Localtalks 03.25 Building With Timber: Responsible Forestry and Green Construction скачать в хорошем качестве

Localtalks 03.25 Building With Timber: Responsible Forestry and Green Construction

Localtalks is a platform by Localworks that brings together practitioners, researchers, and enthusiasts to exchange ideas on design, construction, and sustainability in East Africa. This session of Localtalks explored the future of sustainable timber in East Africa – examining forest management, innovative building techniques, and resilient construction practices. The hybrid event was hosted both online and in person at Fair Ventures’ Timber Innovation Centre on Kampala Road. Our speakers were three professionals leading efforts to advance sustainable forestry and timber construction in the region: Gaster Kiyingi, Milan Heilmann, and Edson Agume. Gaster Kiyingi, Director of Tree Talk Plus, is a long-standing advocate for tree planting, sustainable forest management, and FSC certification in Uganda. With decades of experience in forestry and environmental conservation, he promotes responsible wood use and climate resilience. In his presentation, he introduced the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), explaining its global relevance, certification principles, and the development of the Uganda National Forest Stewardship Standard (UNFSS). He also discussed sustainable timber species in Uganda and shared practical insights on responsible forest management. Milan Heilmann, Managing Director of SuperTimber 2000 and Head of Business Development at CPS Africa, showcased Fumba Town in Zanzibar as a pioneering model for sustainable, timber-based urban development in Africa. He highlighted CPS Africa’s efforts to integrate engineered timber production into local supply chains, reduce carbon emissions, and promote scalable, affordable, and circular housing solutions across East Africa. Edson Agume, Director and Head of Engineering at Localworks, shared lessons from Localworks’ experience in designing and constructing with timber in Uganda. His presentation focused on ensuring durability, resilience, and performance of timber structures, using built examples to illustrate both challenges and opportunities in implementing sustainable timber construction. The discussion was followed by a Q&A session moderated by Randi Karangizi.