Mjøsa Tower, world's tallest wooden building on March 2019 in Brumunddal, Norway. Kerto LVL Q-panels were used in the floor elements. Photo: Anti Hamar
The Mjøsa Tower has been confirmed as the tallest wooden building in the world. The 18-floor building, located in Brumunddal, Norway, is 85.4 metres high and includes a hotel, private homes and office space. Metsä Wood’s fast, light and green Kerto LVL (laminated veneer lumber) products were used in the intermediate floor elements of the building.
A symbol of eco-friendly thinking in construction, the Mjøsa Tower is hailed as proof that tall buildings can be safely and stylishly made out of wood. Designing and creating such a building was a positive challenge for architect and partner at Voll Arkitekter, Øystein Elgsaas, who said: “We want to inspire others to build the same way.”
Structurally, the Mjøsa Tower is similar to conventional buildings, though the dimensions are much larger. Both the facade and the structure are made out of wood. The load-bearing structure consists of glulam columns, beams and diagonal members, which suits high-rise buildings well. The first ten floors are made of prefabricated wooden elements. The decks on the upper floors are made of concrete, to restrain the building and keep it from swaying.
The design and construction target was to build using sustainable, local wood products and suppliers. As well as the Norwegian glulam and cross-laminated timber (CLT), the building also utilises Kerto LVL products from neighbouring Finland in the floor elements manufactured by Moelven Limtre.
“As a glulam manufacturer we strive to use our own materials to the largest possible extent. However, Kerto LVL is a superior material for the top plate and end beams,” says Rune Abrahamsen, CEO at Moelven Limtre. “Kerto LVL is a lightweight and very straight material thus it guarantees production without any delays. The quality of the product is very good,”
Metsä Wood and Moelven have cooperated for many years. Abrahamsen appreciates both the quality and FSC certification of the raw material.
“Kerto LVL helped us to make Mjøsa Tower as sustainable as possible,” says Abrahamsen who added that he looks forward to new high-rise projects. As cities continue to expand globally, the demand for more sustainable construction grows, and use of wood has an important role in it.
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