Forests are known carbon sinks, but have you ever heard of a skyscraper pulling CO₂ out of the atmosphere? The construction industry has long been notorious for environmentally hazardous practices — cement production is the largest industrial emitter of CO₂ — but Swedish architects are finding new ways to build. A new 20-story building, named the Sara Cultural Centre, in the city of Skelleftea, is built entirely of timber from nearby forests.
This skyscraper, which is the second tallest wooden tower in the world, will capture nine million kilograms of CO₂ throughout its lifetime. The center opened its doors to the public in fall 2021. Inside the building are six theaters, two art galleries, a library, a conference center, and a hotel. The construction of the Sara Cultural Centre is one step in Skelleftea’s plan to transition to environmentally friendly building materials.