TIMBER
CONNECT November 2018 ISSUE 4
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News, Views and Information from the STA Welcome to ‘Timber Connect’ – the STA’s newsletter designed to keep construction professionals up-to-date with the latest industry news, initiatives, services and technical information available from the UK’s leading organisation representing the structural timber sector. Taking the Build Offsite - The Future of Construction As a key contributor, the STA has declared our full support for the recent Offsite Manufacture for Construction: Building for Change report - published by the House of Lords Science and Technology Select Committee. One of the report’s key recommendations is that the Government should promote the use of pre-manufactured solutions through policy measures. Innovative timber technology and offsite techniques are playing a major role in meeting the report’s ambition to develop better buildings at a rapid rate to overcome the shortfall in housing stock. Offsite manufactured structural timber systems have advanced greatly in recent years and can offer housebuilders cost, programme and performance assurances. Structural timber solutions outweigh other sectors in regard to volume of materials - the sector is quick to respond and can add capacity at a relatively rapid rate to meet demand. STA Assure Update We are delighted to also report that given the robustness and independence of the audit process, the STA Assure Membership and Quality Standards assessment - which is mandatory for all members - has now received formal recognition from six of the industry’s leading structural warranty and building control bodies - LABC Warranty, Premier Guarantee, Protek Warranty, Build-Zone Warranty, Self-Build Zone Warranty and CRL. Another major STA Assure announcement is imminent - so to keep up with the latest news, follow us on Twitter @STAtimber or join our Linkedin Group: Structural Timber Association
Word from the Chair
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Latest Industry News UK Construction Week
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Technical Bulletin
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The Pace of Change
Andrew Carpenter Chief Executive
Keep up with our latest news - www.structuraltimber.co.uk
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Time for Timber Podcast
WORD FROM THE CHAIR
Evidencing Excellence in the Structural Timber Sector Offsite manufactured structural timber systems have advanced greatly in recent years - delivering genuine cost, performance and quality standards. STA Assure has been developed to provide independent verifiable evidence to the wider construction community to promote the quality and safety standards being achieved by individual STA member companies. Chair, Alex Goodfellow, MD of Stewart Milne Timber Systems - outlines the recent changes in the STA Assure Membership and Quality Standards Scheme. STA Assure was launched in 2017 and the initial accreditation scheme was based on a self-assessment declaration process. To add further standing and credibility to this initiative at the beginning of 2018, STA Assure became an independently audited scheme for all STA members classified as structural timber building system suppliers.
The Value of Independent Assessments Carried out by independent skilled assessors, the audit process focuses on the levels of in-house quality procedures, management systems and product performance standards, together with external accreditations. The STA Assure assessment now includes a bespoke Site Safe audit – validating CDM compliance and Health & Safety Executive requirements.
Demonstrating Quality and Safety Standards It is crucially important to ensure that quality and safety standards, underpinned by robust procedures, are of paramount importance to those operating in the structural timber technology sector. STA structural timber building system supplier members: • • • •
Undergo the audit for the STA Assure Membership and Quality Standards Scheme Operate Site Safe procedures to ensure timber construction is both safe and sustainable Receive regular updates on the latest building regulations and legislation Fully support sustainable construction and quality standards
STA Assure creates a clear distinction in the expected performance levels of members and non-members within the structural timber arena. By providing transparency, credibility and accountability, the STA will safeguard the interests of end users, enabling them to partner with reputable member companies to harness the multitude of inherent benefits that structural timber offers. The full details of STA Assure and the benefits of using a Structural Timber Association member can be found on our website: www.structuraltimber.co.uk/members/why-use-an-sta-member
Alex Goodfellow Chair
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Keep up with our latest news - www.structuraltimber.co.uk/news/structural-timber-news
Contact info@structuraltimber.co.uk
Promoting Performance Benefits
INDUSTRY NEWS
UK Construction Week UK Construction Week attracts visitors from across the world and for this year’s event the Structural Timber Association collaborated with the British Woodworking Federation and the Timber Trade Federation who collectively form the Confederation of Timber Industries (CTI) to ensure innovations in timber technology, had a major presence at the event. As well as taking part in the Timber Expo exhibition at the heart of the show, members of the STA also participated in various seminars across the three days focusing on key topics including fire safety presented by STA technical consultant Martin Milner. The STA also chaired a dedicated session focused on the commercial and performance benefits of structural timber systems with speakers including; John Capper, STA Board member and Managing Director of Oakworth Homes who presented the STA Assure quality standards scheme and the benefits of using an accredited STA member. Gavin White, Structural Engineering Director discussed Ramboll’s approach to analysing the benefits of offsite construction and the savings it can offer, drawing direct comparisons between CLT vs Steel vs Concrete. Finally, Ian Dacre from Rider Levett Bucknall discussed the findings of his recently published Timber and Masonry Cost Comparison report. The Timber and Masonry Cost Comparison report interrogates cost comparisons between timber frame and masonry in affordable housing. Author of the report RLB Partner, Ian Dacre – a specialist in the residential sector who has delivered over 1,100 homes, said: “We were very pleased to be able to carry out this independent study. With the recent Government announcement of the presumption in favour of offsite manufacture for all publicly funded projects from 2019, and the current drive for increased housing development, we wanted to evaluate what is the most economical build solution for affordable housing. The adoption of offsite manufacturing will only increase throughout the construction industry and we will be undertaking
further, similar, independent studies in the future. I would like to convey my thanks to those who supported the project including the four contractors who helped price the models as well as the consultant architects, engineers and others who also added their expertise. We hope the research will be of interest to many within the built environment industry.”
The Timber and Masonry Cost Comparison report is available to download on the Structural Timber Association’s website – please go to: http://bit.ly/2SbvKmb
Keep up with our latest news - www.structuraltimber.co.uk/news/structural-timber-news
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Sponsored and Supported by the STA
A major highlight on the construction calendar is the Structural Timber Awards which celebrate outstanding projects, inspirational people and pioneering product developments. Put it down to perfect timing, with the heightened interest in offsite technology, combined with the abundance of outstanding projects and product innovations and it is easy to see why the 2018 Structural Timber Awards surpassed all previous events in terms of the calibre of entries and attendance. Construction professionals gathered at this prestigious award ceremony on 10 October, at the National Conference Centre, Birmingham - to celebrate the great, the good and the simply outstanding. With nearly 250 outstanding submissions, this year’s Structural Timber Award judges had an onerous job of selecting the winners. The big winner on the night was The Macallan Distillery project, which scooped the Winner of Winners plus two other categories. The head of the judging panel and Chief Executive of the Structural Timber Association, Andrew Carpenter said of the night: “The depth of expertise across all categories was impressive and the exceptional number of entries clearly demonstrates the upturn in the industry. The Structural Timber Awards is a high-point in the construction industry calendar and it is truly inspiring to see so much activity in the sector. All at the STA are delighted that so many of our members made it to the finals, with several picking up a trophy on the night!”
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Keep up with our latest member projects - www.structuraltimber.co.uk/project-profiles
Contact info@structuraltimber.co.uk
Celebrating Excellence & Expertise
There has already been a large amount of attention focused on next year’s awards, which will be returning in October 2019. The Awards once again will reward excellence, celebrate expertise in timber technology and the ways it contributes to an attractive, energy efficient and sustainable built environment. The Awards provide one of the most effective platforms to promote brands or companies alongside the best of the best.
The full list of award winners included: Architect of the Year Chadwick Dryer Clarke: The Stephen Perse Foundation Sports & Learning Building
T OF CLIEN EAR THE Y
Client of the Year Bloomberg LLP: Bloomberg European HQ
Commercial Project of the Year Heyne Tillett Steel & Studio RHE: The Import Building
Contractor of the Year Balfour Beatty: Abbey Wood
Custom & Self-Build Project of the Year STREIF UK: Skyfall Bloomberg LLP: Bloomberg European HQ
Education Project of the Year Eckersley O’Callaghan: Freemen’s School
-BUILD & SELF YEAR M O T S E CU TH CT OF PROJE
Engineer of the Year Arup: The Macallan Distillery
Installer of the Year L&S Baucon GmbH: The Macallan Distillery
Low Energy Project of the Year Ruth Butler Architects: Hampshire Passivhaus
Pioneer Award Urban Splash: HoUSe STREIF UK: Skyfall
Keep up with our latest member projects - www.structuraltimber.co.uk/project-profiles
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Sponsored and Supported by the STA
Private Housing Project of the Year Barratt Homes Yorkshire East Division: St Wilfrids Walk Development
URE & LEIS L I A T YEAR RE F THE O T C E PROJ
Product Innovation Award Moduloft: Chippenham Bungalow
Project of the Year AKT II & Fosters & Partners: Bloomberg European HQ
Project or Construction Manager of the Year Barratt Homes Yorkshire East Division - Mark Greenley, Site Manager
Retail & Leisure Project of the Year METSÄ WOOD: Center Parcs, Elveden Forest
METSÄ WOOD: Center Parcs, Elveden Forest
SING L HOU SOCIA F THE YEAR CT O PROJE
Social Housing Project of the Year CCG & Stora Enso: Ellerslie Road Development
Best Use of SIPS Innovaré Systems: Glasdir School
Best Use of Solid Wood METSÄ WOOD: Center Parcs, Elveden Forest
Best Use of Timber Frame Stewart Milne Timber Systems & Barratt Homes Yorkshire East Division: Barratt’s St Wilfrids Walk Development
Winner of Winners Arup, L&S Baucon GmbH, Robertson, Wiehag GmbH & Rogers Stirk Harbours + Partners: The Macallan Distillery CCG & Stora Enso: Ellerslie Road Development
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Keep up with our latest member projects - www.structuraltimber.co.uk/project-profiles
Contact info@structuraltimber.co.uk
Rewarding Innovation in Timber Technology
ER WINN RS E N IN OF W
SE BEST U S P I S OF
Innovaré Systems: Glasdir School
NERGY LOW E THE YEAR CT OF PROJE
Ruth Butler Architects: Hampshire Passivhaus
SE OF BEST U RAME RF TIMBE
Arup, L&S Baucon GmbH, Robertson, Wiehag GmbH & Rogers Stirk Harbours + Partners: The Macallan Distillery
Arup, L&S Baucon GmbH, Robertson, Wiehag GmbH & Rogers Stirk Harbours + Partners: The Macallan Distillery
The Submission deadline for entries into the 2019 Structural Timber Awards is 31 May 2019. For more information go to Stewart Milne Timber Systems & Barratt Homes Yorkshire East Division: Barratt’s St Wilfrids Walk Development
www.structuraltimberawards.co.uk
Keep up with our latest member projects - www.structuraltimber.co.uk/project-profiles
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TECHNICAL BULLETIN
The STA is committed to sharing technical information to assist our members achieve stringent standards – our Association sets a professional benchmark for the industry. We produce a range of Advice Notes, Guidance and Information Papers covering all aspects of structural timber design and application, including health & safety advice and updates on legislation. Our health and safety committee also produce a regular signpost bulletin on topics such as working at height, use of power tools etc. all of which are available for public download in the STA Library under topic type ‘Health & Safety’.
New Technical Documents Available to Download The STA Technical Committee have produced several updates to: • •
Product Paper 4 - Product Assemblies to Achieve Different Category Levels of Structural Timber Frame. Product Paper 5 - Design Guide to Separating Distances During Construction for Structural Timber Frame Buildings (STA members only)
The NHBC are always on the lookout for talented and professional individuals to join their dedicated team. The NHBC fully supports progression throughout the business and ongoing study for professional qualification, taking pride in the knowledge and expertise of their technical staff as their contribution is essential to their core aim of raising standards in new home building. The NHBC Operations Academy trains new Building Inspectors and other staff in NHBC Standards and Building Regulations. They also support the ongoing professional development of staff by paying for subscriptions to more than 70 professional membership organisations. Current vacancies include: NHBC Construction Technician (MMC Systems) https://nhbc-careers.co.uk/available-vacancies/NHBC5038/
In addition to these updates, the STA Technical Committee have also produced two new documents:
NHBC Construction Technician (Standards) https://nhbc-careers.co.uk/available-vacancies/NHBC5035/
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NHBC Assistant Construction Technician (Standards) https://nhbc-careers.co.uk/available-vacancies/NHBC5036/
Technical Note 11 - Structural Timber Building Design Loading Clarification (STA members only) Technical Note 13 - Fire Safety Building Terms Briefly Explained (STA members only)
All information is free to access in our STA Library www.structuraltimber.co.uk/library - however, some documents are only accessible to STA members only. For more information on the benefits of membership go to: www.structuraltimber.co.uk/members/benefits
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NHBC Recruitment – In Partnership with the STA
NHBC Engineering Policy Manager https://nhbc-careers.co.uk/available-vacancies/NHBC5039/ Principal Structural Engineer – Innovation https://nhbc-careers.co.uk/available-vacancies/NHBC5037/
Keep up with our latest information - www.structuraltimber.co.uk/library
Contact info@structuraltimber.co.uk
Delivering an Effective Solution
THE PACE OF CHANGE
How realistic is it to think that an industry where productivity levels have stagnated for over 20 years is going to be transformed through incremental improvements? Peter Blunt, Board Member for the Structural Timber Association (STA) and Managing Director of Innovaré Systems, shares some thoughtprovoking ideas on fundamental improvements.
New Ideas and Approaches
The reality is that the industry learning how to do what it currently does a bit better, will not reduce the increasing gap between prerequisite and actual outcome. With so many influencing factors, the prospect of major construction projects being delivered late and over budget, will remain. A lot of good work is being done in the areas of inclusion and diversity, but the fundamental question remains – if the industry works in much the same way as it always has, will it deliver the same results, and will it prove an attractive career proposition?
• Reduce build times by up to 30%
For a host of reasons, traditional construction methods, even with better technology – will not provide the answer. The challenge has grown to a size that demands more radical solutions. Fortunately, we do not have to invent the solution, we just need to make more use of what is already available. Without any compromise on building design, function or performance, building with offsite manufactured structural timber systems can:
• Deliver greater confidence in budgets and timings • Provide better guarantees of build quality and thermal performance • Diminish the demand for skilled onsite labour • Improve the integration of design and build to ensure buildability The temptation to stick with the familiar is always strong. But when the familiar is proven to be failing and not up to the challenge, then where is the biggest risk – sticking with what you know probably will not work or opting for an approach that has proven it can deliver the outcomes you need? The House of Lords report is urging the construction industry to achieve a higher state of productivity and predictability through the pace and quality of manufactured construction. Lifetime value is often enhanced through the adoption of offsite techniques. But this does not mean that construction costs cannot also equal, or better, those of traditional construction – as the independent Timber and Masonry Cost Comparison Report by Rider Levett Bucknall UK, clearly demonstrates. It is vital to look forward, but we also know how critical it is to provide an effective solution for procurement professionals in the here and now.
Peter Blunt Board Member Structural Timber Association
Keep up with our latest news - www.structuraltimber.co.uk/news/structural-timber-news
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TIME FOR TIMBER PODCAST - PLAYLIST
Accessing information can be difficult for busy construction professionals. The Structural Timber Association’s Podcast series - Time for Timber - can be listened to ‘on the go’ from mobiles and other devices. A collection of interviews with high-profile construction professionals provide essential listening for those who want to hear direct from the individuals who are shaping the future of the construction industry. To access the Time for Timber Podcasts, go to: www.structuraltimber.co.uk/podcast Tim Snelson – Associate Director, Arup
Mark Farmer – Cast Consulting
In this inaugural Time for Timber Podcast, Arup’s award-winning structural engineer discusses the opportunities for timber to provide smart solutions to the current and future challenges facing the construction industry.
In the latest Time for Timber Podcast, author of the influential ‘Modernise or Die’ construction review, Mark Farmer shares his expertise and thoughts on how the industry is meeting the challenges outlined in his report.
Ruth Reed – Green Planning Studio
Darren Richards – Cogent Consulting
Former president of RIBA, Ruth is an architect with a career that spans public and private practice and the Planning Inspectorate. In this podcast, Ruth advises on how to gain planning.
Together with Nick Worboys from Pinewood Structures, Cogent Director Darren Richards discusses STA Assure and the benefits of independent assessments.
Structural Timber Association Website Upgrade We are upgrading the STA website in 2019 - with the aim to improve the navigation, layout and access to information for our users. We would like to gain as much feedback as possible from both members and non-members who regularly use the website to establish the key areas for improvement.
Give Us Your Views!
If you could spare just a few moment of your time, we would ask you to click the appropriate link below and complete the short survey: Click here to complete the survey if you are a current STA member Click here to complete the survey if you are a non-STA member All responses will be treated in confidence and contact details will not be shared with any third parties.
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Keep up with our latest news - www.structuraltimber.co.uk/news/structural-timber-news