PANORAMA OF THE USE OF ENGINEERED WOOD IN BRAZILIAN SCHOOLS AND ITS SUSTAINABILITY POTENTIAL

PANORAMA DO USO DA MADEIRA ENGENHEIRADA EM ESCOLAS BRASILEIRAS E SEU POTENCIAL SUSTENTÁVEL

Abstract

The use of engineered wood in buildings has been linked to improvements in user health, well-being, and environmental quality. This is relevant since civil construction has a significant impact on the current climate crisis. As a result, there is growing focus on materials and projects that decrease environmental impact while improving the quality of living spaces. One alternative is the use of engineered wood in structural systems to integrate technical efficiency, lower environmental impact, and provide psychological and physiological benefits to users. Tangentially, educational building design plays an essential role in human development and should be planned to offer a qualified learning environment. Consequently, this study aimed to obtain a panorama of the use of engineered wood in Brazilian school buildings. This was accomplished through a bibliographical review with a qualitative survey of such buildings and analysis of their design.The analysis, combined with theoretical concepts, contributed to the field of school architecture regarding the potential of wood to promote health, well-being, and sustainability. The survey identified the application of engineered wood in 12 schools, initially concentrated in Rio Grande do Sul, followed by a recent phase of consolidation in the Southeast region, characterized by diversification of the technology.