Kebony decks out stunning Norwegian boathouse with sustainable wood

Kebony, the award-winning sustainable substitute for tropical hardwood and preservative treated timber has recently unveiled a new and exciting project in Norway. This Cleantech 100 company continues its innovative and pioneering approach to architecture and construction with the Naust paa Aure boathouse – a beautiful structure that lies at the heart of the Norwegian way of life.

Traditionally, Norwegian boathouses were used to store a family’s fishing boats, equipment and daily catches, located just above the high tide mark with large double doors that enabled easy manoeuvring of boats in and out. Whilst many boathouses are still used for these purposes during winter months, they have now also become popular summerhouses with easy access to the shore and wonderful panoramic views.

Nast paa Aure reflects these long-standing Nordic traditions and lies in the picturesque remote region of More og Romsdal. Working with Norwegian architects TYIN tegnestue, the structure takes inspiration from an original derelict naust (boathouse) and exhibits its same proportions, qualities and materials. Kebony cladding, decking and roofing was chosen for its resistance and durability, necessary for Norway’s extreme coastal climate. Kebony’s high density and exceptional quality ensures it is resistant to wear and weathering without the need for any expensive and environmentally-damaging chemical treatments. As such, the structure will evolve with its surrounding natural landscape and acquire a beautiful silver grey patina over time.

Architects TYIN tegnestue comment: “This project called for a durable and weatherproof cladding. Kebony is proven to withstand the strain of winter storms and is great because it doesn’t use toxic chemicals in the impregnation process. The material fitted well with our wish for a low maintenance building, and the colour of the facade will slowly shift from dark brown to a bright, silvery grey. After some time the building will blend beautifully with the surrounding nature.”

In testament to Kebony’s outstanding environmental credentials, its product has increasingly become the choice for leading architects, builders and designers looking for not only exceptional quality, durability and aesthetics but a product that is sustainable and environmentally friendly. Kebony has received several awards in recognition of its green approach - most recently named as one of the world’s most promising clean technology companies in the Global Cleantech 100 in competition with more than 3,000 companies from 50 countries. Kebony was also cited as one of the top 50 companies that could change our world in 2010 and one of the top 25 creative European Companies as well as receiving the Nordic region’s eco-label, the Swan, the Glass Bear for sustainable consumption and production and the Norwegian Blue Ocean Award. Further to this, recent environmental studies also demonstrate that Kebony maple has a substantially lower carbon footprint than unsustainable Burmese teak.*

Kebony’s growing influence has been further strengthened by a number of high-profile industry accreditations which reflect its product’s unrivalled performance. Kebony is FSC-certified and is also embraced by leading preservation organisations such as The Rain Forest Coalition and the WWF. On the back of Kebony’s revolutionary concept they were also asked to present at the highly-acclaimed CC8 Climate Conference and invited to display their innovative product at the UN-Climate Conference in Copenhagen.

* A recent study by Norwegian environmental consulting firm Bergfald & Co demonstrated Kebony maple to be a suitable substitute for unsustainable Burmese teak in maritime and other applications, with a substantially lower carbon footprint.

Kebony ASA

Kebony® offers a sustainable alternative to tropical hardwood. A proprietary wood modification technology called 'Kebonization' permanently transforms sustainable wood specifies…