Structural Timber Magazine Issue 03

Structural Timber In association with:

MAGAZINE | ISSUE 03 | SPRING 2015

Building Solutions in Timber

Climate Energy Homes - Building Homes of the Future The largest UK Passivhaus scheme of 51 homes in Passive Close, Rainham, Essex. Read more P6-7

P19 UK Timber & Solid Wood Can the growing demand for solid wood construction be met by UK forestry and UK-based manufacturing facilities?

P28 BIM Digital Toolkit Report on the new free-to-use tool developed by NBS, BIM Task Group and Innovate UK.

Everything you need to know at: www.structuraltimber.co.uk

P42 Believe in Better Building Sky’s New Education facility – a sustainable construction and timber triumph.

STRUCTURAL TIMBER MAGAZINE | ISSUE 03 | SPRING 2015

CONTENTS P4 Timber Education is Critical Andrew Carpenter, chief executive of the Structural Timber Association, considers how educating the wider construction industry is the only way to increase timber’s market share.

P6 COVER STORY – Climate Energy Homes Climate Energy Homes is striving to be a catalyst for change in the way homes are built in the UK. It is committed to delivering commercially viable homes that are stylish, energy efficient and affordable with the ecoTECH Passivhaus Build System and

P32 Offsite Manufacture –

P52 Play Fair, Pay Fair

innovative pod PopUpHomes at the core of

transforming housing

While the construction industry tries to

its success.

Mark Stevenson, Managing Director of

consolidate within the UK’s economic

Kingspan Timber Solutions, explains how

recovery, Lawrence Young, Chairman of the

P8 Timber Trends

timber and offsite construction are key

Structural Timber Association, explains what

A quick round-up of some recent news

to solving the UK’s housing shortage and

the organisation is doing to tackle the issue

stories from the timber and construction

hitting energy efficiency and low-carbon

of late payments within the construction

sectors that you may have missed.

delivery targets.

industry.

P19 Solid Wood Ambitions

P42 Believe in Better Building

P62 Fire Door Safety Scrutinised

Can the growing demand for solid wood

Under the banner of Believe in Better

A quick look at some latest fire coatings

construction be satisfied by homegrown

Buildings, BSkyB’s new educational facility

plus a report on the BWF’s campaign to

timber and UK-based manufacturing

for graduates, apprentices and staff

improve fire door safety in buildings –

facilities? Peter Wilson, director of the

training, reflects the company’s sustainable

recently boosted by a Parliament debate in

Wood Studio Research Centre at Edinburgh

aspirations and hybrid structure of glulam

March and the Fire Door Safety Week.

Napier University’s Institute for Sustainable

frame and CLT.

Construction, believes it can.

P46 Structural Timber Awards 2015 P24 NW Bicester: taking shape in 2015

The perfect platform to showcase

As the UK’s first eco-town, many are

architectural gems and structural timber

watching the continued development of

technology. The new Structural Timber

the vibrant community of North West

Awards will reward best practice across a

Bicester and its sustainable and greener

range of construction sectors.

lifestyle journey.

P48 Enterprise at the Heart P28 BIM & Futureproof Design

of Passivhaus

Dr Stephen Hamil, Director of Design

Locally sourced timber has played a key

& Innovation, NBS, reveals some of the

role in delivering Passivhaus standards

details behind the new BIM Digital Toolkit,

and BREEAM Outstanding at the University

developed under Government contract from

of East Anglia’s (UEA) new Enterprise

the BIM Task Group and Innovate UK.

Centre – a project which could be a UK

Follow us on Twitter under: twitter.com/STAtimber Enquiries PLEASE CONTACT: Bob Davis T: 01259 272140 E: bob.davis@structuraltimber.co.uk ADVERTISING Enquiries PLEASE CONTACT: Dave Smith T: 01743 290013 E: david.smith@radar-communications.co.uk BACK ISSUES VISIT: www.structuraltimber.co.uk/news/magazine DISCLAIMER Structural Timber Magazine is produced and published by Radar Communications in association with the Structural Timber Association: ©Radar Communications Ltd. Cover: PASSIVE CLOSE, RAINHAM, ESSEX PHOTO: CLIMATE ENERGY HOMES

commercial first.

CONTENTS

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STRUCTURAL TIMBER MAGAZINE | ISSUE 03 | SPRING 2015

Timber Education is Critical

It’s not just within the construction industry where we are making progress – politicians and other decisions makers are also starting to recognise the benefits of timber.

Andrew Carpenter, chief executive of the Structural Timber Association, considers how educating the wider construction industry is the only way to increase timber’s market share The Association has made traction in this

in Timber Frame Construction’ seminar.

area already by speaking at the NHBC’s

This is primarily targeted at architecture

Building for Tomorrow Conferences this

practices, which are a key audience for our

spring on the subject of ‘How to use timber

educational messages.

frame’. The NHBC has been inundated with requests from house builders looking

Best of all, it seems that our combined

to transfer from masonry to timber

efforts are starting to pay off. We were

construction and these events have provided

extremely pleased to hear the news

the ideal platform to convey our messages

that Barratt – one of Britain’s biggest

to a wide and influential audience. At each

housebuilders – is now exploring the use of

of the conferences, I have been encouraged

offsite construction in its upcoming projects,

to witness first-hand how our messages are

due to labour shortages and demands for

finally starting to break through.

higher environmental standards.

On the factory floor, the STA’s RIBA-

Overall, it is pleasing to see the inroads

approved factory tours are also proving

which we have made in each of these areas

extremely popular, with the autumn series

and goes to show that education is key. The

Welcome to the third issue of the Structural

the most successful yet. The tours allow

positive messages are there but we need

Timber Magazine. Since the start of

potential customers to engage directly

to keep communicating them to influencers

2015, the board of the Structural Timber

with STA members, furthering still people’s

right across the construction sector and

Association (STA) and I have been hard at

understanding of how to build in timber.

beyond, thereby keeping front of mind that

work promoting our material across the

The next round of tours has already been

a sustainable and environmentally friendly

length and breadth of the UK. What has

announced, details of which can be found on

future should be built in timber.

struck me most during this time is how

the STA’s website.

many organisations are interested in using structural timber in their various projects.

It’s not just within the construction industry

Andrew Carpenter

However, their efforts are currently being

where we are making progress – politicians

Chief Executive, Structural Timber Association.

curtailed by a lack of understanding in

and other decision makers are also starting

Email: andrew.carpenter@structuraltimber.co.uk

how to use the material. It is therefore the

to recognise the benefits of timber.

www.structuraltimber.co.uk

timber industry’s responsibility to reach

The Cross Party Parliamentary Group

out to these audiences and educate them

on Fire Safety has appointed the STA, in

in the benefits and practicalities of building

collaboration with RIBA, to produce an online

in timber.

version of the CPD accredited ‘Fire Safety

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Timber Education is Critical

STRUCTURAL TIMBER MAGAZINE | ISSUE 03 | SPRING 2015

Climate Energy Homes Building homes for the future Climate Energy Homes is striving to be a catalyst for change in the way homes are built in the UK. It is committed to delivering commercially viable homes that are stylish, energy efficient and affordable. It has just been awarded full certification by the Passivhaus Institut for the UK’s largest Passivhaus scheme of 51 homes in Passive Close, Rainham, Essex.

Christine Hynes, CEO of Climate Energy Homes, has been instrumental in the commercial entry to market of two BOPASaccredited ecoTECH Build Systems – Fabric First and Passivhaus – created by David Alderson, Chief Operating Officer of Climate Energy Homes, that provide warmer and more efficient buildings that benefit individuals, communities, the environment and the economy.

‘Passive Close’, the 51 home development in Rainham, uses the ecoTECH Passivhaus Build System and has now been fully certified by the Passivhaus Institut as the UK’s largest Passivhaus scheme.

The Rainham scheme, which has achieved Passivhaus certification and Code for Sustainable Homes level 4, was built on behalf of Circle Housing and Old Ford, who recognised its potential to deliver high quality, low energy housing for its tenants.

The four distinctive brick-clad buildings, with a firm nod to the local vernacular, comprise 26 three-storey four-bed houses, eight two-storey threebed houses and 17 apartments; each house has front and back gardens and each apartment has its own balcony or garden.

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climate energy homes

CO

Design innovation benchmarked

by E C Harris Climate Energy Homes embraced the principles of passive design and sustainable architecture to deliver the Rainham development with exceptional levels of energy efficiency at a cost equal to traditional build.

Using its exclusive ecoTECH Passivhaus Build System throughout, high grain timber panels were pre-installed with 240mm of mineral wool to achieve a µ value of 0.12W/m²K and were supplied to site with Secured by Design triple glazed windows and door surrounds, factory fitted to ensure air tightness.

This pre-certified approach ensured an improved energy performance through increased airtightness and the avoidance of thermal bridging.

Computer modelling and performance testing of design options demonstrated measurable benefits from passive solar gain, passive ventilation and thermal massing.

Resident wellbeing was at the heart of the scheme, which maximises natural light and ventilation, delivers excellent indoor air quality and sound insulation and ensures comfortable indoor temperatures, whatever the weather.

Applying Modern Methods of Construction Off-site construction is at the heart of Climate Energy Homes’ approach. Not only are the construction components manufactured to the highest quality and structural tolerance, but materials requirements are calculated with complete precision through the use of Building Information Modelling, significantly reducing off-site product waste.

Through the use of MMC, the level of on-site finishing at Rainham was significantly reduced, resulting in a faster build time, lower labour costs and reduced on-site waste, as well as minimised disruption to the local area.

Sustainable communities Climate Energy Homes believes everyone has the right to live in a well-designed, well-built, and well-insulated home and the positive effect

this can have on community health and cohesion.

It also demonstrated its commitment to supporting local supply chains and a local labour force was utilised wherever possible.

Working closely with the local college, Climate Energy Homes has helped to develop Apprenticeship programmes, giving local students the opportunity to learn new skills in an innovative and growing industry. Students were offered work experience placements and tutors received mentoring on MMC. Affordable living The design and build credentials would have been negated if the scheme didn’t work for its residents, but Rainham is, without doubt, a development with resident welfare and wellbeing at its heart. The rising cost of living and, in particular, the rising cost of energy is a significant social concern. Indeed, in the UK, 25% of people were due to go without heating this winter to save money and 22% to cut back on essentials, like groceries, to pay fuel bills.

Rainham residents are not forced to make these difficult choices with energy bills two-thirds cheaper than those of a comparable house.

Residents are also experiencing health benefits from warmer homes with better air quality and the social benefits of community living.

‘Recycled’ homes for the future Climate Energy Homes is involved in an innovative project at London Sustainable Industries Park where it has supplied and built a modular, three-storey ‘recycled’ home for the Institute for Sustainability’s ‘Living Laboratory’.

The building, which was first constructed at the BRE’s Garston Innovation Park in 2007, was dismantled in 2012, put into storage and then reconstructed at London SIP earlier this year, demonstrating that it is possible to take homes apart for reconfiguration or for performance or structural upgrade to meet changing needs.

This approach, which provides cost effective,

climate energy homes

VE

RS

TO

RY

affordable interval housing, bridging the gap between the removal of dilapidated housing stock and new home builds now forms a core element of Climate Energy Homes’ commercial offer.

This highly insulated, energy efficient, quality removable housing solution can be erected within days to ‘move in’ standards and be dismantled, removed and rebuilt to suit housing needs. Using an innovative pod design, these ‘PopUpHomes’ can be configured to deliver a range of homes, from studio apartments to five bedroom houses. Built using off-site construction methods, PopUpHomes can be both mass produced and designed to suit the individual needs of the area in which they are located. Full funding is available for both lease and purchase options.

Supporting BuildOffsite principals The overall goal for BuildOffsite is to promote an improved understanding of how, through the use of off-site construction methods, leading-edge organisations are simplifying their supply chains, improving speed of construction and on-site productivity, minimising waste and delivering assets with ‘right first time’ quality and predictable costs in use - all of which provide comfort and security to the homeowner.

To underpin this initiative, the BuildOffsite Property Assurance Scheme (BOPAS) was launched in March 2013. Its main purpose was to provide access to a database so that mortgage lenders and valuers could check whether a property had been built using a BOPAS-assessed Modern Method of Construction. If so, they’d be assured that the construction would meet the lender’s 60-year durability requirements - which covers the equivalent of two mortgage terms - and that the building shouldn’t require any disproportionate maintenance over that time.

For more information visit: www.climateenergyhomes.com 0800 035 4542

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STRUCTURAL TIMBER MAGAZINE | ISSUE 03 | SPRING 2015

TIMBER TRENDS New Report Casts Positive Light on Timber Future According to new research from MTW

finding that timber has continued to gain share

The report UK Timber Frame Housebuilding &

Research, the timber frame market saw profit

of the UK construction market.

Construction Market contains:

sales growth in the last two years boosted

The 200 page report states that 65% of timber

• UK timber frame construction market value &

by the burgeoning housebuilding market.

frame suppliers are now reporting growth

volume 2009-2019

growth of 0.5% in 2014, with double digit

compared to 40% in 2013, underlining rising

• Product mix, market sizes & trends

Based on sales data from 80 timber frame

optimism for the majority of the timber frame

2009-2019

suppliers, the report states that margins

market. However, MTW also point to a ‘two

• End use sector mix 2009-2019

recovered in 2014 and profitability will

tier market’ in 2015 whilst 70% of timber

• Share by UK country, private & social housing,

strengthen in 2015 as demand rises from

frame suppliers have a good or excellent credit

region & house type

housebuilding and commercial construction.

rating, some 30% of suppliers are experiencing

• One page profile for 80+ timber frame

However, the report notes that there was some

difficulties in terms of declining sales, tightening

suppliers - turnover & profit estimates &

evidence of a deceleration in growth for the

margins and pressure on financial liquidity.

rankings for each company

timber frame market toward the end of 2014,

Nevertheless, the research identifies a

• Timber frame suppliers industry structure

with more stable trading patterns forecast

number of key drivers and opportunities which

• SWOT & PEST – growth prospects,

for 2015.

should underpin growth in the timber frame

opportunities, positive & negative influences,

construction market in the medium term. The

future prospects

Discussing the findings, MTW’s director Mark

report highlights that housebuilding levels are

Waddy commented: “Around 20% of timber

some 55% higher than they were in 2009, with

The report can be purchased here:

frame suppliers have closed since 2008,

timber frame sales having risen faster than the

www.marketresearchreports.co.uk/Timber-

reflecting ongoing challenges in the market.

overall housebuilding market. MTW’s research

Frame-Market/Timber-Frame-Market-Size.htm

However, these closures coupled with rising

also reviewed the MMC market (modern

demand in the last 2 years have alleviated the

methods of construction), finding that sales in

threat of over-supply which was dampening

this sector are set to top £2 billion for the first

growth prospects for the timber frame

time in 2018, underpinning further optimism for

market.” Identifying a number of positive factors

new building technologies and materials in

the report forecasts sales growth of 20% by

the future.

2019, underlining healthy opportunities for the timber frame market.

The report analyses the timber frame industry in detail and suggests that whilst profitability is

The drive toward more energy efficient homes

rising, the level of M&A activity in the sector is

and buildings continues to represent a key driver

set to increase in the near term. The research

of demand for timber frame construction in

found that an increasing number of higher

2015. MTW forecast that closed panels and the

profile mergers and acquisitions are likely

SIPS market are likely to gain further share over

as economies of scale are sought in order to

the open timber panel market as an increasing

compete with more traditional building methods.

number of new build homes seek to achieve

According to MTW, the fragmented timber frame

code 5 status. Sustainability of the material,

market is also likely to be characterised by

lower waste and greater thermal efficiencies

ongoing consolidation in the longer term with

amongst others continue to support the

smaller companies becoming less prevalent in

specification of timber frame, with the research

the industry as a result.

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TIMBER TRENDS

STRUCTURAL TIMBER MAGAZINE | ISSUE 03 | SPRING 2015

TIMBER TRENDS Timber Merger Suspended The British Woodworking Federation (BWF) has confirmed to its membership that merger talks with the Timber Trade Federation (TTF) have been suspended.

Following a series of very detailed meetings at which fundamental issues on next steps could not be agreed, the BWF’s President, David Pattenden issued a statement to its 700 member firms explaining the BWF still believed in the principles behind the proposal to create a strong industry body to lobby on timber issues. However, ultimately the proposals put forward could not meet the agenda of the two organisations in a realistic timeframe.

Iain McIlwee, chief executive of the BWF, said: “Obviously, we are disappointed. The prize of a joined up voice for timber is great. But it cannot be at any cost. Serving the day-today needs of the members is our first and

unwavering responsibility. A modern trade body must harness the industry’s expertise and energy, and this is where any activity must start, a bottom-up approach that is member-led.

support for Wood for Good and the great work they are doing on all of our behalf, to develop a stronger macro voice on timber issues.”

The Confederation of Timber Industries is still set to launch in June and is searching for new partners and new CEO.

“The BWF has grown by about 50% over the last three years and growth continues. We have great supply chain partnerships, and we have led the way in areas such as the education and skills agenda, timber product quality and third party certification, and essential research on life cycle analysis. I am very proud that these tangible strengths, and the service-led culture of the BWF, has been apparent throughout this whole process.

“We had a good and committed group of members leading this who really left no stone unturned. The steering committee appointed by the BWF were resolute in protecting the interests of members and will continue to look at opportunities, such as through our

Source: www.bwf.co.uk

Iain McIlwee - Image COURTESY OF: BWF

WWF Gives Gold Star to HM Treasury A report by WWF has found that HM Treasury is the best performing UK Department for implementing the government’s timber procurement policy designed to help the government avoid purchasing illegally or unsustainably logged timber.

Implementation of the UK’s Timber Procurement Policy reported the Department for Education at the bottom of the class whilst Defra was in the middle of the 21 central government departments who are meant to follow the mandatory guidelines, despite being home to the unit designed to assist Whitehall in managing responsible procurement.

WWF’s report follows the government’s own Greening Government report indicating the government’s performance overall on timber procurement has been in decline.

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The aim of the 17-year old Timber Procurement Policy (TPP) is to enable the government to drive responsible purchasing so that it will not have a negative impact on forests and forest-dependent communities around the world. The government has huge purchasing power, and it is thought that last year it was responsible for between 30-50% of all office furniture bought in the UK. Overall WWF has found the government must do more to uphold its own policies, with one department, the Northern Ireland Office, unaware there is a policy.

Beatrix Richards, Head of Corporate Stewardship – Natural Commodities, said: “The government has huge buying power and influence and, as the self-declared ‘greenest government ever’, it should at the very least

TIMBER TRENDS

implement its own policies. WWF’s report shows implementation is patchy at best and that even basic requirements, like checking that timber products are not purchased from unsustainable or illegal sources, have not yet been adopted by all departments.”

WWF has concerns that many departments may potentially be supporting the continued trade in illegally-sourced or unsustainable timber and wood products by not checking adequately the supply of their purchased products to confirm they have come from legal and sustainable sources. WWF believes that there could be even more impact if the wider public sector, such as the NHS, universities and schools, also implemented the government’s procurement policies.

Source: www.wwf.org.uk

STRUCTURAL TIMBER MAGAZINE | ISSUE 03 | SPRING 2015

TIMBER TRENDS NMO Assess Chinese Plywood Risk Findings from the National Measurement Office’s (NMO) enforcement project into Chinese plywood has been reported in EUTR: Plywood imported from China.

The NMO identified 16 UK companies as ‘operators’ under the EUTR. Of these 14 submitted ‘insufficient’ due diligence systems, mainly due to a lack of narrative explaining how the combination of document gathering, risk assessment and mitigation enabled them to conclude a negligible risk of illegal timber sourcing.

The NMO also purchased products from a number of these companies and subjected them to microscopic analysis. Of the 13 purchases tested, nine failed to match the declaration supplied by each company regarding timber species used. These companies are now facing possible sanctions. This indicates that some Chinese plywood importers need to improve their due diligence processes. For Chinese plywood, due diligence relying solely on documentation may be considered high risk.

Additional species verification testing of Chinese plywood will provide importers with confidence that what is claimed in documentation relating to plywood they place onto the market is accurate. Timber species verification assesses whether timber either in its ‘raw’ form or

when manufactured into a product is what it is claimed to be.

Andy Pitman, timber species identification expert at BM TRADA said: “From a EUTR perspective all the species contained in a product or item must be included on the accompanying documentation, and can therefore be subject to scrutiny. We are able to examine timber samples to confirm whether they are made from the wood claimed in accompanying documentation provided by your supplier.”

BM TRADA believe that on-going species verification testing of Chinese plywood is a sensible approach until Chinese manufacturers can demonstrate they have appropriate controls in place that govern the plies included in their products.

Environmental consultant Charlie Law, co-chair of the construction group at pro-UK timber organisation Grown in Britain, said that the NMO undertook the study following suspicions in the timber and construction industries that imported Chinese plywood was being mislabelled.

“It’s unlikely to have been incorporated into buildings on major sites, but you will find it on smaller sites because it’s cheaper, or it might be used for temporary, protective uses. It’s something we knew was a risk, we’d seen

Chinese plywood and had conversations in the timber industry. There were also concerns about health and safety as it wasn’t always CE marked.

There were rumours about they put this stuff together in China. So in the end NMO was asked either to allay everyone’s fears, or to prove that there’s a problem. Subcontractors should be aware of the need to only supply FSC or PEFCcertified timber, but sub-contractors need to check it, and sites are busy places.”

“It’s one of those things that confirms why we do what we do in terms of checking chain of custody certificates - it’s always good to have these reminders that there are unscrupulous operations that are trying to break the law.”

The EU Timber Regulation (EUTR) is being reviewed by the European Commission this year.

Source: www.bmtrada.com

KPMG Warns on Government Construction Pipeline According to analysis published by KPMG, 84% of the projects included in the Government Construction Pipeline (2,656) are expected to have commenced construction by 2016. This includes 1,279 projects which are reported as being already under construction. The uplift in the number of projects due to start will add to the pressure on the construction industry which is already struggling with an acute shortage of skilled labour.

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The report, UK Government Construction Pipeline - KPMG Analysis, reflects 3,148 projects covering 16 sectors with a total value of approximately £128 billion being procured by central and local government in three spend periods: 2014-16, 2016-20, and 2020 and beyond.

Richard Threlfall, KPMG’s UK Head of Infrastructure, Building and Construction said: “It is encouraging to see the Government’s pipeline of construction

TIMBER TRENDS

and infrastructure projects continuing to grow in both volume and value. It is not yet clear however whether the industry will be in a position to deliver the 84% of projects due to start by 2016. There is currently an acute shortage of skilled labour in the industry and unless that is resolved soon some projects will be delayed.”

Source: www.kpmg.com

STRUCTURAL TIMBER MAGAZINE | ISSUE 03 | SPRING 2015

Leeds RERF Opens Doors for Visitors On the 6th and 7th March young people where offered an exclusive opportunity to have a look behind the scenes at three of Clugston Construction’s major project sites so that anyone considering a career in construction could take a tour and learn more about the world of construction.

One of which was the Leeds Recycling and Energy Recover Facility (RERF) featuring landmark Glulam arches. With 42 metre high arches in place, Clugston and its client, Veolia, told visitors how the facility will process 214,000 tonnes of waste a year, in a building that is Europe’s largest arched glulam timber frame and features one of the largest green living walls in the UK.

On a tour around the perimeter of the building, there were several ‘wow’ moments as project manager Neil Webster explained the design and how the arches had been craned in and installed.

Open Doors is an industry initiative designed to show the diverse and exciting range of career opportunities that construction has to offer and the wide range of skills that need to come together to make buildings and infrastructure part of our everyday lives.

Paul Gouland, Marketing Director at Clugston commented: “Construction is undergoing rapid change and needs to develop a skilled, diverse workforce to meet these challenges and

TIMBER TRENDS

maintain its position as one of this country’s most dynamic, creative and important industries.

Nowadays construction is more about careers than jobs and the expected increase in demand for management roles in the next few years means that we need quality talent entering the industry now to fill these future positions.

The Open Doors Weekend is the result of a partnership of five leading industry bodies, UK Construction Group (UKCG), CITBConstructionSkills, The Considerate Constructors Scheme, Construction News and the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB).

Source: www.clugston.co.uk

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STRUCTURAL TIMBER MAGAZINE | ISSUE 03 | SPRING 2015

TIMBER TRENDS Mortgages for Affordable Timber & Straw Homes Research carried out at the University of Bath has resulted in the UK’s first affordable and mortgageable straw bale homes going on sale.

Promising fuel bills up to 90 per cent cheaper than an equivalent brick-built house, the first houses have gone up for sale in Bristol and offer an affordable, low carbon and fuel-efficient means of housebuilding. The seven Bristol townhouses were built by developers Connolly and Callaghan using the innovative ModCell straw panels, in which a timber frame encloses the compressed straw bale. Built with the loadbearing straw panels within an airtight design (plus triple glazed windows) the new houses will need significantly less conventional heating.

The work by the University means homeowners can now get a loan or mortgage on straw bale houses, as researchers proved to financiers they were durable and low risk.

Previously straw bale houses have not been eligible for finance, due to a lack of certified materials and concerns about durability, but a new factory-built straw panel design developed at the University of Bath has received BM TRADA’s Q-Mark certification, meaning developers and house buyers can now insure and secure mortgages against homes,

schools and offices built using this sustainable construction method.

To receive certification the University research tested the ModCell straw panel’s energy efficiency, fire safety, durability and weatherresilience, including exposing the panels to heavy rain and extreme temperatures ranging from -20oc to 50oc.

Professor Pete Walker, head of the department of architecture and civil engineering at the University of Bath, led the research. “The construction sector must reduce its energy consumption by 50 per cent and its carbon emissions by 80 per cent by 2050, so radical changes are needed to the way we approach house building.”

In the UK up to seven million tonnes of straw remains after the production of wheat flour, and up to half this amount is effectively discarded due to its low value, to be used as animal bedding. This ‘leftover’ 3.8 million tonnes of straw could be used to build over 500,000 new homes, as an average three-bedroom house needs 7.2 tonnes of straw.

Source: www.greenbuildingpress.co.uk

Stewart Milne Unveils Recruitment Drive Stewart Milne Group has unveiled plans to create more than 250 jobs in the next 12 months to support growth in its homes and timber systems divisions. The Aberdeenheadquartered company wants an increase of more than 30 per cent to its current 800-strong full-time workforce.

The new posts will be spread across the group’s homes divisions in both Scotland and north-west England along with its timber systems automated facility in Witney, Oxfordshire. It will span: “all disciplines and

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professions within the business, from skilled tradespeople, site management and quantity surveyors through to architects, design technicians and cost estimators.”

Group chief executive Glenn Allison said: “This is an enormously exciting time to be working in the construction sector, as we bring premium new homes projects forward to meet market demand and continue to grow our timber systems business. As a privately owned group, we have a very strong company culture that puts our people

TIMBER TRENDS

and their development at the heart of what we do. This is backed by best in class training programmes; an excellent benefits package and fantastic career progression prospects for those with ambition and talent.

In November 2014 the company posted a surge in annual profits and set itself the ambitious target of doubling sales to more than £400 million over the next three years.

Source: http://timbersystems.stewartmilne.com

ADVERTORIAL

BS 5534 Changes and the implications to the industry

Twenty years ago the UKs top performing vapour permeable underlay, Roofshield, was not even launched. Everyone worked to BS5534:1990:Part 1 (25 pages - now 173) and if you were looking for a roofing underlay you had the choice of either bitumen felt, single layer non-woven polypropylene membranes, Flash spunbond or reinforced polyethylene’s with micro perforations.

The only permeability requirement was in fully supported applications and was only 36g/m2/ day in accordance with BS3177. For underlays not fully supported the recommendations were to use BS747 bitumen felt and if using a polyethylene film of 0.13mm the batten gauge should not exceed 100mm.

for both the fixing of roof coverings and the robustness of underlays of all types. Traditional methods such as mortar bedding of ridges can no longer be relied upon to resist wind loadings, therefore designers and roofers will need to familiarise themselves with the new requirements, and seek updated fixing schedules from material suppliers.

For underlay classification the country is split into 5 wind zones as shown:

20 years on Fast forward to 2015 and vapour permeable membranes are now used on most projects in the UK. Over this time, VPUs (now typically with MVTRs greater than 1000g/m2/day) have allowed ventilation requirements for roofs to be reduced to ridge-only, or for high performance air permeable membrane such as Roofshield, eliminated.

Alongside this evolution in technology, climatic factors affecting roof design have also changed, with extreme weather conditions occurring more frequently. The increasing likelihood of violent storm conditions has demanded a more rigorous approach to roof design, amid a growing recognition that the old principles are no longer fit for purpose.

The recently published BS5534:2014 reflects this with more rigorous design standards

variations in batten gauge or reduced batten spacing in higher wind load zones.

The new BS5534 should be embraced by the industry and recognised as a raising of standards and producing less problems on roofs due to wind damage.

Based on independent testing, Roofshield continues to demonstrate its performance by being compliant throughout the whole of the UK. For zones 1-3, no special measures are required, beyond ensuring laps are extended to coincide with slate or tile battens. For zones 4 and 5, designers and roofers should consult the A Proctor Group to review the specific application, however for the majority of fully supported applications (commonplace in these geographic areas) no special measures will be required. If necessary, a detailed specification will be issued giving the options for compliant installation.

While significant changes to long established standards are a source of upheaval and concern to the industry, embracing these changes can only be of benefit, reducing the likelihood of problems and remediation.

By continually improving our product ranges, the A. Proctor Group aim to make the transition as painless as possible for our customers.

Manufacturers must now clearly state in which zones their underlays are suitable, and if any special installation conditions apply. These specifics may include, taping of lap joints,

For further information on Roofshield, and the implications of the new BS5534, please visit www.proctorgroup.com.

STRUCTURAL TIMBER MAGAZINE | ISSUE 03 | SPRING 2015

TIMBER TRENDS MPs Fail on ZCH Standards Homes UK Parliament has failed to vote on amendments Zero Carbon Homes (ZCH) standards that would have seen housebuilders required to prioritise green measures and insulation.

under the current proposals, “new homes from 2016 will definitely not be zero carbon. At best they will emit only one third less carbon than a home built to 2006 standards.”

for flats. That is a matter of concern, and it is difficult to understand why the Government have come to that conclusion. Was it because of cost or because of the impact on the market?”

Under a clause in the current Infrastructure Bill, developers will be able to offset their carbon emissions by paying into a fund rather than building low carbon homes. The vote within the larger Infrastructure Bill on 27 January 2015 came a day after a joint letter from trade bodies and environmental campaigners warning against watered-down ZCH standards.

The letter referred to a number of amendments tabled during the course of the Infrastructure Bill that sought to reinstate the Zero Carbon Hub’s recommended carbon performance for new homes. These included amendments from Liberal Democrat MP Andrew Stunell, former Department for Communities and Local Government Minister, who has been highly critical of the government’s rejection of the original standards.

Nina Skorupska, Chief Executive of the Renewable Energy Association, also warned that watered-down standards risked causing future problems, saying: “Zero Carbon Homes is in danger of becoming meaningless, with the watering down of the standards meaning homes built after 2016 will need retrofitting in the future, storing up problems which will be more expensive to deal with.”

The Solar Trade Association, WWF and the Renewable Energy Association, with support from Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace had urged MPs to back amendments to the Infrastructure Bill and restore Zero Carbon Homes standards to levels recommended by the Zero Carbon Hub. Criticising the government for rejecting the recommended standards, the letter said that

In a commons debate on 8 December, 2014, Stunell questioned the government’s decision: “The Government have responded by not accepting the (Zero Carbon Hub’s) proposal for an improvement of between 56% and 60%.

Instead, they are going to apply the figure of 44% to all building types-the lower level of saving that the taskforce recommended only

Source: www.building4change.com/article. jsp?id=2585#.VPSBwvmsV8F

ALLOWABLE SOLUTIONS

ON SITE LOW/ZERO CARBON HEAT AND POWER CARBON COMPLIANCE FABRIC ENERGY EFFICIENCY

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TIMBER TRENDS

ZERO CARBON

STRUCTURAL TIMBER MAGAZINE | ISSUE 03 | SPRING 2015

Sky Cube – offsite housing concept Timber and offsite manufacturing are hitting untold heights for multi-storey living with CLT and cutting edge engineering techniques. For one German architect, sustainable living could reach 200 metres.

Weingartner Architects and its prefabricated Woodscraper II concept consist of nine ‘sky cubes’ stacked on top of each other in a zig-zag pattern, mounted onsite and held in place via cantilevering from a central concrete core.

According to the Weingartner, Woodscraper is: “a dense, low maintenance, off-grid residentialleisure-office tower made 70% in wood with

up to eight minimal sky cubes on a landscaped shared space with a lobby, a cafe, a gym, an urban farming club and an e-mobility club… the slim hybrid tower with a height of up to 180m introduces a new way of constructing tall buildings with a renewable, durable and strong building material that is manufactured by nature.

Wood may be the best option for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and storing carbon in our buildings.”

He goes onto say: “My design redefines the discussion of where we will see customised mass timber in the future of the world’s

TIMBER TRENDS

skylines. As we pursue the solar and green energy solutions we must consider that we are surrounded by a building material that is manufactured by nature, a material that is beautiful, renewable, durable, strong and safe.

Mass timber structures are capable of meeting fire and life safety needs while staying within cost competitive marketplace conditions.”

Source: www.weingartnerarchitects.com/ wooden-highrise-buildings

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ADVERTORIAL

Senior has great chemistry in Oban

A state-of-the-art science park building on Scotland’s stunning west coast has achieved a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating, thanks in part to the specification of innovative glazing systems from designer and manufacturer, Senior Architectural Systems.

Malin House, which is part of the European Marine Science Park and is owned by Highlands and Islands Enterprise, incorporates Senior’s Hybrid curtain wall and window systems.

The systems offer an aluminium external profile with contrasting engineered timber internally.

This internal timber complements the external cladding of the prestigious building, which is located at Dunstaffnage near Oban.

The external aluminium, meanwhile, provides exceptional performance, long-life and low maintenance, while the timber provides an ideal combination of aesthetics, high insulation properties and strong environmental benefits.

The contemporary systems help to offer fabulous views of surrounding green space, forests and the beautiful Ardmucknish Bay while they also ensure sunlight enters the building, making for an inspiring environment.

Not only are Hybrid’s timber and aluminium profiles responsibly sourced and fully recyclable, they also help to improve the thermal performance of a building and improve natural lighting once installed. These properties help to conserve energy, cutting carbon and costs in the long-term and improving the health and wellbeing of end users.

A key feature of the building is a protruding corner window, which also utilises Senior’s systems to stunning effect. Vertical and horizontal solar shading panels, meanwhile, were supported from the curtain walling and add a further contemporary feel to the structure.

Installing Senior’s Hybrid systems is now an aesthetic and environmental choice specifiers can make in confidence knowing that the project in question will see an improvement in environmental performance and be protected with a striking façade for years to come, which bodes well for future generations.

No doubt, therefore, the use of Senior’s Hybrid Series 3 curtain wall systems and Hybrid series 1 window systems in this project assisted ADF Architects in the pursuit of an ‘Excellent’ BREEAM rating.

Hybrid Series 3 curtain wall and Hybrid Series 1 systems were installed by Marshall Brown throughout the building, which offers office and laboratory space in an established location for marine science.

For more information on Senior’s full range of products and services please visit www.seniorarchitectural.co.uk

STRUCTURAL TIMBER MAGAZINE | ISSUE 03 | SPRING 2015

Solid Wood Ambitions Can the growing demand for solid wood construction be satisfied from a stock of homegrown UK timber and delivered via UK manufacturing facilities? Peter Wilson, architect and director of the Wood Studio Research Centre within Edinburgh Napier University’s Institute for Sustainable Construction, believes it can.

Solid wood technology has had a growing impact on UK construction over the past decade, despite the absence in this country of any industrial scale manufacture of the required engineered timber products. To provide a positive response to the latter issue we must first of all expand on the reasons for the former and the market potential for engineered timber products made from UK-grown timber.

Most readers will be familiar with glulam and the many uses it has been put to – from churches to school halls and swimming pools, the product was widely popular in the 1960s and for a brief spell some commercial production took place in England. More recently, Buckland Timber in Devon has reintroduced glulam manufacture to the UK, albeit using mostly imported material, but the company has been working with BM TRADA to test the potential of several homegrown species.

Production is not yet of a scale, however, to match the huge and versatile manufacturing facilities to be found on the continent and the bulk of glulam used in the UK today continues to be imported from mainland Europe.

SOLID WOOD ambitions

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STRUCTURAL TIMBER MAGAZINE | ISSUE 03 | SPRING 2015

LVL & Advanced Timber Technology Early UK applications of cross laminated timber

But back to CLT and the various factors that

nine-storey honeycomb CLT structure of the

(CLT) – a technology conceived in Switzerland

have rapidly increased its use in the UK. It has

Stadthaus in London’s Murray Grove by Waugh

and developed in southern Germany in the

many tangible benefits, not least its carbon

Thistleton Architects and engineers Techniker

early 1990s – largely focused on housing

storage and sustainability credentials bit also

changed these limitations forever and created

developments but the range of potential

the ease, speed and quietness of assembly;

a drive for tall timber buildings that continues

markets has broadened dramatically in recent

its dimensional stability allowing precision

to this day.

years. CLT now leads the field in imported

offsite manufacture and prefabrication options;

engineered timber products, but mention

its thermal and airtightness values; the lack

should also be made of laminated veneered

of onsite waste produced in its use; and

lumber (LVL). More and more engineers are

the potential reductions it offers in terms of

beginning to explore solid wood options as

foundation structures, material deliveries,

their knowledge and confidence in using these

onsite plant and construction personnel –

products singly and in combination – as well

the list is long and environmentally positive.

as in hybrid form with other materials such as

These benefits are not specific to the UK and

concrete and steel – has grown immeasurably

the growth in the use of CLT here has to be

in recent years with the emergence of new and

attributed to other, specific initiatives and

quite different structural challenges.

developments.

Like glulam, LVL has the grain of each lamella

Unquestionably, the ‘Building Schools for the

running in parallel, but unlike glulam, the

Future programme’ in England created an

potential for infinitely long sheets of LVL to be

open door for a product capable of delivering

curved in two directions has opened up many

large scale projects quickly and accurately,

new possibilities. As yet, most applications of

but the unheralded change in approach by

LVL in this country (e.g. the portal frames at the

large retail chains to the construction of out

Abbotsford Visitor Centre near Galashiels and

of town emporia in order to demonstrate their

the columns and beams in the Edinburgh Centre

environmental credentials to their customers

for Carbon Innovation) essentially replicate the

produced a whole new breed of timber or

ways in which glulam has traditionally been

hybrid timber superstores. Certainly, there

used, i.e. as one-way spanning elements, but

was a commercial imperative in being able to

innovative use at smaller scales (e.g. the folded

prefabricate and build fast at a time when steel

roofscape of the Maggie Centre by Frank Gehry

prices were rocketing, but improved customer

at Dundee’s Ninewells Hospital) demonstrates

satisfaction also produced the unexpected win-

more effectively the three dimensional

win of increased turnover.

possibilities of the product. At the grand scale, Jürgen Meyer’s ‘Parasol’ in Sevilla – currently

The third game-changer for engineered

the largest urban timber structure in the world

timber products was in their application in tall

– indicates both the way in which previously

buildings. Traditionally, platform timber frame

perceived limits of timber technology are now

construction could be constructed satisfactorily

being regularly breached and the potential to

up to seven storeys in height before other

use advanced timber products in dense urban

factors came into play to prevent the

environments.

technology rising higher. The emergence of the

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SOLID WOOD ambitions

Around the globe, new and ever higher timber structures are being proposed - and erected - with projects as far apart as Melbourne (11-storeys, completed) Bergen (14-storeys, under construction), Vienna (24-storeys, recently proposed) and Stockholm (34-storeys, in development). In Canada, architect Michael Green has led the drive towards hybrid timber structures with his Wood Innovation and Design Centre building at the University of North British Columbia.

UK Manufacture for the Future

A fourth but less recognised game changer insofar as UK manufacture of engineered timber products is concerned was Scotland’s Housing Expo in 2010. Amongst the 55 innovative house designs erected were several examples using CLT. Scottish Government ministers on visiting the site and learning of the various provenances of the products used wanted to know if it could be made from Scottish grown timber.

An 18-month R&D project resulted, with Edinburgh Napier University’s Institute for Sustainable Construction tasked with determining the efficacy of using Sitka spruce (the forest sector’s largest production resource) in CLT manufacture. The study covered everything from availability of material, drying, grading and manufacture through to structural and fire testing and the allimportant identification of markets complementary to those already inhabited by European manufacturers of CLT. Since completing this work, more detailed research has been carried out with a view to establishing an industrial scale manufacturing facility. As a result, CLT may well soon be manufactured in the UK from UK grown timber. That day can’t come soon enough to meet the demand that unquestionably exists.

For more information visit: www.napier.ac.uk/forestproducts/centres/woodstudio

SOLID WOOD ambitions

STRUCTURAL TIMBER MAGAZINE | ISSUE 03 | SPRING 2015

Solid Wood Solutions – shaping the future The inexorable growth in popularity of engineered timber systems such as glulam and cross laminated timber (CLT) shows no sign of stopping.

It is being seen more and more across the

UK and Europe. With sustainability and offsite

construction landscape as a highly valuable way

construction high on the UK building agenda

to build strong, stable and attractive buildings.

– Solid Wood Solutions is an essential event

Importantly, it is also an efficient way to deliver

to learn first-hand from the timber industry’s

sustainable design with the benefits of timber and

leaders and innovators.

low-carbon literally woven into the building fabric.

The event consists of a small exhibition of 25-30 The scope and size of buildings that solid wood

companies from within the CLT and glulam

solutions are contributing to are also huge. From

technology sector plus complementary building

hotels to schools and housing schemes, it is now

systems such as SIPS and cladding/fenestration

a first choice material to specify more than ever.

alongside a top-level conference catering for

Many architects and designers are also exploring

approximately 200 delegates.

the multi-storey potential that solid wood offers and with precision, factory-controlled offsite

The previous events have all been genuine sold-

manufacture to aid that, engineered timber is

out days. A particular highlight from Solid Wood

delivering a wealth of benefits in quality, improved

Solutions 2014, was delivered by Tim Snelson

timescales, budget certainty and better health and

from Arup who presented a case study on Sky’s

safety. Wood may be one of the world’s oldest

Believe in Better Building – Sky’s new 4000sq m

building materials, but it is now one of the

training centre in West London. Incorporating the

most advanced.

company’s renowned strapline and combining a glulam frame, cross laminated timber (CLT)

Many of these issues and case study examples

floor slabs and timber cassette facades, the

will be explored at the fourth Solid Wood Solutions

impressive build programme of just eight weeks

taking place on 18 June 2015 at the Inmarsat

was achieved for the structure and envelope.

Conference Centre, London. The change in venue is to accommodate the growing number

The informative case study focused on the

of delegates.

brief, why timber was the optimum solution, key design issues and how such a fast programme

Solid Wood Solutions is a one day conference

of 11 months from starting the design to

and exhibition designed to showcase the

completion to ultimately achieve a building

very best in engineered timber and create a

beyond neutral embodied carbon. An update on

platform for the industry’s innovators to present

this scheme can be found on Page 42

some of the most prestigious projects in the

of this magazine.

Previous speakers have included high calibre industry leaders including: Andrew Wright: Andrew Wright Associates Gavin White: Ramboll James Engwall: Price & Myers John Spittle: Wiehag Jonathon Roynon: Buro Happold Markus Golinski: Hess Timber Martin Young: Tesco Stores Nic Clark: KLH Nick Milestone & Helmut Spiehs: X-LAM Alliance Philipp Zumbrunnen: Eurban Robert Hairstans: Edinburgh Napier University Rosi Fieldson: Simons Group Simon Smith: Smith & Wallwork The 2015 Speaker programme will be released next month incorporating exciting projects and case studies from across Europe.

CALL FOR PAPERS

TICKETS FOR SOLID WOOD SOLUTIONS 2015 ARE JUST £95 + VAT 10% EARLYBIRD DISCOUNT FOR BOOKING BEFORE 01 MAY FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT: WWW.SOLIDWOODSOLUTIONS.CO.UK/BOOK CONTACT: VICTORIA.JONES@RADAR-COMMUNICATIONS.CO.UK

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SOLID WOOD SOLUTIONS

If you would like to put forward a project or a product innovation for consideration on the speaker line-up for the event then please email victoria.jones@radar-communications.co.uk

STRUCTURAL TIMBER MAGAZINE | ISSUE 03 | SPRING 2015

NW Bicester: taking shape in 2015

As the UK’s first eco-town, many are watching the continued development of the vibrant community of North West Bicester and its sustainable and greener lifestyle journey. Timber plays a major role in the housing scheme with Stewart Milne Timber Systems a key provider.

Garden Cities are playing a role in helping to

15,000 homes will eventually be built in

meet the shortfall in housing stock and the

Ebbsfleet in Kent, while in North West

Conservative party recently indicated that it

Bicester work got underway in November

would commit to build a quarter of a million

2014 in a development which will eventually

new homes available through garden city

see up to 6,000 homes constructed

projects by 2020 – if they are re-elected.

The first phase of A2Dominion’s

In a broader sense the UK Government’s

development in NW Bicester is a 393-

push for ‘zero carbon’ targets has led to a

home project, aiming to deliver the most

gradually increasing standards of energy

sustainable living in the UK for its residents.

efficiency. In practice this means that there

The homes are designed to achieve true

is a requirement for carbon reduction and

zero carbon rating and delivering energy

contractors are increasingly embracing new

efficient, good quality, affordable housing

ways of working.

will be crucial to the success of the project.

Timber systems were therefore an ideal

But in 2015 work to realise ambitious

fit for the priorities of the ambitious task

construction projects is already underway.

at hand.

24

NW BICESTER:TAKING SHAPE IN 2015

It would seem that Garden Cities are well and truly back on the UK’s cultural agenda, with their renaissance now well documented across the media. Originally designed to alleviate crowded city living in the 19th century, our current housing shortage has seen us go back to the future for inspiration.

STRUCTURAL TIMBER MAGAZINE | ISSUE 03 | SPRING 2015

Zero Carbon Targets Stewart Milne Timber Systems is working with

end of 2015. Given the ambitious nature of the

A2Dominion and Willmott Dixon, the main

project, and the national interest being shown in

contractor to deliver the project, which will be

it, we’re excited to be involved in helping create

the only eco town to adhere to the Government’s

something truly new through this new look

original Eco Town Policy Planning Statement,

eco-town.

designed to achieve high standards of environmental sustainability.

“Faced with a winter build programme, timber systems meant there were no weather related

Stewart Milne Timber Systems managing

delays, which helped to maintain momentum.

director, Alex Goodfellow, said the project was

Meanwhile, with components manufactured

already taking shape, “Work started to erect the

offsite we can achieve faster speed of build than

first of 91 timber system homes in November

would have been the case using brick

last year, which are due to be complete by the

and block.”

NW BICESTER:TAKING SHAPE IN 2015

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STRUCTURAL TIMBER MAGAZINE | ISSUE 03 | SPRING 2015

The first phase is being designed with a Fabric

Each home will have a true zero carbon rating,

The development will also include a range

First approach, complemented by renewable

with heat and hot water being generated onsite

of additional features, aiming to minimise its

technologies, keeping the build fabric central to

by a highly-efficient, gas-fired combined heat

residents’ impact on the local environment.

creating a sustainable community. The homes

and power plant. The development will feature

These will include rainwater harvesting systems

will attain Code for Sustainable Homes (CSH)

the UK’s largest domestic solar panel array,

to recycle water; an electric car club, and high

Level 5 through excellent heat retention and air

with 17,500 square metres mounted across

speed fibre-optic broadband to promote home

tightness, with a 0.15 U-value, airtightness of 3

the rooftops of all homes to generate electricity.

working and reduce car journeys.

and thermal bridging of 0.04.

This will include freestanding photovoltaic (PV)

Much of this will be achieved through the build

panels, overlaid PV panels and inset PV tiles,

The first families to move to NW Bicester are

with some garages benefiting from green roofs.

expected in autumn 2015. Outline planning

fabric, with pre-assembled flat roof modules and

applications for the next 3,500 homes for the

insulated floor cassette edges, meaning a pair of

NW Bicester project director, Steve Hornblow,

wider project were submitted to Cherwell District

semi-detached homes are weathertight, airtight,

said it was satisfying to see solid progress

Council in the autumn of 2014 with a decision

secure, and fully insulated within 72 hours. This

being made after so long at the drawing board.

expected later this year.

is helping to provide a safe and efficient way to

“Having been involved in the project for five

complete the homes on site. Air-testing is also

years it’s great to see work underway to deliver

being conducted prior to first fixing, building-in

something that’s never been tried in Britain

assured performance of the fabric.

before. What we’re seeing at NW Bicester is a glimpse into the future and contractors should

STEWART MILNE TIMBER SYSTEMS IS USING ITS SIGMA II BUILD SYSTEM,

be congratulated for pushing the boundaries in

FOR THE FIRST 91 AS PART OF THE

the design and delivery of the project so far.

‘EXEMPLAR’ PHASE OF THE PROJECT.

“The development is being future proofed against a forecast rise in temperatures meaning buildings will feel warmer in winter and cooler in summer. Alongside a host of other family friendly features we think the space being designed into this project will make a huge difference to the quality of life of everyone who comes to call it home.”

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NW BICESTER:TAKING SHAPE IN 2015

For more information visit: www.nwbicester.co.uk http://timbersystems.stewartmilne.com

STRUCTURAL TIMBER MAGAZINE | ISSUE 03 | SPRING 2015

BIM & Futureproof Design Dr Stephen Hamil, Director of Design & Innovation, NBS, reveal some of the details behind the new BIM Digital Toolkit, developed under Government contract from the BIM Task Group in association with Innovate UK. In its Construction 2025 strategy, the Government identified the construction sector as one in which the UK has a competitive edge and world class skills.

It is also a growing industry: in 2013, global construction output was some US $7.5 trillion and it is estimated to reach US $10.4 trillion by 2019 and US $15 trillion by 2025, when it will account for 13.5% of global output.

The UK Government is determined that British businesses should benefit from this predicted surge in construction activity and has set a series of clear targets which it believes will put them in pole position, namely: • 33% reduction in construction and whole life cycle costs • 50% reduction in time, from inception to delivery for new build and refurbished assets • 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in the built environment • 50% reduction in the trade gap between exports and imports.

Smarter working through deploying the latest technology is one of the pillars of the Government’s plans and Building Information Modelling (BIM) has a key role to play in this.

To underline its commitment, the Government has mandated the use of Level 2 BIM on all centrally funded projects from April 2016 and, in September 2014, a team led by NBS was awarded a contract to develop a digital toolkit to complete the suite of information and guidance that will help organisations achieve this.

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BIM & FUTUREPROOF DESIGN

STRUCTURAL TIMBER MAGAZINE | ISSUE 03 | SPRING 2015

Helping Hands The Toolkit is being developed as a free-to-use

from large infrastructure schemes to small,

– has had extensive discussions with architects,

tool for our industry. It will provide step-by-

domestic scale works. It will also be intuitive so

contractors, engineers, clients, manufacturers

step support to define, manage and validate

that individuals at all stages of BIM adoption can

and facilities managers which have reiterated

responsibility for information development and

use it – otherwise how will adoption become

that there’s a real need for this initiative.

delivery at each stage of the asset lifecycle, in

more widespread?

preparation for the Government-mandated use of Level 2 BIM on all public sector projects

Collaboration is at the heart of BIM which is a

by 2016.

behavioural, not a technologically driven, change programme. What the toolkit sets out to do is

In simple terms, the Toolkit comprises two

help the people who collaborate to make that

parts: a standardised and digitally-enabled

process simpler by providing a straightforward,

classification system and a digital plan of

easy to use way of creating, structuring and

works tool. These will create a unified, single,

tracking information and responsibilities

classification system for use within construction

throughout the life of a project. Over the past

and will provide an easy to use web portal which

couple of years, the industry has been in real

guides users through the construction process.

danger of getting side-tracked by endless and detailed technical discussions. Through

After several months of consultation and

consultation, conversation and discussion

testing, the public ‘beta’ version will be made

throughout the development process, the

available in early April 2015. This will provide an

toolkit aims to bring the focus back onto the

opportunity for everyone in the industry to try out

people who are doing the work, rather than the

the new tools and provide feedback to further

hardware or software they are using to do it.

A re-occurring theme that has persisted through all of the industry consultation sessions is that, although everyone’s current processes allow projects to get built, there are many holes in these existing methods of working. It’s these holes that the digital toolkit aims to fill. This leads to great optimism in the team that it will adopted much more widely than just on the mandated projects because it will just be a smarter way of working.

inform its development in advance of the launch in June. The toolkit will be free to use and will

The NBS team – which includes colleagues

be fit for purpose right across the industry,

from BIM Academy, BDP, Laing O’Rourke, Mott

including all disciplines and all scales of projects

MacDonald, Microsoft and Newcastle University

BIM & FUTUREPROOF DESIGN

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STRUCTURAL TIMBER MAGAZINE | ISSUE 03 | SPRING 2015

6,000 Templates The first piece of the toolkit, the classification

construction objects. Initially these will be

to be continued to be developed by the industry.

system, will be a new version of Uniclass

spaces, systems and products for architecture,

To get involved and to keep up with latest

which will be based on the international ISO/

building services, structural engineering,

developments, please visit the NBS website and

DIS 12006-2 framework. This will build on the

landscape design and civil engineering. These

the NBS BIM Toolkit and Digital Plan of Work

work NBS has already carried out over recent

will be freely available online and will also be

Discussion Group on LinkedIn.

years under commission from the Construction

available in both IFC and MS Excel format.

Information Committee (CPIC). By completing

These will form the “construction language”

For more information visit:

this, the industry will have a unified structure

that all project teams can use to define both

www.thenbs.com/bimtoolkit

which will provide mapping and guidance so

responsibilities and information exchanges for a

objects can be configured at a project level.

particular stage of a project.

An example of this is that all construction systems will be mapped to the Royal Institute

The second piece, the digital plan of work, will

of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) NRM1 reference

enable the project leader to clearly define

codes. This will provide a digital language

the team, responsibilities and an information

between designers, contractors and cost

delivery plan for each stage of a project, who,

consultants.

what and when - in terms of tasks, geometry and property-sets.

Around 6,000 templates are being developed, setting out guidance for Levels of Detail (LOD)

The digital toolkit is for the whole industry and to

and Levels of Information (LOI) for digital

have the greatest chance of success, we want it

Image Courtesy of Tekla

Know Your Levels Level 0 BIM, Level 1 BIM, Level 2 BIM, Level 3 BIM

• Level 3 – integrated working between all disciplines by using a

The move to ‘full’ collaborative working via distinct and recognisable

single, shared project model which is held in a common data

milestones, in the form of ‘levels’. These have been defined within a

environment (see above). All parties can access and modify

range from 0 to 3 and whilst there is some debate about the exact

that same model, removing the final layer of risk for conflicting

meaning of each level, the broad concept is:

information. This is known as ‘Open BIM’ (see below), and the

UK government’s target date for public-sector working is

• Level 0 – no collaboration. 2D CAD drafting only. Output and

2018, although the precise requirements have yet to be

determined.

distribution is via paper or electronic prints, or a mixture of both.

• Level 1 – a mixture of 3D CAD for concept work, and 2D for

drafting of statutory approval documentation and Production

Information. CAD standards are managed to BS 1192:2007, and

Note that the definition of BIM maturity Level 2 was originally developed

electronic sharing of data is carried out from a common data

as part of the UK Government strategy in 2011. It is also defined in

environment (CDE), often managed by the contractor. There is no

PAS 1192-2, with reference to best practice and the adoption tools and

collaboration between different disciplines – each publishes and

standards. It is also worth noting, though, PAS 1192-2 acknowledges

maintains its own data.

that, given the early stages of adoption of managed methods of working

• Level 2 – collaborative working – all parties use their own

in BIM at the time the PAS was drafted, it can be expected that Level

3D CAD models. Design information is shared through a common

2 practices will continue to evolve, and that the scope of information

file format, which enables any organisation to be able to combine

sharing and exchange will vary from project to project. Therefore, PAS

that data with their own in order to carry out interrogative checks

1192-2 anticipates that the definition of Level 2 BIM will continue

on it. Hence any CAD software that each party used must be

to evolve around the core principles of the shared use of individually

capable of exporting to a common file format. This is the method

authored models in a CDE.

of working that has been set as a minimum target by the UK

government for all public-sector work, by 2016.

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BIM & FUTUREPROOF DESIGN

STRUCTURAL TIMBER MAGAZINE | ISSUE 03 | SPRING 2015

Advanced Manufacture – the key to reshaping the construction industry Held in central London recently, the inaugural Explore Offsite conference saw over 220 construction clients, architects, engineers and contractors, attend to discuss the merits of offsite and advanced manufacture. This was the first in a series of four events scheduled to be held across the UK this year.

The keynote speaker was Brandon Lewis MP, Minister of State for Housing & Planning, who expressed great support for offsite construction.

Declaring it as a fast, effective and sustainable method of building, with the potential to generate jobs and economic growth. He had much to say about the need for housebuilders to innovate and adopt new methods of design and delivery.

“Advanced housing manufacture will be essential to diversify the housebuilding industry so it can supply the homes this country needs, he said. “Not only does it deliver high-quality homes, it builds them quickly and efficiently and has enormous potential to create jobs and growth through a new factory-based industry. The Government is backing these construction techniques through our Affordable Housing and Housing Zones programmes, and events like this are a great way to get all the key industry figures in the same room to consider how they can benefit from new technology to build the homes of the future.”

With demanding homebuilding targets being circulated – up to 200,000 new homes a year – how can offsite techniques help deliver these numbers?

“We do need to build more homes,” said Lewis.

“One of the key things is the time it takes to build homes. Advanced manufacturing can play a massively important part where homes can be built in a few weeks rather than a few

32

months. To build the number of homes the country needs, the construction industry needs to diversify and not rely on the same companies, building the same homes in the same way and expecting a different result.

“We need to diversify in the way we build homes and to embrace new technology. Manufacturing and civil engineering in Britain has undergone several revolutions in the last century, yet the way we build most homes has remained static. More innovation in housebuilding is long overdue. Advanced manufacture delivers high quality homes, quickly and efficiently, whether you are large listed company or a small local builder or even self-builder.”

Questions are continually asked about what the Government can do to stimulate more housing starts, make the planning process simpler and make a range of housing types more available to everyone in society. Lewis sees a brighter future for housebuilding flowing directly from offsite manufacture.

“There are a range of things that Government needs to do whether it is in the ‘build-to-sell’ sector, affordable and social housing sectors or the private rented sector. It’s making sure that on the supply side we have the framework right for building to happen. We have done that.

This Government has delivered about 240,000 planning permissions in the last year. That’s a record level and shows that land supply is coming through. We now need to make

advanced manufacture

sure those homes can be built. For example we have £19 billion going into the affordable housing sector.”

A much asked question across the construction industry as a whole is how to the much sought after joined-up approach? How can the offsite sector show housebuilders the benefits of prefabrication and change perceptions surrounding factory-made buildings. “There needs to be a better understanding that there is a massive opportunity – either for large scale production or helping the custom-build sector.

Advanced manufacturing has a huge offer to make across the housing sector.

“People need to be made aware of the opportunities and some of the big developers need help, to really understand how this process can help their business build on a faster scale with high quality design and build, that ultimately gives a fantastic home for future families that need them. Homes built with advanced manufacture set the benchmark for the latest design and technology. The challenge for the offsite industry is to challenge perceptions of what it does and that it can meet the aspirations of house buyers and communities around the UK.”

For a full video of the first event visit: www.exploreoffsite.co.uk/video-vault

STRUCTURAL TIMBER MAGAZINE | ISSUE 03 | SPRING 2015

Structural Timber - Leading the Way in Offsite Innovation Offsite construction is key to solving many problems surrounding the UK’s housing shortage and hitting increasingly high energy efficiency and low-carbon delivery targets. Mark Stevenson, Managing Director of Kingspan Timber Solutions, explains how timber makes a massive impact across the built environment.

According to the findings of a recent survey by the Structural Timber Association, 74% of the UK’s construction professionals plan to increase specification of timber structures due to benefits such as thermal, acoustic and sustainability performance, together with increased speed of build.

With the UK requiring 250,000 new homes to be built each year to meet demand and following government calls for increased sustainability, faster delivery and lower costs from the construction industry offsite timber construction offers a clear solution. First there was wood – and from this sustainable, natural product a plethora of engineered timber solutions have evolved. For example, timber frame, structural insulated panel systems, cross laminated timber, glue laminated timber and timber cassettes – all of which embrace a Fabric First ethos to design.

Not only has the use of timber evolved over the years, so has technology – offering manufacturers and suppliers more ways to deliver the material.

Offsite manufacture of timber offers clear benefits in terms of cost and speed of delivery. It is essential, during the current housing shortage, that these benefits are exploited. The pressure on the affordable housing sector to produce new homes at a low cost and fast pace has never been greater.

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leading the way in offsite innovation

STRUCTURAL TIMBER MAGAZINE | ISSUE 03 | SPRING 2015

leading the way in offsite innovation

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STRUCTURAL TIMBER MAGAZINE | ISSUE 03 | SPRING 2015

Closed timber frame panel systems offer factory-fitted insulation, with windows and doors installed in controlled conditions – maximising the benefits of offsite construction.

Timber frame also offers a competitive build cost – it is now evident that timber frame has equalled, if not bettered, the cost of traditional methods of construction. Offsite construction is not climate dependant, practically eliminating the potential for weather disruption, which makes project planning more predictable and reduces the risk of setbacks, which are common with onsite construction.

The government’s 2025 Industrial Strategy identifies the importance of sustainability within the construction industry – with the aspiration of becoming dramatically more sustainable through its efficient approach to delivering low-carbon assets faster and at a lower cost. Timber frame manufactured offsite can provide U-Values of as little as 0.10 W/m2K, with traditional methods struggling to reach less than 0.25 W/m2K. Other additional sustainability benefits are often not immediately recognised from the outset but these can include low levels of wastage onsite and significantly reduced transport impact.

FABRIC FIRST & ZERO CARBON Achieving the design performance as detailed in the build specification can present challenges.

Closing the gap between design and as-built performance is now recognised as a key issue and the recent Zero Carbon Hub report identifies a general lack of understanding across developers, designers and local authorities about the potential impact they can have on energy performance and buildability.

By taking a holistic approach to construction – involving designers, engineers, manufacturers and installers – I believe we can build a more sustainable future. This is underpinned

36

by maximising Fabric First and Passivhaus principles – which are based on the tenets of super-high insulation, absolute airtightness and harvesting the sun’s energy through southfacing windows. In essence this means that the building does the work, rather than relying on bolt-on renewable energy devices.

Hybrid timber systems, as they are known, can be a combination of two or more solutions – timber frame, CLT, SIPS or glulam beams. By using the optimum integration of systems not only will the design performance specification be met but in the case of some of our most recent projects – exceeded.

As the demand for more energy efficient homes grows, Fabric First principles are being widely adopted, particularly within the structural timber solutions arena. This construction approach delivers lower whole life costs – both from a maintenance and energy consumption perspective.

The ultimate sustainable home has to be a Certified Passivhaus dwelling, however as we embark on building the first Certified Passivhaus show home in the UK at the Potton Self Build Show Centre in St Neots, Cambridgeshire – we understand the complexities of such an undertaking. Built according to principles developed by the Passivhaus Institute in Germany, with meticulous attention to design and construction detailing – Passivhaus can be certified through an exacting quality assurance process. The position of the house within the plot in relation to the sun, the type of glazing systems and size of windows, eliminating areas of cold bridging and designing the ultimate high performance building envelope all have to be taken into consideration.

Numerous structural timber companies looking to maximise offsite manufacture have embraced the Fabric First approach, which is now gaining traction with the end users – homeowners and residents.

This is particularly obvious in the self build, care home and social housing sectors, where sustainability and ‘whole life costs’ are crucial to the specifying decision process. I do think housing developers are missing a trick here and they should make better use of the wealth of information contained within the Energy Performance Certificate – instead of leaving it languishing at the back of a sales pack.

As advocates of high performance building envelopes, we believe this is becoming increasingly important in the purchasing decision to both the socially aware and cost conscious consumer.

As timber engineered systems have been developed, we have more options available in our building solutions ‘toolbox’ and a combination of engineered timber systems deliver best performance and value – whatever the brief. This essentially means selecting the most effective combination of systems to meet the specification which will deliver best performance and value.

With the government setting ambitious targets for housebuilding over the coming years – demanding a large volume of houses, built at a rapid pace and offering greater sustainability – all at a lower cost, this presents the chance for offsite timber structures to offer a clear solution.

For more information visit: www. kingspantimbersolutions.co.uk For the latest developments in fabric first technology attend the Fabric First Event: www.fabricfirstevent.co.uk

leading the way in offsite innovation

STRUCTURAL TIMBER MAGAZINE | ISSUE 03 | SPRING 2015

Think Fabric First A central driver of energy efficient building design is adopting a Fabric First approach. Becoming a commonly understood term, Peter Hall, Marketing Manager of Scotframe explains how the fabric of a building gives ‘substance’ to its thermal performance.

The fabric of the building and the way it is put together means homes of this type can be heated up very quickly and retain their temperature for incredibly long periods of time. This reduces their energy needs significantly.

One of the main issues around housing is the

performance certificates for all properties

with using renewable energy to make up for

amount of CO2 emissions that different types

and the changing legislation for new property

poor design and build quality. If, over time, we

of design and construction generate over the

emission targets, this is an issue that is

can shrink the amount of energy required by our

lifetime of a property. Our preoccupation with

becoming ever more central in the house buying

entire stock of housing, generating that energy

quick fixes and a massive media campaign

process. In the same way that fuel consumption

from sustainable sources then becomes a much

around renewable energy, has led many to

for cars has become an important factor, people

more viable option.

believe the best solution in the battle to bring

are being encouraged to look at the energy

down CO2 emissions is to employ the likes of

performance of a property, understand its

When we already have the technology to

wind turbines, solar panels and thermal

ongoing running costs and include this in their

build houses that deliver excellent energy

water heaters.

purchasing decision.

performances, prioritising this approach will

The better a building performs in these two

For those looking to build to build their own

installing individual renewable energy sources

areas, the less fuel its occupants will use on a

house, constructing a property that meets

that can provide a portion of a property’s

daily basis and the lower its emissions will be.

not only today’s standards, but also those of

energy needs. When it comes to reducing

As such the fabric of a building is central to its

the years to come, has significant benefits in

CO2 emissions, the substance of the argument

green credentials. Increasingly this is becoming a

relation to the day-to-day costs of living in the

resides in the substance of the building and

significant factor in the decision making process

property. A well performing property will also be

those taking this on board will achieve the

for all housebuilders. Within the past couple of

a lot more attractive to prospective buyers come

biggest improvements.

years, the building standard regulations were

the time to sell.

deliver faster and longer lasting results than

For more information visit:

amended to ensure all new properties deliver a 30% cut in the current benchmark for CO2

In short, the fabric of the building and the way

emissions. The standard will then be reduced

it is put together means homes of this type

again by a further 30% in 2016.

can be heated up very quickly and retain their temperature for incredibly long periods of time.

Given the media attention surrounding the

This reduces their energy needs significantly.

environment, the introduction of energy

This is where our focus should lie, rather than

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THINK FABRIC FIRST

www.scotframetimberengineering.co.uk

STRUCTURAL TIMBER MAGAZINE | ISSUE 03 | SPRING 2015 CASE STUDY: Residential

The Maryville Passive House Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park

The Maryville Passive House is a continuation of research by Joseph Thurrott Architects into the reinterpretation of Scottish rural vernacular buildings to meet modern low-energy demands.

Maryville is articulated as two volumes to ac-

concrete ground bearing slab provides thermal

than 120kWh/ (m²a). To achieve this target, the

commodate a larger footprint whilst maintaining

mass. The superstructure is wrapped in a

spatial planning maximises passive solar heat

the proportion of familiar 6m wide gable-en-

continuous thermal skin of closed cell insulation

gain. In addition, the Scotframe Val-U-Therm®

ded buildings found throughout the Scottish

boards, faced predominately with a proprietary

external envelope is highly insulated, air-tight

countryside. A double-height, open-plan living

render system with timber cladding to the south

and thermal bridge free. The internal environ-

room with a high efficiency wood burning stove

elevation. The roof is clad in standing seam zinc

ment is controlled by a Mechanical Ventilation

at the centre, serves as the focus of the house.

sheets with photovoltaic and solar thermal pan-

Heat Recovery system which distributes fresh,

The majority of the south elevation is composed

els to the southern slope. All windows and doors

pre-warmed air throughout the house 24 hours

of windows, permitting an abundance of direct

are timber framed, triple glazed with argon/

a day. The combination of the above provides

sunlight into the heart of the home. This passive

krypton gas fill. The Val-U-Therm® envelope

sufficient space heating to maintain a com-

solar energy provides 60% of the annual space

is meticulously detailed to mitigate thermal

fortable indoor environment for approximately

heating.

bridging (0.01W/mK) and achieves an average

8 months of the year without the need for an

air tightness performance rating of 0.486 air

additional heat source.

FABRIC FIRST

changes per hour at 50 Pa

With an average U-value of 0.10W/m²K, the factory insulated Scotframe Val-U-Therm®

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

timber frame superstructure is supported on

Maryville is designed to the Passivhaus standard

For more information visit:

in-situ concrete strip foundations. An insulated

- the total annual energy demand must be less

www.scotframe.co.uk

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CASE STUDY: The Mary ville Passive House

STRUCTURAL TIMBER MAGAZINE | ISSUE 03 | SPRING 2015

Believe in Better Building Under the banner of Believe in Better Buildings, BSkyB’s new educational facility for graduates, apprentices and staff training, reflects the company’s sustainable aspirations.

Based at the Campus at Osterley, West London, the 3,000m2 development encompasses a three-storey linear building with an additional storey accommodating a restaurant and roof terrace – all providing an inviting multifunctional amenity.

The educational facility is the first in a series of initiatives using the power of television, creativity and sport to help young people achieve their potential by gaining the skills, experience and inspiration needed to help prepare them for the world of employment.

The objective of the project is to construct a low energy structure within a short time period – making solid timber and timber cassettes the optimum rapid and sustainable solution.

BSkyB’s own sustainability strategy shaped the building philosophy – keeping sustainability at the forefront was important – so the exposed engineered timber structure left no ambiguity as to the building’s construction.

In addition to sustainability, speed and ease of construction were the driving factors on this project, without compromising on the quality of design and materials. The new educational facility incorporates a combined cooling heating and power plant (CCHP), along with BSkyB’s existing wind turbine. The educational facility is the first building to be completed in a series of three in the Believe in Better Building project at the site.

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BELIEVE IN BETTER BUILDING

STRUCTURAL TIMBER MAGAZINE | ISSUE 03 | SPRING 2015

Optimised Hybrid Structure Mace appointed B&K Structures to provide

The building was positioned to sit at the centre

to be left largely exposed within the finished

an optimised hybrid structure for the build –

of Sky’s Campus and therefore is testament

structure. The building featured a green

comprising a glulam frame with cross laminated

to the company’s core values and ecological

roof with a CLT structure, covered with PV

timber (CLT) floor, roof and stability walls,

ethos. BSkyB had specific sustainability

Panels and sedum. The timber cassettes were

together with perimeter wall cassettes. The

targets mapped out for the structural framing

utilised to erect the walls, ranging from 0.7m–

structure was designed to deliver permanent

options. The targets included a 15% reduction

2.5m in width to 1.5m – 12.5m in length

quality, adaptability and long term energy

in embodied carbon of construction, 27%

to accommodate the window arrangement.

efficiency, to meet the sustainability objectives.

of recycled content, responsible sourcing of

The connections used were galvanized steel

The build was to be completed in time for

materials through PEFC or FSC-certified timber

bracketry, with connection timber plugs and

BSkyB’s 25th anniversary celebration making

and 80% of key materials by mass manufacture

covers – boarded to provide fire protection to

speed and ease of construction vital – however,

within a given radius, depending on density.

the connections.

it was important not to compromise on the quality of design and materials as a result.

Due to construction taking place in the midst of Sky’s fully operational headquarters, extensive

An engineered timber industrial system was

planning was essential – particularly with

specified as it allows for rapid assembly and

regard to noise levels and safety. Flexibility was

offers excellent airtightness through insulated

also crucial to the project’s success, as part

panel facades. The solid timber frame was able

of the brief stated that the spaces should be

to meet the natural look and feel that BSkyB

adaptable over the long term.

were looking for and timber cassettes were again able to offer the low thermal resistance

The system took the form of a glulam frame

and high airtightness that the structure

with visible grade CLT panels providing core

required to meet the design brief.

stability to the walls and floors, which were

BELIEVE IN BETTER BUILDING

The building, now valued at circa £14m, incorporates sustainable features such as a rainwater harvesting system, solar panels and high efficiency lighting to minimise energy consumption.

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STRUCTURAL TIMBER MAGAZINE | ISSUE 03 | SPRING 2015

Challenges & Solutions

A strict programme of works had to be adhered

panels. The design process was made simple

efficiencies, delivering well-coordinated and

to in order to complete the structure on

and repetitive in order to be completed within the

well-designed projects.

time, while causing minimal disruption to the

strict build time. B&K Structures robust supply

surrounding areas.

chain made the preparation more efficient when it

According to Timothy Snelson, Associate

came to management of the products.

Engineer of Arup, the timber elements facilitated

Tolerance of the connections proved challenging

the best build for this project, with the CLT slabs

due to the 28m height structure -– the

Building Information Modelling (BIM) technology

and insulated panels providing the ‘real big’ win.

connection interface between components

and CNC machines were used to ensure the

“This was a truly an exciting build,” said Nick

needed to be exact to ensure that it was erected

structures were manufactured to exacting

Milestone, Managing Director of B&K Structures.

in the same manner that it was designed.

tolerances to guarantee the details of the

“It really gave us the opportunity to showcase

This was particularly important because of the

connections were precise. Architects and

our extensive product portfolio and specialist

differing materials that B&K Structures utilised

engineers worked together in a shared office –

services – all coming together to deliver an

and the interface between them. Designing the

allowing them to make real time decisions.

optimised structure. It was great to work with

propping for the CLT panels was also difficult

BIM goes beyond the planning, design and

such a pioneering client and we look forward to

because of their large size.

construction phases to the whole life cycle

continue to work with Sky in the future.”

analysis of the project, and can provide the end In order to overcome these challenges, careful

user with information from conceptual ideas and

scheduling and co-ordination were executed

building design to cost control and construction

For more information visit: www.

at the early stages of the development. This

management. BIM has changed the dynamic

arupassociates.com/en/projects/bskyb-

included forward planning of propping the CLT

of the construction business, enhancing

believe-better-building

Main Contractor – Mace Client – BSkyB Architects – Arup Associates Structural Engineer – Arup Associates Structural Frame Provider – B & K Structures Products – Glulam, CLT, Steel, Cassettes Panel System

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BELIEVE IN BETTER BUILDING

STRUCTURAL TIMBER MAGAZINE | ISSUE 03 | SPRING 2015

Structural Timber Awards – the Platform to Showcase Innovation

Headline Sponsor:

Sponsors:

With the industry embracing the aesthetic appeal of structural timber technology, the full potential of this adaptable and sustainable material is now being realised.

Celebrate the best in building with the world’s leading mainstream, low-carbon construction material. The Structural Timber Awards will reward outstanding projects, innovative products and dynamic people that are promoting excellence in structural timber across the UK. Across key sectors of construction, the Awards will showcase innovation, celebrate best practice and recognise expertise in timber technology and the ways it contributes to an attractive, energy efficient and sustainable built environment.

organisations and projects either of which must be located in the UK and whose business/ project is related to structural timber. Andrew Carpenter, Chair of the judging panel said: “These Awards are set to be the highlight of our construction calendar – already interest has been phenomenal, clearly demonstrating the breadth of innovation in the timber sector.

The timing could not be better - taking place during the first UK Construction Week, when our industry pioneers will be congregating at the NEC.”

The prestigious event provides one of the most effective platforms for targeting the timber industry, presenting the ideal opportunity for you to maximise industry exposure and penetrate this economically important market.

ADVERTISING AND SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES: There are a number of advertising and sponsorship packages available to support these Awards including headline sponsorship, individual category sponsorship and opportunity to sponsor the drinks reception.

The Awards will be presented at a high profile dinner on Tuesday 06 October 2015 at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC), Birmingham.

As an inaugural major event in the timber calendar, the event will attract 500 national business leaders and high profile decision makers from the construction industry.

WHO CAN ENTER THESE AWARDS? The awards are open to public and private

For details on sponsorship and advertising opportunities please contact David Smith on 01743 290 001 or email: david.smith@radarcommunications.co.uk

Industry Partners:

Media Partners:

Struc tur al Timber MAGA ZINE

The 14 Award Categories: A full description of entry criteria for each category and what is expected to be contained on entry forms is now available on the www.structuraltimber.co.uk • Best Social Housing Project • Best Private Housing Project • Best Education Project • Best Healthcare Project • Best Commercial Project • Best Retail Project • Low Energy Project • Engineer of the Year • Architect of the Year • Client of the Year • Contractor of the Year • Product Innovation Award • Pioneer Award • Project of the Year.

We have also recently launched a special online news room taking press releases, industry and product information.

If you would like to include material on the dedicated Awards website or need more information on the Awards please contact Amy Pryce on 01743 290 001 or email: amy.pryce@radar-communications.co.uk You can also keep up to date at: www.structuraltimberawards.co.uk

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THE PLATFORM TO SHOWCASE INNOVATION

STRUCTURAL TIMBER MAGAZINE | ISSUE 03 | SPRING 2015

Enterprise at the Heart of Passivhaus Locally sourced timber has played a key role in delivering Passivhaus standards and BREEAM Outstanding at the University of East Anglia’s (UEA) new Enterprise Centre – a project which could be a UK commercial first.

Building to Passivhaus standards is now regarded as a solid route to better buildings with lower energy bills and improved whole life costs. From newbuild to retrofits, the future of mainstream construction is now pursuing a Fabric First and Passivhaus approach to create a more sustainable legacy for the built environment.

The Adapt Low Carbon Group’s new Enterprise Centre at the University of East Anglia (UEA) is targeting two of the most rigorous sustainable built environment standards, BREEAM Outstanding and Passivhaus Certification, through the use of locally sourced timber for the building’s structural timber frame. The specification of timber products will prove crucial in the successful delivery of the landmark sustainable development which is set to become the UK’s most sustainable commercial building when complete later this year.

regarding both design and construction and working this concept alongside BREEAM, which itself assesses a range of aspects including biodiversity, carbon footprint and water consumption, means the Enterprise Centre is attempting to pave the way for sustainable development.

To achieve the highest sustainable performance, the project team is incorporating a range of innovative methods and approaches into the design and planning process.

Delivered by Morgan Sindall, alongside architects Architype, BDP Engineers and Churchman Landscape Architects, the Enterprise Centre will be the UK’s first commercial building to achieve both Passivhaus and BREEAM Outstanding standards.

Delivered by UEA’s Adapt Low Carbon Group, the use of timber products will ensure the building achieves Passivhaus standards of an overall annual primary energy demand of <120kWh/m2.

Passivhaus buildings are able to achieve comfortable temperatures all year round with very minimal energy inputs. Passivhaus certification has a stringent requirement

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ENTERPRISE AT THE HEART OF PASSIVHAUS

STRUCTURAL TIMBER MAGAZINE | ISSUE 03 | SPRING 2015

CORSICAN PINE – AN INNOVATIVE TIMBER FRAME Appointed to deliver the main building structure during a six month construction programme, timber frame specialist Cygnum used timber sourced in Thetford Forest wherever possible in the construction of the 4,600m2 structure. This has included extensive use of Corsican Pine.

“Corsican Pine is a very nice wood to work with but it has some challenges when using in the construction area. Local mills generally use it for fencing or decking materials where you don’t need the same quality but by using it at the UEA we are confident that Corsican Pine will be looked at as a construction material,” commented Terry Jennings, Operations Manager, Forestry Commission East of England.

Once the timber had been sourced from Thetford Forest, located just 30 miles from the Enterprise Centre site, it was processed and sawn locally in Thomson Saw Mills, north of Norwich. The timber was then sent to Cygnum’s factory for processing where it was kiln dried, planed and strength graded to meet the structural engineer’s pre-determined requirements.

John Desmond, Managing Director at Cygnum, said: “Corsican Pine from Thetford Forest is not normally used in construction, so to use it for such a high quality structural application is quite an achievement. It’s a perfect fit for a project which in terms of sustainability and the ethos is probably the most exciting building we’ve worked on in our history.”

Gavin Napper, area director for Morgan Sindall added: “People have generally shied away from

using local timber in construction, doubting its suitability as a construction material. We wanted to challenge that perception and tap into the great resources which are available locally.

“Due to the area’s climate and soil conditions, timber sourced from East Anglia tends to be fast growing Corsican Pine, which has a number of characteristics that make it more challenging than timber sourced from further afield and so does not lend itself as easily to this type of structural frame. However, our team was committed to using local timber and so we conducted extensive research, which enabled us to sort, condition and grade the Thetford timber which we used to construct the building’s frame.”

BREATHABLE WALL SYSTEM To keep thermal bridging to a minimum and to achieve a U-Value of 0.11 W/m2k, the external walls have been designed by Cygnum to include a twin frame system with an insulated gap.

The build-up of the wall panels features an 18mm taped orientated strand board (OSB) on the inside for racking and airtightness which is followed by a 140mm cellulose insulated structural stud, a thermal break cavity filled with cellulose insulation and a second 63mm insulated stud. A breathable wood fibre board was then added to the outside to complete the system which allows moisture to leave the panel, whilst protecting against condensation and ensuring the thermal insulation of the timber met the requirements.

To minimise transport costs and the carbon footprint, the panels were transported to site open, so that some elements including the insulation and external 200mm of the wall system were left for site assembly. Cygnum have also supplied and installed a very large

ENTERPRISE AT THE HEART OF PASSIVHAUS

glulam (exposed solid wood) portal frame to support the building and form timber features in the finished structure. With insulation requirements based on Passivhaus standards, Cygnum are also using cellulose insulation manufactured from recycled newspaper a ‘low embodied energy’ alternative to standard insulation.

Currently, the UK imports 90% of its construction timber. Importing timber from outside of the UK for construction projects comes with a big carbon footprint. Timber from Thetford Forest is currently used for fencing and there is a welldeveloped supply chain for this, but by using it in the Enterprise Centre, the Adapt Low Carbon Group have established an equally efficient system for construction timber. Initiating this change will boost the delivery of low carbon and low impact solutions to meet increasing demand for housing in the region.

“For the first time we wanted to demonstrate that Thetford Forest timber could be used in a construction project. In reality, we tested it with BRE in Watford and we found this timber to be of superb quality and more than suitable for applications in the industry,” said John French, Project Director Adapt Low Carbon Group.

The Enterprise Centre will undertake a full cradle to grave lifecycle carbon assessment where both operational and embodied carbon will be monitored and all information will publically available. It is anticipated that over the 100 year lifecycle, the building will actually be a carbon sink.

For more information visit: www.cygnum.co.uk http://theenterprisecentre.uea.ac.uk

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STRUCTURAL TIMBER MAGAZINE | ISSUE 03 | SPRING 2015

Generation Next More education, better training and skills development and enthusing the next generation of timber specialists has never been more important. Apprenticeships are at the heart of employment and bringing fresh talent to the timber and wood-based industries. the BWF has taken a strong lead in activities to attract, reward and recognise new talent in joinery manufacture and woodworking. Last December, it gave two BWF awards to young people who have already made their mark on the industry.

You won’t have missed the increasing cries of

implementation of the Government’s new

pain from businesses hit hard by the significant

policies in this area.

skills shortages across the manufacturing and construction industries. The wood trades

“Our membership represents the most

alone will need a net increase in labour of

concentrated population of apprenticeships

4,260 every year for the next four (a rise

in the UK construction industry,” explains Iain

from 244,700 in 2014 to 260,860 in 2018),

McIlwee, BWF chief executive. “But moving

according to CITB figures.

funding away from providers to employers will create an administrative and financial burden

Historically this shortfall would yield growth

for many SME companies and potentially stem

in apprenticeships, but planned changes

the number of apprentices coming through the

to the process and funding are causing

industry. We hope Government will reconsider

real uncertainty. The British Woodworking

these changes.”

Federation (BWF) is lobbying hard for sensible

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GENERATION NEXT

STRUCTURAL TIMBER MAGAZINE | ISSUE 03 | SPRING 2015

Apprentice and trainee winners and shortlisted L-R Ben James, Nadia Connabeer, SAmantha Chesson, Adam Smyth.

BEN JAMES – BWF APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR Ben James, 20, has worked at Tompkins Joinery for four years, starting as a work experience student there before going on to complete his apprenticeship and achieve NVQ Level 3 and Diploma Level 3. He has already completed a few high profile projects of his own, including the joinery for Dallas Burston Polo Club, the prestigious polo ground based in Southam, Warwickshire.

It is probably unsurprising that Ben has done so well at Tompkins, as he has been mentored by Tom McKillop, another outstanding member of staff at Tompkins who was the inspiration behind the BWF’s award-winning ‘Wow I Made That!’ campaign to attract more young people into the joinery industry.

Ben also said he took inspiration from his grandfather, a handyman who was always creating things out of wood. Andy Tompkins, owner of Daventry-based Tompkins Joinery, said: “If something needs doing, Ben is there. He gets in early to start work and stays until the job is done. Attitude is everything, and Ben’s approach to his work is simply excellent.”

Dave Campbell, manager of the Woodworking Industry Training Forum (WITForum), the training arm of the BWF, said: “Ben has produced some very high quality work for someone at apprentice level, and he is regularly stepping up to take full responsibility for projects.

“Apprentices like Ben are the jewel in the crown for British joinery manufacturing and woodworking. Our industry has earned one of the best reputations for training across both the construction and manufacturing sectors. Year after year, supported by the CITB, we consistently rank first or second in construction for apprentice numbers and the claiming of grants for training. We fully expect to see more rising stars like Ben.” SAMANTHA CHESSON – BWF TRAINEE OF THE YEAR The BWF Trainee of the Year award recognises that it is becoming more commonplace for joinery companies to bring in other trainees as well as apprentices. Trainees are often A-level qualified, undergraduates or graduates of all ages, work across many different office functions, and complement the skills set of joinery businesses.

GENERATION NEXT

The two candidates up for the BWF Trainee of the Year Award were Samantha Chesson of Arnold Laver, and Adam Smyth of Westgate Joinery. Samantha was announced as the winner. Samantha, just 18, is now an estimator at Arnold Laver and has just completed her training. She knew straight away at 16 that she wanted to work, starting off at first as a personal trainer and beauty therapist. But through the Life Skills programme, Samantha was introduced to Arnold Lavers and she immediately caught the bug.

She says: “I’ve come on leaps and bounds. I would never have thought there was so much to learn: handings, structurals, acoustics, wall widths, fire ratings, cut outs, finishes, floor plans… a door is not just a piece of wood!

Now I have my own customer base and I love it.”

The BWF judges also commended Samantha for the speed of her development, moving from an office junior to being able to interpret complex technical drawings for work scheduling. She showed clear willingness to learn and go beyond the call of duty, really benefitting her company.

As her boss Joanne Nixon, Joinery Sales Executive at Arnold Laver, said at the BWF Awards event: “Samantha is like a sponge; she just soaks it all up. She is quick to understand and always asks the right questions. She handles her own workload now, and has grown up so much in the time we have known her. Her technical ability and attention to detail is phenomenal for someone of her age.

She makes us very proud.”

As a direct result of their hugely positive experience with employees like Samantha, Arnold Laver has now implemented a trainee programme for its new personnel, covering areas such as Product, Sales and IT.

For more information visit: www.bwf.org.uk www.trada.co.uk/academic www.trada.co.uk/academic/universitycompetitions 51

STRUCTURAL TIMBER MAGAZINE | ISSUE 03 | SPRING 2015

Play Fair, Pay Fair While the construction industry tries to consolidate an economic recovery, Lawrence Young, chairman of the Structural Timber Association, explains what the organisation is doing to tackle the issue of late payments within the construction industry.

Suzannah Nichol – Chief Executive – NSCC

Everyone knows that money doesn’t grow on

companies, run by experienced individuals,

(NSCC) Fair Payment Campaign, in a bid to

trees, and working in the timber industry, I

going out of business due to cash flow issues.

improve payment practices within the industry

can wholeheartedly confirm this fact. As both

and to protect member companies from

chairman of the STA and owner of Young Black,

As many of you will have heard, leading timber

instances such as this. At the event, Suzannah

I spend much of my time on the road, visiting

frame manufacturer Frame Wise entered

Nichol, chief executive of the NSCC, highlighted

members and customers alike. The one issue

administration in February. Owned and run by

how a casual approach to payments was

which appears to unite them all – no matter

former UKTFA chairman Simon Orrells, it was a

damaging our industry by hampering both

what part of the construction industry they

shock to us all and showed just how vulnerable

growth and progress. During her presentation,

work in – is late payments.

a position many of our member companies are

it was astounding to witness the number of

currently in. Recent events such as this only

members who have had issues in this area,

Many businesses are currently benefitting from

go to highlight our current campaign on the

with too many now unfortunately considering it

the well documented upturn in the construction

subject of fair payments.

standard practice.

sector, with numerous STA members reporting an increase in customer enquiries. However,

At last year’s AGM, we signed up to the

we are still seeing far too many successful

National Specialist Contractors Council’s

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PLAY FAIR, PAY FAIR

STRUCTURAL TIMBER MAGAZINE | ISSUE 03 | SPRING 2015

With a view to moving this initiative along, some of our manufacturing members met at Ecobuild 2015 to determine a fair payments policy for our sector and we hope to share the outcomes of this meeting at the next STA AGM in Edinburgh this May. We will be assisted in these efforts by the NSCC’s lawyers, who have agreed to help us re-write our terms and conditions.

Clearly any movement on this issue has come

up will be monitored against a set of agreed key

to small and medium-sized business, and the

too late in the day for Frame Wise, but I hope

performance indicators.

important role they play in the construction

that by working together, we can eliminate

industry. Through the Council, the government

this issue once and for all. The Association is

At the time of the charter’s launch, Peter

is working very closely with industry to give

now a member of the NSCC and we are asking

Hansford, the government’s Chief Construction

businesses of all sizes the confidence to invest

all our members to consider adopting the

Advisor explained, “This charter signifies the

– securing high skilled jobs and a stronger

principles of the Supply Chain Payment Charter.

Construction Leadership Council’s commitment

economy for everyone.”

The agreement sets out eleven ‘fair payment commitments’, which includes a pledge to reduce payment terms to 30 days from January 2018. This may seem like too long to wait, so the charter also sets out two stages before this: terms of 45 days from June 2015 and 60 days with immediate effect.

Other commitments, which have been agreed by the Construction Leadership Council, include not withholding cash retentions, not delaying or withholding payments, and making payments electronically. These assurances have been made with a view to delivering the government’s Construction 2025 strategy, which looks to build a strong, more competitive economy and a fairer society. To ensure compliance, all those signing 54

PLAY FAIR, PAY FAIR

STRUCTURAL TIMBER MAGAZINE | ISSUE 03 | SPRING 2015

NSCC Fair Payment Campaign The Fair Payment Campaign was launched by the National Specialist Contractors’ Council (NSCC) to improve payment practices in the construction industry. With backing at the highest level, the award-winning campaign calls for proper and timely payment and the elimination of retentions throughout the supply chain to improve the quality and delivery of construction projects.

Campaign Objectives Certainty of Payment - Specialist Contractors should be told for every payment how much they are going to receive and when they are going to receive it, and NSCC promotes a payment process whereby the amount applied for becomes due if it is not contested within a certain period of time.

30-Day Payment - The Governments in England, Wales and Scotland have made payment within 30 days throughout the supply chain a contractual requirement on central Government contracts, and NSCC is calling for the principle of 30-day payment to be extended to all construction projects.

Removal of Retentions - The withholding of retention is an outdated practice in the modern construction industry with the best guarantee of quality being the choice of a competent and qualified supply chain, and NSCC recommends that Specialist Contractors do not accept cash retentions.

A number of industry ‘big-hitters’ have already

STA members but also that of the timber frame

signed up to the charter, including Barratt

industry as a whole.

Developments, Laing O’Rourke and Skanska. I am delighted that the STA – which represents

It must be remembered though, our commitment

over 200 member companies – has joined the

to tackling fair payments cannot be made in

NSCC and we will be actively encouraging our

isolation – it will only be successful if we are

membership to sign up to the new charter.

able to instigate a sector-wide culture change.

Yes, businesses compete against each other

I am proud that the timber industry is leading the

every day, but to ensure we continue to grow

way in terms of tackling late payments across

and thrive in an increasingly globalised economy,

the construction sector, thus positioning us in

we must work together to create the best

an extremely favourable light with key decision

operational conditions possible. I look forward to

makers. Our work on fair payments, along

working with partners from across the industry to

with other agreements such as Whitbread’s

make this a reality.

commitment to only using the products and services of STA members in its future timber-

For more information visit:

based projects, raises not only the profile of

www.structuraltimber.co.uk

PLAY FAIR, PAY FAIR

The Fair Payment Campaign has raised the profile of the fair payment issue and transformed the business environment for Specialist Contractors. When the Fair Payment Campaign was launched in 2007, there were no expectations regarding payment practices in the industry and 100 days or more wasn’t unusual. Today fair payment is accepted as a key principle for a successful project with 30 days and no cash retention recognised as the best practice standard.

The Fair Payment Campaign provides a range of support to help Specialist Contractors protect their money including checking the credit worthiness of potential clients, get their contracts right, improving cash flow, and resolving disputes.

For more information visit: www fairpaymentcampaign.co.uk

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ADVERTORIAL

Bringing your Building to Life with RCM’s Cladcolour With the launch of the latest Valspar paint campaign, people are becoming inspired by colour. Equally RCM are on a mission to bring some brilliance back into our lives with their striking Cladcolour facades range.

These remarkable facades are available in a comprehensive pallet range and can be supplied in any standard RAL colour – allowing contractors, architects and developers to bring their buildings to life. Design is not all about functionality – however there are many practical and building regulatory factors to consider when specifying the right system for the job.

Key features to look for include implications for thermal performance, fire safety, weather resistance and life expectancy, as well as cost efficiency and aesthetic appeal.

Cladcolour is a cost effective cladding solution that is suitable for a range of applications including facia and soffits, rainscreen cladding balconies, infill panels and all other areas where a prefinished panel is required for the design of the build. Cladcolour can be fixed with screws – making it an extremely economical method of installation when fixing onto timber or aluminium support framing.

This facade has a density of 1330-1420kg m3 and offers thermal conductivity of 0.30w/mk.

Cladcolour also benefits from an A1 NonCombustible Fire Rating and a Five Star Frost Resistance. Additionally, Cladcolour is highly resistant to fungus and termite attacks and has a 30 year life expectancy. RCM offer a full optimisation service together with full fabrication capabilities.

For more details call 0845 1303725 or visit: www.buildingboards.co.uk

INFORMATIVE CPD EVENTS For those interested in finding out more, RCM provide informative CPD sessions including: a guide to materials, applications and specification considerations for building boards, internal and external linings and rainscreen facades, covering: • What a specifier needs to consider • Board materials and benefits • Board applications • Work on site.

56

RCM Supports DIY SOS - Charity Project Special DIY SOS took on their biggest ever build to mark a BBC Children In Need appeal. With the support of many suppliers and builders, they completely re-built the parent-led Little Miracles Centre for disabled children in Peterborough. RCM made the decision to donate their specialist Cladcolour facade. The prefinished fibre cement cladding panel which requires minimal maintenance and is easy to install, making it perfect for this build. The Little Miracles Centre was constructed from a variety of the different colours that Cladcolour is available in. Each of the 238 cladding panels had a unique reference, to allow its location to be identified within the giant jigsaw puzzle in the design.

STRUCTURAL TIMBER MAGAZINE | ISSUE 03 | SPRING 2015

UK Construction Week – a new home for British construction Held at the Birmingham NEC from 6 – 11 October (with the trade days from 6 – 8 October) the event will bring together nine shows, 1,000 exhibitors and more than 50,000 visitors under one roof.

Free to attend, it will be the biggest event for professionals working in all aspects of residential and commercial construction planning and design.

Building on the recognition of Media 10’s hugely

construction industry. Construction growth is

of the nine event sections at UK Construction

successful Grand Designs Live, UK Construction

continuing to drive the UK’s economic recovery

Week will have its own feature area, as well as

Week will also feature the newly acquired

and with more than 2.2 million people employed

a heavyweight seminar and debate programme

Timber Expo and the Build Show, as well as

in this sector, output and productivity is only set

– which will include show homes, live building

the Surface and Materials Show, Kitchens &

to increase. We recognise that there’s a very

areas, political debates, skills workshops, heavy

Bathroom Live, Plant & Machinery Live, Energy

real desire for an event that will bring the whole

plant demos, materials and surfaces features

2015, HVAC 2015 and Smart Buildings 2015.

industry spectrum together, providing a much

and Smart Building demonstrations.

needed opportunity to network, learn and do Providing a wealth of sector-specific information,

business – as well as simply celebrating the

the clearly marked zones will make it easy for

industry at a time of renewed optimism.

visitors to navigate, allowing them to pick and choose from the most relevant shows to their

For exhibitors, UK Construction Week will provide

particular interests. These dedicated events

vital face-to-face time with decision makers

for each key industry sector will provide an

and purchasers from across the industry and

unrivalled opportunity for the construction

for visitors, it will deliver a unique opportunity

industry to unite as never before, providing a

to speak to suppliers and manufacturers from a

platform to debate the latest developments and

wide range of diverse industry sectors.

the major issues facing construction in 2015 and beyond.

With support from partners and trade associations from across the industry UK Construction Week is well on course to ensure it delivers exactly the sort of relevant, useful information required by visitors and exhibitors alike – making it a profitable and worthwhile day out for all.

Training and skills will be high on the agenda throughout UK Construction Week, with many

For more information please visit

Lee Newton, CEO of Media 10, commented:

opportunities to take part in discussions,

www.ukconstructionweek.com or follow

“It’s an exciting time to be involved in the

debates, CPDs and live demonstrations. Each

@UK_CW on Twitter.

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UK CONSTRUCTION WEEK

STRUCTURAL TIMBER MAGAZINE | ISSUE 03 | SPRING 2015

Timber Expo 2015 Flying the flag for timber in the construction industry, Timber Expo is now part of UK Construction Week – making it the ninth event to sign up to the week-long celebration of the UK built environment, taking place this October. bodies representing a great number of products, manufacturers and professionals who use and work with timber in the construction industry.

Andrew Abbott, Director of BM TRADA Group, said: “After four years of hard work, Timber Expo is now firmly established as an important event in the construction calendar, at a time when the industry is looking for practical and affordable building solutions that also deliver environmental and sustainable benefits. Timber Expo has become the place to showcase all that is new in timber construction and will flourish as part of UK Construction Week, taking the message of timber to a broader audience and Timber Expo to the next level.”

Timber Expo will run from 6 – 8 October 2015, providing a dedicated platform for showcasing the latest products, innovations and developments across the timber sector – not just from the UK but from an increasingly exciting and diverse international market. The move will look to build on the success of Timber Expo 2014, which was widely acclaimed as the most successful in the event’s four-year history, with more than 6,000 visitors – up 30 per cent on the previous year.

topics, major names, super projects and big issues.

For exhibitors, the show will provide vital face-toface time with decision makers and purchasers from across the industry and for visitors, it will deliver a unique opportunity to speak to suppliers and manufacturers from a wide range of diverse industry sectors.

Andrew Carpenter, Chief Executive of the Structural Timber Association commented: “Timber Expo has become the key annual ‘shopwindow’ event for all things cutting edge in the timber sector. The Structural Timber Association is wholly behind the integration of the show within UK Construction Week as this reflects the mainstreaming of structural timber technology within the built environment. We will continue to put our full support behind the show and to work closely with Media 10 to ensure that structural timber technology is well represented.”

Training and skills will be high on the agenda too, with many opportunities to take part in discussions, debates, CPDs and live demonstrations. The varied and high quality seminar programme will deliver an unrivalled collection of high calibre speakers from around the built environment. From niche areas to leading trends, it will cover the key industry 60

Topics under discussion include: tackling issues concerned with the low carbon building and climate care debate; construction industry forecasts for 2016 and beyond; a wealth of case studies and real-project experiences of using timber; place-making with timber and working towards a new timber architecture; and increasing the use of British timber through innovation and design.

Timber Expo brings with it a raft of support to UK Construction Week, from professional

TIMBER EXPO

The event is held in high regard by its exhibitors, as John Spittle, Sales Director of WIEHAG GmbH, commented: “Timber Expo is a very productive event. We like exhibiting because of the quality of the people that attend – the calibre of specifiers and contractors that come to Timber Expo are very good.”

Lee Newton, CEO of Media 10, said: “We are delighted to add the UK’s largest and most respected timber event to our portfolio and as such, Timber Expo will become an integral part and a key component of UK Construction Week.

The impact of UK Construction Week is going to be enormous, not just for the timber sector or the events industry but for the economy, for policy makers and for everyone working in the construction industry. Each of the component shows will have a wealth of content so when you combine this nine-fold we will end up with an event that no visitor or exhibitor in the construction sector – from architect to designer to builder to specifier – can afford to miss.”

For more information please visit: www.timber-expo.co.uk www.ukconstructionweek.com or follow @UK_CW

ADVERTORIAL

TENMAT Cavity Fire Barriers out perform cavity socks in more ways than one Tenmat have simplified the whole process of installing cavity fire barriers into one simple and cost effective product, the TENMAT Firefly Cavity Fire Barrier on a Roll.

This intumescent cavity fire barrier is only 4mm thick leaving the external wall cavity open resulting in cavity trays, weep holes and vent slots not being required at each floor level. This saves on installation costs as well as giving the building a â&#x20AC;&#x153;cleanâ&#x20AC;? finish, significantly improving the aesthetics of the building.

The Firefly Cavity Fire Barrier on a Roll is simply stapled, screwed or nailed in position and the 6.3 metre length ensures that bulk for shipping and on site is kept to a minimum.

Traditional cavity barriers and associated accessories can be prone to gaps and imperfections due to poor installation or building irregularities. This has been shown by test to lead to premature fire spread, as well as potentially leading to costly insurance claims if moisture bridges the cavity causing damage on the inner wall.

The benefit of a thin intumescent cavity fire barrier is that the cavity is not bridged and so moisture cannot be transmitted from one side to the other. The product is also supplied in longer lengths which minimises the potential for gaps to be evident.

The intumescent nature of the Firefly Cavity Fire Barrier on a Roll means that it only operates in a fire situation which causes the material to expand rapidly to create an active seal to fire and smoke in the cavity. The added benefit is that as the material expands it takes up all of the changes in cavity width and building irregularities which a standard cavity barrier does not. Once again, this has been proven by test to outperform traditional cavity barriers.

The Firefly Cavity Barrier on a Roll is fully third party fire tested and suited to a wide range of cavity sizes, with and without common cavity insulation and in combustible and non-combustible cavities.

For more information about this and other award winning Tenmat Fire Protection Products call: 0161 9552 479 or go to: www.tenmat.com

ADVERTORIAL

Passive Fire Coatings for Timber Substrates Dupré Minerals have been pioneering a new product for primary and secondary application of timber and timber substrates for fire protection.

The development of a coating material based upon a naturally occurring mineral abundantly available with special characteristics, Vermiculite has confounded and amazed its hardest critics as a fire protection medium.

REACH exempt and rated as non combustible, it already has a head start on most other minerals.

Totally inert, recyclable and non-hazardous attributes just add to the argument that its suitability is beyond question.

Technically it is and aqueous dispersion of millions of platelets that naturally form a thin oxygen barrier after drying that can withstand temperatures up to 1000˚ C constantly.

Micashield DM651 has been developed as a sprayable coating using the simplest of airless spray guns. DM651 requires little or no preparation of timber and lends itself to automated coating of factory produced products.

Micashield can be air dried or can be force dried. It can be made weatherproof and made available in prime colour formats.

To date DM651 has achieved Class 0 and Class 1 accreditation and recently obtained European Standard EN 13501-1 Euro Class B-s1 d0 on OSB, Chip Board and Pine substrates. All testing has been completed at Exova. We have also internally subjected Micashield DM651 to extreme crib tests using Heptane as a fuel source on a 13A crib and have achieved outstanding results.

The heat source causes the Vermiculite to exhibit Ceramic characteristics as the temperature rises snuffling out any possibility of spread of flame.

Dupré has persistently lobbied decision makers to re think current regulations that allow for fire to happen when it can clearly be prevented in build or even retrospectively.

Now working with several interested parties Dupré will be showcasing Micashield at Timber Expo taking place at the NEC, Birmingham 6-8th October 2015. We are currently in the process of undertaking further testing of our Micashield coating to EN 1364-1 standard (substrate specific).

For more information visit: www.dupreminerals.com

STRUCTURAL TIMBER MAGAZINE | ISSUE 03 | SPRING 2015

Fire Door Safety Scrutinised The British Woodworking Federation (BWF) campaign to improve fire door safety in buildings got a boost in Parliament in March with a Westminster Hall debate prompted by the tragic death of young architect Sophie Rosser in 2012.

Jonathan Evans MP (Cardiff North) secured the debate to highlight the issues arising from Sophie’s death and the coroner’s indictment of fire safety at Meridian Place in London’s Docklands which included untested fire alarms and problems with self-closing fire doors.

MPs heard the results of a survey commissioned in 2014 by the BWF-CERTFIRE Fire Door and Doorset Scheme and the Fire Door Inspection Scheme (FDIS) which revealed that 37% of those responsible for fire safety were not clear on their legal obligations in relation to fire safety, as well as shocking statistics about the percentage of fire doors obstructed, wedged open or tampered with.

Additional facts that came from this survey last year included: • 47% of those questioned said they had never been shown the fire safety procedure at their place of work - this increased to 52% of people aged 18-24 • Only 51% of people staying in hotels or B&B guest-houses read safety procedures on the back of the bedroom door. 13% never think about it • 35% of people said they wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between a fire door and an ordinary door. 44% thought a fire door would be thicker than a normal door • 45% of business owners said they wouldn’t be able to tell if a fire door was ‘dodgy’.

FIRE DOOR SAFETY SCRUTINISED

Jonathan Evans, said: “The primary concern that has been expressed by Sophie’s parents, as well as by many professionals who deal with fire safety, is the lack of clarity about who is accountable for the implementation of fire safety laws. In large-scale developments, who has that responsibility? Is it the owner, the property management company, the residents’ association or the individual tenant? Responsibilities sometimes seem to overlap to such an extent that each party comes to believe that it is someone else’s job to ensure that fire safety rules are followed.”

In reply for the Government, Stephen Williams MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, congratulated Jonathan Evans for securing the debate, adding: “The Government fully supports the British Woodworking Federation’s annual campaign to raise public awareness of the importance of fire doors. The campaign draws attention to issues of poor installation and maintenance, and encourages building owners and users to check their self-closing doors and, where necessary, take action so that those that are not satisfactory can be brought back into good working order.”

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STRUCTURAL TIMBER MAGAZINE | ISSUE 03 | SPRING 2015

Fire Door Safety Week 2015 Fire Door Safety Week is running again this year from 14-20 September 2015. Supported by the Government’s Fire Kills campaign, Fire Door Safety Week promotes the need for safe specification, supply, installation, use and maintenance of fire doors. Open to all building owners, landlords and organisations with an interest in fire safety in property, participants can pledge their support by running events and promotions, and by communicating the fire safety messages via posters, leaflet drops, newsletters, social media and their websites. A multi-media toolkit of resources is also available on the Fire Door Safety Week website, and the campaign is supported by extensive PR activities integrating press, broadcast, online and social media.

requires a third-party certificated product, installation or maintenance of fire doors. These products have the potential to save lives, but only if correctly specified, manufactured, installed and maintained.

Iain McIlwee, chief executive of the BWF, said: “There are some 3 million new fire doors sold in the UK each year. There is industry concern that a number are not fit for purpose or installed correctly, and there is no legislation yet which

The Fire Door Inspection Scheme was established by the BWF-CERTIFIRE Scheme and the Guild of Architectural Ironmongers (GAI). The BWFCERTIFIRE Fire Door and Doorset Scheme was established to raise the standard of fire doors

64

“That’s why we welcome this debate, and applaud the tireless efforts of Julian Rosser to encourage Government to look at these regulations and to improve the law around fire safety, particularly in HMOs. What matters most now is that everyone works together through campaigns like Fire Door Safety Week, through better regulation and through improved advice to building owners, to ensure we provide safer HMOs, schools, hotels, offices and all sorts of public buildings where we know fire door safety could be improved.”

FIRE DOOR SAFETY SCRUTINISED

across the supply chain and has expanded to include not just the market leaders in fire door manufacturing, but also in converting fire doors, ironmongery, intumescent seals and glazing systems, and, more recently, merchants and installers. It is a partnership, combining the membership, lobbying and promotion skills of the BWF with the technical and certification skills of Exova Warringtonfire.

For more information visit: www.bwfcertifire.org.uk Results of the 2014 Survey can be found at: www.firedoorsafetyweek.co.uk

ADVERTORIAL

TRIED, TESTED AND TRUSTED FIRE PROTECTION FOR TIMBER Timber continues to be an adaptable, sustainable and high performance choice for new build projects and industrially applied fire retardant impregnation treatments provide real protection assurance in the event of a fire. The treated timber will be able to withstand fire attack for longer, allowing more time to escape to safety and for fire services to attend, giving specifiers and building occupants real assurance and peace of mind.

Tried Both DRICON and NON-COM Exterior are maintenance free fire treatments that are fit for purpose, backed with 40 years of commercial use and independent third party fire certification.

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Trusted Dricon is backed by extensive independent certification and is the only BBA certified fire retardant treatment for timber. In addition, it holds Wood Protection Association (WPA) Approved status.

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The treatment is also a WPA Approved status product. Treated timbers need no further protection in exterior situations throughout the life of the building.

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ADVERTORIAL

Exceeding Building Acoustic Regulations Despite Challenging Height Constraints Designed specifically for newbuild, timber frame apartment floors and ceilings, SoundDeck CLD uses the principles of Constrained Layer Damping (CLD) and comprises a timber-based, high-performance acoustic overlay board combined with an acoustic ceiling hanger. In this case, however, the ceiling hangers were replaced with resilient battens.

Installation of the 98 systems was quick and easy, with the boards installed on top of the OSB deck, with flanking strips around the perimeter, and resilient bars installed below to form the acoustic ceiling component of the system. The boards were simply glued together at the tongue and groove joints using CMS Danskin’s D3 Adhesive.

Soundproofing is simple. In theory. All you have to do is put several inches of sound resistant material in the floor or wall cavities of adjoining rooms or properties. Simple.

This is a perfectly laudable activity but it can present a challenge to acousticians and soundproofing solutions suppliers, particularly where height constraints are applied to floors.

In reality, things tend to get a little more complicated. The fact is most cavities are just not big enough to accommodate several inches of soundproofing material. The contemporary value-engineering ethos is, quite understandably, determined to reduce the quantities of materials used and where possible within Building Regulation controls, to reduce the heights and widths of floors and walls respectively. All of this is done in the name of delivering greater value to the customer.

At McTaggart and Mickel’s award-winning Greenan Views development on the Ayrshire coastline, these height constraints presented a significant challenge. For the cottage flats that formed part of the development, a non-typical 195mm-deep I-joist was used. This meant that the typical solution of installing 78mm FFT1 acoustic bearers to meet Section 5 of the Scottish Building Standards was not possible.

Working closely with the McTaggart and Mickel team, along with Chris Steel, Senior Acoustic Consultant at the multiple award-winning Robin Mackenzie Partnership, CMS Danskin not only offered their innovative SoundDeck CLD system as a potential solution, they also offered to adapt it to meet the challenge of the development’s height restrictions.

Not only did the adapted SoundDeck CLD provide the crucial 75mm height saving, it also exceeded sound insulation requirements.

The project only needed to meet the pre2010 regulations, but would have easily met the revised 2010 acoustic performance requirements.

What’s more, because it is a system and not one of a number of disparate elements, the number of deliveries, and subsequent loadingout times, was reduced, as was the amount of material onsite.

With such a positive experience of the SoundDeck CLD System on the prestigious Greenan Views development, McTaggart and Mickel and other timber frame apartment builders could benefit from future applications of this innovative system, with the potential to reduce brick courses or enhance ceilingto-floor heights on subsequent timber-frame apartment projects.

For more information contact: Tim Slater, Technical Director CMS Danskin Acoustics Telephone: 01698 356000 Email: timslater@cmsdanskin.co.uk