NEW DELHI: Forestry Innovation Investment (FII), popularly known as Canadian Wood, a Crown agency of the provincial government of British Columbia (B.C) Canada and MAK Projects unveiled the Canadian Wood Villa, located at BTR Greens, a high-end gated community on the outskirts of Hyderabad, India.
A collaborative project between the two esteemed organizations, the project was led by MAK Projects with technical support, training, and project management inputs provided by FII.
The Canadian Wood villa was formally inaugurated by the Chief Guest Minister Mohammed Mahmood Ali, Minister of Home, Prisons, and Fire Services of Telangana, along with the Guest Cameron Mackay, the High Commissioner of Canada in India.
Other dignitaries in attendance included Dr. Nawab Mir Nasir Ali Khan, the Consul of the Republic of Kazakhstan for the states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh and Promoter and Managing Director of MAK Projects Pvt. Ltd. Michael Loseth, CEO of Forestry Innovation Investment, and Pranesh Chhibber, Country Director, Canadian Wood in India. Following the inauguration ceremony, the VIP guests were given an exclusive guided tour of the Canadian Wood Villa by Peter Bradfield, Technical Advisor to Canadian Wood in India.
The project was commenced in October 2021 and was completed in less than 12 months.
The villa is spread over a sprawling plot area of 15,000 sq.ft. with built-up area of 6,000 sq.ft. over two levels with a large leisure and living area, kitchen, pantry, four bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms, gymnasium, games room, AV room, outdoor sitting, and expansive outdoor dining area. Canadian Wood Villa is one of the first projects of its kind in the country to combine light wood frame construction with mass timber and prefabricated construction technologies. This technique optimizes the building process by helping reduce the time and cost involved in the construction process. The villa is almost entirely made from a variety of sustainably sourced and certified wood species from British Columbia, Canada, including Spruce-pine-fir (S-P-F), Western red cedar, Yellow cedar, and Western hemlock, which are showcased in both interior and outdoor applications.
The many benefits of wood construction in terms of aesthetics, the environment, durability and performance are leveraged in the construction of this project. The home’s carbon footprint is minimized because of the extensive use of wood and off-site fabrication, along with improved thermal performance. The extensive use of wood in the structure has resulted in 481 metric tonnes of reduced carbon footprint in the project—the equivalent of removing 102 cars from the road for a year. Additionally, residents benefit from the timber home’s biophilic features. The design of the house is evocative of the well-known Canadian West coast style, with a delicate mix of natural materials like masonry, stone, and a variety of wood applications such as a gently sloping hipped roofline, double-height cathedral ceilings, exposed natural timber and glulam beams, broad overhanging eaves, and covered outdoor decking.
Commenting on the collaboration, Pranesh Chhibber, Country Director of Canadian Wood in India, said; “A growing awareness of the relationship between human health, the environment and the economy has led to a fast-evolving concept of sustainable wood homes in India. It’s a highly responsible decision on part of MAK to choose certified Canadian wood species sourced from sustainably managed forests of British Columbia. We expect this collaboration with MAK Projects will spawn many more such eco-friendly projects in the coming months and years across India.
While unable to attend the event in person, British Columbia’s Minister of Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation, Hon. Ravi Kahlon, sent his congratulations on the inauguration and said;
“On behalf of our government and all British Columbians, I would like to congratulate MAK projects and all those involved in the Canadian Wood Villa project. The project not only demonstrates the beauty and versatility of B.C. wood products but also how wood from B.C.’s sustainably managed forests can be used to advance low-carbon building solutions in India.
Commenting on the collaboration H.E. Dr. Nawab Mir Nasir Ali Khan, Promoter & Managing Director, MAK Projects Pvt. Ltd, said; ” Wood is a sustainable, renewable, and natural building material. Wood can simultaneously achieve reduced carbon emissions, bring about increased sustainability in a building’s life cycle, and offer improved occupant well-being. As compared to concrete and steel, it offers high strength-to-weight ratio and excellent design flexibility. Wood is known to be a very good insulator of heat and cold and is 15 times better than concrete and 400 times better than steel.
The Canadian Wood Villa is a significant step by MAK Projects which will go a long way in reducing pollution in the field of construction and offering our discerning customers beautiful, green, and climate friendly homes in Hyderabad.