The Archello Awards 2023 jury has selected Vulcan Shingles, a cladding product that makes use of discarded wood scraps and is produced by New Zealand-based Abodo, as the For the Planet Award winner. For each of the 17 categories in the awards program, one product garnered a top jury vote, and one product a public vote. This awards category is dedicated to recognizing an outstanding sustainable building product that has recently entered the market.
The Vulcan Shingle is an excellent example of how wood products can play a role in the circular economy, by minimizing waste and maximizing the use of resources. The product is created from defective and thermally modified FSC®-certified (Forest Stewardship Council) New Zealand Radiata Pine.
Cladding and screening offcuts are manufacturing byproducts that are typically discarded. Abodo instead collects the material and trims it to a uniform 450 millimeter length, achieving desired dimensions by means of a proprietary technique that enhances the strength and durability of the wood. Horizontal bandsawing yields a characteristic beveled profile with a textured face. The shingles are then treated with a patented and colorless water-based timber preservative to remain durable over time. A ventilation cavity installation system developed by Abodo for the product further extends the shingles' lifespan by reducing condensation and moisture, allowing the wood cladding to breathe and thereby avoid rot and decay.
"At Abodo, what drives our product developments and our business values is the impact we leave on the environment," says Ben Campbell, Head of Markets and Innovation at Abodo. "We strive to always raise the bar and do things differently, to leave the planet in a better place. Receiving the 'For the Planet Award' for our new product is a nice acknowledgment of the hard work that the team has put in to create it."
Read more about the product on Archello here.
