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issue 165 | 21.03.11 | Page 1
High, wide and handsome (and dry)
This Issue
Glulam gains new ground on standards – Page 15
It’s looking good for wood
By JIM BOWDEN
Queensland deputy premier Paul Lucas (left) gets the Hyne T2 Blue timber frame treatment message from John Hesse, national product demand manger for Hyne, the major sponsor of the high and dry seminar.
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“I grew up in a high-set timber ‘Queenslander’ and it has stood the test of time and the ravages of a harsh climate; it’s carbon-positive, required a lot less energy to produce than concrete and steel and has greater structural opportunity and beauty.” The deputy premier’s opening remarks built a solid platform for the four speakers that followed; his praise was pure gold for forum organiser Timber Queensland. Mr Lucas said his visits to flood-hit areas showed timber bracing and wood panels had
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QUEENSLAND’S special minister of state Paul Lucas hit the nail on the head: “Why rebuild with anything but wood?” His remark struck a resounding chord with the 210 builders, designers and architects at the ‘high and dry with timber’ forum in Brisbane last week. Billed as a ‘post-disaster special event’, the forum promoted the return to the elevated ‘Queenslander’ and the use of high-tech engineered timber building systems as the preferred structural defenses against floods and cyclonic winds.
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Visit: www.osmose.com.au or phone: 1800 088 809 Osmose® and MicroPro® are registered trademarks of Osmose, Inc. or its subsidiaries. A Better Earth Idea from Osmose sm and Treated Wood Just Got Greener sm are slogan marks of Osmose Inc and its subsidiaries. MicroPro timber products are produced by independently owned and operated wood preserving facilities. GREENGUARD® is a registered trademark of GREENGUARD Environmental Institute. * See MicroPro fastener and hardware information sheet. © 2011 Osmose, Inc.
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issue 165 | 21.03.11 | Page 1
GREEN CITIES
Plyscrapers to lift timber to a new high level
The Victorian Association of Forest Industries, representing the interests of the Victorian timber Industry
Victorian Association of Forest Industries Level 2, 2 Market Street Melbourne 3000 Tel: +61 3 9611 9000 Fax: +61 3 9611 9011 Email: info@vafi.org.au Web: www.vafi.org.au
Page 2 | issue 165 | 21.03.11
‘PLYSCRAPERS’ - high-rise wooden office towers - could become more popular after the Christchurch earthquake. New Zealand Property Council chief executive Connal Townsend has returned from the Green Cities conference in Melbourne where he said an address was given on the prospect of wooden structures becoming more prevalent, partly in a drive to offset carbon dioxide emissions from concrete. Wooden structures have also been cited as standing up better during an earthquake. Most new houses are built on concrete floor pads. High-rise towers have extensive pre-cast concrete panels as floor and wall components. Michael Green, a partner in the Vancouver firm McFarlane Green Biggar Architectures + Design, outlined his vision of the world’s first timber skyscraper. Mr Green said a study funded by the British Columbia government to help promote the forestry sector found buildings as tall as 30 levels could be made almost entirely from wood. “The exciting thing is, from an engineering point of view, we think we have something that is on track to be able to design – comfortably – 20-storey buildings,” Mr Green said. “We believe, quite reasonably, we’ll be able to stretch that to 30 storeys.” A nine-storey building in Britain is currently the world’s tallest wooden structure. Mr Green said a 10-storey project in Australia, a 17-storey building in Norway and a 30-storey structure in Austria had been
TRUST TABMA Connal Townsend .. tall wooden buildings entirely plausible.
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Apprentices, trainees or cadets Short or long-term staff recruitment OH&S training and independent audits WHS training and information Debtors control and collection Michael Green .. vision for world’s first timber ‘plyscraper’.
proposed. Connal Townsend says the concept of a wooden high-rise was entirely plausible and there was an international movement towards tall wooden buildings. “The buildings are made of steel and wood but the spinal column is still steel,” he said. New Zealand’s eco-building conference is being held this week in Auckland. Australia’s largest sustainable building conference, Green Cities focused on the future of sustainable building, infrastructure and Cont Page 4
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HIGH AND DRY FORUM
‘We need to change the way we build to survive’ From Page 1
out-performed plasterboard. Mr Lucas added: “Sure, let’s go for high-level but let’s also consider wider timber decks while you’re up there. This will promote good breeze flow-through, living space, reduce the energy draw of airconditioning and probably earn another green star for good environmental building.” The forum, to be repeated in a few months, highlights the dramatic swing to structural timber planning along the eastern coast and in New Zealand since the natural disasters. “Serious flood, damaging cyclones, devastating earthquakes and tragic tsunami – we’ve had it all and it’s still
High and dry in Brisbane .. forum speakers, from left, Russell Brandon, executive director, Building Designers Association of Queensland, David Benson, manager, education, Building Services Authority, Colin MacKenzie, manager application and use, Timber Queensland, Gary White, government planner, and Rod McInnes, chief executive, Timber Queensland.
only March,” Russell Brandon, executive director of the Building Designers Association of Queensland said. “For designers and builders
of structures that we want to survive for the long term this means we may need to change the way we do things. We certainly need to learn from what we have seen and think about what may happen in the future.” Mr Brandon said it was important to understand just what the water that falls from the sky wanted to do once it hit the ground. “It is important that we let it follow as much as possible its natural flow path and this simply means maintaining the natural slope and contour of the land wherever practical,” he said. “As we look into what might happen in the future, we must come to the conclusion that we need to do all that is possible to maintain the stability of our hillsides. That means leaving the natural landscape untouched whenever we can. “It means that we should never ever take a sloping site and cut and fill a building platform simply to feed our obsession with slab on ground construction. “Think about how the rain water wants to flow through the site naturally and use the location
ForestWorks performs a range of industry wide functions acting as the channel between industry, Government and the Australian Vocational Education and Training (VET) system. Core services: • Skill Standards • Material Development • Networks • Strategic Skills Planning • Project Management • Data Collection • Research • Industry Advice • Career Advice • Adult Learning Expertise
VICTORIA PO Box 612, North Melbourne 3051 Tel: (03)9321 3500 Email: forestworks@forestworks.com.au NEW SOUTH WALES PO Box 486, Parramatta 2124 Tel: (02)8898 6990 Email: smukherjee@forestworks.com.au TASMANIA PO Box 2146, Launceston 7250 Tel: (03)6331 6077 Email: wfoss@forestworks.com.au BRISBANE PO Box 2014 Fortitude Valley 4006 Tel: (07)3358 5169 Email: bharle@forestworks.com.au
Cont Page 13
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issue 165 | 21.03.11 | Page 3
GREEN CITIES
Low emission products, certified timber ‘stars’ at Green Cities event products to demonstrate the possibilities of green design and incorporated examples of low emission products, certified timber and ecospecifier GreenTag products – all of which can contribute to valuable green star points for commercial, multi-unit residential, education, healthcare, industrial and other public sector projects. The group is the first organisation within the industry to receive an eco-specifier green tag (green rate Level A certification) for raw and decorated products. This is one of only four certification
From Page 2
communities. The Laminex Group welcomed more than 1000 ‘green thinkers’ from leading building and property companies to its exhibit at the conference. A corporate member of the Green Building Council of Australia for almost five years, Laminex hosted a welcome cocktail reception to launch the four-day conference. Group marketing manager George Bej said he strongly believed in the importance of supporting the sustainable building industry. The Laminex exhibit utilised
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Page 4 | issue 165 | 21.03.11
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schemes recognised under the GBCA’s Assessment Framework for Product Certification Schemes. The Laminex Group recently announced its decision to transition from E1 to E0 MDF as standard, offering this alongside their existing range of Super E0, No-Added Formaldehyde (NAF) and low Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) products, for improved Indoor Environment Quality (IEQ) – another criteria in the Green Star rating tool. The group has also achieved FSC and AFS/PEFC chain of custody for five of its Australian manufacturing sites.
The Tru-Core® Process This will set the benchmark for timber treatment in the future. In simple terms, Kop-Coat has developed a process that can fully penetrate most timber, both sapwood and heartwood, and can also fully penetrate most engineered wood products using water soluble chemical technology that does not require re-drying and does not damage the properties of the wood products. Forget everything that you knew about treating timber – this is new technology. What has traditionally been considered untreatable, can, in every case so far, be easily treated to the standard and beyond. 22 Neon Street, Narangba 4504 Queensland Tel: +61 3204 0444 Fax: 3203 3797 Email: bill@itreat.net.au
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events
WHAT’S ON?
MARCH
21-23: Timber merchant industry tour. Southwest Victoria and Mount Gambier. www.timber.asn.au 22-24: Domotex Asia-China Floor Fair. Shanghai New International Expo Centre, Shanghai, China. Leading world fair for floor coverings provides a complete overview of the Asian and global market. Showcases a wide array of high quality products. Contacts: Australia – Terry J. Newman Pty Ltd, PO Box 4091, Manuka ACT 2603. Tel: 61 2 6100 8698. Mob: 61 409 407 877. China – Ecquality Timber Products Co. Ltd, Building 1, Balidian Industrial Zone, Balidian Town Wuxing District, Huzhou City. Zhejiang Province, China. Tel: 86572-228-3097, 86-572-228-3098. www.ecqualitytimber.com 30-31: Residues to Revenues. Technologies to improve wood wastes utilisation. Rotorua, NZ. Visit www.fiea.com.nz 30: HIA Industry Outlook Breakfast. HIA Home Ideas Centre, 28 Collie Street, Fyshwick ACT 2609. Events Manager (02) 6285 7300 30: Timber Merchants Association charity dinner. Crown Complex, Southbank.www.timber. asn.au
APRIL 4-5: Residues to Revenues. Technologies to improve wood wastes utilisation. Melbourne. Visit www.fiea.com.nz 5-7 Dubai Woodshow. The premier wood and woodworking machinery show in the Middle East. National supply groups from France, Malaysia and other Asian countries and USA are exhibiting,
as well as key regional distributors such as Chabros and Al Nibras, major machinery suppliers from Germany and Italy including Homag and Biesse among others and specialist surfaces producers such as Danzer and Schattdecor AG. Registration information www.dubaiwoodshow.com Contact: Strategic Marketing and Exhibitions. Tel: + 971 4 28 29 299. Fax: + 971 4 28 28 767. Email : sales@dubaiwoodshow.com / amiri@strategic.ae
8: South Eastern Australia 2011 Farm Forestry and Firewood Expo, Bendigo, Vic. City of Greater Bendigo’s Huntly plantation, north of Bendigo. NORTHERN United Forestry Group (NUFG) - a not-for-profit community group with a focus on growing trees for sawlogs and firewood - will host the expo at the Huntly plantation, north of Bendigo. Some trees (all hardwoods) within the Huntly plantation that need to be thinned will be available for demonstration purposes. Contact: Mal Brown, Northern United Forestry Group. Tel: (03) 54352588. Mob: 0419 108 817.
MAY 9-12: 42nd annual meeting International Research Group on Wood Protection. Queenstown, New Zealand. Venue: Moonlight Country, 15 minutes from Queenstown and 8 minutes from both Arrowtown and Queenstown Airport. Contacts: New Zealand – Jeanette Drysdale +64 9 299 9435. Australia – Jack Norton +61 7 3255 4420. 25: Institute of Foresters of Australia (IFA) and New Zealand Institute of Forestry Conference
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(ANZIF 2011). Auckland NZ. Theme: ‘Pacific Forestry’. Visit www.anzifconference.co.nz 30-June 3: LIGNA Hannover Wood Fair.
25-June 4: LIGNA industry tour (Germany, Italy, Austria).
JUNE 15-17: SawTECH 2011. Sawing technologies to improve mill performance. Brisbane. Visit www. fiea.com.nz 21-23: SawTECH 2011. Sawing technologies to improve mill performance. Rotorua, NZ. Visit www.fiea.com.nz
JULY 13-14: Carbon Forestry 2011. Key investment drivers and future business opportunities. Auckland, NZ. Visit www.fiea.com.nz
SUSTAINABLE. RESPONSIBLE. The National Association of Forest Industries (NAFI) is striving for an ecologically sustainable Australian society achieved through dynamic, internationally competitive forest industries.
SEPTEMBER 5-7: NZ Forest Industries Expo 2011. Venue: Rotorua Energy Events Centre, Rotorua. Forest industry leaders and companies from across the world are booking their tickets to participate in the expo (FI2011) and make the most of the 2011 Rugby World Cup while they’re there. Exhibition sites have already been booked by a number of NZ and Australian companies, and inquiries being received from Canada, China, Vietnam and Austria. The expo will showcase the best that Rotorua, the wider Bay of Plenty region and the rest of New Zealand has to offer when it comes to forestry and wood products. Contact: Dell Bawden. Tel: +64 73627865. Mob: +64 274745485. Email: office@bawden.co.nz Website site: fi2010.co.nz
NAFI’s mission is to represent the interests of members by promoting the environmental sustainability and the prosperity of Australian forest industries. National Association of Forest Industries Ltd (Est. 1987) PO Box 239, Deakin ACT 2600 Tel: (02) 6285 3833. Fax: (02) 6285 3855 Web: www.nafi.com.au
issue 165 | 21.03.11 | Page 5
industry news
Cleaner image for Indonesia’s forest industry exports?
International talks in Jakarta – Page 8
Indonesia to lead Asia on legal trade agreement with EU INDONESIA is expected to become the first Asian country to conclude a legal timber trade agreement with the EU after negotiators on both sides agreed to conclude the agreement within the next three months. The agreement, namely the Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade – Voluntary Partnership Agreement (FLEGT-VPA), is expected to serve as a credible trade instrument allowing only legally verified timber and timber products from partner countries to be supplied to the EU market. FLEGT is a multi-pronged action plan to tackle illegal logging launched by the EU in
2003 in partnership with timber producing countries. “We’re nearly there,” Indonesia’s forestry ministry directorgeneral for forestry business management Iman Santoso said. “This agreement is crucial for Indonesia as it enables Indonesian timber exporters to expand their market for timber and timber products in the EU and beyond. “This is especially important because the EU has just enacted a timber regulation prohibiting the sale of illegally harvested timber on the EU market by March 2013.” The value of Indonesia’s timber trade with the EU stands at an estimated US $1 billion a year.
Engineered floor exports strong ENGINEERED wood flooring accounted for 92% of all wood flooring imported into Europe in 2010, according to new figures released by the European Federation of Parquet Importers. Wood flooring imports totalled 6.7 million cub m 2010, with engineered wood accounting for 6.2 million cub m and solid flooring 558,007 cub m.
Page 6 | issue 165 | 21.03.11
EFPI says an exact comparison could not be made with previous years due to different calculation methods, but the figures show the outlook is moderately positive for European imports. EFPI president Jürgen Früchtenicht says he is looking forward to the implementation of the EU illegal logging regulation.
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TIMBER TREATMENT
New treatment process offers simpler, better protection for consumers in NZ
Amendments to standard may reduce costs A SIMPLER system for timber treatment that will improve consumer protection and may also reduce costs will be introduced in New Zealand on April 4. The new system follows an amendment by the NZ Department of Building and Housing to the Acceptable Solution B2/AS1 standard. The changes follow public consultation by the department in September and October last year. Submissions were overall strongly supportive of the proposals, which are adopted with little change but some clarification. The changes allow a single treatment class, H1.2, to be used for nearly all enclosed framing. The current system has as many as four different classes of timber, including untreated timber, used to frame a house. The department believes this is complex and can lead to mistakes on site. Streamlining the use of treated timber is expected to reduce errors in the use of timber, and to simplify choice and supply inventories. It should also make the consent and inspection process more straightforward. The H1.2 treatment class has a boron process. Recent scientific research has shown that, for framing timber, H1.2 boron provides comparable protection against fungal decay to LOSP H3.1. In some parts of buildings, such as internal walls, the level of protection will increase. The changes apply only to radiata and Douglas fir. There are two exceptions to the single treatment class: • Cantilevered deck joists and framing require a higher treatment class, H3.2, as
cantilevered decks depend more critically on the strength of the timber to prevent collapse. • Untreated Douglas fir can be used for houses of a defined low-risk design. Douglas fir is more resistant to decay than Cont Page11 Changes in New Zealand .. a single treatment class, H1.2, can be used for nearly all enclosed radiata framing.
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issue 165 | 21.03.11 | Page 7
TIMBER TRADING
Indonesia’s audit scheme aims to demonstrate the legality of exports Assurance for International buyers at Jakarta talks INTERNATIONAL timber buyers have welcomed the Indonesian government’s initiative to implement its own timber certification scheme as long as it complied with regulations in their countries. Currently, 60 firms in forestbased industries have been verified under the system, according to the Forestry Ministry. These assurances were given to government and timber trade representatives from the US, Europe, the UK, Japan and Australia who attended a high level market dialogue meeting in Jakarta on March 10. Australian representative John Halkett said the new audit scheme would be a good step for the Indonesian wood industry to promote exports of its timber and wood products, especially in Australia. “The system with its legal certification would encourage Australian consumers to buy Indonesian timber and wood products with greater confidence,” he said. “Countries represented in Jakarta have been putting the squeeze on Indonesia to prove the legality of its timber exports and the meeting was a positive response to this.” Mr Halkett, who is Australian Timber Importers Federation technical manger, said the meetings allowed ATIF to meet with key players in the timber trade such as the UK Timber Trade Federation, which had worked closely with Australia on illegal logging issues. “The Jakarta meeting also allowed us to demonstrate the Australian government’s new laws to combat the import of illegal timber,” Mr Halkett said. They included legislation to
Page 8 | issue 165 | 21.03.11
Indonesia progresses verification scheme for forest-based industries.
Scot Marciel .. system will encourage timber exports to the US
John Halkett .. audit scheme provides confidence for Australian buyers.
make an offence to import any timber or wood-based product that has not been verified as legally harvested; a code of conduct to ensure suppliers placing timber and woodbased products onto the market carried out ‘approved tests’ to ensure products were derived from legally-sourced logs; and a trade description/trade mark to give consumers confidence of purchasing legally-sourced timber and wood-based products. Paul van den Heuvel of the
European Timber Trade Federation said European buyers could accept the system once Indonesia signed a voluntary partnership agreement (VPA) of forest law enforcement, governance and trade with the European Commission, which showed its compliance with EU timber regulations. Under the agreement, Indonesia will be subject to due diligence conducted by buyer countries to be effective in 2013 to validate the legality of its timber
and wood products. Indonesia and the commission have been negotiating on the VPA since January 2007, with both parties due to sign it in May. If implemented as part of a voluntary partnership agreement, it will fully comply with EU timber regulations. Last year, the government introduced its new timber legality verification system (SVLK) to ensure the legality of wood products from industrial, production and community plantation forests. ‘Countries represented in Jakarta have been putting the squeeze on Indonesia to prove the legality of its timber exports and the meeting was a positive response to this’ – John Halkett The system is needed to combat illegal logging activities, which, according to official statistics, destroyed more than 1 million ha of Indonesian forests each year, as well as fulfil international market requirements. At present, the legality of Indonesian wood exports is directly verified by importers. Mr Van den Heuvel said European market demand for certified timber had increased in recent years despite declining demand for timber in a whole due to the recent economic downturn. In the UK, for example, demand for certified timber increased by 30% in 2008 from 10% in 2005. In the Netherlands, the market share of certified timber rose to 33% in 2008 from 13.3% in 2005. Cont Page 9
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THE ENVIRONMENT
The life cycle of a building material starts with the extraction of the required raw material from the forest to the next step of converting this into a useable product.
Building products life cycle seminar series in six cities THE Building Products Innovation Council has completed a three-year project in partnership with the federal government to provide ‘Australian’ life cycle inventory data for building materials. The inventory will assist life cycle assessment practitioners, architects, designers, engineers, builders, developers and regulators to more accurately assess the impact building products and buildings have on the environment. A series of seminars, which started in Melbourne last week, will provide an opportunity for participants to meet and discuss the environmental impact of the built environment.
Questions are encouraged to assist in understanding the role of LCI and LCA in the industry, the reasoning behind them and why they are important to delivering a level playing field for environmental assessment of Australian building products. Seminar schedule: Brisbane, March 23, Mercure Hotel, 85-87 North Quay. Sydney, March 30, Mercure Hotel, 818-820 George Street. Perth, April 7, Mercure Hotel, 10 Irwin Street. Hobart, April 13, Mercure Hotel. 56 Bathurst Street. Adelaide, April 29, Mercure Grosvenor Hotel, 125 North Terrace.
Timber & Forestry e-news is the most authoritative and quickest deliverer of news and special features to the forest and forest products industries in Australia, New Zealand and the Asia-Pacific region. Weekly distribution is over 6,400 copies, delivered every Monday. Advertising rates are the most competitive of any industry magazine in the region. Timber&Forestry e-news hits your target market – every week, every Monday! HEAD OFFICE Custom Publishing Group Unit 2- 3986 Pacific Highway Loganholme 4129 Qld, Australia PUBLISHER Dennis Macready admin@industryenews.com.au CONSULTING EDITOR Jim Bowden Tel: +61 7 3256 1779 Mob: 0401 312 087 cancon@bigpond.net.au ADVERTISING Tel: +61 7 3256 1779 cancon@bigpond.net.au PRODUCTION MANAGER Leigh Macready production@industryenews.com.au
Encouraging exports to US From Page 8
“The market in Europe as a whole is in a decline due to the crisis, but as soon as building activities increase, the use of timber will also increase and in that respect, Indonesian timber will have its advantages,” Mr Van den Heuvelhe said. US Ambassador to Indonesia Scot Marciel said the new verification system would encourage exports of timber
and wood products to the US. “It should actually help boost exports to the US,” he said. “The better the program implementation, the easier we’ll accept the products.” In 2008, the US introduced the Lacey Act, a similar regulation with EU’s timber regulation, which bans the commerce of illegally sourced timber and wood products with penalties for importers that fail to comply with the regulation.
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Opinions expressed on Timber & Forestry e news are not necessarily the opinions of the editor, publisher or staff. We do not accept responsibility for any damage resulting from inaccuracies in editorial or advertising. The Publisher is therefore indemnified against all actions, suits, claims or damages resulting from content on this e news. Content cannot be reproduced without the prior consent of the Publisher- Custom Publishing Group.
issue 165 | 21.03.11 | Page 9
EVENTS
Tropical forestry forum focuses on plantations, biomass development
Noel Pearson to open 2-day event in Cairns PROMINENT Aboriginal leader and nationally recognised advocate for economic and social reform for indigenous Australians Noel Pearson will open the tropical forestry forum in Cairns next month. The forum on April 6 and 7 is part of the northern forestry project intended to assist the development of policies, practices and research programs directed at realising opportunities to advance commercially-robust forestry programs across northern Australia. Mr Pearson will bring extensive land management knowledge and leading policy formulation credentials to the forum. He is a past chairman of the Cape York Land Council and continues to assist the council in an advisory capacity. He presently occupies a number of roles including executive chairman of the Cape York Partnerships, a project between the Queensland government and Aboriginal leaders of Cape York to plan and implement programs centred on a reform agenda
Cairns forum will evaluate forestry development opportunities in northern Australia for research and development and business and investment.
Noel Pearson .. to open tropical forestry forum.
for indigenous communities. He is also a director of the Cape York Institute, a regional organisation providing policy oversight for other Cape York oriented organisations. The Cairns forum will be addressed by a range of forestry research, policy, land use planning, commercial practice and industry and resource management experts. The northern Australia forestry project is managed by Forestlands Consulting, with the support of the Australian Tropical Forestry Initiative
and follows in the wake of the landmark CSIRO land and water science review of northern Australia. Forestlands Consulting director John Halkett says the project will also have regard to the failure of some managed investment schemes and other commercial realities. He indicated that the planned Cairns forum will not only address plantation issues, but look broadly at potential forestry development, including such opportunities as biomass production, carbon storage and native forests. “An initial review of the science, policy and practice underlying forestry and wood processing in tropical Australia has now been completed and the review report will be supplied to forum participants as part of the background on which the forum deliberations will be structured,� Mr Halkett said. “The forum will evaluate prospective forestry development across a number of themes. Notably it will be Cont Page 11
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Page 10 | issue 165 | 21.03.11
Contact Alan Jones Email: alan.jones@premier.austbrokers.com (Licence No. 238123)
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events
Teak plantation in northern Queensland.
Tropical forestry forum From Page 10
important to examine and refine future tropical forestry-related research and development priorities.” Mr Halkett said the project would also help to quantify forestry-related business and investment opportunities; local government and community advocacy needs, and explore avenues to advance indigenous land owner economic and social goals. Invitations to participate in the forum have been circulated to a range of relevant stakeholders representing federal and state government agencies, local
authorities, research bodies, private forestry and investment companies, resource management companies, indigenous land councils and aboriginal employment, economic and social development specialists. While participation at the forum is by invitation only, inquiries may be directed to John Halkett on (02) 9356 3826 or at halkettj@netaus.net.au The northern Australia forestry project is being financially assisted by the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation and Forest and Wood Products Australia.
New treatment process in NZ From Page 7
untreated radiata, but not as resistant as treated radiata. A transition period of about three months will give industry time to adjust to the changes. From the introduction date of April 4 until June 30, both the current and the new versions will apply as Acceptable Solutions for consenting purposes. From July 1, only the new B2/AS1 will apply as an Acceptable Solution.
The new system will be publicised in March, April and May through a nationwide series of BRANZ seminars. Building consent officials, architects and designers and builders who wish to attend should register now at www.branz.co.nz. The proposed changes are part of the government’s drive to make it easier for everyone to access, understand and comply with the building code and hence to ‘build it right first time’.
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Get fair dinkum! Use Aussie and Kiwi wood and keep jobs at homethe spirit! That’s
Working together for ....
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Web: www.ewp.asn.au
issue 165 | 21.03.11 | Page 11
MARKET SURVEY
Floods will drive upward pressure on timber prices, says URS report Europe supplying 50% of softwood imports FLOODS in Queensland and Victoria will have a downward impact on Australia’s economic output through the December, March and June quarters, but prices for wood products in these states will experience significant increases. The recovery will place considerable pressure on prices for labour and materials for re-construction, particularly in Queensland. However, the impact will be short term, according to the latest URS timber market survey released last week. More broadly, other recent economic developments generally indicate that interest rates are likely to remain on hold in the near term. Most importantly, underlying inflation is reported to be below expectations and relatively stable at present. Further, the RBA confirmed that interest rates are currently slightly higher than historic levels and there are a range of factors contributing to relatively stable financial conditions, including minimal growth in business and household credit. Increases in the price of engineered wood products confirmed that these products have now ended a two-year downward price trend The Australian dollar reached a record high against the US dollar in January when it traded above parity for several consecutive days. This was the culmination of a steady weakening of the US dollar against all major currencies from mid-2010 to January. Towards the end of 2010,
Page 12 | issue 165 | 21.03.11
Recovery from floods will place considerable pressure on prices for labour and materials for reconstruction, particularly in Queensland.
the Euro also depreciated substantially (against the US dollar), before recovering to a large extent, following optimistic results from the sale of sovereign debt by the financially troubled nations of Portugal, Italy and Spain. The market survey shows Australian imports of softwood sawn timber remained steady over the December quarter 2010 at around 163,000 cub m, for a third consecutive quarter, with European countries accounting for about 50% of the volume. Plywood and veneer imports into Australia fell by 19% over the December quarter 2010, following a peak of about 80,000 cub m in the September quarter. Prices for major softwood structural products MGP10 and MGP12 remained relatively stable between September and December 2010. At the state level, price movement results for key MGP10 and MGP12 products were mixed across New South Wales
and Queensland, but broadly decreased in Victoria. There were slight increases in the price of laminated veneer lumber (LVL) and I-joist/I-beam engineered wood products, following a two-year downward price trend. Increases in the price of engineered wood products in the December quarter confirmed that these products have now ended a two-year downward price trend. The price of plywood products has continued to fall significantly since a previous price peak in the March quarter 2009. The price of 12 mm plywood has now fallen 11.6% while the price of 17 mm has fallen 10.5% The prices for 12 mm and 17 mm plywood continued to fall to be around 5% lower over the 12 months to December 2010. The survey showed prices for the hardwood structural timber products, F17 and F27, rose slightly by 0.8% and 1.3%, respectively over the six months
to December 2010. Over the same time period, Tasmanian oak and blackbutt select grade flooring products remained stable. Select grade Victorian Ash sawn and dressed boards experienced a second period of price increases, to be around 5% higher over the 12 months to December 2010. The report noted that Australian dwelling approvals increased slightly over the December quarter 2010, rising by 1.75%. However, over the same time period, the value of finance approvals for dwelling construction experienced a significant fall of around 25%, which could indicate a slowdown in housing construction in the near future. The URS report says the Australian economy has performed strongly in recent quarters. Latest economic data from the Reserve Bank of Australia shows GDP growth at 2.3% over the 12 months to September 2010.
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HIGH AND DRY FORUM
BSA, Timber Queensland help guide builders, owners on rebuilding effort
Consumers warned: don’t rush to complete work prematurely
the lower level, the structural integrity of the home remains intact.”
From Page 3
and shape of the building to allow the water to get to where it wants to be with a minimum of disruption.” Mr Brandon said houses should be designed to cause minimum disruption to the natural water flow; keep the floor level and its sub-structure above water. “Where there is a danger of flash flooding, we must allow for the destructive forces which will be applied to the building by strengthening the substructure and the connections all the way from the roof top to the foundations. “And before we start we must know where past floods have been then set a floor level that has sufficient free-board. “There are a couple of issues here. First is the artificial height restriction of 8.5 m. We know that in some existing housing in flood problem areas this just won’t be enough to allow owners to raise homes out of harm’s way. It’s good to see the Brisbane City Council recognises this. “I hope common sense applies in other places and where new homes are to be constructed in susceptible areas. “The other issue is that if we continue with our obsession with changing the landscape to accommodate slab on ground construction, the flood heights will change. “One designer of a home in the fast developing western corridor did the right thing. He checked on the 1974 flood and set the lowest floor 1.8 m above that level. The 2011 flood height reached a massive 3.6 m above the 1974 level. “Of course, people in older Queenslanders are prone to extend and many just want to raise the floor level and build
David Benson of the Building Services Authority welcomed Timber Queensland’s support in helping BSA deliver information sessions to both contractors and home owners.
Ronald Green, market development manager, Carter Holt Harvey Woodproducts Australia (right) welcomes Dorotee Braun, Green Door Design, Brisbane, and Anthony Rigg, managing director, bleuscape design, Loganholme, to the CHH stand at the high and dry forum in Brisbane.
in under. There may be better ways. “One designer created a renovation for a home in one of Brisbane’s older riverside suburbs and chose to extend out rather than up. It survived the 2011 flood. “There are some things we can learn from this project. This designer was aware of the 1974 flood level and made the lower floor around 300 mm above that level. The easiest way was
to use a raised timber floor. “In case the flood level does change, we can consider making the lower floor ‘sacrificial’ by using materials that can survive a soaking and by carefully selecting the use that will be made of the lowest floor. “Don’t design the room to house the grand piano on that level! “But if we must be sure that if we do need to scrap and rebuild
More than 700 contractors and 300 consumers had participated in 22 information sessions conducted over recent weeks throughout the Brisbane and Ipswich areas, west to Dalby and north to Emerald. BSA also set up information booths in six flood-affected shopping precincts and for periods of three days at a time. “The main emphasis of these seminars was not to rush in and complete work prematurely but to ensure the framing and substrates had been cleaned, sanitised and dried prior to commencing rebuilding work,” Mr Benson said. “We were aware that some insurance companies were telling owners and contractors not to strip out bathrooms and only to partially strip water damaged wall linings as they could be saved if allowed to dry. “Along with Timber Queensland, BSA refutes this suggestion and argues that at least one wall must be stripped and floors where tiles are laid on a timber substrate must also be stripped to allow for drying.
Getting together on the Hyne stand are Jeff Gibson, customer and market development manager, Wendy Boyd, assistant marketing manager, and Ross Simon, chief executive, Sid’s Place, Toowoomba.
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“Although this stance is contentious and at odds with a number of insurance companies, experience monitoring a number of dwellings as they dry out entirely supports our approach.”
issue 165 | 21.03.11 | Page 13
PASSAGES
Tom Brabin was toughest fighter for the forest industry on all fronts Formidable adversary of environmental lobby groups By JIM BOWDEN
RESPECTED forester and ferocious fighter for the timber industry Tom Brabin, 90, has died in Melbourne. The funeral service for one of Australia’s most colourful industry characters was held today, World Forestry Day March 21, at the Crossway Baptist Church in Burwood East. Few industry leaders could match the eloquence and dogged spirit of Thomas Richard Brabin when he was on the warpath in full flight against what he termed green lies and anti-industry propaganda. Mr Brabin was at the top of his game during his stellar years as chief of the Victorian Association of Forest Industries from 1962 to 1982. He was one of the founders of the Australian Timber Producers Panel (later council and forerunner of NAFI) in the 1970s, shaping up to ‘preservationists’ at every opportunity and his realisation that the ‘greens never give in”. In later years he would lament that the forest industry was busily self-destructing and refusing to recognise what it was actually up against. “The greens never give in. In contrast, the industry
keeps doing ‘deals’, making compromises and beating around the bush – pardon the pun,” he would say. “It is time that those promoting the forestry policies that would limit or end logging (and the thousands of timber-related jobs dependent on it) were exposed. They reveal an ignorance of forests and forestry in their claims against utilising our native public forests, even though all those harvested are renewed, with their biodiversity preserved, and their scenery and water purity retained. “For many years, environmental lobby groups have made numerous unsustainable attacks on forest management, and yet their influence remains strong. Australian logging codes are the toughest in the world, policed by forest managers, and forest fauna and flora are much safer in utilised public forests than those in parks. “A multiplicity of public inquiries has found no evidence of logging causing a single extinction of any native flora and fauna species, since logging started 200 years ago.” Tom Brabin was speaking with authority – he went into forestry in the early 1940s, leaving the family farm at Junee in the
Tom Brabin .. “the greens will never give in”.
NSW Riverina. He attained his B.Sc. from Sydney University and completed two years postgraduate study at Canberra’s forestry school. During World War 2, he was with the Australian 7th Division in northeast Papua New Guinea experiencing fierce combat at Shaggy Ridge, a 6.5 km long razorback ridge, the site of several battles with the Japanese during the Finisterre Range campaign of 1943-44. In December 1943, the 7th division attacked in difficult terrain making this a famous campaign which did not end until the last Japanese positions were captured in January. In a diversified career, Mr Brabin worked at the Bago
state forest in Tasmania after his graduation from Canberra’s forestry school in 1945. He joined Tasboard Mills in 1952 and was chief executive of the Tasmanian Timber Association for seven years, making many trips across Bass Strait to promote Tasmanian timbers in Victoria. His profession took him to industry positions in New South Wales and Victoria and concluded when he became a national advocate for the industry in Canberra. A son, Philip, said his father was determined to reach 100. “But at 90 years of age, he gave a long sigh on Sunday evening, March 13, at about 6.30 pm, and passed peacefully away.” A book he was writing was unfinished. Mr Brabin’s funeral service at Burwood was attended by many friends, colleagues and political figures as well as members of Melbourne Hoo-Hoo Club 217. He was a foundation member of the club and carried the HooHoo number of 78100. His wife, Jean, predeceased him two years ago and he is survived by his daughter Dr Penny Brabin, sons Philip and Richard, seven grandchildren and five great grandchildren.
China on big building spree – 10 million homes AS part of its new five-year plan for 2011-15, China intends to build 10 million affordable homes this year and 36 million units by 2015. Assuming three people to a flat, that is enough to house the combined populations of France, Australia and Canada. The building plan will also prop up its unprecedented
Page 14 | issue 165 | 21.03.11
investment rate of 48 per cent of gross domestic product. China is creating a new class of consumers. In theory, millions of Chinese will no longer have to save for an exorbitant, market-priced home, leaving more spending money in their pockets. And with more people living in cities – the urbanisation rate is
expected to rise to 51.5% by 2015 from 47.5% – they will have a greater array of goods and services to choose from. Louis Kuijs, an economist with the World Bank in Beijing, says China is putting substantially more effort into affordable housing than he had expected. “It should ensure urbanisation continues and help free up
not just the savings rate but disposable income among households,” Mr Kuijs said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if big efforts like this also raise confidence in the economy.” In effect, China is adopting the Singapore and Hong Kong model of a two-tier market: social housing for those on lower incomes and market-priced property for the better off.
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ENGINEERED WOOD
Glulam producers stick together on new standards, quality control INDUSTRY is closer to a new finger-jointing timber standard that will embrace a wider range of construction applications. A technical meeting of the Glulam Laminated Timber Association of Australia (GLTAA) in Brisbane last week agreed a revised standard would cover finger-jointed applications relating to scantling timber, where high tensile strength is required, and finger-jointed studs. This follows withdrawal of the current standard for solid timber which will probably see the revisions undertaken by TM004 of the standards committee. The glulam industry grew out of the need to make better use of short fall down sawn timber and to value-add to that resource. GLTAA was established in 1990 to set industry standards and implement a code of practice and policing policy, in order to add credibility to the product and therefore to those manufacturers who are approved as members. For many years, the building industry has sought an assurance of quality and performance from glulam as a structural and decorative product. Many producers have been striving to meet those requirements and those who have embraced the quality
Dr Constantine Adam, research fellow, Department of Civil Engineering, Monash University, Melbourne, and Craig Honeyman, director, Weinig Queensland, based at Virginia.
Meeting at Dockside, Brisbane, for the GLTAA technical committee meeting are, from left, Tim Goodall, managing director, Warrnambool Timber Industries, Warrnambool, Vic (GLTAA chairman), Simon Dorries, general manager, EWPAA, Shane Devereaux, director, Universal Adhesives, Brisbane, and Tok Chuan Hoo and Kim Simpson, both of Eth Enterprise Pty Ltd, based in Singapore.
issues are accredited with the GLTAA mark. Invited speakers at the meeting included Simon Dorries, general manger, Engineered Wood Products Association of Australasia, and Professor Rob Milner of the timber engineered centre at Monash University in Melbourne. Prof. Milner outlined progress on ISO standards relating to glulam and fingerjointing. GLTAA chairman Tim Goodall reported on the latest trials in north Queensland on treated glulam. The two-pronged research is on preferences for either post-treatment of
Talking glulam in Brisbane .. John Muller, Wood Addiction, Montville, Qld (inaugural GLTAA chairman), Helen Dolan, I-beam site manager, Hyne, Virginia, and Kym Eagleson, national sales manager, Warrnambool Timber Industries, Warrnambool, Vic.
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assembled finished glulam or pre-treating the laminate, which appears to be the most desirable. GLTAA membership mostly comprises manufacturers and importers and glulam technicians. The association’s promotion of quality assurance issues and the need for continued research, development and education has contributed to the increasing acceptance of glulam in Australia. Together with invited authorities such as the CSIRO and Monash University in Melbourne, glulam producers in Australia have developed the necessary
Chris Ward, Tasmanian Timber Engineering, Hobart, and Sam Rowe, managing director, Michael Weinig Australia, Sydney.
infrastructure and tools for the GLTAA to operate effectively. Glulam is now rapidly achieving the same level of recognition in Australia that it has in Europe and the US and it will be the continued effort of the GLTAA that will see the product gain the full market acceptance it deserves.
Jamin Tietz, Hyne, Maryborough, Klaus Haselhofer, technical account manager, forest products, Momentive Specialty Chemicals, Brisbane, and Mark Sawtell, glulam manager, Hyne, Maryborough.
issue 165 | 21.03.11 | Page 15
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