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Behind every building are people and companies with visions and innovative products and approaches. More and more of them are united in our association and growing network. Join us and benefit from the advantages.
As part of our series of short portraits of our members, we spoke to Erich Wiesner, CEO and owner of WIEHAG.
Member portrait 3: Erich Wiesner from WIEHAG
For decades, WIEHAG has been recognized as a pioneer in engineered timber construction, consistently setting new standards in sustainable building. In this interview, Mr. Wiesner—CEO and owner of WIEHAG—shares his vision and insights into the future of timber construction, as well as the challenges and opportunities that come with the increased use of wood as a building material.
1. Mr. Wiesner, what personally drives you to continually push the boundaries of timber construction, and what vision guides your work in positioning wood as a building material of the future?
We have always seen ourselves as pioneers in engineered timber construction, continuously elevating this still niche segment of the building industry to a new level. The global trend toward climate-conscious construction is driving growth in timber building, and with our expertise, we aim to be part of the shift toward more material- and energy-efficient construction practices.
Our international reference projects are forward-looking. We built Asia’s largest timber structure at NTU University in Singapore, completed the Ascent Tower in Milwaukee—the tallest timber high-rise in the United States—and are currently constructing the Atlassian Tower in Sydney, which, with its impressive height of 180 meters, is setting new global benchmarks in engineered timber construction.
2. What makes WIEHAG unique?
WIEHAG takes a holistic approach to timber construction. Our expertise in engineering, production, and project execution enables us to unlock new dimensions in engineered timber building. As early as 1966, we completed the largest timber hall in Europe with a free span of 100 meters—a milestone in the field of engineered timber construction.
3. What contribution can timber construction make to the decarbonization of the building sector?
The construction sector and buildings are responsible for roughly 37% of global CO₂ emissions. In contrast, using wood in construction has a climate-positive effect: trees absorb CO₂ as they grow, and that carbon remains stored in the timber throughout the lifespan of the structure. According to a certified Environmental Product Declaration, one cubic meter of WIEHAG glulam stores 768 kg of CO₂. A critical factor in this process is sustainable forest management, which in Europe is governed by forestry laws to ensure that no more wood is harvested annually than is regrown.
4. What challenges do you see in expanding mass timber construction in markets traditionally dominated by steel and concrete?
Timber construction is gaining increasing importance worldwide and is steadily gaining ground due to its ecological advantages. In many markets, the key challenge is building trust in the material—something that completed reference projects significantly help with. Another major hurdle lies in developing and disseminating knowledge, as timber construction is still not widely taught in schools and universities in many countries, creating a substantial need for catch-up. On the positive side, timber construction is playing a leading role in areas such as digitalization and prefabrication.
5. How does WIEHAG ensure that its timber products meet both sustainability and building standards across different global markets?
Many international markets do not have their own technical standards for timber construction and therefore follow German (DIN) or European (EN) norms. These standards are very familiar to us, as WIEHAG engineers have been actively involved in shaping timber construction regulations at both national and European levels. Our Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) is based on the life cycle assessment methodology according to ISO 14000 and provides a consistent, fact-based foundation for sustainability-related information.
About WIEHAG:
(Interview by Samara Sicardi, Head of Marketing & Communications at Timber Finance)