Taking Technology to Another Level

Sam Hart, innovation manager at Construction Scotland Innovation Centre (CSIC) discusses the growth in digital technology in construction and the wider use of homegrown timber across the built environment.

he Covid-19 pandemic has changed working habits,

Twith remote access and social distancing limiting what can be done in person. For the construction industry and associated supply chains that has been challenging, but digital tools and technology can play a large part in shaping a Covid-safe future.

Digital is a broad term, however, and not every piece of technology is going to be relevant to every business. Together with the Scottish Construction Leadership Forum and Scottish Futures Trust, CSIC is working on initiatives that demystify what is available and help companies to understand the technology they should be looking at and, just as importantly, the technology they can largely disregard. There is already a digital transformation taking place across the sector with companies using technology to their advantage in a number of different ways, from building timber frame houses to panellised or fully modular projects. For merchants, digital tools can help to streamline processes, provide real-time data and information, monitor stock efficiently and can even be used to predict trends that can influence stock levels. There are a number of clear benefits that come from using technology: accuracy is improved, with less reliance on human interpretation: time is saved, by using computers that can handle tasks much more quickly and it enables greater access to data that can be used to support decision-making. Efficient digital methods can also help to reduce waste, ultimately improving sustainability and reducing the environmental impact of the timber trade one step at a time.

Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) tools are also beginning to filter into different ways of working. While most are still at the early stages of adoption, new imaging tools are being developed, for instance, to support remote management of forests, or in enabling timber to be craned on and off lorries more safely with drivers controlling crane arms remotely. We have been working with the University of Strathclyde and Robert Gordon University to design a VR and AR system that will allow building standards officials to remotely tour a site as it is being built and make the necessary checks. While this technology has an obvious use at the moment, it could also be employed more routinely in the future – particularly in rural and remote areas, where travelling to sites may take hours. That said, not every local authority will have access to, or the means to purchase, VR and AR hardware. So, we are also working on a more rudimentary form

of the technology which could allow them to remotely inspect sites through an app on their mobile or tablet for simple checks like whether doors and walls are in the correct place, before moving into more complex areas.

At CSIC, we are committed to supporting our colleges and universities to be fully prepared for the volume up-skilling, res-killing and multi-skilling demands associated with transformational shifts in industry practice. Our ‘Offsite Ready’ programme, delivered in partnership with Edinburgh Napier University, City of Glasgow College, and a range of industry partners, has supported hundreds of educators to develop knowledge and understanding of offsite construction, and to embed their learning into teaching practice.

As the digital transformation gathers pace, it will also impact on the skills that are required by those involved in the process, and the competencies and standards that we associate with various job roles. The skills required by the entire construction workforce are rapidly and continuously changing, which means we need to focus more on developing transferable, or meta-skills. Digital literacy, for instance, will be an important area for new recruits coming into the timber trade, as well as knowledge of wider trends in sustainability and innovation that will help to future-proof the sector. Laminated timber of all kinds – cross laminated timber (CLT), nail laminated timber (NLT), and glued laminated timber (GLT) – are also a key focus of what we do at CSIC. In fact, the vast majority of my current work is in these areas. Previous research from Edinburgh Napier University has shown that homegrown timber can be used for structural applications and we began the commercialisation of mass timber in earnest around two years ago.

We took the next step in that process with the project we announced last year that will lead to the demonstration of a UK-grown timber housing unit at COP26 in November. The walls will be made from CLT, the floors from GLT, and NLT will be used in the roof. Through the increased use of homegrown timber in commercial construction and housebuilding, we can reduce our reliance on imported timber. There should be a range of knock-on benefits from that in terms of costs for construction companies, reduced carbon footprint, and in a wider economic sense from the setting up of new and more resilient supply chains in the UK. However, we need to raise awareness in the industry and a big part of this project is about doing that. Ultimately, greater sustainable use of our natural and renewable resources will deliver a range of environmental, cost, and economic benefits for Scotland and the wider UK, as well as for individual businesses.”

More at  www.cs-ic.org

 Proving the Business Case for Homegrown Timber

Among a range of benefits, using more homegrown timber is expected to significantly lower costs for the construction industry – figures suggest a potential reduction of as much as 10% compared to imported CLT – cut carbon emissions through reduced need for transportation, and open new markets to the UK-based timber sector. Analysis has suggested that around 85% of all new homes in Scotland are built using timber and recent UK Government statistics show that, in 2018, the UK was the world’s second largest net importer of forest products – including timber – behind only China.

Timber grown in the UK has historically been used for non-structural applications, such as fencing and palettes. However, Edinburgh Napier University Centre for Offsite Construction and Innovative Structures, has led on research and development to determine the viability of using homegrown timber for the production of mass timber products and systems, such as CLT, NLT, glue laminated timber (GLT), and dowel laminated timber. The Scottish Government is committed to getting more Scottish timber into construction and aims to increase the current 2.2 million cubic metres to 2.6 million cubic metres each year by 2021/2022.