fter his triumph with his San Sebastian restaurant A Fuego Negro, without doubt one of the most influential shrines to gastronomy in the world capital of cuisine (judging by the number of Michelin stars in San Sebastian and the surrounding area), Edorta Lamo took an even more personal project with the restaurant Arrea!, the chef’s return to his home town, Kanpezu (Campezo).

With the courage to set up premises with their own personality, one hundred percent local resonance and a strong link to culture of his homeland, in a place with less than a thousand inhabitants in the mountains of Alava, Edorta Lamo chose Grupo Gámiz, whose factory and history are also linked to Kanpezu, for the wooden cladding of the restaurant façade.

The choice was ACCOYA®, a sustainable and extraordinarily resistant wood.

Arrea! Restaurant, Kanpezu (Álava) | Product: Cladding of the exterior façade – Accoya®

A beautiful, sustainable and durable façade

At the initial presentation of the restaurant, it was said that Arrea! is “the return of Edorta Lamo to his crudest, hardest and most savage roots”. Although this statement probably alludes to deeper matters, it is true that, in terms of climate, the Kanpezu area is a rather inhospitable rural environment, especially in winter.

Arrea! Restaurant, Kanpezu (Álava) | Product: Cladding of the exterior façade – Accoya®

For Arrea!, ACCOYA®, the wood of the future, has been used to clad a melting pot of tradition and the past. This acetylated wood takes all types of finishes, and for this project a screen was chosen that shelters from the inclemency of the outdoors and that at the same time lets the light in, to which a rustic touch was given.

Arrea! Restaurant, Kanpezu (Álava) | Product: Cladding of the exterior façade – Accoya®

ACCOYA®: 50-year written guarantee

Both the manufacturers of ACCOYA® and Grupo Gámiz, distributor of the wood in Spain, provide a 50-year written guarantee. This extraordinarily resistant wood is fruit of a natural process called acetylation. Here, the wood obtained from sustainable forests is subjected to a molecular change due to natural products, with no toxic procedures.

This process achieves a sustainable wood, resistant to mould and insects, which no longer recognise the wood as food after treatment.

Arrea! Restaurant, Kanpezu (Álava) | Product: Cladding of the exterior façade – Accoya®

Today ACCOYA® is an ecological solution for architects and designers committed to the environment and creativity. A universal wood able to give any project its own personality, just like the restaurant Arrea! in Kanpezu.

La entrada Arrea! Restaurant se publicó primero en Grupo Gámiz.

Fortunately for everyone, sustainable architecture is no longer an ideal vision, but the everyday commitment of many people. There are more and more architects, construction companies and designers that create their projects with respect for the environment. Mere intention, however, is not enough. For example, there is no point in talking about sustainable materials, like that, generically, if it is not possible to trace their manufacture route.

Let’s use the case of wood products. Wood is, by definition, a natural material. But wood products are only sustainable and ecological if their manufacture process prioritises sustainability goals and guarantees the protection and continuity of the forests from which this raw material is extracted.

This guarantee only comes from certifications. Hallmarks of quality and sustainability granted for levels approved and known all over the world. These are the most significant sustainability certifications.

Maison de l’Ordre des Avocats | Arch: Renzo Piano studio | Grupo Gámiz Product: Oak glulam – curtain wall | Photo courtesy of ©L.Zylberman/Graphix-Images

FSC (Forestry Stewardship Council)

The FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) is an independent, not-for-profit, non-governmental organisation, that issues one of the most significant certifications to ensure that the forestry product acquired (wood or paper) comes from a sustainably managed forest.

It originated in California in 1990, and was the first step in establishing a worldwide sustainable certification for these types of products, that was finally consolidated with the creation of the Founding Assembly in Toronto in 1993.

The FSC certificate is a complete guarantee of sustainability, supported by ONGs such as the WWF.

FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certificate

PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification)

PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) is the most widespread forestry certification system in the world. This organisation, also not-for-profit, originated in the forestry sector itself.

The objectives of the PEFC are to protect forestry resources, the ecosystem and biological diversity, and contribute to the socioeconomic development of the communities where these forest masses are located.

PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) certificate

EPD (Environmental Product Declaration)

An EPD or Environmental Product Declaration is a certified document that provides information on the environmental impact of a product, material or service. This certification is a standard in construction, a sector where laws and new regulations on improvements in energy efficiency and sustainability come up practically every minute.

The EPD is drawn up by the manufacturer, where the potential of the building material to reduce the impact on the environment is argued. This declaration must then be verified by approved independent organisations, called Programme Administrators.

EPD (Environmental Product Declaration) certificate

Certified wood products for a better and more beautiful world

In short, sustainable certification of products helps guarantee that the processes are becoming safer for the environment. The commitment of GRUPO GÁMIZ to nature and sustainable architecture is strong, as you can see in our certifications: FSC, PEFC and EPD.

Residence in Rosario Manzaneque |Arch: By More Arquitectos | Product: Cladding of the exterior façade – Accoya® horizontal scantlings

Its sustainability is complemented by the most significant product quality certifications, such as the CTB and the CE, awarded to VIGAM, our oak glulam beam, the only one in the world with the CE marking for structural use. Similarly, we are distributors of ACCOYA®, the sustainable wood of the future.

Every day we work so that the certified quality wood products that we design and manufacture can help architects and construction companies that want to create a better world without renouncing the creativity, function, resistance and beauty of wood.

La entrada True sustainable architecture is certified se publicó primero en Grupo Gámiz.

Melarium is a small summit of sustainable architecture. It is a functional, playful, respectful building, integrated with nature (animals and plants), and sustainable in both design and use.

As if this were not enough, visiting it is an unforgettable experience that is artistic (it is normal to observe it from the outside and go round it, like you would with a sculpture) and sensorial, as going into Melarium is going into a beehive and, practically, merging with the body of a bee.

Melarium, ACCOYA® cladding | Arch: David Vedhoen | Product: ACCOYA® sustainable wood | Photo courtesy of imkerverenigingdelft.nl

This exceptional work, in a natural spot in the Dutch town of Delft, is constructed with ACCOYA® sustainable wood, which, in the words of its creator David Veldhoen, makes it “a resistant, isolated organism that breathes”.

Melarium, ACCOYA® cladding | Arch: David Vedhoen | Product: ACCOYA® sustainable wood | Photo courtesy of  davidveldhoen.nl

Inside sustainable wood bee

The surface of Melarium (from the Latin melis, honey) has 4000 holes, a decision that is reminiscent of the fragmented eye of a queen bee. The interior takes its inspiration from the shape of the bee’s body, divided into three parts. The hives are located in one of them, with the bees producing honey.

Melarium, ACCOYA® cladding | Arch: David Vedhoen | Product: ACCOYA® sustainable wood | Photo courtesy of  davidveldhoen.nl

Melarium, ACCOYA® cladding | Arch: David Vedhoen | Product: ACCOYA® sustainable wood | Photo courtesy of  davidveldhoen.nl

A spiral staircase takes us to the roof terrace, designed to provide the same view a bee would have in full flight. Under the terrace and above the hives, there is a meeting space, where local beekeepers and scientists experiment and share techniques and discoveries.

Melarium, ACCOYA® cladding | Arch: David Vedhoen | Product: ACCOYA® sustainable wood | Photo courtesy of  davidveldhoen.nl

ACCOYA®, modified wood with a 50-year written guarantee

The craftsman behind the project, David Vedhoen, was sure that Melarium required wooden cladding that could easily be built around a steel frame, and that would not need any maintenance. ACCOYA® acetylated wood was the material selected due to its resistance, durability, natural texture and special performance against moulds and insects.

Put simply, ACCOYA® will not rot or be attacked by wood-eating organisms, such as termites. One of the advantages of its acetylation process, which is completely natural, is that the cell structure of the wood is modified so the insect does not recognise it as food.

Qualities such as these are what make ACCOYA® sustainable wood one of the leading construction materials for the architects of the present and the very immediate future. Its performance is so spectacular that its manufacturers and distributors offer a written 50-year guarantee.

La entrada Melarium, or the experience of entering a beehive se publicó primero en Grupo Gámiz.

The Italian Renzo Piano (Pritzker prize 1998) is one of the most well-known architects in the world. He is also one of the most tireless voices on the need to engage in design and construction with respect for the environment. His defence of sustainable architecture can be read in numerous interviews and statements and, of course, it can be seen in his work.

Renzo Piano’s close relationship with Paris began in the 1970s, when he created the Pompidou Centre alongside Richard Rogers. The French capital is home to one of the branches of his RPBW studio, which was responsible for creating the new Palace of Justice, located in district 17 of the city.

Maison de l’Ordre des Avocats: façade with wooden curtain walling

One of the main buildings in this complex is MOdA, the headquarters of the Paris bar association, where wooden curtain walling can be seen. This sustainable solution for lightweight façades is an option that is used ever more frequently by architects thanks to the beauty of the wood and its structural abilities.

The wooden curtain walling at MOdA was built with VIGAM, the only oak glulam beam in the world with the CE marking for structural use, designed, manufactured and distributed by GRUPO GÁMIZ.

The Maison de l’Ordre des Avocats | Arq: Estudio de Renzo Piano | Producto Grupo Gámiz: Viga laminada de roble – Muro Cortina | Foto vía ©L.Zylberman/Graphix-Images

Maison de l’Ordre des Avocats | Arch: Renzo Piano studio | Grupo Gámiz Product: Oak glulam – curtain wall | Photo courtesy of ©L.Zylberman/Graphix-Images

Maison de l’Ordre des Avocats | Arch: Renzo Piano studio | Grupo Gámiz Product: Oak glulam – curtain wall | Photo courtesy of ©L.Zylberman/Graphix-Images

Maison de l’Ordre des Avocats | Arch: Renzo Piano studio | Grupo Gámiz Product: Oak glulam – curtain wall | Photo courtesy of ©L.Zylberman/Graphix-Images

Maison de l’Ordre des Avocats | Arch: Renzo Piano studio | Grupo Gámiz Product: Oak glulam – curtain wall | Photo courtesy of ©L.Zylberman/Graphix-Images

Maison de l’Ordre des Avocats | Arch: Renzo Piano studio | Grupo Gámiz Product: Oak glulam – curtain wall | Photo courtesy of ©L.Zylberman/Graphix-Images

Maison de l’Ordre des Avocats | Arch: Renzo Piano studio | Grupo Gámiz Product: Oak glulam – curtain wall | Photo courtesy of ©L.Zylberman/Graphix-Images

Transparency, exchange and functionality

Curtain walling is this ideal choice to transmit one of the symbolic ideas that sustain this project by Renzo Piano: the transparency of the institutions responsible for upholding justice. From the outside, everyone can see the comings and goings of the people who work there.

Maison de l’Ordre des Avocats | Arch: Renzo Piano studio | Grupo Gámiz Product: Oak glulam – curtain wall | Photo courtesy of ©L.Zylberman/Graphix-Images

In addition, the building and its adjacent squares have been designed to serve the other activities typical of the Court of Justice and, likewise, form part of the public life of the neighbourhood.

La entrada A symbol of transparency manufactured in wood se publicó primero en Grupo Gámiz.

Sustainable architecture projects are designed from various fronts. The most noteworthy are the general inclination toward respect for the environment, ecodesign, to draw maximum benefit from the construction in terms of energy and emphasis on sustainability when selecting the materials, in terms of both their manufacture and their footprint left on the planet.

To move forward with the project for this health centre commissioned by Osakidetza for town of Campezo, in the mountains of Alava, the architect Adolfo Moro Quintana took an objective of energy efficiency as his starting point. He achieved it by planning the construction with the right southern orientation to make use of the natural light, and by paying attention to the smallest details of its insulation.

A key point in this matter is the envelope design, the skin that protects the building from the exterior: wind, temperature, humidity, etc. For this purpose, the architect decided to clad the façade with ACCOYA® sustainable wood.

Santa Cruz de Campezo health centre | Arch: Adolfo Moro | Product: Accoya®

An efficient, sustainable and elegant façade, integrated into the environment

As you can see, the façade of the Campezo health centre has a very special nature. The horizontal gaps, in addition to providing an interesting texture, allow lighting, ventilation, and control over the sunshine, in addition to affording privacy to what happens inside.

The terrain on which this medical centre is located is eminently rural, with low houses, squares with gardens and agricultural land. The aesthetics of the façade made with ACCOYA® sustainable wood manages to integrate a new-build into this environment in full harmony.

Santa Cruz de Campezo health centre | Arch: Adolfo Moro | Product: Accoya®

Untreated Accoya® wood evolves with the passage of time. Snapshots from 2017, 2018 and 2019 respectively of the Santa Cruz de Campezo health centre | Arch: Adolfo Moro

Acetylated wood, a safe choice in terms of durability and sustainability for exteriors

Acetylation is a natural treatment that turns radiata pine from sustainable forests into an extraordinarily durable wood. This process is carried out using natural reagents with no toxins.

Santa Cruz de Campezo health centre | Arch: Adolfo Moro | Product: Accoya®

The result is a wood that is resistant to the inclemency of the weather, rot-proof (repels moulds and insects such as termites, etc.), with great beauty and usability, that can take any finish.

Thanks to its sustainable and aesthetic qualities many architects now use ACCOYA® for both interiors and exteriors. Its performance in exteriors is so incredibly good that manufacturers and distributors offer ACCOYA® certified wood with a written 50-year guarantee.

Santa Cruz de Campezo health centre | Arch: Adolfo Moro | Product: Accoya®

PROJECT FILE

• Architect: Adolfo Moro Quintana
• Contractor: Campezo Obras y Servicios, S.A.
• ACCOYA® distributor: GRUPO GÁMIZ
• Year: 2017

La entrada Kanpezu-Campezo Health Centre se publicó primero en Grupo Gámiz.

The circular economy is a concept of consumption based on zero waste. The aim is to put into practice the opposite of “disposable”. The idea is that everything that is used (is consumed), can be reused, recycled or reconverted at the end of its useful life. Exiting the circle means failure: converting that particular product into waste.

There are more and more companies and sectors that understand that the current model of consumption is not viable for a healthy planet and, consequently, to guarantee our survival and that of other living beings. Sustainable architecture aims to seek new roads in design and construction that help to protect the environment and, at the same time, improve people’s lifestyle habits.

Image of the circular economy

How can we get into the circle of sustainability?

The big question that arises in the profession is whether in practice it is possible to develop a circular economy in architecture. To respond to this, many architects are starting to focus a large part of their attention on the essential element of any project that they want to make reality: the construction materials.

We might not yet be ready to design buildings with absolutely all components able to be reused. In fact, today 54% of demolition materials are not reused, and go directly to landfill. But all indicators point to a very different way of building in the future. The route is starting to be set out clearly by society’s ecological awareness, world legislation and the scarcity of some materials.

Oak House School | Arch: Trasbordo arquitectura y gerencia de construcción S.L. | Product: Ventilated façade – Accoya® tongue and groove units

Let’s start, as always, with wood

Wood has been helping architecture to evolve practically since its origins. Today it has become, again, an essential building material, in sustainable innovation that drives this art towards its ecological targets.

Wood is, in itself, a natural resource. Its intrinsic qualities as organic matter present it as the sustainable material par excellence: recyclable, reusable, reconvertible. Using wooden components in construction is a big first step in integrating architecture into the circular economy.

The good news is that the advantages of wood increase with its structural properties, which make it possible for many traditional products considered decorative to earn greater importance as construction components.

VIGAM: the only oak glulam beam in the world with the CE marking for structural use

Certified wood for structural use is a solution sustainable for architects who are creative and respectful of the environment. With VIGAM, the only oak glulam beam in the world with the CE marking for structural use, manufactured and distributed exclusively by GRUPO GÁMIZ, it is possible to design, for example, wooden curtain walling without the need for steel or aluminium.

European Southern Observatory (ESO) offices | Arch: Auer & Weber – Munich | Product: Oak glulam – curtain wall

With this option, professionals can achieve a lightweight façade with warmer and more attractive interiors, with the natural personality and elegance that only wood can provide.

What is most important is to have the vision that it is possible to change the world and to act on it. Many architects already do so every day, trusting wood as the most reliable building material for projects that aspire to quality, as architecture has been doing for 12,000 years.

La entrada Architecture is key in the circular economy se publicó primero en Grupo Gámiz.

Sustainable architecture is converting wood, an ancient material, into the innovative building material of the future. Its known virtues of warmth, beauty and elegance are complemented with the growing values of ecology and sustainability.

In the matter that concerns us today, there are many studies that demonstrate how well wood responds against fire. And despite the fact that wood is fuel (and the poor reputation this has given it in the popular imagination), it is true that no material can resist fire.

What we do know, first of all, is that fires occur for external reasons, not because of the characteristics of the material used. Secondly, the statistics are clear that the real hazard is inside the building, which is what burns first (furniture, decoration, clothing, etc.).

The effects on the structure come later. And yes, that is where, under the spotlight, the excellent role of timber components used in construction in contact with fire can be seen.

Wooden house

The only building material that protects itself against fire

The fire resistance of a construction component is calculated by measuring the time during it is able to continue fulfilling its function in a fire. The three main values are resistance, seal and insulation.

In this regard it can be stated that wood, thanks to its natural properties, is the only building material that protects itself against fire. 

As it is a natural thermal insulator, wood has a low thermal conductivity, which means its temperature decreases gradually toward the centre. At the same time, it is able to slow combustion because the carbonisation of its surface impedes both the penetration of heat and the release of gases.

Finally, as wood is very unlikely to dilate with heat, in a fire the timber components do not subject structures or walls to great pressures

Oak House School | Arch: Trasbordo arquitectura y gerencia de construcción S.L. | Product: Ventilated façade – Accoya® tongue and groove units

Technology to further improve this resistance

If there are no flames, wood needs a surface temperature of more than 400ºC to start to burn in the short or medium term. With fire, the surface would still need to reach almost 300ºC for a time before it starts to combust.

In support of these natural conditions, technology in the manufacture of wood products is always progressing in matters such as sustainability and efficiency, so there are currently a number of manufacture techniques that improve wood’s resistance against fire (sacrificial sections, retardant products, etc.).

New safe and sustainable architecture solutions in wood

Every day, architects are seeking new design and construction inspiration that will enrich their projects from a creative, functional and sustainable point of view. The possibilities of quality certified wood and, in this specific case, the virtues of wood products with regard to fire, enable this natural, ecological material to be an exceptional protagonist once more in significant architecture projects all over the world.

Proposals such as wooden curtain walling, the ideal solution for embellishing and bringing sustainability to the interior of lightweight façades, are possible thanks to products such as VIGAM, the only oak glulam beam in the world with the CE marking for structural use, manufactured and distributed exclusively by GRUPO GÁMIZ.

Another way to add style, efficiency and safety in exterior cladding is to opt for ACCOYA® acetylated wood, providing beauty, elegance and, above all, durability. This all-terrain material for exteriors is sustainable and natural, and comes with a written 50-year guarantee.

Residence in Rosario Manzaneque | Arch: By More Arquitectos | Product: Cladding of the exterior façade – Accoya® horizontal scantlings

Wood is making headway in the XXI century and restoring its place in the world

That place is the architect’s drawing board and, consequently, constructions of all types. There, thanks to its quality, wood shines once more as a decorative or structural component. A prestige it lost for some time due to unwarranted myths regarding fire.

San Francisco Fires, 1906 | Photo courtesy of Defensacentral

Because in fact the famous fire that destroyed San Francisco in 1906 was not caused by the flammability of the wooden buildings. In reality it was not just one single fire, it was hundreds, which were triggered by various gas explosions caused by the earthquake. The fire passed between the buildings (wooden or not) that burned without remission.

And as if this was not enough, many other fires were caused by the owners, who had insured their buildings against fire, but not against earthquake

La entrada Did you know that the great fire that destroyed San Francisco did not have anything to do with wood? se publicó primero en Grupo Gámiz.

If they so desire, the residents of this complex right on the seafront of the Guipuzcoa town of Zarautz can simply open the door, step out onto the sand and take a dip in the sea. Undisputable comfort that comes with a price: the wear of the construction materials due to the sun, salt and strong winds in the area, especially outside of summer.

The hallmark of these apartment blocks is their railings with wooden slats, that with the inclemency of the weather and the passage of time have lost their original image and even their functional capacity. That is why for this façade restoration project, the studio XS Arquitectura opted for a material with a high level of durability, resistance and beauty: ACCOYA® sustainable wood.

Terrace refurbishment for the Muskaria residential complex, Zarautz | Arch: XS Arquitectura | Product: Terraces – Accoya®

Acetylated wood: a natural treatment with no toxic substances

The principal virtue of ACCOYA® acetylated wood is its durability. This is achieved with a procedure that modifies the molecular structure of the wood without using any toxic components. The pieces of wood are submerged in a bath of natural reagents: carbon, oxygen and hydrogen.

This process, acetylation, treats the whole of the piece of wood, not just the surface, and the result a very hard wood, with great dimensional stability and resistance in cycles of stretching and shrinkage.

Terrace refurbishment for the Muskaria residential complex, Zarautz | Arch: XS Arquitectura | Product: Terraces – Accoya®

The ideal sustainable wood for exteriors, with a 50-year written guarantee

In addition, this natural alteration of the wood’s structure makes ACCOYA@ resistant to moulds and insects (for example, termites), which no longer recognise this wood as food.

The advantages of ACCOYA® are enjoyed by sustainable architects worldwide, who see in this material a creative and functional solution to integrate respect for the environment into their projects, while enjoying the beauty and other aesthetic qualities of wood.

The absolute quality and resistance of ACCOYA® wood enables its distributors, GRUPO GÁMIZ, to offer a 50-year written guarantee.

Terrace refurbishment for the Muskaria residential complex, Zarautz | Arch: XS Arquitectura | Product: Terraces – Accoya®

PROJECT FILE

• Architectural studio: XS Arquitectura
• Architects: Borja Agirresarobe Lopetegi, Kerman Elizondo Arrieta
• Collaborators: Elisabeth Gesalaga Argote, Daniel Aramberri Rodríguez
• ACCOYA® distributor: GRUPO GÁMIZ
• Carpentry: Carpintería Zulaika
• Year: 2018

La entrada Muskaria residential complex se publicó primero en Grupo Gámiz.

In these mentally unsettling times, with radical changes in how we see the world, architecture cannot remain on the sidelines. Its role as a trigger for new ways of living and sharing urban spaces has become even more important with the covid-19 crisis. It is in this extraordinary panorama where an innovative, effective, sustainable, resistant, beautiful building material with versatile applications begins to take on importance: wood.

It is strange, and yet logical, that in the final stretch of first quarter of the XXI century we are witnessing a rediscovery of natural building materials that have accompanied human beings practically since the dawn of architecture. Its renewable values (wood retains carbon, instead of releasing it into the atmosphere), its warmth and its durability complement the great creative possibilities of glulam wood, benefits that are achieved through technology and the structural certifications.

Glulam wood | Photo courtesy of  Plataforma Arquitectura

The big advantages of glulam wood

Glulam wood is a great ally of architects who do not want to limit their imagination. Its versatility makes it possible to create large, long, very wide or even curved parts.

Its beauty provides warmth, a natural atmosphere and elegance to all types of buildings, whether historic (restorations) or modern (new builds).

Wander Wood Pavilion | Product: Glulam wood | Photo courtesy of Plataforma Arquitectura

Glulam wood has great resistance and durability, perfect to withstand the inclemency of the harshest environments, including a high relative humidity.

Despite its resistance and capacity, it is much lighter and more stable than other structural materials such as concrete and steel.

Starting with the fact that it is combustible, innovations in the design and manufacture of glulam wood have turned it into a material with excellent behaviour in the event of fire. 

Using glulam wood reduces construction time, as the products necessary are quickly available from the catalogue.

And of course, one of the biggest advantages is that it is a sustainable building material, that helps protect the environment and plant the seed of a healthier world for generations to come.

Innovation: wooden curtain walling with oak glulam beams

At GRUPO GÁMIZ we manufacture VIGAM, the only oak glulam beam in the world with the CE marking for structural use. Our glulam beams are being used in projects all over the world to give a new touch to lightweight façades with wooden curtain walling. A touch that brings sustainability and beauty to our lives.

Enovos, Luxembourg | | Arch: Jim Clemes | Product: Oak glulam – curtain wall

The result? Interiors with warmer, more natural and ecological façades. Thanks to glulam wood in general, and to oak glulam beams with the CE marking for structural use in particular, a good number of professionals that contribute to sustainable architecture have increased the creative possibilities of their designs.

La entrada Sustainability in architecture is more creative with glulam beams se publicó primero en Grupo Gámiz.

People who hear the expression for the first time ask, “What is acetylated wood?” The architects, construction companies and customers that already know ACCOYA® will likely have a similar response: it is a wood that is very beautiful, authentically sustainable and unusually durable. To the point that its producers and distributors, such as GRUPO GÁMIZ, are willing to offer a written 50-year guarantee.

For all those who are creating every day, step by step, little by little, the reality of sustainable architecture, with an ecological drive and unlimited creativity and design, ACCOYA® acetylated wood is an unrivalled partner. A unique, sustainable building material achieved using natural technology with no toxic substances involved.

Europa Congress Palace | Arch: Alfredo Bengoa (Vitoria city hall) – Jesús Armedáriz (IDOM) | Product: Cladding of the exterior façade – Accoya® horizontal scantlings

What is acetylation?

Acetylation is basically a treatment that modifies the molecular structure of the wood, but that protects the whole part. In other words, it is a process to which the wood is fully subjected, not just the surface, and that is carried out without any toxic chemical components.

This method results in wood with superior dimensional stability, with a high level of resistance to cycles of stretching and shrinkage. As if that were not enough, this procedure makes the wood resistant to moulds and insects (termites, etc.), as they do not recognise the wood as food, thanks to this molecular alteration.

Residence in Manacor | | Arch: Brunet Architects | Product: Accoya® doors and windows

“Pickling” the wood completely naturally

To understand the treatment, as explained by the manufacturer, it is in principle very similar to pickling: submerging a food in vinegar to preserve it for longer.

Starting with pieces of radiata pine wood, they are dipped in a special “vinegar”, where the reagents are natural: carbon, oxygen and hydrogen. This action prevents the wood cells absorbing water, a modification that makes the wood particularly suitable for exterior projects due to its durability and beauty.

Oak House School | Arch: Trasbordo arquitectura y gerencia de construcción S.L. | Product: Ventilated façade – Accoya® tongue and groove units

Certified sustainable wood with a written 50-year guarantee

ACCOYA® wood comes from sustainable forests. This means that acetylated wood itself helps increases forestry biomass, in other words, natural plant-based renewable energy.

In addition, the acetylation process is so safe and effective that ACCOYA® provides a written 50-year guarantee. An infallible value for sustainable architecture projects and without unlimited imagination.

La entrada Toxin-free “pickled” wood se publicó primero en Grupo Gámiz.