Measuring Value

Today’s modified woods are able to meet many of the constituents of value now being demanded by specifiers and are easily available to provide a range of construction solutions.

With the launch of the Construction Innovation Hub’s Value Toolkit at the end of April, researched and compiled with the help of government and construction industry experts, the definition of ‘value’ in construction is certainly being broadened.

Modified woods and wood products, with their extended lifespans, and low impact end-of-life environmental profiles, deliver a non-plastic, renewable and sustainable alternative for all manner of projects. Kebony® and Accoya® with their specialised modification of wood, plus heat-treated alternatives such as IRO Timber and ThermoWood®, each support the calculation of value in their own way. Manufactured from sustainably grown forests, with their inherent economic, social and environmental value, modified woods also offer durability benefits in terms of wear and tear, and at the end of their extended lives in use are able to become part of the circular economy.

Moving on from joinery

Accoya® acetylated wood, first launched in 2007, is now wellestablished in the joinery production sector. Yet it is Accoya’s performance in water, with its minimal swelling, shrinkage and warping, that has interested the Environment Agency. International Timber teamed up with Accoya’s parent company Accsys and sustainability consultants 540 World to create an Accoya fender for a trial on the banks of the River Thames in London. Fenders, part of the flood management assets in the Thames Estuary, also provide biodiversity niches in tidal waters: Accoya is non-toxic. Accoya was also chosen because of its Gold level Cradle to Cradle™ certification: the certification identifies products that consider the effects on the environment of their manufacture, and which also take account of social value.

Hidden assets

Another modified product which demonstrates the lifespan of modified woods is MEDITE® TRICOYA® EXTREME, often abbreviated to ‘MTX’, an exterior form of MDF. For example, colourful planters created from MTX and donated to Marlborough Sports Garden near London Bridge will see an entire generation of children grow up before they need to be replaced. MTX is acetylated MDF, formulated for use outdoors. It offers up to a 25-year lifespan in contact with soil. MTX has also been used unseen as a reliable liner for architectural landscaping planters, sited in a development close to the entrance of London’s Hammersmith Broadway station. It was chosen as a sustainable, long-life alternative to plastics and metal. The MTX product can also achieve a lifetime of up to 50 years outdoors in all weathers when not in contact with soil.

Homegrown timber

Many specifiers are beginning to express a desire for the timber used in their projects to be homegrown, thus contributing to social value here in the UK. A success story manufactured in Britain from home-grown Larch, is heat-enhanced IRO Timber exterior and interior cladding and decking from BSW Timber. IRO, with its 10 colours, features an enhancedgrain surface appearance, blending naturally with interiors and exterior projects. Its seven-step manufacturing process, based on the ancient Japanese Yakisugi technique, includes two stages of kiln-drying, charring, brushing, high pressure and high-heat treatments, all of which add to its aesthetic and longevity. IRO Timber is UV stable and HVOC-free. IRO cladding can be side-fixed, rather than face-fixed, giving a smooth finish. The water repellent surface also offers easy cleaning.

Low lifecycle costs

Delivering value in construction is also about looking at maintenance aspects of products in use. Produced from sustainably grown and certified Pine, Kebony wood utilises a by-product of the sugar cane industry, furfuryl alcohol, to impregnate the softwood cell walls, locking in natural polymers to form a stable, durable structure. The wood is then heated and cured, permanently thickening the cell walls by around 50%, producing material with a 30-year warranty if used above ground. From a wear and tear perspective, the ‘Kebonization’ process particularly increases the hardness of the timber to levels associated with durable hardwoods. Its low maintenance needs, high durability and recyclability combine to produce low whole-life costs. Available in Britain exclusively through Brooks Brothers Timber, Kebony also has a low carbon footprint compared to tropical hardwoods.

Modified woods are a natural addition to the specifier’s portfolio and can contribute to achieving a broad-based notion of value in construction.

Great British Wood

Support British woodlands by using British wood.

We produce cladding, beams, flooring and sawn hardwood, all from locally grown timber.

01793 853 281 | vastern.co.uk | @VasternTimberUK