TROPIX®: tropical woods data base

Tropical and temperate woods are the only materials that store carbon as they develop and retain it throughout the life of the productsmade from them. To produce a cubic metre of wood, a tree converts an average of a tonne of CO2, and a tonne of wood can store 500 kg of carbon if it is used for construction, housing and, generally speaking, any other long-term purpose. Improving and developing the use of tropical woods helps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and climate change.

Features

For each of the 245 species studied, the new version, TROPIX 7, provides information on:

• botanical and common names; provenance (illustrated by geographical distribution maps); possible commercial restrictions (listing in a CITES appendix)
• timber characteristics: appearance, colours and macroscopic structure (illustrated with photos of wood and examples of uses)
• main physical and mechanical properties (mean values, dispersion)
• wood resistance to biological deterioration factors (fungi, termites, dry wood insects); impregnability; use categories; possible preservation treatment recommendations depending on conditions of use
• wood drying performance (drying table given for information)
• wood performance during sawing and milling, suitability for veneer production, joint strength
• commercial classification: sawn product appearance in line with the applicable regulations and visual structure classification.
• actual and potential uses; fire performance (as per French and EU standards).

TROPIX 7 can be used to find species in two ways: based on one or more species descriptor(s) or by similarity to certain properties of another species.

It can also plot graphically each of the 245 species described in relation to the others, based on one or two physical or mechanical properties.

Services

Assistance and technical support with a view to improving and developing tropical wood use.