Structural Timber Magazine Issue 06

Structural Timber Magazine.co.uk

Winter 2016 | £4.95

STMAG

Design Technology Sustainability Interviews News Analysis Case Studies

The latest in structural timber building design and technologies

KINGSPAN TIMBER SOLUTIONS ACHIEVING HIGH PERFORMANCE BUILDING ENVELOPES

P48

P72

P91

Structural Timber Awards All the 2015 winners with a special focus on why the iconic BSKYB development won the judge’s votes.

Fabric First Focus Industry advice on airtightness, insulation and making the most of energy efficient timber design.

Construction Skills Development Offsite manufacture, design and delivery could hold many of the answers.

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WELCOME TO Structural Timber magazine has gone from strength to strength since it was launched just over a year ago. So for regular readers it will be clear to see that for the start of 2016 we have given everything a design makeover and made a few changes.

Taking in comments and feedback from a wide range of those involved in the timber sector, the focus of the magazine will provide the usual news and views on topical issues for those designing and building with timber, but also seek to unravel some of the technical challenges using timber creates.

Structural Timber Magazine will also champion the unrivalled structural, aesthetic and sustainable benefits that timber delivers.

This issue focuses mostly on how to achieve increased levels of energy efficiency through airtightness and insulation – essentially the ‘fabric first’ approach – plus some helpful advice tips from the Structural Timber Association. We also introduce Timber Chap – our new regular columnist

bringing his technical know-how and guidance to the readership.

Stewart Milne Timber Systems has much to say about this later in the magazine.

This is the first issue since the Structural Timber Awards 2015, so we report on the winners including this year’s outstanding project, Sky’s Believe in Better Building.

The judges saw this project as pivotal and a cutting-edge timber building for a blue chip client, and one that proves to the wider construction industry that timber can deliver amazing buildings on a major scale.

Finally, we have launched a dedicated Structural Timber Magazine website to mirror some of the magazine’s elements, but also to offer some exclusive and groundbreaking content, so make sure you add www.structuraltimbermagazine.co.uk to your regular online checklist.

‘Skills Shortage’ is a phrase that looms large in the construction press everywhere.

The answer for many skills problems may rest in the adoption of more offsite methods of design, manufacture and delivery. Alex Goodfellow, group managing director of

Enough from me. Many thanks to all our contributors, advertisers and supporters and enjoy the read.

Gary Ramsay Consultant Editor E: gary.ramsay @structuraltimbermagazine.co.uk

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DISCLAIMER: The content of Structural Timber Magazine does not necessarily reflect the views of the editor or publishers and are the views of its contributors and advertisers. The digital edition may include hyperlinks to third-party content, advertising, or websites, provided for the sake of convenience and interest. The publishers accept no legal responsibility for loss arising from information in this publication and do not endorse any advertising or products available from external sources. No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored in a retrieval system without the written consent of the publishers. All rights reserved.

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STMAG | www.structuraltimbermagazine.co.uk | 3

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CONTENTS

THIS ISSUE...

P6 | COVER STORY KINGSPAN TIMBER SYSTEMS

P36 | CLT & WOODFIBRE INSULATION P42 | ÜSERHUUS SIPS CONCEPT UNVEILED

Following government calls for faster delivery, lower costs and increased sustainability from the construction industry, timber and offsite construction are perfectly placed to meet expanding housing demand. Ian Loughnane, Business Unit Director for Kingspan Timber Solutions, explains why.

P8 | GROWTH ON THE HORIZON FOR 2016 P10 | UK & OVERSEAS NEWS P28 | NEW TIMBER TRADE STRATEGY P30 | TALL TIMBER CANADA GOES BIG

P48 | STRUCTURAL TIMBER AWARDS 2015 P56 | TIMBER TECHNOLOGY TALK P66 | OUTLOOK POSITIVE - TIMBER FRAME HOUSING

P84 | PRIORITISING PAYMENT ISSUES P86 | DETAIL & DESIGN

Complex structures require accurate and reliable building information. Clive Fussell, Director and Founder of Engenuiti, illustrates the importance of BIM when designing in timber.

P91 | CONSTRUCTION SKILLS – AN OFFSITE SOLUTION

P72 | FABRIC FIRST FOCUS

A series of features and product specials on airtightness, insulation and energy efficient timber design from ISO-Chemie, BPD, the British Rigid Urethane Foam Manufacturer’s Association (BRUFMA), SmartPly and DuPont.

The ongoing skills shortage highlights a real need for innovation across the industry. Alex Goodfellow, Group Managing Director of Stewart Milne Timber Systems explains how offsite manufacture can deliver huge benefits.

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STMAG | www.structuraltimbermagazine.co.uk | 5

COVER STORY

High Performance Building is not a ‘Back of an Envelope’ Calculation

IMAGES: 01. Hanham Hall // Kingspan Timber Solutions

Following government calls for faster delivery, lower costs and increased sustainability from the construction industry, timber and offsite construction are perfectly placed to meet expanding housing demand. Ian Loughnane, Business Unit Director for Kingspan Timber Solutions, explains why.

01 Achieving the design performance as detailed in the build specification can present challenges within the construction industry, as can eliminating the gap between design and as-built performance.

Developers, architects, engineers and local authorities are beginning to recognise the impact of building details and specification on in-use energy performance and are keen to gain insight into best practice – as was clearly demonstrated at our factory tours.

Whilst renewable technology has its place, there is no doubt that the building energy performance of the external fabric is the most cost-effective and reliable solution.

Fabric First and Passivhaus principles deliver high performance insulation, good airtightness, minimise cold bridging and harvest the sun’s energy through solar gain via south-facing windows. In essence this means that the building does the work, rather than relying on occupiers operating and maintaining renewable energy devices.

The Value of Energy Performance Whilst the benefits of Fabric First are well documented, we still find some projects that only specify U-values whilst the SAP rating of a dwelling is driven by the interlinked properties of U-values, Psi values and airtightness. I suspect this is because U-values are readily calculated whilst the overall Y-value can only be determined once the building details are known and the individual junction Psi values input against actual junction length. The SAP assessment of a building is now a design exercise of real merit, as a recent exercise with Award Energy demonstrated.

Our initial proposal was based on a U-value of 0.14 W/m2K based on ‘Ultima’ – our patented Kooltherm insulated wall system.

This system benefits from excellent Psi values and the SAP exercise demonstrated that an easily achieved airtightness of 5 m3/m2.hr along with a range of Y-values all less than 0.04 allowed us to relax the U-value to 0.16 W/m2K.

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Hanham Hall – Energy and Environmental Monitoring Another example of this Fabric First approach is Hanham Hall – recognised as one of the first zero carbon communities in England. Located on the outskirts of Bristol, Hanham Hall is the first significant development of its type for Barratt Homes and represents a step forward in the d evelopment of modern, energy efficient homes. The most substantial challenge at the Hanham Hall development was to design a scheme to meet the stringent requirements of Code for Sustainable Homes Level 6 whilst being acceptable to all stakeholders – hence a structured engagement programme with a wide range of interested parties. The complex brief required an integrated multi-disciplinary team approach from the outset including Kingspan Timber Solutions.

The development has a range of house types set over 12 acres, from one-bed apartments to large five-bedroom houses, plus the refurbishment of the original Grade II* listed Hanham Hall. Prototype units were constructed and tested by Oxford Brooks University for compliance with demanding zero carbon standards. These tests included sound, airtightness and co-heating tests.

The prototypes passed with flying colours, vindicating the efforts of all the team to get the details right from the outset.

Another key feature of the design process was the evaluation of solar gain and air quality. Traditionally, UK regulation has been focused on improving the thermal performance of the external fabric; recently however, a more holistic approach to energy conservation has been adopted. We have now reached a stage where the other side of the coin – heat gain – needs to be designed as part of the process. This was recognised at Hanham Hall and included in the designed energy performance.

COVER STORY Barratt Homes were keen to determine whether the expected standard of energy efficiency was achieved and approached the Building Services Research and Information Association (BSRIA) to develop a monitoring scheme. BSRIA use energy and environmental monitoring equipment, such as the Wi5 data collection hub, to conduct performance evaluation at the 185 dwellings. In addition, ten properties, selected by Barratt Homes, will be subjected to a more in-depth evaluation to further the knowledge and lessons learned from this exercise.

Occupant satisfaction is an important aspect when measuring the success of a building.

The performance evaluation at Hanham Hall will also gather and analyse feedback from the residents via questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. Barratt Homes are one of the first national housebuilders to do a monitoring and evaluation exercise of this kind and on this scale. It is important that the industry continues the development of energy efficient homes and the type of data being gathered on this project will be a critical piece of evidence.

The performance evaluation work carried out by BSRIA’s Sustainable Construction Group over the next five years, will include a construction stage assessment that will review the as-designed and as-built SAP assessments, to ensure that there is a consistent baseline for the assessment process. Assessment will include thermal imaging, in-situ heat flux measurements and fan pressurisation testing to measure any changes in airtightness. The houses incorporate a number of features that are not commonplace in UK house design, such as mechanical ventilation and heat recovery (MVHR) and solar shading systems. An early occupation assessment will be carried out to review the information provided to the homeowners and how comfortable they are operating the technology.

Achieving High Performance Envelopes

For each of the 185 homes, consumption of gas, electricity and water will be evaluated and the additional ten houses will be subjected to more in-depth monitoring including internal environmental living conditions such as temperature, humidity and carbon dioxide (CO2) levels and window/shutter opening patterns, as well as the energy used for hot water, MVHR systems and photovoltaic generation sold into the Grid. The in-use energy and environmental conditioning monitoring data collated and analysed, will be invaluable in assessing the development’s total energy efficiency and also the accuracy of energy predictions for the project.

The building envelope was constructed using Kingspan’s patented TEK® structural insulated panel system (SIPS). SIPS are an advanced method of construction, offering superior insulation, structural strength and airtightness over traditional construction methods or systems. SIPS are used primarily in wall and roof applications for residential, industrial, educational and commercial applications, providing energy efficient building structures with proven sustainability credentials.

KINGSPAN TEK BUILDING SYSTEM

KINGSPAN ULTIMA BUILDING SYSTEM

The Kingspan TEK® Building System used at Hanham Hall comprises 142mm thick structural insulated panels, connected with a unique jointing system for walls and roofs and intermediate floors using I-beams or open web joists.

The risk of a performance gap between in use and design is much reduced by adopting a manufactured offsite solution constructed in quality controlled factory conditions. Following a ‘fabric first’ approach is also critical to achieving an airtight, energy efficient and comfortable home. As such we await the results from the extensive testing at Hanham Hall with huge interest.

The panels consist of a high performance rigid urethane insulation core, manufactured with a blowing agent that has zero Ozone Depletion Potential and low Global Warming Potential. The core is sandwiched between two layers of 15mm oriented strand board (OSB) – the structural system can achieve: whole wall and roof U-values of 0.21 - 0.10 W/m2K or better and air leakage levels routinely 1m3/hour/m2 at 50Pascals of pressure.

To find out more about Kingspan Timber Solutions visit: www.kingspantimbersolutions.co.uk To book a CPD or factory tour session: Call: 01767 676400 Email: info@kingspantimbersolutions.com

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STA COLUMN

Further Growth on the Horizon Chief Executive of the Structural Timber Association, Andrew Carpenter, sees further growth on the horizon for the timber frame house building sector.

01

02

I am excited to announce that the STA’s latest Timber Trends Report has forecast that the timber frame housing industry is expected to comprise 27 per cent of new housing by 2017.

strength, nearly doubling to a brilliant 350 members. This is a clear demonstration of the excellent work the STA is doing, for the timber industry as a whole and for our members.

and will continue to do so as we encourage the house building market to build more homes and to build better homes, through the use of timber frame.

As the advantages of high quality, quickly built timber frame homes and commercial buildings have become increasingly recognised by a wider audience, not least by the Government - where the benefits that timber frame provides will help meet new home building targets. This trend is continuing to make progress in the private housing sector, so now is the ideal time for structural timber companies to take advantage of the vast number of opportunities available to them.

As we move forward into 2016, the recent positive announcement from the Autumn Statement announcing the construction of 400,000 affordable homes by 2020 means now, more than ever, is the time for the industry to come together to promote the benefits of timber frame construction.

The full Timber Trends report is available to download by STA members from the STA website: www.structuraltimber.co.uk

More positive news is that since the birth of the STA back in September 2013, our membership has gone from strength to

This means the lobbying, technical guidance, marketing and training the STA provides continues to be as important as ever to encourage the awareness and growth of timber frame construction.

These activities make a real difference for our members and the sector as a whole,

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IMAGES: 01. Andrew Carpenter - Chief Executive - STA 02. STA

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UK INDUSTRY NEWS Trivselhus Complete JV with Esh Group Swedish housebuilder, Trivselhus, has established a 50:50 joint venture with construction firm, Esh Group, as part of its latest investment into ‘homes of the future’.

The collaboration includes the incorporation of a new joint company that combines Trivselhus’ expertise in building extremely energy efficient homes with Esh’s skills in locating and developing building sites and supporting infrastructure. The Swedish house designer and manufacturer employs 230 people in Sweden and is part of Södra Timber. Jan Johansson, Chief Executive officer of Trivselhus, said: “The long-term trend of rising energy costs is a worry for all homeowners. This strategic alliance is a great example of how the UK and Sweden can work together for the benefit of everyone.”

TRIVSELHUS HOUSES ARE DESIGNED TO WITHSTAND SWEDEN’S EXTREME CLIMATIC CONDITIONS. Each home has mineral wool insulation built into closed wall panels which provide a highly-insulated layer. They also have triple-glazed argon-filled windows and precision-engineered joints between building sections, forming a completely airtight bond.

Brian Manning of Esh Group said: “Esh Group’s partnership with Trivselhus has huge potential to create real opportunities for jobs in both companies. Our joint work to develop carbon neutral homes with minimal running costs offers a real solution to some of the challenges around sustainability which we must tackle as a society.”

01

MORE CPD FOR OFFSITE CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES Stewart Milne Timber Systems believes the UK building industry needs more CPD in offsite construction to help professionals improve their knowledge and understanding of the techniques.

“Offsite construction is a modern, energy efficient and cost effective way of building everything from homes to hospitals and office buildings. It offers increased performance standards with reduced onsite costs and less reliance on variables such as good weather to complete a building project on time and within budget,” said John Smith, the company’s head of technical.

“The more we can educate construction industry professionals on the various ways offsite manufacture can enhance their projects, the more the industry will benefit from this streamlined, energy efficient and cost effective approach to construction.”

“We believe that offsite construction has an important part to play in shaping the UK’s construction industry in coming years, and will continue offering CPD opportunities such as this in future. We expect to see similar offers from the rest of the industry as more professionals begin to employ offsite construction methods.”

SOURCE: www.stewartmilnetimbersystems.co.uk

SOURCE: www.trivselhus.co.uk

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IMAGE: 01. Stewart Milne Timber Systems

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UK INDUSTRY NEWS CPET UPDATE GIVES FOREST CERTIFICATION SCHEMES TOP SCORE

The latest review by the Central Point of Expertise on Timber (CPET), on public sector timber procurement policy (TPP) Category A Evidence has been published. In 2014, both PEFC and FSC were put forward for the TPP Category A Evidence certified scheme review.

After an independent technical panel reviewed the evidence, Defra approved the results in September 2015. For the schemes to meet the Category A criteria, it is mandatory to meet 100% of the legality criteria and at least 70% of the sustainability criteria.

Defra has announced that both schemes remain 100% compliant with the Category A legality criteria and both are over 90% compliant with the sustainability criteria.

This result demonstrates the equivalence of both schemes in providing assurances of legal and sustainable timber sourcing. Results of the Evaluation of Category A Evidence: Forest Certification Schemes: October 2015, showed that: “Both FSC and PEFC have achieved scores of 100% for legality criteria and over 90% for sustainability criteria and as such are recognised as continuing to deliver requirements for both legality and sustainability. These very high scores demonstrate the significant progress made in international forest certification since the first evaluation conducted in 2004.

Welcoming the positive assessment Alun Watkins, Executive Director, PEFC UK said: “The CPET review and Defra results demonstrate that PEFC is at the forefront of responsible sourcing and sustainable forestry. Both in the UK and internationally, PEFC works hard to keep up with the challenges and real life issues facing the broad range of stakeholders involved in the global forestry and wood-products supply chain. The global PEFC family is committed to continuous improvement to ensure our standards continue to reflect best practice in sustainable forest management.”

The future of CPET is also significantly under pressure. The service has been trimmed back until March 2016 and there is no guarantee that it will continue after that.

The UK TTF expects an increased take-up of the National Timber Procurement Policy at Local Authority Level – making timber procurement standardised across the whole of the UK public sector.

SOURCE: www.pefc.co.uk

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TRADA Launch National Structural Timber Specification

The UK Government’s chief construction adviser believes TRADA’s new National Structural Timber Specification (NSTS) is a ‘milestone’ for the timber industry.

Launched recently at Arup’s UK headquarters, Peter Hansford said: “The NSTS will help to improve the competitiveness of the timber industry by making it easier for timber to be used under national Building Regulations.

This will enable timber to be better able to compete with concrete and steel alternatives and act as a guide for suppliers and clients alike.”

Hansford said the NSTS launch would be a significant step forward in the Government’s Construction 2025 initiative, which aims to make the UK construction industry a world-class player. “Timber ticks many of the boxes in helping us achieve this vision,” he added. “The NSTS has the potential to contribute significantly to an increase in productivity. The big prize for our industry is to build Britain constructively.”

The brainchild of TRADA, the NSTS gives the construction industry a set of best practice guidelines against which timber buildings can be erected. Some of the timber industry’s leading lights have been instrumental in helping TRADA put together the NSTS, which is now available to download free to those who register on the TRADA website.

UK INDUSTRY NEWS The National Structural NSTS) was also the centre of lively debate at Timber Expo 2015 as part of TRADA’s Timber Focus seminar programme. In addition, visitors to the TRADA stand were able to see first-hand the fruits of this year’s National Student Design Competition. Dubbed Airspeed, students had to design an air hanger from timber; their intricate models were on display at Timber Expo, drawing positive comments from many of the visitors to the stand.

SOURCE: www.trada.co.uk

Innovate UK Fund GIB Consortium A Grown in Britain consortium, led by English Woodlands Timber has been awarded funding by the UK’s innovation agency, Innovate UK, to explore how hardwood supply chains in the UK could be improved.

Dougal Driver, Grown in Britain Chief Executive said “There are more than 30 million tonnes of timber in unmanaged woodlands throughout the UK, which the

WOOD AWARDS 2015 WINNERS REVEALED

project will begin the process of unlocking.

With the UK relying on high levels of imported timber this Grown in Britain project is vital to breaking down barriers within the supply chain for home-grown hardwood, making it much more accessible and readily available.”

Specifically aimed at construction supply chains, project partners include the BRE, the Forestry Commission, forest and wood charity the Sylva Foundation, building contractor Willmott Dixon, and representatives of the timber and merchant sectors. Consultants Sustainable Construction Solutions and Resource Efficiency Services (RES) are special advisors on the project.

THE KEY AIM OF THE PROJECT IS TO IMPROVE THE FLOW OF HARDWOOD TIMBER FROM UK WOODLANDS, SO THAT THE EXPERIENCE OF THE END CUSTOMER IS IMPROVED.

The winners of the 44th annual Wood Awards, were announced at a ceremony held on the 10th November at Carpenters’ Hall in London, hosted by broadcaster and architectural historian, Tom Dyckhoff. The Fishing Hut, designed by Niall McLaughlin Architects beat off strong competition from a host of other innovative timber projects to win the top honours – the Arnold Laver Gold Award - as well as winning the Private category.

THE FISHING HUT SITS ON A MAN-MADE LAKE ORIGINALLY BUILT AS A FISH FARM. THE CLIENT WANTED A SECURE PLACE TO STORE BOATS AND FISHING TACKLE THAT COULD ALSO FUNCTION AS A MEETING PLACE AND SHELTER FOR ANGLERS.

More on this project and all the winners can be found at: www.woodawards.com

The project started in October 2015, and will run for 12 months. The project will have five main work streams: • market research • timber stock funding options • a timber supply hub • material efficiencies • industry engagement.

For more information on the project and details of how to get involved contact: enquiries@growninbritain.org

STMAG | www.structuraltimbermagazine.co.uk | 13

UK INDUSTRY NEWS Fire Door Safety 2015 Packs a Punch The critical issues surrounding fire door safety are now achieving significant political traction, according to early analysis of the impact of this year’s Fire Door Safety Week, a campaign run each September by the British Woodworking Federation (BWF), BWF-CERTIFIRE scheme and the Fire Door Inspection Scheme.

Mike Penning, MP for Hemel Hempstead and Minister of State at the Home Office, was another politician to add his voice to the campaign. He said: “As a former fireman, I am all too aware of the importance of fire doors and the devastating consequences of propping them open and letting them fall into disrepair. A fire door is so much more than a door; at times it can be the difference between life and death. We all need to step up and ensure we can recognise and report common problems. I urge everyone to have a look at the Five Step Check – it may just save a life.”

Iain McIlwee, chief executive of the BWF, added: “The BWF and all the Fire Door Safety Week campaigners have taken a big bite out of the problem this year. Our thanks go to the very many firms and individuals who have put their own energies into this campaign. Together we are reaching millions of building owners, users and professionals whose job it is to keep us safe. When the worst happens, it is the compartmentation of fire and the correct installation of certificated fire doorsets that buys us time, creating safe refuge and a protected route for the emergency services to come to our aid.”

The dates for next year’s Fire Door Safety Week will be: 26 September to 2 October 2016.

SOURCE: www.firedoorsafetyweek.co.uk

MANCHESTER GETS MODIFIED REFURB A social housing complex in Manchester has been refurbished with Medite Tricoya Extreme and Accoya modified wood after the original specified timber materials had begun to show signs of failure after less than 10 years of use.

Woodward Place, which consists of 23 social housing units, was designed to combine an urban style with a conventional build in 2006, but by 2015 the balconies and gates were showing signs of failure.

The new architects taken on for a full-scale refurbishment turned to the Tricoya and Accoya products, looking to exploit their reputation for rugged endurance and their class 1 durability and stability.

DURING THE ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT, THE ARCHITECT SPECIFIED AN ARRAY OF SOFTWOOD AND PLYWOOD MATERIALS TO REDUCE COSTS. AS THESE DIDN’T OFFER THE LIFE EXPECTANCY REQUIRED FOR THE PROJECT, DJ HUGHES CONSTRUCTION WAS CONTRACTED BY DEVELOPER GREAT PLACES TO CARRY OUT A COMPLETE REFURBISHMENT WHICH INCLUDED THE REPLACEMENT OF ALL BALCONIES AND GATES ON THE ESTATE, AS WELL AS INSTALLING NEW DOORSETS.

14 | www.structuraltimbermagazine.co.uk | STMAG

Project architects IGL required a higher specification product that would meet the demands of the project and turned to door and window specialists PDS. With whole life costs and product longevity taken into account, IGL and PDS specified Medite Tricoya Extreme engineered wood panels for the balcony screens, Accoya wood for the rails, and a combination of both products for a number of entrance gates.

PDS sales director Paul Goggins said: “We worked closely with distributor International Timber and both Medite Tricoya Extreme and Accoya, to present the best solution to the client. Housing associations should look at the long term performance of the products rather than the initial cost. They have a long term responsibility for the estate and although incorporating sustainable, durable products like these in the original specification will increase the initial cost of the development, in the long term it will save the client a lot of money and time when it comes to refurbishing the site.”

SOURCE: www.meditetricoya.com

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UK INDUSTRY NEWS Silva Timber Products Revamps HQ A Widnes timber products business has invested a five-figure sum in a new showroom to exhibit its growing range of products. The facility at Silva Timber Products’ headquarters has taken six months to develop.

IT FEATURES DOZENS OF PRODUCTS, A 50-INCH TV SCREEN FOR EDUCATIONAL VIDEOS, COMPUTERS TO BROWSE SILVA’S WEBSITE AND BOOKS CONTAINING CASE STUDIES AND IMAGES SHOWING HOW THE FIRM’S PRODUCTS ARE USED.

UKCW SCALE NEW HEIGHTS Organised by Media 10, the inaugural sixday UK Construction Week spanned five halls of the exhibition centre and attracted visitors from across the entire spectrum of construction with more than 85,000 visitors and over 1,000 exhibitors visiting Birmingham NEC. Providing an event for everyone in the construction industry to be proud of, UK Construction Week began on Tuesday 6 October with eight strictly trade events: the Build Show incorporating Civils Expo, Timber Expo, HVAC 2015, Smart Buildings 2015, Energy 2015, Kitchens and Bathrooms Live, Plant & Machinery Live and the Surface and Materials Show. Grand Designs Live then opened on Thursday 8 October, providing a unique crossover experience with the trade element of UK Construction Week.

Meanwhile, with a combined purchasing power of around £8.5 billion, the 25,000+ trade attendees included more than 60% of the UK’s biggest names in construction, such as Wilmott Dixon, Travis Perkins, Redrow Homes, Balfour Beatty, Galliford Try and Saint Gobain, as well as over 7,000 individual companies, all discussing current and future projects, with numerous high value orders being placed at the show.

Richard Morey, Group Events Director at Media 10 commented: “It’s an exciting time to be involved in the construction industry.

Construction growth is continuing to drive the UK’s economic recovery and with more than 2.2 million people employed in this sector, output and productivity is only set to increase.

Silva imports speciality, sustainably-sourced timbers from around the world for use in commercial buildings, homes, eco-tourism developments, hotels, universities, boats and ships, marinas and gardens. Silva has launched 15 products in the past 12 months, including mandioqueira, a tropical hardwood sourced from Bolivia, and yellow cedar, which comes from British Columbia in Canada.

“We recognised that there is a very real desire for an event like this brings the whole industry spectrum together, providing a much needed opportunity to network, learn and do business – as well as simply celebrating the industry at a time of renewed optimism. We’re looking forward to developing the show even further over the next few years – we’ve already confirmed the NEC until 2019.”

Managing director Nick Taylor said: “Speciality timbers are becoming increasingly popular as a means of making projects stand out, and we understand that our customers sometimes want to see more than just an image or small sample of the timber they are looking to use. We have, therefore, custom-built the ideal environment where they can come and see, touch and envelope themselves in our full product range.

UK Construction Week 2016 has been confirmed for 18-20 October 2016.

SOURCE: www.ukconstructionweek.com/timber-expo

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SOURCE: www.liverpoolecho.co.uk

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UK INDUSTRY NEWS John Brash Completes Second Stage of Investment

Second Queen’s Anniversary success for Edinburgh Napier

The UK’s leading manufacturer of graded timber roofing battens, shingles and shakes, scaffold boards, and commercial anti-slip decking has unveiled improvements to its premises in a £200,000 joint venture with its haulage partner, JME Transport. The Manchester-based haulier has part-funded work to create 60% more space for the heavy goods vehicles loading up its products for delivery around the UK.

Edinburgh Napier University has been awarded the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for its internationally acclaimed work in timber engineering, sustainable construction and wood science. The prestigious award recognises the global impact of the University’s research into construction innovations and reducing the carbon footprint, and its influence on industry and the environment.

The illustrious higher education prize has only been awarded 15 times before in Scotland, but this is the second triumph for the University’s School of Engineering and the Built Environment following a previous success in 2009. Judges were impressed by a string of research successes relating to timber offsite construction, nanocellulose, sustainable construction systems and architectural design, as well as the role played by staff in education programmes, public engagement and developing industry standards.

Established in 2003, the University’s Centre for Timber Engineering spawned four further research centres which have supported the timber industry, construction companies and the forestry sector. The University’s research and support of new products is now worth more than £65million a year to the UK timber and construction industry.

Previously, there was only enough room for nine lorries at any one time, but now the company can accommodate up to 24 lorries (eight of which can use its new loading bays) – meaning one lorry will be leaving John Brash & Co. Ltd every 30 minutes from 6am to 10pm every day.

Chairman of John Brash & Co. Ltd, Christian Brash, said that the official opening of the new improvements not only demonstrated the company’s commitment to growth but also the investment underpinned in three key areas. “It is a proud day for everyone at John Brash & Co. Ltd and JME Transport, as it is another symbol of our aspirations for growth and the commitment our business is making to ensure that we continue to be the market leader in graded timber roofing battens, shingles and shakes, scaffold boards, and commercial anti-slip decking.

The single biggest benefit is that we have created more capacity in our yard through the use of more reclaimed land, as well as the more efficient configuration and better use of storage to make sure we get more lorries in and out faster.”

The investment in the yard follows the unveiling of Goldeneye last year – the only dedicated roofing batten scanning line in Europe, to increase the speed at which John Brash grades roofing battens. The introduction of the new machine at a total cost of nearly £750,000 has enabled them to treble production of its flagship JB-Red. Goldeneye has nearly doubled the operational line speed of the company’s previous system, running at well over 30 times the speed of good visual grading.

SOURCE: www.johnbrash.co.uk/jb-info-centre

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In response to the predicted growth of the industry sector, the University plans to launch a new Timber Architecture postgraduate course in 2016. This will address the increasing demand for specialist skills in this field and will be based within the University’s Centre of Excellence for Architectural Technology.

Professor Sean Smith, director of Edinburgh Napier’s Institute for Sustainable Construction, said: “Globally timber is increasingly being used in the construction of new buildings due to its inherent sustainable properties.

For our staff and students it has been a very exciting journey supporting the timber and construction sectors and we are delighted to be acknowledged for the positive impact on industry and the environment.”

The University’s latest Prize Medal will be presented by The Queen, with The Duke of Edinburgh, in a ceremony at Buckingham Palace in February.

SOURCE: www.napier.ac.uk

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UK INDUSTRY NEWS Sterling OSB Helps Garden Designer Scoop RHS Award

Norbord’s Sterling OSB played a leading role in the construction of a prizewinning display by Welsh garden designer, Robert Hughes at this year’s RHS Flower Show in Bute Park, Cardiff.

Robert, who specialises in garden design for domestic customers as well as a growing list of commercial clients, designed the garden along with the unique garden office which was central to his display. Inspired by modern architecture such as Frank Lloyd Wright’s ‘Falling Water’, Robert’s design created a bold and simple contemporary space to provide inspiration, relaxation and the luxury of working from home on sunny days.

Dubbed the “office box”, the centrepiece of the display was a timber, open-air office shelter complete with a green roof, designed as a place to sit, relax or work. The garden and the office box were designed for quick construction and rapid removal after the show; the whole structure was installed and dismantled after less than two weeks.

“We needed a cost-effective, strong material to build with, and Norbord’s Sterling OSB offered the perfect solution. The office box included a sedum ‘green’ roof so the Sterling OSB had to carry a reasonable load. It’s easy to work with, it’s strong, light and durable. It’s ideal for something like a flat roof deck structure,” says Robert.

The Cardiff branch of builders’ merchant, Jewson, sponsored the display and supplied the Sterling OSB free of charge. It was used to build the base of the garden’s raised patio structure as well as wall panels and flat-roof decking for the Office Box itself.

The Office Box design certainly had its admirers, not only among visitors, but also among the RHS Flower Show judges who awarded Robert the coveted RHS Silver-Gilt Medal for his display.

SOURCE: www.norbord.co.uk

NEWS IN BRIEF TTF Appoints David Hopkins as New Director The Timber Trade Federation recently announced the appointment of David Hopkins as its new Director. Known primarily as the face of Wood for Good, he will now take a position on the Board of Wood for Good as he moves into his new role at TTF. He replaces outgoing Chief Executive David Lennan who stepped down from the post on December 31st 2015.

London Housing Must Improve Building more homes are the business community’s top priorities for London’s next Mayor, according to the CBI/CBRE London Business Survey. Nearly two thirds (59%) said building more quality and affordable housing was vital, whilst two fifths (41%) said more effective and strategic planning decisions needed to be taken.

Oregon Timber Frame Gains Award Oregon Timber Frame has also been named Subcontractor of the Year 2015 in this year’s Housebuilder Awards. Entrants from across the UK had to demonstrate their excellence in areas including health and safety, quality, timeliness, value for money, training, communication and sustainability.

Teretron 2016 for Eurocode 5 The Rope Effect Ltd has announced the release of Teretron 2016, the new version of the software application for Structural Timber Design to Eurocode 5. In version 2016, Teretron facilitates the design of timber-to-timber and steel-to-timber connections, including moment-resisting connections, with all Eurocode 5-supported fasteners in the entire range of typical fastener arrangements.

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New TRADA Publications Available Two new industry documents are available that concentrate on the benefits of using timber in construction. Cross-laminated timber: An introduction introduces and summarises the nature, benefits and potential uses of CLT. Hybrid Structures looks at examples of mixed material construction (timber and steel) and explores the effectiveness of the buildings created as a solution.

Howarth Hit Recycling Milestone Howarth Timber’s Scunthorpe branch has set a benchmark for sustainability after a waste management overhaul led to over 96% of waste being diverted away from landfill. The firm worked with waste management specialists Go Green over the last 12 months to assess existing processes and identify ways to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill.

OVERSEAS NEWS USA

Estonia

Tall Building Prize Awarded

Timber Loud & Clear

An installation of three gigantic wooden megaphones built by a team of Estonian Academy of Arts interior architecture students will be opened for all forest users in the Pähni Nature Centre, near the Latvian border.

The two winning buildings of the U.S. Tall Wood Building Prize Competition have been granted a combined $3 million in funding to support the development of tall wood demonstration projects in New York and Portland, Oregon. The two winning proposals – Framework and 475 West 18th both met the competition’s criteria to showcase the safe application, practicality and sustainability of a minimum 80-foot structure that uses mass timber, composite wood technologies and innovative building techniques.

The developers of each scheme will each receive $1.5 million to embark on the exploratory phase of their projects, including the research and development necessary to utilise engineered wood products in high-rise construction in the U.S. As part of the competition evaluation criteria, both of

the winning teams have also obtained early support from their respective authorities having jurisdiction to proceed.

Framework is a 12-storey urban and rural ecological project constructed primarily of cross-laminated timber (CLT) and will support a distinct blend of functions including street-level retail, office, work force housing and community space. 475 West 18th is a residential condominium building. 475 West 18th’s extensive use of wood structural elements and other wood products allows the team to set ambitious sustainability targets in the building’s design, construction, and operation. It will also target LEED Platinum certification, as well as pursue higher levels of sustainability not captured in the LEED system.

SOURCE: www.tallwoodbuildingcompetition.org

The Unplugged Kingsize Megaphones project started a year ago with Estonian Art Academy interior architecture students trying to define the concept of a forest library with an installation of three wooden megaphones by Birgit Õigus selected. Estonian Forest Management Centre, a partner in the project from the beginning, is happy that in addition to providing a visually stunning space for contemplation, the amplifiers can also be used by less-demanding adventurers for spending the night in the woods and it will double as a sitting and resting area. “The space could be used to carry out an outdoor nature class or a small culture event, it’s really multifunctional,” explains Marge Rammo from the Centre.

51% of Estonia is covered with forests and the megaphone installation provides an excellent opportunity to experience the meeting of contemporary architectural space and wild nature.

SOURCE: www.artun.ee/en

STMAG | www.structuraltimbermagazine.co.uk | 21

OVERSEAS NEWS Norway New European Factory for Kebony

Kebony has announced today that it has raised 177.5 million NOK (€19.05 million) to fund a second European factory.

Following many years of strong growth, the demand for Kebony is about to exceed current production capacity at its facility in Vold, Norway. The proceeds of the raised capital will primarily be used to build a second factory in Belgium, scheduled to be operational by 2017.

Kebony is the sustainable alternative to tropical hardwood and preservative treated timber. Developed in Norway, the Kebony technology is an environmentally friendly, patented process, which enhances the properties of sustainable softwood with a bio-based liquid. The process permanently modifies the wood cell walls giving Kebony premium, hardwood characteristics.

Christian Jebsen, CEO of Kebony, said: “Kebony has seen sales increase by an average of 35% over the last seven years internationally. Securing new investment enables Kebony to increase capacity and accelerate growth in line with demand and open new market opportunities.”

SOURCE: www.kebony.com

Myanmar New Report Focuses on Legal Future A major report has been completed into the business, market and environmental policy development needs of Myanmar’s private forest and timber sector as it increasingly engages with the international market and its legality and sustainability requirements.

The 33-page analysis has been undertaken by the 1,000-member Myanmar Forest Products Merchants Federation (MFPMF), with input, support and guidance from the Global Timber Forum (GTF). A core focus of the report is gearing the private sector to adapt to the legality assurance requirements of an EU Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade Voluntary Partnership Agreement (FLEGT VPA). This follows the Myanmar government’s indication of plans to pursue a VPA and the launch of a FLEGT Task Force.

Key findings included that 46% claim they know about the Myanmar-EU FLEGT process, but there is little understanding of the process itself, or its advantages and

22 | www.structuraltimbermagazine.co.uk | STMAG

understanding of the term ‘legal timber’.

Key recommendations are that the MFPMF and its private sector network focus on an EU-Myanmar FLEGT VPA process information, education and communication strategy and the development of a FLEGT VPA stakeholder engagement plan.

Dr Sein Win, Chairman of MFPMF and one of the report advisory team, said his organisation would act on its findings. “We plan to take account of its recommendations to address industry information requirements and to ensure all private sector actors work together to achieve the desired results. The Myanmar industry also faces increasing administrative complexity which hampers export potential – we must be an attractive prospect for foreign timber buyers and investors. Together, we must also address such issues as inconsistent raw material and power supply.”

For further information contact the MFPMF at: mfpmf.5june2015@gmail.com

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OVERSEAS NEWS France Building Sector to Reduce Energy Use in Buildings By 50% Eleven leading companies from the building sector have come together with the support of the World Building Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) to develop a plan to reduce by 50% the projected energy use in buildings by 2030. Companies include AkzoNobel, Arcadis, ENGIE, Infosys, LafargeHolcim, Rexel, Schneider Electric, SGS, Siemens, Skanska and United Technologies.

The major announcement at COP21 in Paris comes at the Lima Paris Action Agenda thematic session on Buildings, which has launched a Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction to improve collaboration among organisations.

The fragmentation of the complex building value chain is seen as a significant barrier to the improvement of energy efficiency in buildings solutions at scale. The program

is building on the WBCSD Energy Efficiency in Buildings 2.0 project, co-chaired by LafargeHolcim and United Technologies Corp. Since 2013, the project has piloted 10 initiatives to deliver local action plans for overcoming market barriers to energy efficiency in buildings in four core areas: awareness and leadership, workforce capacity (training and skills), financing, and policy and regulation.

Also launched was the Energy Efficiency Toolkit for Buildings, a corporate guide for investing in an organisation’s building portfolio. The toolkit includes examples from EDF, Infosys, Novartis, SGS, Skanska and Sonae Sierra. Commenting on the launch of the Energy Efficiency Toolkit for Buildings, Jennifer Clark, Senior Vice President Green & Corporate Community Investment at Skanska said: “This Toolkit provides a variety of corporate approaches towards achieving energy efficient building portfolios, which assist in developing the approach that best fits organisations.”

SOURCE: http://web.unep.org/climatechange/buildingsday

Malaysia 15- 20% Growth for Timber Exports to Europe Europe and in particular the Netherlands and United Kingdom, have become the biggest and strongest markets for Malaysian timber products as demand in other parts of the world weakens.

In 2015 there should be a 15 to 20% growth in the intake of timber products from Malaysia to Europe, according to the Malaysian Timber Council CEO, Datuk Dr Abdul Rahim Nik. Speaking at the MTC’s International Conference on Wood Architecture, he said, this contrasts with the drop in sale of Malaysian timber products to the Middle East because of the drop in oil prices, which has impacted economies in that region.

Meanwhile, India is a steadily growing market and Japan continues to have a huge appetite for Malaysia’s plywood products (50% of Malaysia-manufactured plywood products end up in Japan). Malaysia’s total export of timber and timber products was RM14.3 billion, up 3% compared to the corresponding period in 2014. Timber and timber product exports (ranging from furniture, veneer, plywood, and mouldings) was the third most important commodity after palm oil and rubber in 2014.

SOURCE: www.nst.com.my/news

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Canada Herzog & de Meuron Reveal First Canadian Project

One of the world’s leading architectural firms has revealed images for its concept for the 70 metre-high Vancouver Art Gallery, featuring a series of ‘timber cubes’ clad in wood. The symmetrical tower has the appearance of stacked timber boxes, the smallest at the bottom. Timber was chosen for its sustainable qualities and to evoke the two-storey wooden row houses that surrounded Larwill Park in the early 20th century.

Jacques Herzog said: “The urbanistic concept is based on the contrast between the low-rise framing along the street block and the taller and more sculptural building in the middle of an open and accessible garden and square. The low-rise wooden building along the street is inspired by how the streets in Vancouver were built in earlier times. The modest, almost domestic scale will enhance the character of openness and visibility for everyone.”

SOURCE: www.herzogdemeuron.com

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FACTORY VISIT

James Jones Boosts JJI-Joist Production

A £4.5 million investment

by James Jones & Sons, will see a new finger-jointing production line in Forres, scale its JJI-Joist production to record levels.

I-Joists have long been offering architects and specifiers a wide range of engineered timber components for residential and commercial construction. James Jones has been at the forefront of I-Joist technology since 1999 and its JJI-Joists now have a market share of the newbuild flooring market at around 40% and are key load-bearing and non-load-bearing elements for floors, walls and roofs.

Add to this that James Jones are the only UK timber company to have completed lifecycle assessments on its products, and can give carbon negative tonnages for all its JJI-Joists and glulam products, has set them apart as a market leader with continual product R&D. With a major £4.5 million investment in 2015 in a new finger-jointing line at its Timber Systems Division in Forres, that is set to continue.

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“The existing finger-jointing line was running at almost maximum capacity,” says Brian Robertson, General Manager of the Timber Systems Division. “The new line can produce enough flange material for 12 million linear metres of flange in a single shift, and we have plenty of surplus capacity in the wings if needed. The new line can also run at speeds up to 450 metres per minute. As the only UK-owned and managed manufacturer of I-Joists, we are in a perfect position to respond to the increase in work that is appearing, especially from the housing sector. Compared to last year we are about 15% up on orders.”

FACTORY VISIT

IMAGES: Copyright James Jones

The two finger-jointing lines mean a flexible range of sizes, with the widest product portfolio in the marketplace, and can be produced ‘just in time’ with OSB coming from the nearby Norbord facility in Inverness.

“If a developer wants something special we feel that we are much better at providing it,” says Brian. “A major housebuilder came to us with a requirement for a very specific size that was between two standard depths for their development. We had no problem providing that. It has to be a reasonable volume of course, but we can supply the biggest range of depths and sizes of flanges and I-Joists in the market.”

Carbon reduction and energy efficiency is an important element of the Forres site with a new biomass heating system now providing heat and hot water to the entire site, including the production facilities and offices.

“We have always tried to be ahead of the game in environmental management,” says Brian. “We want people we work with to know we are helping them achieve their carbon reduction targets. James Jones is the first UK timber company to be externally audited to PAS 2050, so we can supply accurate carbon negative numbers for everything we sell. ”

As more I-Joists are being used in more applications – including a growing export market to France, Belgium and the Netherlands – the new line will be working to produce other finger-jointed timber products all of which can be FSC or PEFC-certified and PAS2050 accredited. “A properly formed finger-joint is very strong,” adds Brian. “We will be able to manufacture sections of timber 250mm x 75mm up to 13.5 metres – all finger-jointed.”

“IN 2014 THE JJI-JOISTS WE SHIPPED CONTAINED 15,260 TONNES OF EMBODIED CO2E AND USING BIOMASS ENERGY FOR OUR HEAT AND KILNING AT ABOYNE, FORRES AND LOCKERBIE, REDUCES OUR TOTAL CO2 EMISSIONS BY MORE THAN 12,200 TONNES A YEAR.”

The £4.5 million investment James Jones has made in its new finger-jointing facility in Forres, is a massive boost to its manufacturing capacity, but also reflects the huge interest in I-Joist usage across the flooring and roofing industry. Developers and suppliers to the housing sector in particular, are increasingly interested in engineered timber and prefabricated products such as I-Joists due to the defect-free, factory-controlled precision that they provide.

For more information visit: www.jamesjones.co.uk

STMAG | www.structuraltimbermagazine.co.uk | 27

STA/BWF MOU

Timber Trade Bodies Raise Sector Profile A major new agreement between the UK’s two largest trade bodies for manufactured timber was signed at Timber Expo 2015, during UK Construction Week 2015. The new strategy is set to boost the wider success of the timber products sector.

01 The British Woodworking Federation (BWF), which represents the joinery sector and firms involved in the manufacture of staircases, doors, windows, interiors and architectural joinery, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Structural Timber Association (STA), which represents firms in the structural timber products sector including major timber frame manufacturers.

Combined, the contribution to the UK economy of the sectors the two organisations represent is estimated to be around £4 billion a year. The MOU has set out plans for the organisations to collaborate on promotional activities, principally through Wood for Good, and to work together to research key issues such as fire safety and sustainability.

The two organisations will also join forces to lobby on apprenticeships and explore options for a shared CPD framework.

This important step forward will see the new partnership promote health and safety best practice, a common approach to fair payments throughout the supply chain, along with supporting each other’s accreditation and certification activities and codes of conduct.

The BWF has a long history of promoting the third party certification of timber products through its schemes for windows (the Wood Window Alliance), fire doors (the BWF-CERTIFIRE scheme) and stairs (BWF Stair Scheme). In the last year it has fought the industry’s corner in a range of policy consultations, from Housing Standards to Business Rates, has submitted evidence to Government and lobbied key civil servants and politicians to increase awareness of the timber industry’s most pressing issues.

David Pattenden, president of the BWF, said: “The BWF is continuing to build strong, long-term co-operative relationships with organisations which share our vision and values for the growth of the UK wood products manufacturing sector.

“There are many areas in which our interests overlap, including health and safety culture, managing specification through the supply chain, promoting the advantages of timber, quality management, fair payments, and training and skills issues. We know we can achieve more for our members by working together in this way.”

Lawrence Young, chairman of the STA, added: “The dialogue between our organisations has always been strong, but this MOU will help provide a framework for our regular communication and complementary activities.

We will be sharing information and best practice, regularly bringing the organisations together at member and staff levels. It’s about bringing together two major elements of timber in construction. We aim to grow the market for the benefit of the structural timber products which go into constructing our buildings as well as the ‘on show’ products which fill those buildings.”

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This is the second MOU signed by the BWF this year. An initiative to tackle the skills shortage was launched by the BWF and the National Association of Shopfitters (NAS) in July. In that agreement, the two organisations committed to collaboration between their respective training bodies, the BWF’s Wood Industry Training Forum and the NAS’s Shopfitting Independent Training Forum.

“Collaborations between key organisations in the construction industry have benefits far beyond the people directly involved,” said Iain McIlwee, chief executive of the BWF. “In the current timber market, these agreements allow us to create more opportunities for timber manufacturers and to improve the quality and reputation of the industry.”

The British Woodworking Federation is the trade association for the woodworking and joinery manufacturing industry in the UK. It has 700 members drawn from manufacturers, distributors and installers of timber doors, windows, conservatories, staircases, furniture, all forms of architectural joinery including shopfitting, as well as suppliers to the industry.

The Structural Timber Association is currently the country’s leading timber organisation, which represents a wide membership of businesses and people involved in construction using engineered timber, from across the UK. The STA leads the industry on quality, health and safety, education, technical knowledge and customer service. The STA’s activities include seminars, factory tours, research, and provision of information, networking, advocacy and discussion.

www.bwf.org.uk www.structuraltimber.co.uk IMAGE: Iain Mcllwee (BWF) // Andrew Carpenter (STA) David Pattenden (BWF) // Lawrence Young (STA)

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TALL TIMBER

Canada Goes Big The heights that solid timber construction is reaching grow each year. A new development at the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Vancouver, Canada is set to BE amongst the world’s tallest.

IMAGE: 01. Acton Ostry Architects.

“This project shows that when it comes to building with wood, B.C.’s innovation can’t be beat,” said Steve Thomson, minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations. “By taking advantage of new building technologies, we’re also expanding our markets for B.C. wood products – and supporting jobs in the forest sector.”

In addition to its primary function as a student residence, the building will serve as an academic site for students and researchers, who will be able to study and monitor its operations.

The tall wood building will consist of a mass timber superstructure atop a concrete base.

UBC aims for the building to achieve a minimum LEED Gold certification, a rating system that evaluates how environmentally friendly a structure is in its design and energy use.

01 When complete in 2017, the $51.5 million, 18-storey (53m) Brock Commons, will house hundreds of students at the University of British Columbia (UBC).

Earlier this year, the British Columbia (B.C) government passed the provincial Building Act, which enables innovation in building construction. The Building Act enabled the Province to develop a regulation to allow construction of UBC’s new tall wood student residence, with rigorous health and safety standards.

“This beautiful, new tall wood building will serve as a living laboratory for the UBC community,” said Martha Piper, interim president. “It will advance the university’s reputation as a hub of sustainable and innovative design, and provide our students with much-needed on-campus housing.”

The 18-storey tower will house 404 students in 272 studios and 33 fourbedroom units, and feature study and social gathering spaces. There will also be a ground-floor lounge and study space for commuter students.

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UBC’s Student Housing and Hospitality Services, the Binational Softwood Lumber Council, Forestry Innovation Investment, Natural Resources Canada and B.C.’s Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations are contributing funding for the building. Any additional costs related to design and construction has been funded through external sources.

Students will pay the same for rent at the tall wood building compared to similar accommodations at other student residences on campus.

UBC Properties Trust is managing the project. The project’s architect, Vancouver’s Acton Ostry Architects, is working in collaboration with tall wood advisor Architekten Hermann Kaufmann from Austria. Fast + Epp, another local firm, is the structural engineer.

TALL TIMBER

Other wood structure buildings on UBC’s Vancouver campus include the new AMS Student Nest and Engineering Student Centre, the Centre for Interactive Research on Sustainability, the Bioenergy Research and Demonstration Facility, and the Earth Sciences Building.

“When we introduced B.C.’s Building Act this year, one of our goals was to encourage innovation by creating an approval process for groundbreaking projects like this one,” said Rich Coleman, minister of natural gas development and minister responsible for housing. “As a result, we have been able to approve UBC’s tall wood building, while ensuring it meets rigorous health and safety standards.”

“We’re thrilled to partner with UBC on this exciting project,” said Cees de Jager, general manager of the Binational Softwood Lumber Council. “The residence is a showcase of innovation and ingenuity that will contribute greatly to transforming how we develop taller wood buildings in the future. Lessons learned at UBC will stimulate increased use of wood throughout North America and beyond, benefiting our industry, our communities and our environment.”

The UBC student residence is a winning project as part of an Expression of Interest (EOI) launched by the Canadian Wood Council in April 2013, for Canadian developers, institutions, organisations and design teams willing to undertake an innovative approach to designing and building high-rise demonstration projects. With funding support from the Binational Softwood Lumber Council, the goal of this initiative was to link new scientific advances and data with technical expertise to showcase the application, practicality and sustainability of innovative wood based structural building solutions.

“The Canadian Wood Council congratulates UBC on its commitment to build a tall wood students’ residence,” said Michael Giroux, president of the Canadian Wood Council.

“We are entering an exciting time for the Canadian and North American wood products industry. As the tallest wood building in Canada, this project will serve as a great example of the research and technology that is involved in taking wood construction to new heights – resulting in innovative solutions that are safe, sustainable and viable, and meet or exceed the requirements of the building code.”

FPInnovations, a forest sector research centre, conducted tests on the UBC building’s wood structural components.

The building’s safety measures include enhanced fire protections and back-up systems, a building-monitoring system and an upgraded building core, the first in B.C. to be specified to the new 2015 National Building Code of Canada for seismic design.

A number of tall wood projects have been completed around the world in recent years.

Today, the concept is gaining traction in North America as a safe, sustainable and cost-effective construction option.

The world’s current tallest wood building is a 32-metre (105-foot), 10-storey apartment building in Melbourne, Australia. Prince George’s Wood Innovation and Design Centre, completed in October 2014, is the tallest wood building in North America, standing at 29.5 metres (97 feet). A 51-metre (167-foot), 14-storey apartment building is now under construction in Norway. Two other tall wood projects have been announced for New York and Portland.

For more information visit: http://cwc.ca http://news.ubc.ca

TRADA Technology CLT Publications The technology and market for crosslaminated timber (CLT) is changing rapidly.

2015 saw the introduction of CE marking of CLT panels according to the product Standard BS EN 16351 published in October 2015. This general revision includes amended sections on durability and thermal performance. The ‘Cross-laminated timber: introduction for specifiers’ Wood Information Sheet (WIS) is an overview of the subject with signposts to more detailed sources that are listed at the end. It highlights all the design issues that specifiers should consider with the exception of structural aspects which are covered in the companion sheet WIS 2/3-62: Cross-laminated timber: structural principles. This Wood Information Sheet is also available as part of a series on cross-laminated timber which can be purchased from the TRADA bookshop.

Cross-laminated timber: an introduction This introductory guide to cross-laminated timber (CLT) for architects, building designers and their clients has been prepared by architect Hugh Strange and BM TRADA, in consultation with other TRADA members leading the field in CLT design, manufacture and construction - including Waugh Thistleton, Arup, Ramboll, B&K Structures, Eurban, KLH and Stora Enso. It explains what CLT is, how it is made, sustainability, key structural aspects and other properties, visual aspects, uses and how it compares to alternative materials.

Highly illustrated with photos and examples, the publication (in PDF format) demonstrates the versatility of CLT as a sustainable, engineered timber solution and will assist designers and their clients in decision-making. This introductory guide will be followed by an extended publication on CLT, to be published in 2016.

Visit: www.trada.co.uk

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CASE STUDY // METSA WOOD

PARIS PRÉFECTURE DE POLICE HQ & KERTO® LVL. A new reception building is being built for the police headquarters in the heart of Paris with the timber frame structure for the building being made from Kerto LVL.

02

01 The structure is made up of 30 Kerto® LVL timber frames, which make the building’s long span lengths and large interior spaces possible. The construction site is surrounded by protected buildings, which means that foundation work had to be kept to a minimum. The prefabricated frame elements were brought to the site when the roads were quiet and were erected during the day.

“A wooden structure was chosen because it is light and can be built quickly,” explains architect Fabienne Bulle. “Construction based on wooden elements significantly reduces construction time and the light wood can be handled onsite without the need for heavy machinery, minimising the drawbacks caused by building in a busy city centre.”

In France, Fabienne Bulle is known for promoting timber architecture, and she wants to increase the use of wood in both public and urban construction. “When you use Kerto® LVL, you can do more than just add floors to the roof of the building; you can create more distinctive architecture.

03 It works well with long span lengths and is therefore ideal for building covered colonnades.”

Bulle first started using Kerto® LVL 15 years ago in two care homes for disabled people in Normandy. Now she is using it, in addition to the reception building, in an extensive school project in Northern France.

“Kerto® LVL is attractive because of its technical properties and aesthetic qualities.

As we wanted wood to be a powerful presence in the care home, we made the frames from our own arrangement drawings in a more imaginative way than would have been possible with traditional timber.

“Our first use of Kerto® LVL was made up of large trapezium profiles, which we cut into pieces to let light into the building. Kerto® LVL is light and thin and it is easy to work, which makes its use very interesting. You have to know how to listen to the material. In addition to its technical properties, it is very versatile.

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Bulle started using wood for making furniture, after which she moved to construction, and support structures in particular. “For me, it was quite easy to see how wood can be used in construction. You have to be careful when using wood because any defects will show: other materials conceal much more. Building with wood can be a holistic process, starting from structural decisions.

“I have been building out of wood for the last 30 years, and environmentalism for me means both ‘localness’ and eco-friendliness.

Even before people were talking about carbon dioxide emissions, we talked of dry building. When I made my first houses from local wood, the aim was to keep the construction chain dry and save time in building.”

Bulle, who has won several architectural competitions, wants to update wood and adapt it to modern architecture instead of just seeing it in its traditional role. “The breakthrough of wooden architecture has required us to change the popular and traditional image of wood. France was, after all, originally built from wood. We have now been able to prove that wood is a competitive material, and finally building contractors are willing to use it and even request in tenders architects who know how to use wood.”

www.metsawood.com/global/Products/kerto www.fabiennebulle.com IMAGES: 1-3. Images courtesy of Metsa Wood

The external shell of a building is much like a coat, but as well as keeping heat in it must allow moisture, produced inside the building, to get out, much like a GORE-TEX® jacket.

Pavatex® is the GORE-TEX® of buildings. Keeps the building warm and the timber structure dry.

For full details and nearest distributor call 01844 338338 or visit www.natural-building.co.uk ARCADIA NURSERY, EDINBURGH

Ecological Insulation made from renewable resources

Healthy Buildings and Lower Energy Costs Natural Insulation

Natural Insulation Boards

www.meerdink.co.uk info@meerdink.co.uk Meerdink (UK) Ltd is a major supplier of Ekki, Opepe and FSC ® (Forest Stewardship Council ®) timbers, suitable for marine and heavy construction work, including wharfs, bridges, decking, river pilings, lock gates, walkways, verandas, handrails, stairways, etc. Ekki wood is an extremely hard timber, tough and dense, it weighs between 60 to 70 lbs per cubit foot and is not affected by seasonal changes in humidity.

The wood is also impervious to decay, insects, worms etc., and has a high resistance to fungal infection. Sawn and machined sections are produced at our mill in Winterswijk; Holland to customers requirements and range from large beams for bridge spans and rail track work, to handrails and infill’s for walkways and bridges. Meerdink are approved suppliers to the Rail Industry through the Link-Up qualification scheme.

Meerdink UK Ltd 10 Roman Way Horncastle Lincolnshire LN9 6PL Tel/fax: 01507 527157

Flexible wood fibre suitable for roof, floor and timber frame wall applications.

Excellent all round insulation properties improves the fabric and makes buildings a better place to live and work in whatever the weather.

Wood fibre building boards for sarking, sheathing, acoustic and render applications. Diffusion qualities provide healthy living with protection against wind, dust, moisture and sound.

For full details and nearest distributor call 01727 515120 or visit www.steico.co.uk

The mark of responsible forestry

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NATURAL BUILDING PRODUCTS

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24.06.14 17:16

CASE STUDY // NATURAL BUILDING TECHNOLOGIES

ARCADIA NURSERY, EDINBURGH The Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) named 12 shortlisted buildings for their prestigious Doolan Award in 2015, choosing the buildings which they felt represented the best of current Scottish architecture.

outlined in the brief, but they also provide an aesthetic and atmospheric quality which promotes calm within its occupants. The purpose of the structure is to develop the children’s confidence, independence and creativity. This has been reflected in the choice of materials and their effect on the users and internal environment.

01 Willie Watt, President of the RIAS, commented: “65 submissions from throughout Scotland, ranging in cost from £30,000 to £26m, is a tremendous vote of confidence. It absolutely confirms that this award, in only its fourth year, is now the single most important recognition of architectural achievement in Scotland.”

As well as being shortlisted among 11 other strong candidates, Arcadia Nursery won the Wood for Good/Forestry Commission Scotland-sponsored Best Use of Timber Award.

Arcadia Nursery caters for up to 113 children at the King’s Buildings Campus at The University of Edinburgh. Two existing nursery buildings and one purpose-built facility are joined together to create the resulting structure. The nursery is designed to be a very low-energy building and uses no mechanical cooling or ventilation – this means that the materials used in the project were carefully considered, with the selected fabrics being renewable, containing low

embodied energy and producing minimal carbon footprint. The BREEAM assessment in the design stage achieved a high score of 82.2%.

Craig White, the Chair of Wood for Good said: “The Wood for Good/Forestry Commission Scotland award winning project is inspiring in its imaginative use of wood throughout the building, using cross laminated timber and wood cladding for its structure and external finish with the wood interior providing a seamless connection with the external use of wood in the nursery playground. The result is a functional, attractive and welcoming series of spaces that provides the perfect environment for learning and play. Everyone connected with this project is to be congratulated”.

Natural Building Technologies provided technical support both on and offsite, woodfibre insulation products (PavathermPlus and Pavaflex) as well as delivered onsite training during the installation and construction of the nursery. The materials not only deliver the high-performance

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As well as winning the Wood for Good/ Forestry Commission Scotland Award for the Best Use of Timber, Arcadia Nursery was the winner of Zero Waste Scotland’s Resource Efficiency Award. Marissa Lippiatt, Head of the Resource Efficient Scotland programme at Zero Waste Scotland said: “The construction sector is an important area of work for Resource Efficient Scotland. Resource efficiency is about more than simply reacting to poor environmental performance, it’s about designing to ensure that buildings not only perform efficiently in the present, but are capable of adapting to and maximising local opportunities as they arise. Malcolm Fraser Architects has demonstrated this excellently and I’m delighted to announce them as the winners of this year’s Resource Efficiency Award for their work on the Arcadia Nursery. This is an innovative design which utilised space and natural lighting, as well as effectively integrating the service requirements with existing local infrastructure.”

www.natural-building.co.uk IMAGE: 01. Angus Bremner Photography

ADVERTORIAL

SUSTAINABLE CYCLE PARKING Cycle parking increasingly becomes major consideration for most building projects due to the vast range of benefits it provides people and society.

which can be curved or straight. The natural appearance of glulam is sufficiently attractive to make it eminently presentable with no cladding, as seen at Fordingbridge’s recent project at the University of the West of England.

Cycle parking increasingly becomes major consideration for most building projects due to the vast range of benefits it provides people and society.

Getting from A to B by bike has been proven to help people feel happier, be healthier, travel cheaper and it’s better for the environment. It also helps people be more productive, especially in the workplace or school – creating benefits not just for the cyclist but for employers and education establishments too.

Cycle shelters can not only endorse sustainability through the promotion of cycling but can do so

through the structure itself. Timber is becoming increasingly popular as a choice of material because it is one of the most environmentally friendly building materials available, it is very versatile, looks great and is very strong to build with.

Fordingbridge primarily utilises the engineered wood product glued laminated timber, often shortened as Glulam. Glulam is manufactured by gluing together pieces of timber, known as laminates. This process produces larger size and longer length members,

Fordingbridge can maximise on space and work within the parameters specified to produce as much cycle parking as needed. Cycle shelters can be open, contained or even locked up and can cater any roof design from mono-pitch, to barrel vault, through to flat roof. If sustainability is really high on your agenda we have additional options available for you – from FSC and PEFC accredited timber to green roofs that blend into the landscape and promote biodiversity.

Visit: www.fordingbridge.co.uk for more inspiring timber projects.

Canopies, walkways and sustainable buildings 01243 55 44 55 www.fordingbridge.co.uk info@fordingbridge.co.uk

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INSULATION

CLT & Woodfibre Insulation Niall Crosson, Senior Technical Engineer with Ecological Building Systems has provided technical guidance to a range of ground-breaking CLT projects in the UK. Here he examines the potential for CLT and woodfibre thermal insulation systems to deliver unsurpassed thermal and environmental performance.

layer on a roof or behind rain screens on walls, external thermal insulation composite systems are also available as well as interior insulation/plaster systems and acoustic insulation boards for floors, walls and roofs.

In this article the application of woodfibre as warm roof insulation systems and its benefits and limitations will be described.

Pro clima – also based in Germany – manufacture a range of high performance airtightness and windtightness membranes tapes and seals. Pro clima focus not only on conserving energy but also on minimising the risk of mould growth and condensation within buildings, ensuring a healthier living space.

01 Cross laminated timber (CLT) is rapidly establishing itself as a quick, greener and more economical alternative to concrete, masonry or steel structural frames. CLT structures are relatively light yet stable, very strong and feature unsurpassed environmental performance levels.

CLT is clean to use, has little waste and is made from readily available renewable softwoods, ensuring an easier path to a high BREEAM rating. It is also very pleasing aesthetically. There are examples of CLT buildings up to 14 storey’s high and experts state that there is no reason they cannot be built to 20!

GUTEX – based in Germany – are pioneers in the development and manufacture of

high performance woodfibre softboard insulation systems since 1932. These boards are made with post-industrial recycled wood chips and shavings of spruce and pine. The boards are produced by using an innovative dry method, which is much less energy intensive than the conventional wet method and minimises additions of binders and hydrophobic wax. The result is the ultimate natural insulation material – insulation with a wood content of 94-96% that has superb properties for interior and exterior applications.

GUTEX produce many forms of woodfibre insulation designed with specific characteristics and features for each element of the building fabric. GUTEX woodfibre insulation may be applied as a continuous insulation & weather resistant

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Woodfibre thermal insulation and CLT provide the optimum combination of performance for the following reasons: • Best combination of thermal insulation in winter and heat protection in summer • Effective acoustic properties • Speed of application • Very robust and compressive resistance • Extremely diffusion open (high breathability) reducing condensation risk • Consistent quality and reliable application • Inherently windtight material with tongued and grooved joints • Recyclable, PEFC-certified and sustainable raw material

INSULATION

THE COMBINATION OF GUTEX WOODFIBRE AND CLT CONSTRUCTION PROVIDE THE OPTIMUM COMBINATION OF WOOD-DERIVED MATERIALS OFFERING OPTIMUM VAPOUR PERMEABILITY OFFSETTING MOISTURE INDUCED ISSUES OVER THE LIFETIME OF THE STRUCTURE. IT HAS BEEN PROVEN TRIED AND TESTED TO DELIVER OUTSTANDING THERMAL PERFORMANCE UP TO PASSIVHAUS LEVELS. CLT technology greatly reduces risk of unforeseen issues onsite as a large proportion of the structural envelope is manufactured offsite. Once the CLT panels arrive onsite, they can be erected and made weathertight very quickly using pro clima membranes, tapes and seals. Unlike masonry or steel frame construction, CLT sequesters large volumes of carbon, even post production, rather than emitting carbon in production.

For more information visit: www.ecologicalbuildingsystems.com

02

03

PICTURES AND GRAPHICS PROVIDED COURTESY OF ECOLOGICAL BUILDING SYSTEMS UK LTD. 1. GUTEX woodfibre & pro clima membranes tapes and seals used to insulate CLT construction 2. 320mm GUTEX woodfibre applied to the outside of CLT structure for certified Passivhaus in London

by Tectonics Architects Limited.

3. 500mm long engineers HECO screws were required to fix 320mm GUTEX woodfibre to the CLT structure.

Insulating Cross Laminated Timber Wall High per formance CLT wall utilising pro clima air and windtight system and GUTEX wood fibre insulation. The optimum combination for thermal performance, vapour permeability, environmental rating and building system compatibility.

Setting the highest standard for Low Energy and Passivhaus Construction

T 01228 711511 F 01228 712280 info@ecologicalbuildingsystems.com www.ecologicalbuildingsystems.com The Brown Building, Cardewlees, Carlisle, Cumbria UK CA5 6LF

Intelligent Airtight and Windtight building systems

CASE STUDY // SCOTFRAME

UNIVERSITY OF ABERDEEN PASSIVHAUS NURSERY Scotframe was asked to provide the wall and roof solutions for the University of Aberdeen’s showpiece Rocking Horse Nursery in the Powis Gate area off College Bounds.

02

01 It supplied Val-U-Therm™ panels, which helped create a class-leading energy performance, for the newlycompleted £2 million building, which is the first pre-school facility in Scotland to adopt the demanding energy efficient design concept.

The project, carried out by Hybrid Build Solutions, was a collaboration between Scotframe and Glulam Solutions of Inverurie, which provides solutions using glulam/ cross laminated timber (CLT) engineered structures. Philip Edwards, of Hybrid Build Solutions, said: “BMJ Architects contacted us when this exciting project was first proposed. We supplied factory insulated Val-U-Therm™ exterior wall panels and roof cassettes which are well in excess of most existing thermal performance standards. The wall panels were 235mm and the roof cassettes were 300mm deep.

One of the most significant keys to Passivhaus standards is the level of airtightness, which requires a continuous, tight building envelope.

03 The Scotframe panels achieved a figure considerably lower in terms of air changes per hour than those actually specified for Passivhaus projects.”

Syd Birnie, Director at Glulam Solutions and Hybrid Build Solutions added: “It was always going to be a very challenging, but notable, project. We worked with the architect/ contractor to offer the most cost-effective thermal solution. This allowed us to use the Val-U-Therm™ system alongside the supporting glulam frames, which helped substantially in achieving the extremely high levels of thermal and airtightness performance necessary for the Passivhaus accreditation.

“Hybrid Build Solutions worked closely with the design team to engineer the best overall solutions and, with careful installation of the systems, handed over an already high performing structure to the main contractor who carried out additional cladding works internally and externally as well as the fitting of high specification glazing systems.

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Hybrid Build Solutions is very proud to have been involved in such a ground-breaking project, which has achieved an excellent performance, reduced the on-site programme and is an aesthetically pleasing finished building.”

Calum Proctor, Project Manager at Aberdeen University, said: “This was an exciting project to work on, and required great teamwork from our design and construction partners and all our suppliers. Together we’ve delivered a building of very high quality which meets the challenging Passivhaus standard. The children and staff are very much enjoying their new home, and that is thanks to all who were involved.”

The building is designed to use minimal energy through the design of the internal fabric. Heat will be provided by solar gain, heat radiated from the occupants and internal equipment. An integrated Mechanical Ventilation and Heat Recovery (MVHR) unit will work alongside Air-Source Heat Pumps to recover internal heat and pre-heat incoming air to reduce the amount of energy required. This recycling of heat will help to maintain a constant, comfortable temperature. The building is designed to function without a heating system.

Underfloor heating has been installed but should be used only in extreme cold weather. Other sustainability features include grey-water harvesting for toilet flushing, solar panels to heat water and LED lighting throughout.

www.scotframe.co.uk IMAGES: 01. Portal frame erection 02. Scotframe 03. Completed interior

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Rendaclad is a high performance, seamless rendered rainscreen system designed for cladding timber frame construction. It is tough, durable and dimensionally stable. With a 12 year guarantee and fully accredited, Rendaclad reduces overall construction time and cost, allowing you to worry less and save more.

For a quote or to find out more Call our team on 01443 803086 or visit us at spsenvirowall.co.uk

Structural Screws Without Equal Available in lengths up to 400mm, our structural screw range has a solution for every type of timber construction.

Connect with us: 01827 255600 and strongtie.co.uk.

CASE STUDY // STEICO

SCHOOL CLASSROOM PODS Wyder Engineered Timber Systems chose the Steico range of both structural products and natural insulation as the perfect integrated system for a range of ecological, sustainable and high performance school classroom buildings.

The structures use Steico engineered I-joists and glulam beams for both the floor and roof structure, and the building is fully insulated using the Steico Zell™ wood fibre, which is injected into the panels under pressure to give excellent airtightness and energy efficient performance. Internal walls are insulated with Steico Flex. U values of 0.2 W/m2K for the main structural elements ensures the internal climate is ideally for its end use.

01

02 “The POD has made a fantastic nursery classroom,” said Helen Cook, head teacher of Greenfields School, Watford.

“The ergonomic design provides us with a calm and peaceful environment. It looks good, is totally self-contained and its ecological credentials make a contribution in relation to the rest of the school being constructed in a 1960’s concrete panel system. The POD has provided the perfect solution for the additional classroom space that was needed.”

03 Woodfibre Insulation provides: • High heat insulating capability • Excellent acoustic insulation • Excellent heat regulation which will protect your home from heat loss during winter and from overheating during hot summer days • Breathable material which provides healthy microclimate indoors • Economical material since deposition forms no residue.

Furthermore, wood-fibre heat insulation significantly prevents heat loss thus reducing heating expenses • Durable material which does not settle or jam over time • Health friendly and anti-allergic • Environmentally friendly material.

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Steico Zell™ wood fibre provides: • Joint free insulation • Very good thermal insulation and thermal storage capacity • Excellent summer heat protection • Water vapour open for a healthy internal climate • Particularly slump resistant due to inter-locking wood fibres • No additional onsite cutting • High quality through trained installers • Recyclable, pure wood fibres from pine • Optimum sound protection when combined with STEICO rigid insulation boards.

www.steico.co.uk www.wydertimber.co.uk IMAGES: 01-03. Greenfields School - Watford // Steico UK

Wood. We know it because we grow it.

Our nurser y produces 1 00 million tre es each year!

We are experts in sourcing timber. From growing saplings in our tree nursery, to ensuring our timber is sustainably sourced, SCA are your supplier of choice.

Shipping into Hull and Sheerness, we supply FSC® and PEFCTM sawn goods straight from our sawmills in Northern Sweden direct to your door.

SCA Timber UK Mill Sales Team Whether it’s sawn goods or decking that you require, we are able to offer this as a “just in time” service direct from our terminal stocks in Hull.

Contact our experienced team: Stephen King UK Mill Sales Director Mobile : 07887 643 054

Caroline Evans North West Account Manager Mobile : 07702 389 885

Neil Morris Industrial and Southern Account Manager Mobile : 07715 077 604

VOLUMETRIC HOUSING

Üserhuus SIPS Concept Unveiled The BRE Innovation Park unveiled two new additions in September 2015, including a new SIPS-based volumetric housing concept that delivers on cost, quality and sustainability and cuts construction time in half.

The new SIPS housing concept is a partnership between Üserhuus AG – a Swiss, private, non-profit company for technology transfer from university research to industry and Tigh Grian Ltd – a Scottish affordable housing provider – working with JR Partners.

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The BRE Innovation Park, created in 2005 to trial, test and demonstrate low and zero carbon homes and buildings of the future is now host to new housing units. These are trying to demonstrate the ultimate in super-efficient, factory-finished, configurable dwellings built to the Scottish Building Regulation Gold Standard, with one unit having a completely building-integrated photovoltaic roof.

VOLUMETRIC HOUSING

At the heart of the project is the volumetric unit, comprising a single-bed apartment or a combination of units forming houses of up to four or five bedrooms. Manufactured in Wales using a structural insulated panel (SIPS) system, the 4.9m x 11.4 metre modules can be assembled into units of up to five storeys in detached, terraced, tenement, semi-detached and four-in-a-block configurations giving occupants and housing associations a low-cost, energy-efficient solution without compromising on good design and comfort.

01 Each unit is built, fully serviced, fitted out and decorated practically ready for occupation upon leaving the factory, when it is transported via lorry to be laid on pre-prepared foundations. With EPC B ratings, each unit is fully insulated and heated using a whole house mechanical heat recovery ventilation system, with wall-mounted electric panel heaters.

With Üserhuus’ input, there is also the option to replace the tiled roof with an entire photovoltaic ‘terra cotta’ roof and part of the façade as demonstrated at BRE. The basic house types aim to deliver very low annual energy bills (estimated at £300-500 per annum for energy and space heating). With the addition of Üserhuus’ technology they could even produce supplementary energy.

The overall affordability (cost calculations indicate less than £1000 per square metre), reduction in construction costs and the early delivery of houses for occupation, together with the assured and consistent internal quality, makes for a much more efficient use of development finance and earlier achievement of a revenue stream.

Launched in 2005, BRE’s Innovation Park Watford has attracted over 80,000 thousand visitors, and is home to several demonstration sustainable buildings, landscape designs and hundreds of innovative low carbon materials and technologies. It is a vision of how future low to zero-carbon buildings and communities could operate with emerging and innovative approaches to sustainable, low-carbon design and construction. Concept houses are for companies to test their technologies and capabilities in a collaborative, live environment that allows them to showcase their work.

Director of the BRE Innovation Park Dr David Kelly said: “We have a chronic shortage of housing in the UK – we need to deliver 250,000 homes a year to meet market demand – last year we managed 118,000, less than half. We need to find new and better ways to deliver and these homes are a step in the right direction.

What is really impressive about the home aside from its affordability and sustainability is that it reduces end to end construction time by half, so eight weeks from factory to

completion onsite – currently the average home takes a minimum of 16 weeks to build. This approach could really help us make significant progress with volume delivery.”

One of Tigh Grian’s missions is build airtight and well-insulated factory-finished SIP buildings that significantly reduce home energy and maintenance costs, achieving net zero carbon emissions is at the centre of Tigh Grian’s work, without compromising comfort or design flexibility while also reducing waste. Gordon Campbell, Director, Tigh Grian Ltd., added: “While there is a clear challenge in the UK in relation to housing supply, it is also clear we have issues relating to the type of housing we provide, and how we go about it. Tigh Grian (Gaelic for House of Sun) has brought all of these dynamics together with a design that can be adapted across all tenure types.”

Dr. Stephen Wittkopf, Managing Director, Üserhuus AG, said: “The future of architectural design lies with the integration of renewable energy technologies. The project on the BRE Innovation Park is showcasing a first-in-theUK integrated, terracotta style cladding and roofing PV system which points the way for future housing – we are looking forward to seeing how it performs and we want to test other technologies.”

For more information visit: www.tighgrian.co.uk www.bre.co.uk/innovationpark

IMAGE: 01. BRE Innovation Park

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ADVERTORIAL

ENGINEERED TO PERFORM Kronospan has expanded and re-launched its Kronobuild range to provide the UK Construction industry with an exciting array of innovative products.

01 Kronospan’s new range offers a wide scope of materials, from MDF & HDF to Particleboard and Oriented Strand Boards (OSB).

The Kronobuild range showcases Kronospan’s largest ever selection of building products inspired by new production technology and supported by more than 118 years of heritage. The boards are designed to improve building performance and all have environmental, quality and performance accreditation.

OSB boards are one of the most widespread wood based materials for structural applications, with a growing European demand and increasing market share as an alternative to Plywood; the new value added Kronospan products will open a world of opportunities for the UK timber frame construction industry.

The three variants offer structural boards for specialist applications.

• OSB Firestop - OSB 3 with a patented

fire-resistant pyrotite composition making it ideal for spandrel panels, sheathing and sub floors.

• OSB Airstop - OSB 3 with air and water vapour permeability, the ideal material for Passivhaus projects.

• OSB Reflex - OSB 3 with a reflective foil to effectively reduce transmissions of radiant heat.

Peter Ball, Sales Manager Building Products, says “If you work in construction, the new Kronobuild range is the perfect place to start specifying a project. The Kronobuild team are constantly reviewing and upgrading our products and processes, researching materials and new technologies, to give builders access to the world’s most innovative materials.”

The Kronobuild range has over 60 product variations built on a core range of OSB, OSB 2, OSB 3, P2 Particleboard, MDF, Lightweight MDF, Deep Router MDF, Fire Retardant MDF, Moisture Resistant MDF, HDF and Tongue & Groove flooring (OSB 3

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02 & P5 Particleboard). Specially selected sizes of each product are kept on stock and can be ordered quickly and efficiently through your preferred Kronospan distributor.

Kronospan is the UK’s leading manufacturer of wood based panel products, supplied to customers in the furniture, construction, distribution and DIY industries.

To find out more or request samples of Kronospan’s new Kronobuild collection go to: www.kronospan-express.com, Email: sales@kronospan.co.uk Call: 01691 773 361

IMAGES: 01-02. Kronospan

OSB

Weatherprotect

OSB Firestop

OSB Reflex

OSB Airstop

FR MDF

MDF

Weatherdek

Particleboard

Engineered to perform Kronobuild速 OSB, Particleboard and MDF Welcome to the new expanded range of construction panels from Kronobuild. Developed from innovative production technology and supported by more than 118 years of heritage, they are designed to radically improve building performance and all have environmental, quality and performance accreditation. From the energy efficiencies of OSB Airstop and OSB Reflex to the engineered protection of OSB Firestop and Weatherdek, the new Kronobuild range is the perfect place to start specifying a project.

To order your free samples, email: samplerequests@kronospan.co.uk or visit: www.kronospan-express.com Kronobuild速 product range: OSB: OSB 2, OSB 3, OSB 3 Flooring, OSB Firestop, OSB Airstop, OSB Reflex. Particleboard: P5 Particleboard Flooring, P2 Particleboard, Weatherdek, Weatherprotect, Fibreboard: MDF, Lightweight MDF, MR MDF, FR MDF, Deep Router MDF, HDF

SIPCHECK

SIPCheck – Get Approved SIPCheck, the Structural Insulated Panel (SIP) Approved Installer Scheme has now been completed.

The Scheme defines the processes for applying for and assessing Approved SIP System Installer status and completes the work first started by the UK SIP Association prior to merging with the Structural Timber Association.

SIPCheck implementation has received unanimous backing from all UK providers of SIPS technology and encompasses those members of the STA who actively install SIPS. The Scheme approves installers as competent to install defined SIP systems.

Installers must be assessed by the STA as meeting the requirements of the scheme before surveillance is carried out and approval is received.

These tasks are undertaken by independent STA appointed personnel, who ensure that the installers are competent in accordance with SIPCheck and other complementary recognised management systems and technical guidelines. The installer must be a member of the STA. The provider of the SIP system to be installed must be satisfied that the proposed installer is capable of installing it competently and in accordance with the SIPCheck scheme and to agreed detailing which may be accredited by the likes of BBA or BM TRADA. The STA assessment and surveillance of installers of SIP Systems is based on a

Roles and responsibilities Responsibilities for those personnel/organisations affected by SIPCheck are defined as follows: Approved Installer The Approved Installer is responsible for: • Ensuring that installation of SIP Systems is carried out in accordance with SIPCheck documentation and the SIP System Provider’s Installation Manual.

• Maintaining a register of Approved Installer Representatives and assessing the ability of these personnel to meet the requirements of the SIPCheck scheme.

• Notifying the SIP System Provider of changes with regards to Approved Installer Representative’s details.

SIP System Provider The SIP System Provider is responsible for: • Assessing an Installer before they apply for approval under this scheme • Training and approving the Installer’s Approved Installer Representatives such that the SIP System Provider considers them to be competent to oversee the consistent installation of SIP Systems in accordance with the Installation Manual • Maintaining their Installation Manuals and other relevant documentation under this scheme.

The Approved Installer must be able to demonstrate that they are fully conversant with the contents and requirements detailed within the SIP System Provider’s Installation Manual and associated documents as well as all other factors that could affect the success of an installation including but not restricted to: • Storage and handling of materials • Suitability and preparation of the site • Installation techniques • Repair and maintenance of the product • Finishing work • Material specification • Health and safety • Adherence to all statutory requirements applicable to the project • Maintaining robust documentation identifying all work in progress and completed installations • Registering ongoing and completed installations via the dedicated online portal • Acting on any actions raised during inspections • Maintaining relevant records.

Structural Timber Association The STA is responsible for: • Checking (at least annually) the Approved Installer is maintaining a register of Approved Installer Representatives • Inspecting each card-carrying Approved Installer Representative at least twice each calendar year – this inspection is based on random site visits/assessments • Maintaining/administrating the Approved Installer Scheme documentation.

• Assessing the installer wishing to be approved (i.e. providing Approved Assessors), and once approved, carrying out regular surveillance visits to maintain the approval status.

three party arrangement: the STA, the SIP System Provider and the Approved Installer.

Peter Blunt, Managing Director of Innovare Systems and SIP member representative on the Board of the STA said: “The SIPCheck Scheme is another step in the continued improvement of the SIP sector. Having received unanimous backing from all the SIP providers in the UK it highlights the Structural Timber Association’s commitment to raising standards and ensuring that customers can specify SIP technology with confidence.”

The SIPCheck Approved Installer Scheme will be rolled out across the UK from the beginning of February and Approved Installers will hold a unique certificate demonstrating compliance, along with Approved Installer Cards for presentation on site.

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For more details regarding SIPCheck or membership of the STA please contact Membership Manager – Bob Davis: Tel: 01259272140 Email: bob.davis@structuraltimber.co.uk

The original timber composite window, door and curtain wall solution Manufactured and supplied in the UK, Hybrid is a high insulation composite timber and aluminium window range, complemented by a matching door and curtain wall system.

Brought to you by a company with over two decades experience, Hybrid combines the advantage of the long life and low maintenance of aluminium externally with the high insulation, environmentally focused benefits of responsibly sourced engineered timber internally.

Tel: 01709 772 600 E-mail: info@sasmail.co.uk Innovative window, door and curtain wall systems

STRUCTURAL TIMBER AWARDS 2015 WINNER OF WINNERS...

Five hundred leaders and innovators from across the construction sector gathered at the NEC, Birmingham, on 06 October 2015 for the Inaugural Structural Timber Awards.

Architect of the Year:

ARUP ASSOCIATES Believe in Better Building

Best Education Project:

Best Commercial Project:

ARUP ASSOCIATES Believe in Better Building

Best Low Energy Project:

www.structuraltimberawards.co.uk The prestigious award ceremony truly made its mark on the timber sector, rewarding outstanding projects, innovative products and dynamic people promoting excellence in structural timber across the UK. A pre-dinner speech was delivered by architect, television personality, lecturer and writer George Clarke and proved to be a real crowd-pleaser. George provided the room with a whistle-stop tour of his extraordinary career – including the renovation of a 1979 Ace Excellence 6-berth Static Caravan he bought for £300 and transformed into a spacious luxury holiday retreat.

B & K STRUCTURES Believe in Better Building

Winner of Winners Award:

ARUP ASSOCIATES AND B & K STRUCTURES Believe in Better Building

Awards Host and Head of the judging panel, Andrew Carpenter said of the night: “I am proud to have played a part in the inaugural Structural Timber Awards. I have been blown away by the breadth and quality of entries that we have received. It is truly inspiring to see so much activity in the sector and to witness so many boundaries being pushed. The depth of expertise across all categories was impressive and the exceptional number of entries clearly demonstrates the upturn in the industry.”

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ARUP ASSOCIATES Believe in Better Building

Conceived as a home for Sky’s Believe in Better schools outreach and academy training programmes, the Believe in Better Building has a clear social idea based around community focus, education, and super-flexibility.

The first multi-storey timber commercial office in the UK, it demonstrates the use of offsite prefabrication and timber construction to achieve a unique workplace in half the normal time-frame.

The hugely successful BSkyB Believe in Better Building is covered in a detailed case study on p54.

STRUCTURAL TIMBER AWARDS 2015 WINNERS Best Healthcare Project:

ALAN BAXTER Maggie’s Oxford

Inspired by the concept of a tree house, Maggie’s Oxford is a dedicated centre that the Maggie’s charity uses to provide support and advice to cancer patients and their families. In order to cause minimal disruption to the sensitive ecology of the site, the building was conceived as a tree house supported on glulam timber piloti, which raise the building above the flora and fauna below. The raked piloti are fixed to concealed pile caps with screw piles below the ground in groups that evoke a thicket of tree trunks in the woods. This foundation means that the building treads lightly on the ground, greatly reducing the impact of construction on the local ecology which has been encouraged to recolonise the undercroft of the centre.

Best Private Housing Project:

WILKINSON KING ARCHITECTS Sussex House

Sussex House is inspired by its rural context and exceptional position. Overlooking the South Downs the building is conceived as a series of layers, which echo the horizontality of the meadows and hills as they recede into the distance. The brief was for a four-bedroom contemporary country house that would sit well in its rural setting and enjoy dramatic views to the Downs. The use of the CLT has allowed this very complex element of the design to be erected very fast and extremely cost effectively. The first floor is clad in cedar, weathering to match the colour of the surrounding trees. Inline louvered shutters are concealed within the timber façade to prevent summer heat gain from the south facing windows.

Best Retail Project:

WIEHAG GMBH Crossrail Station at Canary Wharf

Wiehag designed, supplied and installed the stunning glulam grid shell roof over the Crossrail Station at Canary Wharf in London.

With a roof area of 14,000 square metres and the largest value of any glulam project to date in the UK, the sheer size and complexity of this 300 metre long glulam grid shell roof makes it stand out as an exemplar project.

Wiehag overcame numerous challenges to successfully deliver their package, ranging from making double curved timber members, to meeting the design team’s vision whilst keeping within budget, to constructing a roof which cantilevers 30 metres out over the water at either end.

Best Social Housing Project:

ACCORD GROUP LoCal Homes

In 2010 the Accord Group, in partnership with Walsall MBC, invested in the development of an offsite manufacturing facility. The Group obtained LABC system approval, ISO9001 for manufacturing Quality Assurance and CML approval. This gave the system sector recognition and the first scheme was constructed in early 2012. Another aim of this project was to employ local people who had few skills, providing them with training and full time, permanent employment. Showcased at Ecobuild in the same year, LoCaL Homes has gone from strength to strength, having completed its 400th home in 2015.

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STRUCTURAL TIMBER AWARDS 2015 WINNERS Client of the Year:

VEOLIA Leeds Recycling and Energy Recovery Facility

In 2013, Leeds City Council instructed Veolia Environmental Services, a company for waste treatment, recycling and removal, to build a high-tech recycling and energy recovery plant in Leeds. In one of its units, this facility will enable the recovery of recyclables by a mechanical waste pre-treating. In another unit, a capacity of 164,000 tons of residual waste per year will be processed for the recovery of energy. The design of the facility was created by the internationally renowned architect Jean-Robert Mazaud of S’pace Architects in Paris. The design concept mainly focused on the principle of sustainability, which is reflected both in the materials used and in the building’s design.

Contractor of the Year:

MORGAN SINDALL New Park and Northway Primary Schools

The two timber frame primary schools, New Park and Northway, in Liverpool are the evolution of a design process started in 2011.

Morgan Sindall assembled an experienced team of consultants with the purpose of developing a best practice approach to primary school design as a response to promote efficiency and standardisation within school procurement, and to satisfy a growing need for cost effective, educational buildings that could be delivered to very tight timescales. New Park and Northway form part of the Liverpool Schools Investment Programme (LSIP), a programme of school rebuilds and extensions for Local Authority client Liverpool City Council.

Engineer of the Year:

ENGENUITI Banyan Wharf

Banyan Wharf is a unique 10-storey residential development, constructed by Regal Homes, that pushes the boundaries of hybrid buildings and timber engineering through its innovative twisted design, complex geometry and concrete, steel and timber construction. Architect’s Hawkins Brown took a basic cruciform shape which provided four courtyard communities for residents and then twisted every second floor to ensure all the flats had dual or triple aspect views and generous terraces. The complex geometry of the building meant that it did not lend itself to being built purely in cross-laminated timber (CLT), but rather to a hybrid CLT and steel structure.

There has already been a large amount of attention focused on the 2016 awards, which are going to be even bigger and better with two additional categories: Best Self Build Project // Product Marketing Award

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STRUCTURAL TIMBER AWARDS 2015 WINNERS Pioneer Award:

RAMBOLL UK

The last 10 years have seen enormous growth in UK timber construction, and Ramboll have consistently been at the forefront. They have designed over 50 timber buildings across a range of sectors, amongst which are many of the tallest and largest in the UK. Rambolls’ engineers have questioned the perceived limitations of cross laminated timber (CLT), pushing the material to achieve ever more.

They have established close research links with several universities, the results of this work feeding directly back into our designs.

Ramboll are keen that this new knowledge is made available to the wider timber industry: their engineers have recently presented papers at IStructE, London Constructing Excellence Club, Timber Expo and various international conferences, such as the IABSE conference in Nara in Japan.

Product Innovation Award:

ARUP 4.5T ‘superbeams’

Effective methods to integration of building services with timber structures are needed to make timber frame construction more competitive compared to other framing types.

Arup, in collaboration with dRMM architects, adopted the counter-intuitive approach to turn beams on their sides to create a nearly flat soffit, allowing services to be distributed underneath saving 400mm in depth per floor.

Details of the unusual glulam beam layup were discussed with the supplier (B&K Structures) and the fabricator (Rubner) to suit the fabrication process and final element reinforcing and corbel strengthening detailed to suit. The frame took only 25 days to erect.

The 4.5T ‘superbeams’ were quickly positioned on wide bifurcated column bearings or CLT walls, removing the need for plugs of bolts and steel plates.

Project of the Year:

HESS TIMBER Leeds Recycling and Energy Recovery Facility

HESS TIMBER, headquartered in Kleinheubach (Germany), was entrusted with design, manufacture and installation of the glulam timber structure for a high tech waste-toenergy plant in Leeds. The construction work has already started, and is scheduled to be finished in 2016. The installation of the glulam elements started in April 2014 and was finished in March 2015. The facility with a height of 42 metres will be the tallest and probably biggest glulam project so far in the UK. HESS TIMBER, one of the leading manufacturers of glulam timber in Europe, supplied the glulam timber structure for the project.

The 2016 Awards will take place on 19 October 2016. The 2016 Awards are open for entries until 31 May 2016. Keep up to date with everything happening on the Awards and the 2016 judging panel at www.structuraltimberawards.co.uk

STMAG | www.structuraltimbermagazine.co.uk | 51

CASE STUDY // BSKYB

SKY HIGH

The ‘winner of winners’ at the Structural Timber Awards was Sky’s Believe in Better Building (BiBB) – scooping five awards and two commendations.

01

01 Stage One BSkyB Believe in Better (BiBB) BiBB, Sky’s educational facility was the first project in the scheme. Using the power of television, creativity and sport, the centre is designed 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 was to construct a low energy structure within a short time period.

The client brief was to provide a sustainable and inspirational building for Sky’s educational programme and hi-tech training for staff and apprentices. The build was to be completed in time for Sky’s 25th anniversary celebration making speed and ease of construction vital - however, it was crucial not to compromise on the quality of design and materials as a result.

Mace appointed B & K Structures to provide an optimised hybrid structure for the build – comprising a glulam frame with cross laminated timber (CLT) floor, roof and stability walls, together with perimeter wall cassettes. The structure was designed to deliver permanent quality, adaptability and long term energy efficiency.

MAIN CONTRACTOR: Mace ARCHITECTS: Arup Associates STRUCTURAL ENGINEER: Arup Associates STRUCTURAL FRAME PROVIDER: B & K Structures PRODUCTS: Glulam, CLT, Steel and Cassette Panel System.

Sky’s own sustainability strategy shaped the buildings philosophy. An engineered timber industrial system was specified as it allows for rapid assembly and offers excellent airtightness through insulated panel facades.

The solid timber frame was able to meet the natural look and feel that Sky required and timber cassettes were again able to offer the low thermal resistance and high airtightness that the structure demanded to meet the challenging design brief.

The building is positioned to sit at the centre of Sky’s Campus and therefore is testament to the company’s core values and ecological ethos. The system took the form of a glulam frame with visible grade CLT panels providing core stability to the walls and floors, which were left largely exposed within the finished structure. The building features a green roof with a CLT structure, covered with PV Panels and sedum. The timber cassettes were used to erect the walls, ranging from 0.7m – 2.5m in width to 1.5m – 12.5m in length to accommodate the window arrangement.

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

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02 Stage Two BSkyB Health and Fitness Centre The second stage of the project was the development of BSkyB Health & Fitness – a purpose built staff amenity building designed to rehouse an oversubscribed gym that had been operational for over 14 years, as well as providing other health and wellness facilities.

It was decided that the build would be constructed from engineered timber from the outset – a material rarely used in multi storey fitness studios. Therefore careful definition of the buildings performance was crucial to ensure the correct structure could be delivered. The fabrication that the engineered timber construction provided reduced the overall delivery period for the project. The project incorporates many uses of engineered timber – from shear walls to perimeter walls and floor plates to roof panels.

The low mass of timber has a significant impact on dynamics – this was particularly relevant given the aerobic and fitness uses of the building. The team used previous onsite testing and research in order to produce the design modelling and criteria to overcome any potential issues. After careful analysis of the data, it was evident that

CASE STUDY // BSKYB Based on the Osterley site, West London, the project brief for Sky Campus was to design and deliver three optimised hybrid structures.

02

03

MAIN CONTRACTOR: Mace ARCHITECTS: dRMM STRUCTURAL ENGINEER: Arup STRUCTURAL FRAME PROVIDER: B & K Structures PRODUCTS: Glulam, CLT and Timber Roof Cassettes.

MAIN CONTRACTOR: Mace ARCHITECTS: PLP STRUCTURAL ENGINEER: Arup STRUCTURAL FRAME PROVIDER: B & K Structures PRODUCTS: Glulam and Roof Cassettes.

typical connection philosophies would not be suitable to ensure the correct dynamic performance could be reached.

From the outset the decision made by the designers was to implement clear and simple strategies for the structure integrating M&E – enabling clean and simple detailing.

The design team identified common client concerns - dealing strategically with overall building costs, service installation, fire risks, construction speed, together with future adaptability.

B & K Structures provided an optimised hybrid structural solution consisting of glulam columns and beams supporting cross laminated timber perimeter walls, floors and roof. As an all timber fitness centre, BSkyB Health and Fitness boasts an eye-catching exposed timber internal structure thanks to the use of visual grade CLT. When paired with the natural light achieved from the west facing glass façade and extensive views across the campus, the timber frame creates a warm and welcoming facility that seamlessly blends into the surrounding rural landscape.

The BSkyB Health and Fitness Centre deploys innovative methods which allowed the production of an open frame solution,

03 Stage 3 BSkyB Control Centre To be launched as the BSkyB Control Centre, the three storey optimised hybrid structure incorporates a mixed used scheme, forming a central part of the redevelopment of BSkyB’s Osterley Campus Headquarters.

The first multi-storey timber commercial office in the UK demonstrates the use of offsite prefabrication and timber construction

improving design coordination when compared to either standard platform cross laminated timber framing or other hybrid glulam and CLT forms with deep downstand beams - resulting in reduced storey heights.

The project, one of the very few all-timber fitness centres in the world, was completed on time and on budget in May 2015. The timber structure took just 25 days to erect – an impressive achievement during the winter season. The design strategically uses reinforcements to allow the glulam to be rotated 90 degrees more than commonly used.

The hybrid roof structure consisted of 2,693m2 of glulam rafters, with the primary members spanning up to 21m and fixed to structural steel section beams. The 3m dummy purlins, placed in between the structural rafters, create an interesting random structural form when viewed from below. Just under 16,000m2 of pre-fabricated roof cassettes were supplied including the gutters that were pre-fabricated into the cassette at the factory to minimise the operations on site. The roof lights were installed into the pre-formed openings at ground level.

Upon completion, the BSkyB Control Centre will encompass approximately 41,000m2 of office space, studio, production and research and development facilities; a new Energy Centre; hard and soft landscaping, servicing facilities and bicycle parking together with all necessary ancillary and enabling works, plant and equipment.

www.bkstructures.co.uk IMAGES: 01-03. Courtesy of B&K Structures

STMAG | www.structuraltimbermagazine.co.uk | 55

TECHNOLOGY TALK // TIMBER CHAP

A new series of regular bulletins from our resident Timber Chap seeks to provide a technical view of the world of timber-based structures.

ROBUST STRUCTURAL TIMBER BUILDINGS

One can only imagine what the intelligent little green Martian aliens, think about the UK building industry increasingly adopting structural timber as the building material of choice.

I would like to think the Martians are impressed at the skill with which Europe adopts renewable crops to supply the domestic building needs; added to the fact that the build methods allow fabric energy efficiency and flexibility of design, it is no wonder the men from space are green, green with envy perhaps!

I should explain I am concerned that the uptake of structural timber structures may lead to future defects and a reluctance to use timber if the mechanics and physics and the essential principals of timber based structures are not followed.

I speak from experience of having to pick up the pieces of failures which can and should be avoided. The problem starts either at the design stage or with the poor execution of a detail; or both. The solution is not unique to structural timber but let’s ensure that the ‘timber offer’ is robust. So start at the beginning with design and introduce you to the Three Essential Principals Model.

Multi-disciplined approach The complexity of building regulations and standards now require a multi-disciplined approach to any building. The shock to the client’s normal professional teams of

01 DURABILITY

MOISTURE CONTROL

02 SERVICEABILITY

ACOUSTIC ASSEMBLY FIRE ROBUSTNESS

03 CONSTRUCTION GOOD PRACTICE ASSEMBLY DETAILS

STRENGTH

THERMAL ASSEMBLY

HEALTH AND SAFETY

01 ARCHITECT

ARCHITECT

ARCHITECT

ARCHITECT

STRUCTURAL ENGINEER STRUCTURAL ENGINEER

STRUCTURAL ENGINEER

02

BUILDING SERVICES ENGINEER

03

STRUCTURAL ENGINEER BUILDING SERVICES ENGINEER

BUILDING SERVICES ENGINEER

02

01

ARCHITECT

STRUCTURAL ENGINEER

BUILDING SERVICES ENGINEER

ARCHITECT

BUILDING SERVICES ENGINEER BUILDING SERVICES ENGINEER

BUILDING SERVICES ENGINEER

STRUCTURAL BUILDING SYSTEM SUPPLIER

04

FIG 01: Three essential principals model for Structural Timber Design FIG 02: FOUR Discipline Model for Structural Timber Design 1 1: Concept inspired by the Roberts Consulting roof design model in the International Water Proofing Association Congress 1995

architects and engineers is the inclusion of the structural timber building system supplier as a critical element in the ongoing success of projects. Typically the structural timber building system supplier will undertake the final and detailed structural engineering duties and it is an irresponsible waste of clients’ money to have the design undertaken by engineers outside of the material supply chain. The selection of the right structural timber building system supplier should be based on the expertise and skills appropriate for the project – even the CDM regulations

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2015 emphasis this point. The fragmented/ packaged discipline approach to design and build is an outdated and fundamentally flawed idea for modern buildings. For client’s eyes – ‘make sure you have a team approach to design and build or accept the possibility of a flawed building.’

In any project the roles and responsibilities for areas of the design and build should be documented and agreed. The four discipline model for structural timber design is diagrammatically shown in Figure 21.

TECHNOLOGY TALK // TIMBER CHAP

TimberChap’s perspective for a holistic approach for the client’s professional advisor to consider: • First: discourage work packages that will separate design teams noting that value engineering and project success comes from early team involvement not accidental tender mistakes.

• Second: drive lowest project cost solution through working together respectfully and under appropriate remuneration.

• Third: selection of construction partners at an early stage which requires a check on the ability and knowledge, and most importantly an understanding of the space being given to work in; the CDM 2015 regulations demand this.

Ability and knowledge comes from the structural timber building system supplier who can demonstrate that they have done similar work before and are open to learn and expand, train, organise, plan and invest in people.

Traditional roofs were often built according to rules of thumb from accumulated experience through many years of trial and error. However, the requirements of modern roofs, particularly with respect to the thermal performance and coupled with the vast array of new roof coverings, means there is a variety of conceivable roof types. One should not be fooled by the simplicity of a roof as the in service performance needed will require an holistic multi-disciplined approach from architects, structural engineers, building services engineers (including energy consultants), roofing system supplier or contractors which may include proprietary roofing components. If the works are not co-ordinated on large projects or small complex buildings such as a so called flat roof then defects and poor durability is to be expected.

Key Points for the Multi-Disciplined Design Team:

Durability

Essential principal

Serviceability

CDM 2015 big ticket principles: • Projects are to be planed appropriately for time and costs • Companies involved are to have the right skill and knowledge to undertake the works • Building clients are responsible to select the right teams

Roofs

Construction

CDM 2015 Regulations Stand back and think about the CDM 2015 regulations. Design fragmentation has got so bad in the UK that the Health and Safety Executive have found it necessary to spell it out in the new Construction Design and Management regulations (CDM 2015). It will be interesting if the industry takes any notice of the key items of the new CDM principles.

Topic

Risk analysis

External Moisture

• • • •

Internal Moisture

• Will condensation occur has the hydrothermal aspects been considered?

• How is the internal moisture dispersed?

• How is the ventilation to be detailed and will it lead to air leakage

Fire

• Is there a requirement for fire spread reduction against adjoining properties?

• Is the roof particularly ignitable?

• Is there any danger of solar roof panels causing overheating and fire below the panel?

Acoustics

• Is there any flanking sound transfer?

• Is there noise from outside to inside the building that needs attenuating?

• Will the choice of roof covering cause unacceptable noise in the building?

Thermal

• • • •

Structure

• Are there any specific holding down fixings and who fixes these?

• Has the Snow and Wind force analysis for the local topology been shared between roof engineer and building engineer?

• Weight of ancillary materials for external and internal such as solar power or heat recovery equipment.

• Are there hidden gutters to cause structural problems?

• Deflection agreement with professional team.

• Check that the Parapets / perimeter details are structurally adequate?

• For battens or firings are they structurally designed for loadings – roof uplift?

• Will structural fixings interfere with the roof covering?

• How are openings dealt with structurally?

• Access for maintenance?

Health and safety

• Can it be built safely using standard knowledge?

• Are there any particularly different forms of construction that the contractor needs to be aware of?

• Lifting support points?

Good Practice and Assembly Details

• • • • •

Water proof membrane – what are the consequences of it leaking?

How does thermal or structural movement affect the water proof membrane?

Are there any metal fixings to corrode or cause damage?

External openings and abutments resolved for differential movement?

What is the construction detail to remove air leakage and thermal bypass?

Moisture during construction on insulation and sequence of works.

Have thermal bridges been checked for final design?

Has the thermal information been given to the contractor for approval?

Are materials vulnerable to storage onsite and during the build sequence?

Are details available to construct the roof?

How is rain water to be temporarily handled?

Can the thermal design be implemented?

Are there any contractor design elements to be checked?

STMAG | www.structuraltimbermagazine.co.uk | 57

ADVICE NOTE

!

COMMERCIAL TIMBER FRAME

With more and more commercial projects adopting timber as a building material, the Structural Timber Association (STA) Technical Committee has produced a series of specific industry advice notes relating to timber frame for its members.

base of the product. However, timber frame panel sizes can be changed and made bespoke for many shapes and sizes which is attractive to architects who look to create interesting building forms and address planning requirements for sites.

The majority of timber frame structures being built today are typically what is referred to as platform timber frame.

This construction technique has been used commercially since the 1960s with significant growth periods for schools and housing in the late 1970s and early 80s and with commercial structures in multi-storey flats and hotels in the late 1990s through to today.

Platform timber frame is a style of building using pre-formed structural panels and floors with each level of floor being the platform to build the next level of walls and so on.

The pre-formed panels manufactured in factories deliver opportunities for audited quality systems to be put in place which improves product performance and addresses some of the Governments requirements for improvements of design to as built performance targets.

The use of timber as the construction material addresses sustainability demands of the Government energy targets both in raw material supply and in the performance of retaining heat in the building during the use of the building.

The use of timber frame is particularly suited to repeat room buildings as the pre-formed panels and floors allow, as in any factory made product, repetition reducing the cost

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Quality of panels Factory-built frames which are assembled on site in large sections, thereby minimising the amount of connections which need to be made on site. When a timber frame is obtained from a STA member company products will have an audited STA Quality Approval processes. CE marking for Timber frame panels is not yet available due to the EN code not being available, however, Factory Production Controls will allow a smooth transition for CE mark panels when the code is introduced.

Designing for performance Companies that are considering the use of timber frame construction methods for building structures would be advised to ensure that they engage competent designers and Quality Assured timber frame manufacturing companies. Timber frame designers should be familiar with ‘Timber frame construction- 5th Edition’ published

by TRADA.

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ADVICE NOTE

!

COMMERCIAL TIMBER FRAME

Acoustic performance Timber frame structures rely to a large degree upon structural separation to achieve sound reduction, rather than simply incorporating more mass into a structure.

Tests on timber frame party walls comprising two separate stud walls showed that sound insulation performance was well above the levels required in current Building Regulations. Sound resistance requirements in timber party floors are currently met by separating the floor deck from the walking surface by floating layers, incorporating insulation and having sufficient mass in the deck and ceiling. Higher levels of sound insulation can be achieved by de-coupling the ceiling from the joists by the use of resilient bars to support the ceiling or by installing separate ceiling joists.

This statement is limited to the design of the structure and does not cover any obligations under Health & Safety Regulations that are the responsibility of the Site Health & Safety Manager and the Main Contractor. All works on site are to be in compliance with the UK Timber Frame Association ‘Sitesafe’ initiative and STA document 16 Steps to Fire Safety. In addition compliance with HSG

168 with approved products accepted by HSE for risk mitigation for fire during construction. The Timber Frame Company will provide CDM Design Safety Assessments following completion of the engineering design phase to highlight any additional risks which have been identified during the design stage.

CDM risk assessment Under CDM Regulations, the timber frame company will consider all parts of the construction such that the construction of the timber frame structure will not pose a specific risk of injury on the condition that the installation is undertaken by competent individuals.

The full Advice Note: ‘Introduction to the construction of commercial timber frame buildings’ is available to STA members at: www.structuraltimber.co.uk

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The Problem Delivering the right amount of ventilation to the right rooms in the right location.

The Solution The Outstanding Joist System The Posi-Joist open web floor system will allow you to deliver the right amount of ventilation to the right rooms in the right location in the simplest of ways.

The advantages are clear: • Open web design provides easy access for the design and installation of services • Improved quality of service fitting, eliminating costly remedial work • Greater clear spans for design flexibility • Clear profit from savings in labour, time, materials and call-backs • The largest network of licensed manufacturers throughout the UK and Ireland

CPD Now available for Posi-Joist Contact MiTek today or visit www.posi-joist.co.uk for full details and an on-line presentation.

MiTek House Grazebrook Industrial Park Peartree Lane Dudley DY2 0XW, UK Telephone: 01384 451400 www.mitek.co.uk

ADVICE NOTE

!

TIMBER FRAME: DESIGN DURABILITY

The Structural Timber Association (STA) Technical Committee has produced a series of specific industry advice notes relating to timber frame for its members. One on the durability and performance of timber frame in relation to design life will be of use to architects, building engineers, developers and anyone planning a timber frame project.

Over 70% of the population of the developed world lives in timber frame housing. This includes significant numbers in North America, Scandinavia, Australia, New Zealand and Japan. In Canada and the US over 90% of low-rise buildings use timber frame methods.

On account of the material’s inherent sustainability credentials and the ability of timber frame buildings to provide reduced heat loss characteristics, timber frame is commonly used as a preferred building method for houses, schools, sports halls, hotels, offices, health care facilities and flats.

There are many examples of different types of construction, using all types of materials that can suffer from poor performance and durability issues. Concrete spalling, steel corrosion, timber rotting, damp penetration through blockwork, masonry cracking, overly-flexible steel frames, sulphate attack on mortar, inadequate acoustic performance of party wall constructions and inadequate fire protection, the list is endless.

In the majority of cases however, the cause of this poor performance is poor quality construction. Often reports of poor performance relate to a one off problem, errors in the build quality and perhaps design philosophy which would have led to defects regardless of the material used.

Timber frame has a demonstrable history of successful durability and longevity. There are volumes of projects that adopts timber frame which have provided, and continue to provide, good performance.

The difference between durability and performance ‘Durability’ is defined in the British Standard as the ability of a building and its parts to perform its required function over a period of time. ‘Performance’ is the building’s behaviour related to its intended use.

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The quality of the exposed timber components and workmanship in a building should be appropriate for the required service life of the building and the conditions in which it will be used. For example timber cladding may be high quality requiring low maintenance periods or lower quality requiring regular maintenance. Similarly, cladding fixed to an exposed building face may require more regular maintenance than cladding fixed to a sheltered elevation.

The designated ‘Design Life’ for new buildings is typically taken as a minimum period of 60 years and the design life for components or assemblies within the building will fall into the following categories: • Replaceable – shorter life than the

building life where a requirement for replacement during the life of the building is envisaged at design stage, e.g. flat roof coverings.

• Maintainable – will last, with periodic treatment, for the life of the building, e.g. cladding systems.

• Lifelong – will last for the life of the building. e.g. structure and wall frames.

ADVICE NOTE

!

TIMBER FRAME: DESIGN DURABILITY

The selection of materials and components Materials and components should be selected based on the required service life during which no excessive expenditure is required on operation, maintenance or repair of the component or construction. For housing this will be approximately 30 years.

For hotels and schools this may be 10 to 20 years or more if declared at the design stage.

Ease and cost of maintenance The ease and cost of maintenance of a building should be an integral part of the design process in which due consideration is given to the lifelong effects of material/ component selections, construction detailing and overall building design. In establishing the principles with regard to the selection of materials and components for durability/ performance it is possible to more accurately assess the level of maintenance which will be required over the service life of a building.

Informed decisions Consideration at design stage on the intended service life and maintenance requirements of components and materials will permit a more systematic approach to maintenance. BS 8210: 1986 identifies the following levels of maintenance: • Repair only – maintenance

restricted to restoring items to their original function after a failure, e.g. replacement of jammed valves and re-glazing of broken windows.

• Scheduled maintenance plus repair – maintenance work carried out to a pre-determined interval of time, e.g. five-yearly external joinery painting cycle.

• Condition based maintenance plus repair – maintenance carried out as a result of knowledge of an item’s condition, e.g. reported through systematic inspection procedure.

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The full Advice Note: ‘Design life of timber frame buildings’ is available to STA members at: www.structuraltimber.co.uk

How to find Advice Notes:

HOUSING

Outlook Positive for Timber Frame Housing A new market report for the Structural Timber Association (STA) points to a recovering housebuilding sector, with the timber frame market share forecast to grow to record levels by 2017. Andrew Carpenter, chief executive of the STA introduces the findings‌

After many false dawns from the dark days of the recession and the years of low demand that followed, new homebuilding is once more set on a growth path. The current level of new homes being built remain below that required to fulfil the housing needs of the UK, but growth, even of a modest nature, is welcome. There is a greater confidence in the housing market in 2015 and this is shared by those involved in the delivery of timber frame construction.

01 The UK construction industry and particularly the housing sector has managed to maintain and even improve upon the recovery in activity that took place in 2013.

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The advantages of high quality, quickly built timber frame homes and commercial buildings has become recognised by a wider audience, not least by Government where the benefits that timber frame provides will help meet new home building targets. These benefits are increasingly being enjoyed by construction companies, as recently confirmed by the adoption of timber frame as a mainstream method by Barratt Developments plc and with similar large scale operations also in the process of turning to structural timber solutions.

These encouraging developments are supported by the many and varied activities that the Structural Timber Association (STA) is carrying out on behalf of its members.

The STA technical, training, marketing and communication programmes underpin many of the advances that structural timber companies have made over the past few years and the further, positive developments to come.

HOUSING

IMAGES: 01. Stewart Milne Timber Systems 02. Timber Frame Panel Installation - STA

THIS REPORT REVEALS AND QUANTIFIES THE REAL ADVANCES MADE BY TIMBER FRAME CONSTRUCTION IN 2014.

The share of timber frame methods in the new home building market in 2014 rose to a record level, close to 25%. Forecasts from timber frame manufacturers indicate that more growth will be realised over the next three years and beyond. The positive message from the many people that I have spoken to over the last year or so is that the timber frame industry will continue to grow in size and importance within UK construction and it is this message that is clearly communicated from this report. The efforts of all involved in the timber frame industry, in recent times and before, are beginning to reap proper reward.

The full report is available to members of the STA and can be downloaded from the Members’ area of: www.structuraltimber.co.uk.

02

A market share of nearly 25% for timber frame in new housing in the UK in 2014 was the highest level of participation that timber frame has achieved – ever. Timber frame is set to grow its market share to 27% by 2017.

For the first time since the recession, the number of timber frame units exceeded 40,000, in 2014. The total of nearly 43,500 comprised 3,200 commercial units and just over 40,000 homes.

Growth of timber frame building in England has raised market share in England to its highest ever level, standing at 18.5% of in 2014. Market share in Scotland increased a little in 2015 to stand at just over 76% of all new homes.

Government commitments to build more houses has provided the opportunity for timber frame to demonstrate the cost, speed and quality benefits that building in timber delivers.

Higher housing starts in the UK occurred in most categories of dwellings in 2014 with detached and terraced dwellings rising by 13% and semi-detached up by 11%. Approximately 40% more detached timber frame homes were built in England in 2014, rising from 4,300 to over 6,000.

The benefits and rewards to be gained from further growth to 2017 and beyond will be available for all those involved in providing structural timber solutions to the UK construction industry.

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HOUSING

Offsite construction – the 21st century housing revolution?

Darren Richards, Managing Director of offsite construction consultancy, Cogent Consulting, describes a radical vision for the way new homes might be delivered in the future and where timber technology can play a leading role.

01 Once again there is a climate of change in the UK housebuilding industry, but we have been here before, so what is different this time around? Market forces are pressuring house-builders to reconsider their approach to serving their customers. Government action in terms of planning guideline relaxation, Building Regulation changes, the rapid emergence of the private rented sector, the development of the Custom-build concept, the roll-out of large public sector consortia programmes and a continual move towards more sustainable building techniques has combined to force a ‘rethink’ of housing design and delivery from the grassroots upwards. A window of opportunity has opened for offsite construction solutions – including timber technology – to take advantage.

As housebuyers are becoming more assertive and the housing market shows signs of developing in the way of other consumer markets, the crucial question has to be, can offsite technology bridge the gap between design-for-production and design-for-living?

The industrial revolution provided new and vastly improved materials, notably steel, glass and reinforced concrete, along with repetition, standardisation and mass production. The digital revolution offers new methods of design and construction. The characteristic housing type of the industrial era was the high-rise residential tower with its repeating unit plans and elevation details.

The typical home of the post-industrial age may be computer-customised, with designs varying to reflect the diversity of the population, its needs and its preferences.

The potential offsite construction technology holds in creating a new revolution in the 21st century is huge. Manufacturers,

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software developers, engineers and architects are promising to transform the housebuilding industry with a mixture of computer-aided design (including Building Information Modelling) and the latest in industrial manufacturing technology – panel systems, new methods of stick building using ‘field-factory’ technology and modular volumetric construction. The latest ideas could turn the construction industry’s traditional hierarchy of homebuyers, builders and architects on its head.

Every home ‘individually’ designed The vision is that new houses could be designed and built in a completely different way – a way that puts the responsibility for design not just on architects but on the people that will buy the dwelling and live in it. Not just in the Custom-build sector either but across all sub-sectors of housebuilding.

Rather than simply purchasing one of the many faceless boxes on offer, every new homebuyer would sit down with an architect (or manufacturer) and design their home exactly the way they wanted it. This is the radical opportunity that offsite construction technology presents, with efficient design processes, BIM, CAD/CAM linked production facilities and even the possibility of ‘on-line’ designed dwellings using configuration software.

To make this happen we need ways to simplify – or even partially automate – the design process. There simply aren’t enough architects around with the detailed knowledge or understanding of offsite technology and the related manufacturing processes, for it to be possible with conventional design or construction processes. Just as important, there is a need for cost-effective ways to translate these designs into innovative construction solutions. There is also a requirement for new manufacturing techniques for the construction industry to produce custom-shaped elements in whatever size and material the designs call for.

HOUSING

02 Replace mass-produced with mass-customised The result could be an expert system that offers the user the skill and experience traditionally provided by an architect or designer, but as a software package with an easy-to-use interface. Car manufacturers have moved towards similar processes, and this industry is regularly cited as the ultimate model for the offsite construction movement. The general idea is to replace mass-produced, standard models with efficiently mass-customised ones.

The achievements of the car industry – reliability, customer choice and affordability – have been delivered through a revolution in manufacturing processes and technology.

This has advanced the delivery of consumer products from an environment in which massproduction dictated a stifling uniformity of output, to one where production systems deliver a bewildering array of high quality, low cost products. This transformation has yielded the philosophy of continuous improvement that is now second nature for most manufacturing sectors.

Flexible production systems, supported by lean manufacturing strategies, today underpin an ability to satisfy unprecedented levels of customer choice. It delivers goods of extremely high quality and reliability at affordable prices.

As part of this, good design is recognised as an essential pre-requisite for a successful product and this is the opportunity facing the manufacturers of the new offsite construction housing solutions.

03 The efficiencies of mass-customisations really begin to emerge when you take automation beyond the design stage.

The panacea is to integrate a customer’s on-line design with flexible computer controlled manufacturing. In other words, the information generated on-line should drive the house production line – this is the ultimate in process integration and it may not be as far away as we might think.

These processes are already well advanced in the Japanese housebuilding market, where nearly 50% of housing is built using modular volumetric construction techniques designed and delivered to the customer’s specification and choice.

Modern architecture has relied heavily upon industrially mass-produced elements such as bricks, blocks and tiles. In an extreme form this has given us industrialised components and building systems such as the precast concrete post, beam and panel systems that were popular in post war times, and which produced some remarkably grim housing. Computer-controlled, mass-customisation using offsite methods can free design and choice, opening up the possibility of creating buildings from an unlimited number of individualised parts.

The elements of architectural composition need no longer be translations, rotations and reflections of simple shapes. Once CAD and automated assembly plants are integrated, the possibility of radically new architectural languages opens up.

SO THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE CERTAINLY THERE, BUT GIVEN THE CHOICE WILL WE REALLY WANT TO MAKE ALL OUR HOUSES DIFFERENT? WILL HOMEBUYERS CHOOSE TO EXPRESS INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCE, OR CONFORM TO SOME NORM? WILL THEY CHOOSE THE EXCITEMENT OF INNOVATION OR THE COMFORTS OF TRADITION? WHERE, IN THE END, IS UNIFORMITY BRED – IN YOUR TECHNOLOGY OR IN YOUR HEAD?

Learn More about Offsite Construction and Housing To create a focal point for the issues linking housebuilding clients, architects, engineer, contractors and offsite construction product manufacturers, Cogent Consulting has joined forces with Radar Communications to organise a two-day event focusing on the use of offsite construction in the housing sector. The event – Explore Offsite Housing – is to be staged at the Birmingham NEC on 23 and 24 March 2016, and will cover a wide array of issues in the public and private housing sectors, demonstrating how the offsite supply-chain is rising to the challenges being laid down by clients and architects. The aim of the event is to encourage knowledge sharing by providing a range of case study presentations and keynote speeches from Government and leading industry experts. It will also be accompanied by an exhibition of the latest offsite construction technology.

For more information visit: www.exploreoffsite.co.uk

For more information visit: www.cogent-consulting.co.uk IMAGE: 01. SIPS Installation – Innovare Systems 02. Timber Frame 03. B&K Structures

STMAG | www.structuraltimbermagazine.co.uk | 69

HOUSING CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION NEC, Birmingham 23 - 24 March 2016 Explore Offsite in the housing sector will bring together technology leaders, housebuilders, developers and registered providers to discuss the opportunity the housing shortage presents for offsite construction to play a major role in the coming years.

The combined conference and exhibition will include exhibitors and speakers from pioneering companies in the offsite construction industry talking about the latest innovations.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND? The event is aimed at attracting construction clients; construction professionals: architects, surveyors, engineers; facilities managers; building product manufacturers and suppliers.

SPEAKERS INCLUDE Brandon Lewis MP – Minister of State for Housing & Planning INVITED Tom Bloxham MBE - Director, Urban Splash Andrew Orgorzalek - Partner, PCKO Architects Jeff Endean - Housing Matters, London Borough of Lewisham Jay Shaw MBE - Head of Business Development, Snoozebox Stuart Carr - Director, Chapman Taylor Shelagh Grant - Chief Executive, Housing Forum James Pickard - Director, Cartwright Pickard Rory Bergin - Partner - Sustainable Futures, HTA Design Rob Charlton - CEO, Space Group Jerry Harkness - Regional Development Director, Circle Housing

…& many more!

To book your place go to

www.exploreoffsite.co.uk/book

BOOK Ticket prices for the event are listed below: PRIVATE SECTOR DELEGATES One day ticket - £125 + VAT Two day ticket - £225 + VAT PUBLIC SECTOR DELEGATES One day ticket - £95 ++ VAT Two day ticket - £165 + VAT

ADVERTORIAL

HUNDEGGER’S MACHINES AND TECHNOLOGY CONTINUE TO CUT THROUGH UK MARKET Hundegger, the German manufacturer of machinery and technology for timber engineering continued its sales success in the UK during 2015.

seamless connection to the office and to the nail plate supplier’s software. This reduces paperwork, increases efficiencies and saves timber.

Due to the continuing demand for timber construction, Hundegger supplied machines for a diverse range of applications, truss and timber frame processors, garden building manufacturers and green oak house processors.

Chris Osborne, general manager of Hundegger UK, said: “Last year in the UK, interest in our products was remarkable. The new Turbo Drive machine released at LIGNA, has resulted in a number of

sales, to the truss and timber frame processors and the Speedcut machine has continued to sell well for manufacturers needing CNC capability. It is suitable for complete house systems, glulam, I-Joist and garden buildings. We also had success with sales of our HM planing machine for large timber sections.”

Hundegger’s UK users confirm that the machines are helping consolidate and optimise the component cutting process, accurately and quickly, with a

Hundegger UK confirmed that in 2015 they had an unprecedented number of visitors to LIGNA and many UK companies visited the factory in Hawangen.

Chris Osborne adds: “Without question the best way for Hundegger to demonstrate its full capability is a quick trip to our impressive factory and demo facility. We also have a number of reference sites to visit close by and these have been invaluable and inspirational for UK companies.”

Hundegger UK anticipates 2016 to continue in the same vein with an excellent order book fuelled by an increased demand for timber buildings and structures.

Speak to Hundegger UK today on: 01865 73644

Speed-Cut SC-3 The most versatile timber component cutting machine in the UK market

Hans Hundegger AG Maschinenbau GmbH For UK sales and service, contact Chris Osborne: Chris Osborne Court, Lashford Lane, 2 Cuebar Court Dry Sandford, OX13 6JP. Lashford Lane Oxon Dry Sandford, Oxon OX13 6JP 01865 736444email: Email: chris@hundeggeruk.com Tel: 0186573644, chris@hundeggeruk.com Hundegger_REVISED.indd 1

•

Can cut timber dimensions in 5 axes – up to 200 x 450 mm

•

Excellent for the high production of roofing trusses, and timber framing

•

Seamlessly links to all the main CAD software suppliers

•

In built Board-Stretcher optimising program – yields more from your timber

•

Fast, accurate, flexible and affordable

•

Many UK reference installations

Innovation in timber engineering www.hundegger.com 11/08/2015 14:36

FABRIC FIRST achieve the relevant Standard Assessment Procedure credentials. It is often argued that if by reducing air loss you then need to build-in designed ventilation, then why bother in the first place?

Is an airtight seal, just an airtight seal?

Peter Thompson, General Manager of ISO-Chemie UK, illustrates the trade-off between airtightness and ventilation in sealing products.

The answer, apart from the fact that legislation must be complied with, can be summed up in one word – control. It is the difference between controlled air loss, or ventilation, and uncontrolled air loss, draughts, which is the nub of the whole issue.

01 The legal requirement to consider airtightness in building designs has been around since the 2006 changes to UK Building Regulations. This is the same for every version of the regulations that apply to all regions of the UK. The measurement for calculation air loss out of, or ingress into, a building is measured in cubic metres (m3), per hour (h), per square metre of building envelope (m2) and at a differential pressure of 50 Pascals (Pa) between internal and external air pressure. The back stop maximum leakage IS 10, equivalent to 10m3 (h.m2) @50Pa. When designing to Passivhaus standards, this gets a little more complicated as they refer to airtightness as so many changes of air per hour. This relates more to the cubic capacity of the building or room, rather than the surface area of the envelope of the building. Notwithstanding this, to give some comparison it is generally agreed that Passivhaus is looking for a goal of 0.6m3 (h.m2) @50Pa, or less.

Initially, not too much notice was given to the requirement to have a maximum air leakage, as in reality an air loss of 10m3 (h.m2) @50Pa could not really be called

an airtight building, so the designs and detailing did not have to change radically to achieve it. However, building standards have progressed with the requirement to conserve more and more energy. Although the legal backstop of 10 has not changed the target air leakage for SAP, separate target values set by the house builders themselves have both significantly reduced. This helps to save heat loss out of the building, thus requiring less use of heating systems to maintain a comfortable temperature within the building, and in turn leading to greater energy efficiency and lowering CO2 emissions.

This brings us to the question about air quality within the building. The more airtight we make our buildings the less fresh air we get into them through random unwanted gaps within the building fabric. Such problems can cause other issues for people with respiratory problems or young children, so proper ventilation is crucial.

‘Build Tight, Vent Right’ has been a popular mantra relating to building design, particularly to those concerned with the Fabric First strategy, rather than just throwing ‘Eco Bling’ at a building design to

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How is ‘Build Tight and ‘Vent Right’ achieved?

With regards to ventilation, this generally falls into two major camps - natural ventilation and mechanical ventilation. If you achieve an air loss of 3m3 (h.m2) @50Pa or less, then it is a necessity to use mechanical ventilation. With an air loss of more than 3m3 (h.m2), it is generally considered that well designed natural ventilation is sufficient for most domestic dwellings.

For unwanted air loss, it is generally acknowledged that the air loss between the junctions of windows and doors to walls, walls to floors and walls to ceilings accounts for more than 50% of the air loss in a house. Other common factors of air loss relate to fabric of the building itself and the various holes knocked through the fabric for an assortment of reasons such as drainage, heating flues, electrical cables etc.

There are many products on the market claiming to be airtight seals. But the key is to use the correct products in the correct environment, and the extent to which they degrade over time. In addition if one of the major requirements of airtightness is to reduce heat loss out of the building, then thermal resistance to these air leak sources surely needs to be considered as well.

Certainly just being airtight will reduce or stop heat loss by convection, but what about heat loss by conduction - often referred to as non-repeating thermal bridges?

FABRIC FIRST The industry is starting to understand that airtightness is only half the story for the sealants. This is why the thermal insulation of joints between window, doors and walls is now included in the latest SAP calculations, where previously it had simply been ignored.

When choosing a suitable airtight seal, the full requirements necessary to create a long term solution must be considered. If it is simply to seal the edges or overlaps of an internal airtight membrane, then movement and thermal insulation are unlikely to be major factors to consider as any number of various stick on adhesive strip tapes are likely to be suitable. As there are technical differences between them, some specialist knowledge or advice is always helpful.

However, when sealing an actual construction joint between similar or different materials, it is a different story. An illustrative example is the movement between joints created by the junction of different construction materials, such as windows to walls or walls to roof etc. Even joints between the same materials can move, such as brick or concrete expansion joints. The initial drying out of the building must also be considered.

In this respect, the differential movement between timber frame buildings and the external masonry facades is well researched and documented. But the different coefficient of expansion factors of different materials is less well known. When selecting a suitable airtight seal for this type of application, installers must consider several factors to assess if it is correct for the type of joint to be sealed, based on: • The need to accommodate movement.

• Any need to allow for conduction heat loss, to maintain the thermal integrity of the abutting materials.

• The suitability of the active adhesive system for both initial application and long term use on the substrate.

• The potential for harmful emissions from the sealing materials and adhesives, and their effect on internal air quality must also be assessed.

An airtight seal therefore needs to be more than just an adhesive tape. ISO-Chemie has seen a bewildering range of options on the market. At first glance, they all look like they do the same or a similar function. Whilst this is true to a certain extent, there are many performance variables meaning some products are more suited than others – in the same way as timber frame construction methods are all not identical or suitable for certain situations.

For more information visit: www.iso-chemie.co.uk

IMAGE: 01. ISO-Chemie window seal being applied

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FABRIC FIRST

Timber Frame & Rigid Insulation Chris Hall, Chief Executive at the British Rigid Urethane Foam Manufacturer’s Association (BRUFMA), describes how stringent legislation and government advice on insulation requirements has affected the creation of an airtight and thermally efficient timber frame building.

This popular insulation method has many desirable performance qualities.

Exceptionally lightweight, it has an excellent strength to weight ratio. It is moisture resistant ensuring longstanding performance and providing a level of flood resilience not offered by many other insulation types. The performance properties of PIR insulation boards have seen them frequently specified on timber frame buildings due to their cost effective, long term and high performance qualities.

01 At the heart of some of the oldest homes in the UK and offering a wealth of benefits to contractors and homeowners from design flexibility to reduced build times, timber frame construction is one of the most cost effective and environmentally friendly construction methods.

Timber is carbon neutral in its production – unlike bricks and mortars, the manufacture of which account for 4% of global CO2 emissions. As a result it is frequently partnered with high performance PIR insulation boards to form an integrated building frame and envelope with minimal environmental impact.

The efficiency of the building fabric through efficient U-values, detailing and airtightness remains the starting point for a highly efficient timber frame home. With a thickness of between 25mm to 200mm, rigid PIR insulation boards can provide one of the thinnest solutions to the requirements of Approved Document L1A, and can provide the optimum solution in terms of space, costs, transportation and handling.

Timber frame constructions can be insulated to very low U-values through the use of rigid board insulations. With lambda values as low as 0.021 W/mK, equivalent insulation performance can be achieved with less thickness than other commonly used insulation materials. Furthermore, insulation systems with an unbridged insulation layer are seen as best practice as they minimise repeating any linear thermal bridges and their consequences.

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With sizes up to 2400mm x 1200mm, PIR insulation boards are robust enough to withstand the rigours of a modern construction site whilst still being easy to handle and cut to measure. When combined with their lightweight, this makes it easier to obtain a quick, easy and correct installation. Meeting Building Regulations in respect of approved document B (Fire), the use of PIR insulation in timber frame construction also does not compromise the fire performance.

Over the years BRUFMA has built up a great deal of credibility with many government and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) involved in the legislative areas affecting the production and use of PIR/PUR insulation products.

PROVIDING INSULATION FOR HOUSES IS ONE OF THE SIMPLEST AND EASIEST WAYS TO REDUCE OUR ENERGY CONSUMPTION, COMBAT CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENSURE THEY ARE WARM AND WEATHERTIGHT. This is especially the case with regards to timber frame construction, one of the fastest growing options for new home construction in the UK. For more information about visit: www.brufma.co.uk

IMAGE: 01. Chris Hall, Chief Executive, BRUFMA

ACHIEVING MORE WITH LESS LESS MATERIAL ON-SITE LESS SITE TRAFFIC LESS SITE WASTAGE LESS INSTALLATION TIME* LESS CONSTRUCTION HEIGHT*

SoundDeck CLD System TM

A fast track acoustic solution for new build timber frame apartment floors and ceilings, exceeding the requirements of Part E and Section 5.

The new SoundDeck™CLD System comprises a timber based, high performance overlay board and an innovative acoustic ceiling hanger to provide exceptional acoustic performance in new build joisted floors.

• Superior acoustic performance • Super fast, simple installation • Shallow overall construction • Proven Constrained Layer Damping technology * Compared to Timber Frame separating floors with sacrificial ceiling

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info@cmsdanskin.co.uk www.cmsdanskin.co.uk

FABRIC FIRST

Build tight – ventilate right Correct ventilation must be factored in at the design and construction stages to achieve airtightness requirements. Matt McAndry, Director of Technical at Building Product Design Ltd explains.

As we make our homes more airtight and more energy efficient, we must also ensure the rooms we live in are adequately ventilated to ensure a good level of indoor air quality and to reduce the build-up of airborne pollutants and fungal spores.

The air in the habitable areas should be refreshed and the building allowed to ‘breathe’.

Air inlets can be simple, manually operated window or wall ventilators and typical extracts would include a cooker-hood in a kitchen or a through wall mechanical fan with over-run timer in wet rooms such as bathrooms. The latter however consume electricity in their operation.

Fresh air ventilators should be easy to operate and designed to disperse the incoming air so as to avoid uncomfortable draughts. Consideration should also be given to the occupant who may have limited mobility or movement, so a demand controlled, self-regulating ventilator may be preferred.

Occupants will often close badly designed wall or window ventilators if they perceive a draught or may be inclined to disable a mechanical extract unit if it’s noisy. A fully automatic, silent ventilation solution can stop this potentially damaging intervention.

There are a number of options available, however intelligent passive stack ventilation systems offer the optimal solution.

ELECTRICITY

ELECTRICITY 400

1000

GAS

350 53

Annual carbon emissions (kg CO2)

Annual electrical consumption (kWh)

800 300

250

200

150

151

The intelligent passive stack ventilation system, is a whole-house, humidity sensitive, fully automatic ventilation solution which is ideally suited to today’s modern, airtight properties. It provides a natural, no energy alternative to mechanical ventilation systems.

The system requires no power to operate, saving both energy and CO2 emissions, and can offer significant cost savings over the lifetime of the building when compared to mechanical ventilation and heat recovery (MVHR) systems, extract fans and mechanical extraction ventilation (MEV) systems as shown in the figures below.

Unlike passive stack ventilation systems (PSV) where the inlets are always fully opened, intelligent passive stack ventilation systems include window inlet ventilators, or through wall ventilators that respond to changes in the relative humidity within the property. Humidity sensitive receptors which use no power source to operate inside the ventilators cause the units to open during higher humidity events and close down to a ‘trickle’ inlet as the humidity levels drop to normal. Acoustic versions are available for use in noise-sensitive areas.

For extract, the humidity-sensitive passive stack ventilation system provides 24 hour, fully automatic, self-regulating ventilation.

The unit opens when moisture vapour levels are high (typically after a shower or bath or in a kitchen when cooking) and gradually close as the humidity levels drop.

The i PSV™ system from Passivent has been certified and approved by the BBA for nearly 20 years and continues to be so having been reappraised against current Building Regulations in March 2015.

600 73

400

100 200 50

0

0

0

Standard PSV

Passivent i PSV™

125

172

Continuous Continuous Mechanical Mechanical Extract Extract with heat recovery

FIG 01: Annual electrical consumption (kWh) of various ventilation solutions

359 Extract Fans

486 0

Passivent i PSV™

506

708

Continuous Standard Mechanical PSV Extract with heat recovery

642

771

Extract Fans

Continuous Mechanical Extract

FIG 02: Annual carbon emissions (kg CO2) from a dwelling using various ventilation solutions

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Passivent Ltd is a division of Building Product Design Ltd. For more information visit: www.passivent.com Tel: 01732 850770 Email: projects@passivent.com

FABRIC FIRST

Apollo Eco-Brite Apollo’s Eco-Brite is an advanced foil that offers a solution to meet the increasingly stringent insulation requirements for buildings.

Apollo’s Eco-Brite is an advanced foil that offers a solution to meet the increasingly stringent insulation requirements for buildings. BBA certified Eco-Brie is a tough yet flexible foil that can be installed in roofs, walls, and floors. Reflecting 96% of radiant energy, Eco-Brite provides a more controllable and comfortable interior temperatures, reducing a building’s energy requirement and cutting its carbon footprint.

To act as a radiant barrier Eco-Brite is installed within a structure facing at least one air space, (usually 19mm to 25mm). When used in conjunction with mineral wool or foam insulation Eco-Brite can improve the u-value of that structure by up to 18%.

Its inclusion will reduce the thickness of the soft insulation required, substantially minimising energy needs and improving comfort for occupants.

Eco-Brite reduces U-values, seals the building and reduces the energy cost required for heating or cooling the building.

Apollo’s high performance adhesive tape can be used to seal the joins between adjacent sheets, around stud-work, door or window frames.

Eco-Brite holds BBA Certification (No. 08/4576) and Fire certification to BS476 Part 6 and Part 7 and it has been designed and tested to last the lifetime of a house.

Eco-Brite is a complete vapour barrier, ideal to seal new or existing soft insulation. Ensuring insulation performance is not compromised by interstitial condensation.

Anzeige_TimberFrame_127x190_UK.indd 2

01 R-Values Wall 0.66 m2KW - Horizontal Heat Flow Floor 1.33 m2KW - Downward Heat Flow Ceiling 0.45 m2KW - Upwards Heat Flow Pitched Roof 0.51 m2KW - Upwards Heat Flow Every square metre used will save up to 23Kg of CO2 per annum on an un-insulated wall and 12.33 Kg of CO2 per annum on an insulated wall.

Apollo can provide heat calculations for your specific structure incorporating Eco-Brite in the design.

For more information please contact Colin Hawkes.

Email: c.hawkes@apollo-energy.com Tel: 01293 776974 www.appollo-energy.com IMAGE: 01. Apollo prefab wall installation

30.03.2015 15:19:46

FABRIC FIRST

OSB3 & Passivhaus With Passivhaus the gold standard for ultra-low energy homes, wood based panels provide a low carbon replacement for other construction products and are increasingly being used as the airtightness layer in new build and refurbishment projects.

01 As a manufacturer of OSB, SmartPly engaged in a comprehensive and extensive development programme to provide a new structural panel that meets low energy and passive requirements.

With integrated vapour control properties and airtightness engineered into each panel, the new SmartPly VapAirTight has performed six times better than Passive House standard for air leakage and is the ideal panel system for ultra-low energy buildings.

A Passive House For example, at an architect’s new timber frame home in Cork, Ireland, high racking strength and airtightness were crucial in the internal lining specification. With the installation of 240 sheets of the new SmartPly VapAirTight OSB3 panel, the house achieved an air change rate (n50) of 0.09 air changes per hour at 50Pa – six times better than the limit recommended by the Passive House Institute.

Designed and built to passive standards by specialist manufacturer Shoalwater Timberframe Ltd., the stylish two-storey

02 house incorporates a range of ecological materials and systems. But with its large glazed areas and two cantilevers at the rear and side of the building, the project required a structural panel that combined racking strength with exceptional airtightness – for which SmartPly VapAirTight proved ideal.

“Developed from our OSB3 system, SmartPly VapAirTight has integrated vapour control and unrivalled air barrier properties and will help to close the gap between design and as-built performance,” said David Murray, Innovation Manager at SmartPly. “We monitored the system’s performance at every stage of the process and upon completion it far exceeded Passive House standards for airtightness.”

SmartPly VapAirTight is easy to handle and can be readily cut and fixed using standard timber frame fixings. Being robust, there is minimal risk of damage during assembly, transport or erection, which means the airtightness is not compromised. It is suitable for renovation as well as new build projects and applications include modular manufacturing as well as the production of SIPs and prefabricated roofing systems.

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“We insist on the highest quality materials in every timber frame we design and build,” said Donal Mullins of Shoalwater Timberframe. “With work on-site starting in January 2015, the site and the panels themselves endured every type of weather imaginable – providing perfect testing conditions for the new VapAirTight panels.”

Due to the confined site and its challenging location, the issue of double handling provided additional testing for the panels and one which it passed with flying colours.

Donal Mullins added: “Everything that happened gave the boards the opportunity to fail and they didn’t. And with SmartPly VapAirTight installed for approximately 98% of the internal linings, the system has certainly proven to deliver outstanding airtightness under real and challenging site conditions.”

The Shoalwater timber frame structure also made use of Coillte’s Medite Vent breathable MDF panel product as part of the roof construction. With SmartPly VapAirTight installed on the interior, over 230m2 of Medite Vent was used on the roof’s exterior to ensure external vapour diffusion and reinforce the roof’s racking strength prior to the installation of the cellulose blown-in insulation.

SUITABLE FOR BOTH NEW BUILD AND RENOVATION PROJECTS, SMARTPLY VAPAIRTIGHT IS A VERSATILE, STRONG AND COST-EFFECTIVE OSB PANEL. THE INNOVATIVE NEW SYSTEM IS SET TO PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN THE DELIVERY OF HIGH PERFORMANCE AND AIRTIGHT TIMBER FRAME HOMES – WHEN DESIGNED AND BUILT USING A HIGHLY SUSTAINABLE AND FABRIC FIRST APPROACH. For more information on the new SmartPly VapAirTight panel system, visit: www.smartply.com/products/vapairtight

IMAGES: 01. VapAirTight applied to large panel 02. VapAirTight warm roof application

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FABRIC FIRST

Fabric First Thinking Understanding the performance gap and choosing the correct external membrane makes all the difference when building an airtight and energy efficient envelope.

DuPont™ Tyvek® construction membranes have the answers.

Fabric first is a statement that is regularly seen and is often thought of as being an internal product function, but in practice, unless the outer secondary membrane is also windtight, buildings do not perform thermally ‘as designed’ – this is the performance gap.

Recent work by the BBA (air movement and thermal performance report No 1) indicates that air movement penetrating through to the fibrous insulation can increase the U-value by up to 80%. This does not have to be the case, and with the correct choice of materials and detailing, buildings can, and do, perform exactly as designed.

DuPont™ Tyvek® construction membranes and accessories are used all around the world, in all types of construction and all share the same basic, tried and tested properties, including: • Vapour permeability – the ability

to allow water vapour to escape to atmosphere before harmful condensation occurs • Water resistance – protecting the construction short term during the build phase and in the long term throughout the buildings life • Wind-tightness – ensuring that the installed insulation performs as calculated, with no drop off in performance due to “windwashing” • Durability – proven performance in use around the world since its invention in 1955.

Alongside the properties outlined HERE, different grades of DuPont™ Tyvek® have a number of unique features which are all designed to perform in buildings with very individual requirements.

As offsite fabrication becomes the construction method of choice for many sites, long term protection, of both the building and the people who use the building, becomes ever more important.

Basic protection for walls is available with Tyvek® Housewrap. Tyvek® UV Facade adds lifelong UV protection behind discontinuous outer cladding. Tyvek® Reflex brings the benefits of a fully protected, low-e surface and Tyvek® Firecurb™ Housewrap has a flame retardant coating, which reduces fire risk throughout the build and during the building’s life in, for example, enclosed cavities.

EXPERIENCE FROM AROUND THE WORLD SHOWS THAT A WINDTIGHT, VAPOUR PERMEABLE AND WATER RESISTANT EXTERNAL MEMBRANE, WITH ALL LAPS AND PENETRATIONS SEALED, WILL PERFORM NOT ONLY IN OUR TEMPERATE WEATHER BUT ALSO IN THE MOST SEVERE CONDITIONS SEEN IN PLACES SUCH AS SCANDINAVIA, NORTH AMERICA AND THE ARCTIC CIRCLE.

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01 1. Tyvek® Housewrap.

BBA Certificate No. 90/2548 The original protective membrane for timber frame buildings and cladding structures.

At the stage of a build shown below, good water hold out is necessary to not only protect the structure but to also allow the internal fit out to proceed – a prerequisite with today’s fast track approach on site.

Tyvek® Housewrap’s >1.5m water column ensures that materials susceptible to water damage are protected from day one.

FABRIC FIRST

IMAGES: 01-03. DuPont™

03 02

2. Tyvek® UV Facade.

BBA Certificate No. 90/2548 Tyvek® UV Facade has all the basic properties of Tyvek® Housewrap and is a material that finally opens up the possibilities of open jointed cladding on site, due to the unique UV resistance of this one material. Tyvek® UV Facade is compatible with a wide range of cladding materials, including timber, stone, masonry and DuPont™ Corian®. Tyvek® UV Facade’s unique ability to withstand aggressive UV light means that designers can now produce buildings with discontinuous outer cladding details, with joint gaps of up to 30mm, safe in the knowledge that the Tyvek® will ensure that the buildings perform long term.

3. Tyvek® Reflex.

BBA Certificate No. 90/2548 Tyvek® Reflex is the original low-e membrane used in timber frame and cladding constructions. The unique, metalised and lacquered surface ensure that lower U-values are achieved in the smallest overall thickness of wall. The lacquering process, which protects each metalised Tyvek® fibre, ensures no oxididation occurs and that the designed thermal performance of the construction, as built, is guaranteed.

For more information visit: www.tyvek.co.uk

STMAG | www.structuraltimbermagazine.co.uk | 81

FIRE PROTECTION

Timber & Passive Fire Protection Passive Fire Protection (PFP) is a critical aspect of construction projects in terms of life safety. This is the case for all construction types and when specified and constructed correctly with PFP in place, timber construction is equally capable of meeting fire resistance requirements.

The result of the latest changes to the CDM regulations means that the role of the CDM co-ordinator will now cease to exist and the emphasis is now on the principle designer to ensure that the correct product is specified and installed.

The red product in the picture is an intumescent Ventilated Cavity Fire Barrier that is generally installed at every floor level to provide compartmentalisation in an external faรงade. These Ventilated Cavity Fire Barriers need to be tested for the end application e.g. installed within blockwork, timber, mineral wool, phenolic, PIR etc.

It is also important to check the overall cavity size and air gap that the fire barrier achieved in the fire test to ensure it mirrors the air gap needed for the project.

PFP products can often be overlooked in the design stage which can cause issues such as delays on site further down the line.

The principle designer needs to specify the correct PFP products from the outset and if further down the line an alternative product is put forward then stringent checks need to be carried out to ensure it is fit for purpose and the principle designer is happy to proceed with the alternative product.

The positive aspect of all of this is that the timber industry has a wide range of PFP products that are tested for timber constructions and these products provide a solution to limit the risk of fire spread and ensure that building regulations are met.

The main focus needs to be ensuring that only appropriately tested and approved products are specified and installed on the building.

All PFP products should undergo third party testing to ensure they will perform as required in a fire situation. The third party testing will prove that the product can meet a particular British or European standard and therefore ensure the building complies with Approved Document B in the building regulations.

For more information visit: www.tenmat.com

01 It is important that appropriate products are specified that will perform as required in a fire situation and also that it is the correct products that are eventually installed. Many PFP products are made from an intumescent material, designed to react and expand in a fire situation to prevent the spread of fire through openings in a building.

A common misconception is that all intumescent materials react in the same way, however this is not the case. It is therefore essential that the third party test evidence of the PFP products is checked to ensure that they are fit for purpose and have been tested in the application to which they will be installed in.

The external faรงade of a building is an area where it is essential that the correct PFP cavity barrier is specified and installed to prevent the spread of fire up the external cavity. These intumescent Ventilated Cavity Fire Barriers are ideally suited for timber constructions as they maintain the ventilation in the external faรงade whilst also expanding in a fire situation, ensuring that building regulations are met. These Ventilated Cavity Fire Barriers prevent any moisture / damp issues and also prevents cold bridging.

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IMAGES: 01. Tenmat Passive Fire Protection Solution

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FUNDING AND FINANCE

Build UK Prioritises Payment Issues Build UK was launched on 1 September 2015 following the merger of UK Contractors Group (UKCG) and the National Specialist Contractors’ Council (NSCC) and it has prioritised a number of long-standing industry issues such as fair payment to improve the delivery of projects and drive growth.

Bringing together 27 of the industry’s largest main contractors and 40 leading trade associations, including STA, which collectively represent 11,500 Specialist Contractors, Build UK provides a single voice for the whole of the contracting supply chain with the potential to transform the sector. By collectively agreeing and implementing best practice there is an opportunity to change behaviours across the industry which will benefit both the client and the sector as a whole.

Current payment practices within the industry are holding back the businesses of both main and specialist contractors.

The fact that all parts of the supply chain recognised the need for a full and frank discussion on the issue of payment was one of the reasons for setting up Build UK.

A dedicated Payment Group has been set up with both main and specialist contractor representatives and a number of outcomes were unanimously supported by all Build UK members at the first contractor and trade association forum meetings in October.

These include Build UK supporting the principles of the Construction Supply Chain Payment Charter, which specifies payment terms of 30 days by 2018 and no cash retention by 2025, and benchmarking its members on their payment performance when new statutory reporting requirements come into force in 2016.

“Experience has shown that tackling a fundamental issue, such as payment, in isolation makes progress difficult, says Build UK Chief Executive Suzannah Nichol MBE. “We are bringing together the contracting supply chain to consider what best payment practice looks like and both contractor and trade association members fully support Build UK exploring appropriate business models to ensure cash flows throughout the supply chain.

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The discussions so far have been lively but refreshing and honest and I truly believe that by working together we can, and will, make substantial progress on the issue of payment. This will enable the industry to improve productivity and deliver growth across the economy.”

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has recently confirmed that it will be undertaking a review of the practice of retentions in construction and Build UK and its members will be contributing to the review which is part of a wider review of the effectiveness of the changes to the Construction Act made in 2011.

More information on Build UK and the five initial priority issues it has identified, including Fair Payment, can be found at: www.builduk.org

FUNDING AND FINANCE

Construction Supply Chain Payment Charter

Eliminating Cash Retention

Construction Supply Chain Payment Charter signatories undertake to abide by these fair payment commitments. You must be a signatory to the Prompt Payment Code before you can apply to become a signatory to the Construction Supply Chain Payment Charter.

The Structural Timber Association (STA) has said recommendations outlined in a consultation report by Scottish Futures are “critically needed”. The recent consultation paper published by Scottish Futures Trust (Project Assurance in Public Sector Construction Contracts: A Potential New Approach Which Eliminates Cash Retentions) regarding a review into construction procurement in Scotland.

• We will make correct full payment as and when due for all work properly carried out, or products supplied, in accordance with the contract. We will ensure any withholding of payment due to defects or non-delivery is proportionate, and clearly, specifically and demonstrably justified in line with the arrangements set out in the contract.

• We will not deliberately delay or unreasonably withhold payment.

• For all new contracts we will ensure that payments are made to our supply chain not more than 60 calendar days from the end of the Calendar month in which the work is carried out or products are supplied. From June 2015 we will ensure that payments are made to our supply chain not more than 45 calendar days from the end of the calendar month. From January 2018 that will decrease to not more than 30 days.

• Public authorities are already required to pay within 30 calendar days. On central Government contracts, payment will be made to Tier 1 within 14 days, to Tier 2 within 19 days and to Tier 3 within 23 days of the due date, which will be 7 days after the common assessment or valuation date established by the client in the Tier 1 contract.

• We will either not withhold cash retention or ensure that any arrangements for retention with our supply chain are no more onerous than those implemented by the client in the Tier 1 contract. Our ambition is to move to zero retentions by 2025.

• We will issue any ‘pay less’ notices at the earliest opportunity and no later than 7 days prior to the final date for payment.

• We will have processes in place to enable the effects of contract variations to be agreed promptly and fairly and payments for such variations to be included in the payment immediately following the completion of the varied works.

• We will make payments electronically unless agreed otherwise.

• We will use Project Bank Accounts on central Government contracts unless there are compelling reasons not to do so and on other contracts where appropriate.

• Where Supply Chain Finance schemes allowing members of the supply chain to secure earlier payment are offered, we will not impose fees or costs for receiving payment within the terms set out in the contract.

• We will adopt a transparent, honest, and collaborative approach when resolving differences and disputes.

• If you pay promptly, then it’s a real benefit to your supplier and potentially to you, the customer, as you could benefit too by receiving more favourable pricing or service which could make you more competitive

For more information visit: www.promptpaymentcode.org.uk/cscpc.htm

“It is the STA’s view that the recommendations outlined in the document are critically needed and overdue,” said STA chief executive Andrew Carpenter. “This is an issue of particular importance to our members, reflected in our new terms and conditions for 2016.

“Our members often contract on the basis of a 30-day payment terms, meaning their clients hold substantial surety at the time of project completion by way of interim payments due. Consequently, the Structural Timber Association is of the viewpoint that further assurance by way of cash retention is unnecessary.”

Furthermore, the Construction Act provides the facility to issue a Pay Less Notice for defective work at or after the time of practical completion. This gives additional assurance to end clients as this can continue to be withheld until any defects are remedied. Moreover, timber structures are mostly covered over by other trades with defects being remedied prior to handover. In the rare occasions when latent defects occur, they are usually corrected at minimal cost.

Additionally, the provision of collateral warranties also provides further assurance to the end user to cover any possible defects in design or construction. This effectively negates the need for retention completely. STA members are often engaged in supply-only projects. As they are not the subcontractor but the supplier in these instances, it is only logical that cash retention should not apply in these cases.”

STMAG | www.structuraltimbermagazine.co.uk | 85

BIM & ADVANCED GEOMETRY

Detail & Design Complex structures require accurate and reliable building information. Clive Fussell, Director and Founder of Engenuiti, illustrates the importance of BIM when designing in timber.

Engenuiti has been using BIM to deliver its timber engineering projects since 2011. Initially the models were used to quickly obtain material quantities and visualisations during the early stages of design. However, the benefits of BIM, particularly for cross laminated timber (CLT) buildings, rapidly led to the use of BIM to develop accurate, intelligent models that are used by the whole project team.

Accuracy has been fundamental to the success of this approach. With many parts of the construction industry still relying on 2D drawings, it was essential that all drawings were taken from the BIM model and that the model became the Contractual Document.

This enabled the model to be used by the timber supply chain with confidence. Initially the models were for structures predominantly constructed in CLT. Here the need to co-ordinate structural openings (particularly in walls), undertake clash detection and accurately record material quantities – not just in terms of volume and area, but also in terms of number of lamellas, type of panel, grain direction and quality of surface finish – brought the use of BIM to the fore.

As the use of CLT construction took off in the UK the size and complexity of timber buildings increased, within 18 months Engenuiti went from designing 600sq m school extensions to 6,000sq m commercial buildings and 12,000sq m new schools.

This resulted in more complex forms of construction that sometimes incorporated other materials, such as glulam and steel, to economically achieve the most complex forms.

BIM enabled this development during the design, fabrication and construction phases.

A good example of this is the award-winning The Cube which, with its innovative and twisted design, complex geometry and steel and timber construction, pushed the boundaries of hybrid timber buildings. A 3D model was built during the development of the concept to test the structural principles and obtain accurate quantities for costing purposes.

By passing the model between the BIM modelling package and the structural analysis package, the complicated structural form could be rapidly co-ordinated with the architecture and the structural principles validated. During detailed design, collaboration was key with Hawkins\Brown, Engenuiti and B&K Structures using the model for coordination purposes - scheduling, sections, elevations, and walkthroughs.

The model brought all the components of the design together and ensured that the structural frame contractor could use it to rapidly produce fabrication details for the timber and CLT packages.

This was crucial as the CLT panels were being fabricated in Austria at the same time as the steel frame was being fabricated in the UK, therefore all the details and penetrations had to be finalised before being sent to the factory, as there can be up to a six-week lead in time for the detailing, manufacture and delivery of new panels.

The use of BIM in this process reduced risk and waste, saving time and money.

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BIM also enabled the development, testing and validation of a detailed construction sequence for The Cube, which ensured that the requirements of the construction sequence were co-ordinated with the panel layout and joints prior to fabrication. The use of BIM helped to significantly reduce the number of site queries in all phases of the project, the bringing together of complex tasks, processes and people to successfully design and construct the timber superstructure on programme and slightly under budget.

Engenuiti has successfully delivered over 20 timber and hybrid buildings using BIM, including in 2015 the multi-award winning Sky Believe in Better building and Keynsham Civic Centre. We are currently working on a number of residential and education buildings including the design of the National Automobile Innovation Centre at the University of Warwick and the construction of the Centre for Sustainable Chemistry at the University of Nottingham.

We are constantly looking at developing our skills and experience especially with the use of new technologies and processes such as Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) which has been described by some as the next development in building modelling.

2016 PROMISES TO BE ANOTHER EXCITING YEAR FOR TIMBER ENGINEERING AND BIM REMAINS A KEY PART OF THIS.

BIM & ADVANCED GEOMETRY

The Cube Building, Hackney

02

03

01 THE CUBE IS A UNIQUE 10-STOREY RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT THAT PUSHES THE BOUNDARIES OF HYBRID BUILDINGS AND TIMBER ENGINEERING THROUGH ITS INNOVATIVE TWISTED DESIGN, COMPLEX GEOMETRY AND CONCRETE, STEEL AND TIMBER CONSTRUCTION. Architect’s Hawkins\Brown took a basic cruciform shape which provided four courtyard communities for residents and then twisted every second floor to ensure all the flats had dual or triple aspect views and generous terraces. The complex geometry of the building did not lend itself to being built purely in cross-laminated timber (CLT), but rather to a hybrid CLT and steel structure.

04 By coupling BIM with an integrated supply chain for the superstructure, careful consideration of the relative movements and developing engineering solutions to connect the different materials, The Cube building was able to use timber as the predominant construction material for an innovative, sustainable and exceptional residential development on a tight urban site.

The project won the 2014 International Property Award in the mixed use category, 2014 Sunday Times British Homes Award, 2015 Celebrating Construction Award for Innovation, the 2015 London Evening Standard New Homes Award for Outstanding Architectural Merit, the 2015 Structural Timber Award ‘Engineer of the Year’ award and the 2015 Offsite Awards for Best Hybrid Construction and Winner of Winners.

Architects: Hawkins\Brown Architects Planning Consultant: Signet Planning Structural Engineers: Pringuer James Consulting Engineers Main Contractor: Eurobuild CLT Subcontractor: B&K Structures Sustainability Consultant: JS Lewis Ltd Location: 17 – 21 Wenlock Road, Hackney, London, N1 7SL Size: 6,750 square metres (Total); 4,650 square metres (Residential); 1,190 square metres (B1 Office)

IMAGES: 01. Jack Hobhouse 02-03. Tim Crocker Architectural Photography 04. Engenuiti

STMAG | www.structuraltimbermagazine.co.uk | 87

OFFSITE HUB

The New Offsite Construction Information Centre Launched in January 2016, the Offsite Hub is a new and informative web portal, designed to connect the world of offsite construction on a single online platform.

A fresh concept for the offsite sector, the Hub is set to become the ‘go-to’ place for the latest offsite industry news, innovative examples of best practice via project case studies, an archive of industry reports and statistics, access to networking events and a comprehensive directory of offsite system suppliers.

The current housing crisis, coupled with more commercial businesses looking to expand rapidly, means that there is now a growing demand for contractors to streamline their processes in order to build faster, more efficiently and more sustainably.

An increasing number of architects, building designers, specifiers and structural engineers are turning to offsite systems and techniques to achieve these goals.

The Offsite Hub has been created as simple, user-friendly way to connect everyone interested in working with the specialist offsite supply chain. Radar Communications, the developers of the Hub said: “There is nothing in the offsite industry that caters for all aspects of the offsite construction sector in a single online platform. Our vision for the Hub is to bring the offsite sector and everyone with an interest in it together in one spot. We want it to inform and inspire, and importantly we want to encourage users to share information and network with construction professionals around the latest projects, products and services that offsite construction has to offer.”

The Hub will also offer the latest information and updates on Explore Offsite and the Offsite Awards. Explore Offsite is the successful series of conferences and exhibitions for construction clients and their professional advisers. These comprehensive events explore the latest offsite construction solutions, providing a dynamic and interactive learning experience for all visitors. Explore Offsite is aimed at attracting construction clients, construction professionals, architects, surveyors, engineers, facilities managers, building product manufacturers and suppliers.

The Offsite Construction Awards celebrate the best in precision building design and delivery using offsite technologies. The Awards reward outstanding examples of prefabrication and factory-based methods, products, systems and disciplines that increasingly strive to develop a sustainable, streamlined and cost-effective way to deliver a better built environment.

Visitors to the Offsite Hub will be also be able to access Offsite Magazine – a new publication covering the latest news, exemplar case studies, comment, interviews and feature articles from offsite industry pioneers, plus company spotlights and profiles. Offsite Magazine aims to highlight best practice applications for this highly efficient way to improve the UK construction landscape.

You can visit the Offsite Hub now by visiting: www.offsitehub.co.uk

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With the latest news, exemplar case studies, comment, interviews and feature articles from leading lights in the industry plus company spotlights and profiles, Offsite Magazine aims to inform, inspire and spread best practice about this highly client way to improve the UK construction landscape. Subscribe online to receive your FOC copy. www.offsitemagazine.co.uk

events taking place across the UK Explore Offsite is a series of one day conference and exhibitions creating a platform for construction clients and their professional advisers to explore the latest offsite construction solutions, providing a dynamic and interactive learning experience for all visitors. The events will consist of a conference of circa 200 delegates and an exhibition of circa 25-30 companies from a range of offsite technology providers including; timber frame, light steel frame, precast concrete, bathroom pods, volumetric buildings, building services plus CLT, glulam and a range of hybrid technologies.

Next event in the series: Explore Offsite, Housing 23 & 24th March 2016 at the NEC, Birmingham www.exploreoffsite.co.uk

The second year of the awards will once again celebrate the best in precision building design and delivery. The Awards will reward outstanding examples of prefabrication and factory-based methods, products, systems and disciplines that increasingly strive to develop a sustainable, streamlined and cost-effective way to deliver a better built environment. Across key sectors of UK construction, the Awards will showcase innovation, celebrate best practice and recognise overall expertise in offsite construction through landmark projects, influential people and material and manufacturing excellence in this dynamic arena.

Entry deadlines: 31 July 2016 www.offsiteawards.co.uk

CONNECTING THE UK OFFSITE INDUSTRY 1

3 2

6

4

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1. Information Centre 2. Monthly Newsletters & Eshots

3. Suppliers Directory 4. Awards & Events

5. Quarterly Magazine 6. Offsite Jobs

WWW.OFFSITEHUB.CO.UK Offsite Magazine | Explore Offsite | Offsite Awards

SKILLS DEVELOPMENT

The New Construction Future Is offsite construction the answer to the delivery challenge faced by the UK Construction Industry?

A recent debate hosted by The Fabric First Academy posed this question to a panel of industry experts…

With turnover predicted to reach £7 billion by 2018 has the offsite construction sector finally found a place on the mainstream construction agenda? Could it indeed make the difference to the UK construction industry in its quest to deliver 200,000 new homes per year as well as new schools, student accommodation, and commercial buildings?

The answer to these questions were the topic of two very lively debates at the recent inaugural Offsite Construction Show. The debates were hosted by The Fabric First Academy, for whom the STA has worked since its inception in 2013 and is a true advocate of Fabric First as a construction philosophy in its own right.

Mike Stevenson Development Director of founding partner Sidey said: “What we didn’t want was simply advocates of offsite construction saying how good it was – in fact we wanted the opposite. We wanted to find out what a cross-section of industry people really thought about it. I think it is fair to say that those who attended didn’t go home disappointed, and hopefully they went away with more information and knowledge than they came with.

“Indeed knowledge is a great place to start. We asked the question as to why – although the offsite sector is on course to hit £7billion by 2018 – there was still a resistance or reluctance to engage with this

method of construction amongst so many.

“The view from the panel was that there was a real knowledge gap when it came to offsite methods and understanding the achievable benefits of building this way.

Starting right at the beginning with architecture and design it was recognised that offsite did not form a big enough part of their learning, and very few architect’s practices actually design with offsite in mind from the outset; more so the appointed contractor looks at already agreed designs and only then see if offsite construction methods might be suitable to bring the scheme to life.

“This is a really key point; with so many sites now in tight inner city and urban locations the restrictions are such that building traditionally is often at best extremely difficult & problematic but at times just unfeasible. It is these restrictions – unaddressed at the outset – which can lead to costs running away from the agreed budget, and delivery times slipping away.

“For clients facing the twin pressures of budget constraint and needing to deliver quickly budget slippage is simply not acceptable, and neither is late delivery with the demands upon them to provide accommodation for a growing population in need of their support. Indeed it is the very essence of what offsite construction can bring – cost and delivery predictability which is seeing more and more people sit up and take notice.

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“But perhaps the biggest debate was why does there appear to be such a resistance at constructor level to engaging with offsite and then seeing it through to delivery? Clearly there are many of the major construction companies now exploring offsite fully as they start to understand the benefits of cost predictability and delivery against those of traditional building methods and the need to guarantee their clients exactly what they ask for to an acceptable standard, on time and to budget.

“Coming out loud and clear from the debates was the on-going disconnect between design teams and construction teams. Too few of the buildings which are developed for offsite construction actually reach the site stages still as offsite manufactured schemes; yet the implications of this have been proven to be significant – with disappointed clients being upper most.

“Undoubtedly design teams are increasingly starting to work collaboratively with the offsite sector to specify developed solutions which will deliver ‘as built’ buildings which perform as they were specified and designed to do in the first place, thus closing the renowned performance gap of circa 20%.

This is in addition to projects delivered on time and to budget. Clearly this is a debate which is going to run and run.”

THE DISCUSSION PANEL CONSISTED OF: MIKE STEVENSON, DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR OF SIDEY, DARREN RICHARDS OF COGENT CONSULTING, ROBERT CLARKE, FUSION BUILDING SOLUTIONS, JIM ROACH ARV SOLUTIONS, JOHN SKIVINGTON LHC, PAUL NEEP, ARCHITYPE ARCHITECTS, PAUL WRIGHT, TREMCO ILLBRUCK AND DR ROBERT HAIRSTANS, INSTITUTE FOR SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION. For more information on the Fabric First Academy visit: www.fabricfirstacademy.co.uk

SKILLS DEVELOPMENT

Construction skills – an offsite solution The ongoing skills shortage highlights a real need for innovation across the industry, which is why more and more construction companies are enquiring about, and adopting, offsite construction methods. Alex Goodfellow, group managing director of Stewart Milne Timber Systems explains more.

In a recent survey of its 8,500 members, the Federation of Master Builders reported that two-thirds (66%) of small builders had turned away work because of a shortage of labour. With an estimated 35,000 apprentices needed to meet market demand, the last count completed in 2013 showed that just 7000 completed their training.

The inadequate number of skilled workers available in the industry creates an issue for house builders and contractors alike and could hinder growth and profits across the sector. But, for those aware of the options, offsite construction can provide a cost effective and immediate solution.

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It’s been a busy year for the construction industry. However, the skills shortage issue has dominated the headlines.

At the moment, the UK’s offsite construction sector accounts for 7% of total construction output but it has the potential to achieve much more. Stewart Milne Timber Systems has seen enquiries increase by 70% in the last year alone, indicating that, in some sectors at least, awareness of the myriad benefits of offsite construction are starting to grow.

This is good news. With less labour on the ground than ever before, we as an industry need to consider ways of building which enable us to deliver projects despite this challenge.

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SKILLS DEVELOPMENT Offsite construction skills for the industry As offsite construction uptake increases across the industry, the opportunity to invest in transferable and sustainable skillsets for those interested in design, engineering, manufacture or erection, is also rising.

As such, we are excited to be part of a project part-funded by UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES) to help deliver best practice training and equip the industry for this important shift.

02 Offsite construction offers many benefits, including enhanced speed of build onsite with less requirements for site labour as components are manufactured in a factory environment and then delivered to site to erect by experienced erect teams in a fraction of the time than masonry build takes. The build systems often have windows and doors pre-fitted, requiring even less on site labour or supervision of trades.

Importantly, in reducing site labour requirements and reducing health and safety risk, costs are competitive and cash flow is enhanced. We have championed offsite construction as a building technique for 40 years and our clients see real benefits to their businesses in using offsite to maintain build programmes and generate positive cash flows.

Deliver projects on time and in budget With the ongoing skills shortage at the forefront of the construction industry’s challenges, we need for innovation across the sector. Ultimately, we need to build more and the industry has to find a way to meet demand quickly, cost-effectively with quality and performance at the core.

03 For example, the superstructure of a typical four-bedroom house can be weatherproof within 72 hours. Erection of timber systems is not weather-dependent, so delays related to the British climate are greatly reduced.

The inherent flexibility of timber means it can be used for anything from residential housing to hospitals, hotels and office units. It also has the benefit of exceptional environmental performance, which is one of the UK Government’s four targets in its Construction 2025 Industrial Strategy.

The strategy calls for a 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, a 50% increase in delivery speed, a 33% reduction in costs and a 50% improvement in exports.

Projects built using timber systems and offsite construction benefit from a robust supply chain and unlimited market capacity.

Our two factories, in Oxford and Aberdeen, have the capacity to produce 10,000 units each year, with precision-engineered systems including insulated wall panels along with floor and ceiling cassettes. From an environmental perspective, timber is the most sustainable building product available, and is a natural carbon sink. The ‘fabric first’ approach allows buildings to be constructed to industry-leading environmental standards.

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Led by Edinburgh Napier University we are working with partners including Herriot-Watt University and CCG Construction Group to establish an offsite construction training centre and hub at our timber systems’ site in Witney. This will provide practical and interactive learning materials to help employers increase knowledge and skills across their workforces.

Through industry-wide outreach, the Offsite Construction Hub Project engaged over 200 employers’ insights and expertise in developing high-level training materials on managing and delivering offsite construction projects. Mixing video teaching with an interactive rig and live onsite demonstration of offsite design and manufacturing, the training centre facility will provide industryleading CPD for architects, quantity surveyors, construction managers and other engineering, design or manufacturing personnel.

The project will help to create a centre of expertise which will work to encourage industry-wide high standards, collaboration and interdisciplinary knowledge across the construction sector. The training centre will provide keenly-needed skills and help develop existing and future work forces, contributing towards sustainability in both our industry and environment in future. http://timbersystems.stewartmilne.com IMAGES - STEWART MILNE TIMBER SYSTEMS: 01. SMTS flood cassette installation 02. SMTS production line 03. Hill Green

EVENTS PREVIEW

ECOBUILD 2016 Spotlight on industry growth and market priorities Ecobuild, the UK’s largest show dedicated to construction and energy, returns with an increased and in-depth focus on the latest industry trends, challenges and opportunities – and how professionals from across the whole supply chain can capitalise on them.

Thistleton and Simon Pearson, Studio Director, Glenn Howells Architects.

01 The show will provide visitors with access to invaluable industry insights and projections relating to all aspects of the construction sector through a mix of a high-level conference, CPDaccredited learning hubs and more than 800 exhibitors showcasing a wide range of new products, materials, solutions and services.

The timber industry has always been well represented at Ecobuild and this year looks set to feature an even more diverse range of leading names, with confirmed exhibitors including: Coillte, Halodome, SchwörerHaus KG, Carvalo, Vastern Timber, Heze Fulin Wood Products and Eco Homes Direct.

A number of dedicated timber seminars will take place on the opening day of Ecobuild 2016. These include ‘Faster, greener, cheaper – making the most of wood in construction’ and talks from Charlie Law, of Sustainable Construction Solutions Ltd and Grown in Britain, Andrew Waugh, of Waugh

TRADA will once again be participating with an impressive stand dubbed the TRADA Timber Interactive Learning Zone. The leading authority on timber will host a ‘Timber Surgery’ covering some of the most popular timber topics in engineering and timber frame, including EC5, connections, CLT, glulam, timber engineered wood products, timber cladding and species ID. In addition, there will be opportunities to discuss its National Structural Timber Specification with experts on the stand.

Representatives from TRADA’s bookshop team will be on hand to discuss all of its latest publications, while visitors will also see the fruits of an exciting annual design competition with Oxford Brookes and Timbmet.

Attracting more than 40,000 industry professionals from across the whole supply chain each year, Ecobuild is the leading exhibition and conference for the UK construction and energy market. It attracts a broad range of visitors from architects to manufacturers, suppliers to installers.

The 2016 event will see an evolved proposition for the event to focus on areas of industry growth and market priorities such as housing, infrastructure, next generation innovation, technology and people.

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Your chance to DISCOVER architectural best practice and new product innovation Designed by students from the Bartlett School of Architecture as part of a competition sponsored by Medite-SmartPly, the timber-built DISCOVER bar will be one of Ecobuild 2016’s main visitor attractions.

Serving as an oasis in a very busy show, DISCOVER is ideal for informal networking and meetings and those seeking inspiration through the efforts of a selection of handpicked high-achievers.

DISCOVER WILL HOUSE A BD ARCHITECT OF THE YEAR AWARDS SHOWCASE THAT WILL DISPLAY THE BEST PROJECTS FROM THE BEST PRACTICES CURRENTLY OPERATING ACROSS THE UK. Entries shortlisted for Ecobuild’s Big Innovation Pitch, run in partnership with Marks & Spencer, can also be seen at DISCOVER. The shortlisted entries include a range of ingenious products and materials.

Each has passed the judges’ strict assessment process and deemed as not only a proven success but crucially earmarked as one with a bright future and capable of delivering on a much larger scale.

Just five finalists from this group will be invited to make a final pitch to the judges, including Chris Marney, Head of Engineering and Energy at M&S, in a special conference session hosted by Rachel Riley from the Gadget Show and Countdown on day three of the conference, before the overall winner is announced.

EVENTS PREVIEW

ECOBUILD 2016 Homes, Architecture and Next Generation Ecobuild 2016’s high-level conference is split into three daily streams. The first day’s stream of Homes explores the most pressing, divisive and important decisions that the industry must take to deliver comfortable, sustainable, resilient places and homes.

What do newbuild and retro-fitted homes and communities need to deliver, and at what cost?

Chaired by broadcaster Cathy Newman, speakers include Tony Pidgley, Chairman of Berkeley Group; David Sheridan, Chief Executive of Keepmoat, and Rowan Moore, Architecture Critic for the Observer. All three will provide a unique and inspiring look at what makes good housing.

The second day focuses on Architecture and looks at the changing role of the architect, the importance of architecture across the built environment, the need for change and some of the most interesting and inspiring architectural projects.

Speakers include Sadie Morgan, Founder of dRMM and chair of the HS2 Design Panel, Simon Allford of Sterling Prize winners AHMM, Xavier de Kestelier of Foster & Partners, and writer, journalist, essayist and film-maker, Jonathan Meades.

The Next Generation day looks to the future: how smart technology, changing demographics and wellness will drive design and construction in the future as well as how to address the skills gap and attract young talent to the industry. Ecobuild’s most exploratory, provocative and inspiring day – it is a must for all those with an interest in ‘what’s next’.

IMAGES: 01-02. Ecobuild 2016 // UBM

The programme will be delivered by industry leading figures and organisations including Architype, Glenn Howells Architects, Marks & Spencer, British Land, Jones Lang LaSalle, BRE, ICE, Zero Carbon Hub and Willmott Dixon Energy Services.

02 Among the speakers, David Hancock, Head of Construction, UK Cabinet Office will talk about how to inspire talent and nurture the next generation of skills while Richard Francis, Prinicipal, The Monomoy Company will deliver a speech entitled ‘What’s good for the next generation of buildings?’

Each stream will include input from the UK Green Building Council (UK-GBC), Ecobuild’s lead partner for 2016, which will be addressing the future of the built environment.

Following the agreement of a new global deal at the recent climate conference in Paris, UK-GBC will be explaining the role the private sector can play in helping ensure the pledges made are delivered. UK-GBC Chief Executive Julie Hirigoyen, will pose five future challenges for the construction industry on each of the three conference days to a panel of industry leaders and future leaders, inviting them to respond with practical ideas on delivery. UK-GBC will also provide more bite-sized content at the UK-GBC Lounge.

Ecobuild’s Essential Educational Offering Ecobuild 2016 will also feature six CPD-accredited learning hubs; Building Performance, Design, Energy, #BuilCircular, Infrastructure Revolution and Digital Building. A highly-provoking seminar programme, it will provide visitors and exhibitors with the know-how to do their jobs better and the business case to help them make more informed decisions to address these challenges.

Focus on Increasing Resource Efficiency Resource is a show that is co-located with Ecobuild. It is devoted to increasing resource efficiency across all aspects of the construction industry and beyond.

Resource is unique in its focus and scale, being the largest learning and networking opportunity for businesses and public sector bodies looking to reduce waste and reuse materials, recovering value from what was traditionally ‘waste’.

The newly introduced #buildcircular theatre acts as the learning, innovation and networking hub for those interested to explore which circular economy principles could and should be adopted in the built environment, from modular construction, offsite construction, building design, materials lifecycle thinking and construction through to intelligent demolition.

Reflecting the construction industry, Ecobuild is constantly evolving: ensuring that it continues to provide relevant, dynamic content and create opportunities to make new connections. Visitors will find a wealth of specialist support and solutions – and much more besides – at Ecobuild 2016.

Ecobuild 2016 is co-located with Resource, the leading resource efficiency event, from 8th to 10th March at London’s ExCeL. For more information please visit: www.ecobuild.co.uk Visit the STMag stand at Ecobuild Stand no. E5133

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design | construct | perform 08-10 MARCH 2016

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PRODUCTS, SERVICES & ANNOUNCEMENTS

Alumasc Ventilated System

B&K Structures

Engineered Solution - Certified Performance The Alumasc Ventilated System (AVS), with textured silicone render, acrylic brick slip or dashing render finishes, provides a decorative, ventilated solution to meet the specific needs of the structural timber sector. Bringing to market a robust BBA approved and NHBC accepted facade solution, engineered to meet UK Building Regulation requirements.

Optimised Hybrid Structures - CPD Offering a complete package of material services, across a wide range of structural products including glulam, cross laminated timber, timber cassettes and steel frame, as part of their hybrid structural solutions - B & K Structures has an outstanding, award winning portfolio across a spectrum of sectors.

‘Highly Commended’ in the recent Structural Timber Awards - the system improves efficiency and speed of construction whilst also addressing skills shortages. Due to the system’s free flowing cavity, it remains both continuously ventilated and drained whilst maintaining detailing true to traditional build expectations.

By selecting the most effective combination of systems and materials to meet the brief and performance specification, B & K Structures, as the UK’s leading sustainable frame contractor, specialise in the design, manufacture and delivery of optimised hybrid structures.

Please contact us for more information or to book a CPD.

Please contact us for more information or to book an Optimised Hybrid CPD session.

DICKIE&MOORE

DICKIE&MOORE Ltd are a family business that operates throughout Scotland and the North of England.

With over 30 tradesmen they can provide the scale of structural timber erection demanded by large and complex projects. As members of the STA, DICKIE&MOORE take great pride in delivering excellent customer service, as clearly demonstrated by the company’s client testimonials including: ‘Given how fast you moved onto this project, and the different expectations on specification, it really is a fantastic job. The dedication during the past week to ensure all the little bits have been picked up has been excellent, and DICKIE&MOORE are a pleasure to work with.’

Tom Monaghan -Construction Project Manager, The Cooperative Food Group Please contact us for more information.

T: 03335 771 700 E: cpd@alumasc-exteriors.co.uk www.alumascfacades.co.uk/avs

Ecological Building systems Penny’s on board to build on eco success Cumbria’s award-winning supplier of eco-friendly building materials starts off 2016 with a new director on its board.

Dalston-based Ecological Building Systems UK Ltd has invited Penny Randell to join the Board of Directors after six years with the company.

The appointment recognises Penny’s success in developing the UK market – a challenge she came on board to tackle in 2009. Under Penny’s management, the firm once based in her home now boasts a substantial base at Cardewlees with a team of staff, offices and extensive warehousing for the natural insulations and airtight building products they supply to the UK construction industry and self-builders.

T: 01773 853 400 E: sales@bkstructures.co.uk www.bkstructures.co.uk

Explore Offsite

Explore Offsite Housing Explore Offsite is a series of events which create a platform for construction clients, architects, engineers and contractors to come together and explore the latest offsite technologies and solutions.

The first event in the 2016 series focuses on the housing sector and will bring together industry leaders to discuss the opportunity presented for offsite construction to play a major in addressing the housing shortage.

“We’ve seen significant growth over the last six years, culminating in our team and facilities here in Cumbria,” Penny said. “This year, we are expanding even further.”

Speakers include: Tom Bloxham MBE – Urban Splash Shelagh Grant – Housing Forum Jay Shaw MBE – Snoozebox Rob Charlton – Space Group Greg Cooper – B&K Structures Steve Reid – Enviga Geothermal and many more!

T: 01228 711511 www.ecologicalbuildingsystems.com

T: 01743 290001 www.exploreoffsite.co.uk

T: 01355 590 050 E: johndickie@dickieandmoore.com www.dickieandmoore.com

Kingspan Timber Solutions Achieving High Performance Buildings As the leading innovator in the development and application of structural timber technology - Kingspan Timber Solutions is a pioneer in sustainable timber construction.

With a collaborative culture, Kingspan Timber Solutions design, manufacture, assemble and project manage the construction of cutting-edge timber solutions across all construction sectors.

Through the company’s extensive product portfolio, Kingspan Timber Solutions’ focus is firmly on value engineering. By using the ultimate combination – Kingspan Timber Solutions deliver award winning hybrid structural timber systems, optimised in terms of cost and performance.

Please contact us for more information or to book a CPD.

T: 01767 676400 E: info@kingspantimbersolutions.com www.kingspantimbersolutions.co.uk

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PRODUCTS, SERVICES & ANNOUNCEMENTS

NORBORD - NEW WEBSITE Easy access to the world of panel boards Norbord has heralded 2016 with a fresh online presence and a great new website design. The new website is contemporary, attractive and super up-to-date; it’s easy to navigate and full of information. The site’s clear signposting quickly guides users to where they want to go whether they’re looking for product information, technical support, documentation, purchasing advice or informative case studies. Alongside these sections are pages presenting the latest Norbord news and background information about the company.

Offsite Awards Offsite Awards go from strength to strength The Offsite Awards reward outstanding examples of prefabrication and factory-based methods, products, systems and disciplines that increasingly strive to develop a sustainable, streamlined and cost-effective way to deliver a better built environment.

Across key sectors of UK construction, the Awards will showcase innovation, celebrate best practice and recognise overall expertise in offsite construction through landmark projects, influential people and material and manufacturing excellence in this dynamic arena.

Visitors to the site will also find information about Norbord’s environmental priorities and its role in sustainable development. By rolling up its previously standalone “Better by Nature” sustainability site into the parent website, Norbord has included a wealth of useful data not only about its own products but also about the environmental impact of the global timber trade.

There are 12 categories available to enter at no cost, including: Best Use of Timber, Housing Project of the Year and Commercial Project of the Year.

Submission Deadline: 31 July 2016. Full details of the 2015 Offsite Awards winners are available online.

T: 01786 812 921 www.norbord.co.uk

T: 01743 290001 www.offsiteawards.co.uk

RCM Building Boards

RESISTANT Building Products

Quality Certified Products As a major supplier of building boards and facades, RCM’s extensive quality certified product range has been designed and tested to meet the demanding needs of the construction industry. The company’s approach is competitive, flexible and customer focused - providing a complete service, from initial advice through to delivery. Specifying systems with credible certifications which are recognised by building control, government departments, architects, local authorities, and building insurers - provides reassurance and confidence to specifiers.

The first and only BBA accredited MGO board Recently awarded BBA certification, Multi-proXS - A1 Non-combustible Structural Frame Sheathing Board has been developed to offer sector leading fire resistance performance combined with high engineering strength, making it the number one choice for the most demanding construction and offsite manufacturing projects requiring; internal wall linings, soffit boards, external sheathing board, render carrier board and tile-backer. The Multi-proXS board has passed the STA ‘Small Room Fire Test’ and exceeds Category 1 Racking Strength requirements.

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 and covering.

Resistant Building Products offers one of the largest stock range of thicknesses and board sizes, which are available for next day delivery across the UK. With BBA certification covering the full range of core products, including Multi-pro, Multi-proXS and Muti-rend - why specify anything less?

RAPID EPS Engineered Safety Solutions for Structural Timber Buildings Rapid EPS Ltd are leading designers and manufacturers of Edge Protection Systems for Structural Timber Frame Buildings. At our state-of-the-art training centre in Leeds, we have taken testing and training to a new level ensuring our products not only meet but exceed all leading global safety standards.

Correct selection, installation and inspection of the Edge Protection Systems is paramount to overall performance which is why Rapid EPS offers all users the opportunity to join us at our training centre for a competency course which will include the Industry recognised Edge Protection Federation Course.

Please contact us for more information regarding our products or information regarding our EPF course.

T: 0113 252 8883 E: sales@rapideps.com www.RapidEPS.com

Simpson strong-tie

Structural Screws without Equal Leading construction connector manufacturer Simpson Strong-Tie has developed a range of structural screws aimed squarely at the engineered timber construction industry.

Available in lengths up to 400mm, the ETA approved range includes washer head and countersunk options suitable for all manner of timber construction technologies including timber frame, CLT, SIP and Glulam as well as being an excellent method for joining multiple I-joists or trusses to act as a single member – all without pre-drilling.

Simpson Strong-Tie Sales Director, Jon Head explains: “Easy and fast to install, these screws offer high tensile capacities and superb pull-out resistance”.

Please contact us for more information/samples.

T: 0845 1303725 www.buildingboards.co.uk

T: +44 (0)28 9074 9400 www.resistant.co.uk

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T: 01827 255600 www.strongtie.co.uk

Benefits of membership

Being a member of the Structural Timber Association brings genuine commercial benefits through technical insights, client referrals, access to unique training and industry recognised credibility.

It is also about being part of an organisation that influences government and industry on behalf of the timber sector; extolling the role the material can play in the current drive for sustainable construction.

With a collective ambition to develop the timber frame sector as the ‘first choice’ concept for construction - working with the STA is helping Kronospan to reach our business objectives – it’s simply better together!

Peter Ball, Sales Manager Building Products, Kronospan

Raising the bar with all their initiatives the STA, has been a great assistance to us and our sector in professionalizing the supply and installation of structural timber.

John Dickie, Director, Dickie & Moore

www.structuraltimber.co.uk

The primary benefits relate to: •

Over 300 members - reflecting a significant percentage of UK structural timber technology and system providers

•

Code of conduct - a standard of operating by which all companies within the sector are compared

•

Direct representation for your trade within the construction sector

•

Highest quality and technical standards - driven by our robust committee structure

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Relevant and best-in-class training and education

•

Networking events, trade shows and conferences

•

Direct communication with your target customers

Delivering Your Vision At the forefront of European cross laminated timber (CLT) research and development, with over 50 highly experienced and dedicated experts, the Alliance delivers robust, reliable and sustainable solutions.

The award winning team provide an all-encompassing in house design, engineering, manufacturing and installation service for CLT structures across all commercial sectors.

Delivering Exceptional Results – On Time Within Budget • Delivers cost and programme certainty • Enhances construction programme • Reduces capital and lifecycle costs • Offers structural integrity, exceptional accuracy and minimal defects • Lightweight and robust structures, achieving good clear span distances • Airtightness – energy efficient • Contributes to acoustic and thermal performance • Minimises disruption and improves onsite Health & Safety • Delivers Full Chain of Custody - PEFC or FSC Certified • The ultimate sustainable solution

Call: 01773 857512

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Email: info@xlam-alliance.com

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