebowa of Darc Group, one of the country’s leading architectural firms: “Once Ugandans catch on to the trend, controlling will be challenging. Measures need to be implemented to ensure compliance with rules and regulations.”

Uganda already has a Timber Innovation Centre.

Wood Central understands that the push to build a timber economy has been several years in the making. In 2018, Lightwood, an initiative of Fairventures Worldwide gGmbH, a German not-for-profit organisation, established the Mass Timber Construction Project – using Uganda as a pathway to grow timber construction in East Africa.

“The project included research into the timber value chain in Uganda and the development and improvement of sustainable mass timber value chains in the region.” As a result of the MTCEA, “Fairventures Worldwide and its partners developed a production line of engineered wood products,” according to Lightwood, leading to the establishment of the Timber Innovation Centre (or TIC) – which opened last year.

The Timber Innovation Center (TIC) aims to bring together professionals and stakeholders from the forestry and construction sectors to promote and advance sustainable timber construction in Uganda and wider East Africa. Footage courtesy of @Fairventures.

Now, TIC is producing a new generation of solid pine, finger-jointed timber, and glulam out of local timber and is looking to improve timber sourcing, product development, and treatment—which needs to be fit-for-purpose for African conditions. “We are developing products such as flooring, ceiling, roofing, furniture, and framing for future housing,” it said.

Inside Africa’s big bet on timber!

In January, Wood Central reported that East Africa was “betting on timber” as it turns to mass timber construction to meet a surge in infrastructure demand. The push to embrace mass timber is part of a multi-billion-dollar investment in African reforestation driven by China, Europe, and, most recently, the Middle East.

Last year, Wood Central reported that African and Middle Eastern developers were looking to cross-laminated timbers and bamboo to drive the development of future cities.

Forests face increasing climate-related stress amid growing demand for their products, FAO report warns. (Image Credit: FILE #: 755690595 via Adobe Stock Images)
Africia has emerged as a major growth market for timber – with the FAO last week estimating that demand for sawn timber will grow 49% over the next three decades. (Image Credit: FILE #: 755690595 via Adobe Stock Images)

Already, CLT Toolbox—set up by Australian-based Adam Jones—is targeting Africa’s “wooden buildout” for growth. In June last year, the cashed-up software company—focused on simplifying timber design—opened its first office outside Australia in Ethiopia.

The office, which plans to scale up to 15 members, “aims to become a catalyst for positive change,” according to Adam Jones, who spoke to Wood Central last year.

While the market remains small relative to Europe, North America, and Australia, research published in April 2021 points to the growing potential for mass timber in the Ethiopian construction sector.

Author

  • Jason Ross

    Jason Ross, publisher, is a 15-year professional in building and construction, connecting with more than 400 specifiers. A Gottstein Fellowship recipient, he is passionate about growing the market for wood-based information. Jason is Wood Central's in-house emcee and is available for corporate host and MC services.

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