Material Selection: Wood and Metal with Purpose

 At Beire material selection isn’t just a technical decision. It’s part of our responsibility to design and build smarter. We work with both wood and metal, not because one is better than the other, but because each has its strengths when used intentionally and with care. 
In recent years, the word sustainability has become a standard checkbox, often applied broadly, and not always accurately. True sustainability for us isn’t about the material alone, but about how it’s sourced, how long it’s used, and what happens when it’s no longer new. 

The Case for Certified Wood 

Our wooden components are made from Dutch plywood with a carbon production footprint of ~1.0 – 1.2 kg CO₂/kg. It’s FSC® and PEFC™ certified, and compliant with the E1 formaldehyde emission standard. This ensures a safer product for indoor environments and a supply chain that meets globally recognized sustainability benchmarks. 

But the most important part? These panels are not single-use. On average, we reuse them in more than 40 project cycles. When they can no longer serve as panels, we repurpose the material by cutting it into smaller structural elements, like subfloor components. Nothing is wasted. 

At the complete end of the life cycle, the wood is broken down for use in forest conservation, packaging, or even efficient on-site energy production. 

Metal. Strategic, Efficient, and Useful. Sustainable? 

We also integrate metal framing systems where they add value for modularity, heavy reuse, build speed, or technical requirements. They play an important role in the exhibition industry and continue to help us deliver fast, efficient builds. 

However, extruded Aluminum has a ~10x carbon footprint per kg than wood with ~~9 – 12 kg CO₂/kg in production. What we avoid is assuming various materials are inherently “sustainable” based on industry trends or marketing claims. Aluminum may be durable, but if it’s imported from outside the EU, not re-used many times, or poorly recycled, it’s a much less sustainable solution than advertised. 

Additionally, aluminum-based systems reduce the flexibility to meet the evolving creativity inspirations that make exhibition marketing unique. To achieve different effects requires the purchase of ever higher volumes of aluminum elements with diminishing creative reusability. This is where a mesh of both wood and aluminum can optimize for both reusability, cost, and creative flexibility. 

A Systems-Based Approach 
Our view at Beire is simple: Sustainability comes from systems, not slogans. It’s about lifecycle thinking, sourcing responsibly, maximizing reuse, and closing the loop when materials reach the end of their primary function.