03.03.2025
The ATIBT has published a new Guide to the performance and functional requirements of structures made from African tropical woods. This book is a reference document for clients, architects, specifiers and professionals wishing to integrate tropical wood into their work.
The creation of this Guide was prompted by a request from project owners, mainly architects, who wish to use tropical woods in public procurement contracts due to their particular performance characteristics, and who may be confronted with certain difficulties in drafting special technical specifications (CTP).
This document was carried out by the CIRAD (Jean Gérard) with the financial support of the PPECF (Programme de Promotion de l'Exploitation Certifiée des Forêts). It also benefited from contributions from LCB (Le Commerce du Bois).
Although this guide essentially meets the needs of those involved in construction in France, it can also be a valuable aid in other European countries. Reference to the standards of these countries will be necessary.
An English version will also be produced.
Another aim of the Guide is to support and promote the certification process for sustainable forest resource management, and consequently the sustainability of the timber industry in the Congo Basin. To this end, the Guide promotes the value and interest of certified tropical wood to public decision-makers, providing arguments for communicating with the general public and raising awareness of the eco-certification approach and the benefits of its widespread use.
This document is currently being widely distributed through the CNDB (Centre National pour le Développement du Bois).
A guide to facilitate the use of tropical timber
Faced with the challenges posed by the drafting of Cahiers des Clauses Techniques Particulières (CCTP) and the growing demands in terms of traceability and durability, this guide provides concrete solutions to support specifiers, project owners and project managers. It defines technical specifications based on the performance and functional requirements of tropical wood, taking into account European and national regulatory frameworks, notably the European Union's Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and new environmental standards.
The different types of tropical wood products
The second part of the guide focuses on the different types of tropical wood structures, defining performance and functional requirements for thirteen product families. These include :
In this section of the Guide, the descriptions of the two books Guide d'utilisation des bois africains éco-certifiés en Europe84 (Martin and Vernay, 2016) and Guide d'utilisation locale des bois d'Afrique centrale85 (Martin and Groutel, 2023), essential works for all users of Central African tropical woods, are used extensively as references to define the performance and functional requirements of the 13 product families described.
The guide is now available for download from the ATIBT website.
Feel free to consult it and share it with your partners!
For further information, please contact Paul Cuveillier at paul.cuveillier@atibt.org
