Timber & Sustainable Building Magazine Winter 2010-2011

WINTER 2010/2011

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Cladding keeps it covered Ecobuild set to excel at ExCeL GHA reinvents motorway services

OPENING SHOTS: The cover and this page show Kebony cladding on the Farris Bath spa hotel in Vestfold, Norway. The building has an atrium that opens towards the Larvik Fjord. It consists of two, two-storey wings and is perched on stilts – half the hotel is literally “in” the water (see feature on pp34-36).

CONTENTS

Editor Mike Jeffree e-mail: [email protected] Managing editor Sally Spencer e-mail: [email protected]

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Sub-editor Keren Fallwell e-mail: [email protected] News editor Stephen Powney e-mail: [email protected]

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CASE STUDIES

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Country file

Timber frame social housing blends into its rural Scottish setting.

Community work

The restoration of Wood Awards winner Stoke Newington Town Hall has revitalised the local community.

12 Jörnträhus’s new twist on the log Perfect pitch

cabin will be launched at the Ideal Home Show in March.

store 14 Super Marks & Spencer’s new superstore is being billed as a flagship for sustainability.

your service 16 At Glenn Howells Architects is designing motorway services with a difference.

24 The Nu Build project is both a trainDual purpose

ing aid and marketing exercise for modern methods of construction.

PRODUCTS & TECHNICAL the surface 34 On Timber cladding is becoming more popular thanks to its durability and aesthetic appeal.

savings 38 Energy Dynamic insulation is the way to go to save energy, says Energyflo.

reception 40 Warm Sustainable insulation products have become mainstream.

role 44 Ratings The role timber plays in green building energy rating systems varies.

tips 46 Hot TRADA reviews the new HSE guidance on fire safety on site.

in Wales 48 Made TRADA funded further development of the Ty Unnos building system.

VIEWPOINT the agenda 30 On Stewart Milne Timber Systems’ MD

principles 52 Guiding Highlights from TRADA’s new guide on low energy timber frame buildings.

says timber needs to move up the housebuilding industry agenda.

future 32 Forest Architect Tom Noonan has a vision for a new London economy with timber construction at its heart.

REGULARS News 54 Latest developments across the timber building sector.

Chain gang 58 Supply chain collaboration is vital for sustainable construction says the UK Timber Frame Association.

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EVENTS and tell 18 Show Ecobuild is the show to view new

Art editor Gavin Middlemiss Head of sales Shelly Palmer e-mail: [email protected] Key accounts manager Carol Stratford e-mail: [email protected] Classified & online sales Howard Hassen e-mail: [email protected] Publishing manager John Lawrence TRADA is technical consultant to Timber & Sustainable Building Timber & Sustainable Building is produced by the publisher of Timber Trades Journal World Market Intelligence Ltd, 2 Maidstone Road, Sidcup DA14 5HZ Tel: 020 8269 7833; fax: 020 8269 7844

THE TIMBER INDUSTRY MAGAZINE

© World Market Intelligence Ltd 2011 ISSN 2041-3645 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording or any information storage or retrieval system without the express prior written consent of the publisher. The contents of Timber & Sustainable Building are subject to reproduction in information storage and retrieval systems. Subscription price (12 months): UK one year £52; two years £90; Europe one year €96; two years €168; North America one year US$113.50; two years US$209; worldwide one year US$146.50; two years US$242 Subscriptions hotline: Tel: +44 (0) 845 155 1845 (local rate); fax: +44 (0) 20 8606 7877; e-mail: [email protected] T&SB Subscriptions, World Market Intelligence Ltd, PO Box 99, Sidcup DA15 0EN, UK. Subscribe online at www.getthatmag.com T&SB customer services: [email protected]

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products and solutions and promises to be bigger and better than before.

of Oz 28 Wizards The inaugural Trans-Tasman Timber Design Awards aim to raise timber’s profile.

following 43 Dedicated Plans for Timber Expo, the timber industry’s dedicated showcase, are gathering momentum.

WINTER 2010/2011

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TIMBER FRAME

A PLACE IN THE

COUNTRY

Oliver Chapman Architects chose timber frame for a range of social housing that is sympathetic to is rural setting in the Scottish Borders. Peter Wilson reports

TIMBER FRAME construction has taken a bit of a beating recently, at least if you read the more sensationalist news pages of the UK’s construction industry press. True, there have been some spectacular fires in the London area over the last year or two, but to damn a whole – and otherwise successful industry – on the basis of conflagrations in incomplete and unoccupied constructions on unattended building sites is to deny the long experience that exists outside of our largest metropolitan area in the assembly of timber-framed buildings.

The second phase of the Todlaw development features 12 flats arranged in three blocks of four

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In Scotland, for example, the now infamous 1983 World in Action programme, which until relatively recently largely killed off timber frame in England, did not affect the method’s popularity as the ever-changing weather north of the border makes speedy assembly of walls and roof a housebuilding prerequisite. The effect of this has not only been a 25-year-plus track record of timber frame construction in Scotland but, with buildings up to seven storeys high built regularly and safely, more than 70% of its newbuild housing is formed by this very efficient method. Not that you would know it, because much of this housing is clad in other materials ranging through brick and render to composite panels or metal sheet. This is not

to deny the existence of timber, but merely to respond to market imperatives, local cultural and climatic conditions and increasingly stringent building standards for thermal performance, airtightness and fire. The issue is not about whether to build with timber or not – in Scotland it is nowadays virtually a given – but how to create well-constructed housing that is likely to last a long time, two factors high on the country’s large housing association sector wish list, tasked as it increasingly is with delivering political requirements for affordable housing. Much of this category of accommodation is inevitably to be found in larger urban areas, but the demand is perhaps even stronger in rural locations where job opportunities are limited and wages are low. And with more than 40% of its population living in communities of 20,000 people or fewer, Scotland’s need for exemplary affordable rural housing models is constant. Which brings us to the Scottish Borders, an area of relatively low population but with very distinctive housing needs. At Todlaw on the edge of Duns (pop.10,000), Edinburgh-based Oliver Chapman Architects have been working for several years with Berwickshire Housing Association to deliver a series of newbuild projects ❯

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The brick and timber surfaces are visually separated by the external stairs

The larch cladding is arranged boardon-board – the rear boards are 100mm while the front are 70mm

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WINTER 2010/2011

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TIMBER FRAME

❮ designed to meet a variety of community needs. The first of these – a pair of semi-detached houses – won the Scottish Design Awards Best Affordable Housing design prize in 2006. Since then the practice has gained three further commissions from this client, a significant vote of confidence for a young office and one that now sees the RIBA Regional Award-winning supported housing scheme it completed at Todlaw in 2008 complemented by a £1m second phase development of 12 flats arranged in three blocks of four. This ‘four in a block’ typology is not always associated with quality housing, and it is to the practice’s credit that it has elected to reinterpret a form with strong associations with between- and post-war social housing provision. In this instance, the previous phase of single-storey supported housing established the palette of simple forms, eaves details and materials to be used, but here each of these has been taken to a subtler next stage. Where fibre cement slates had formerly been used for roof and walls to complement vertical larch cladding, the new development sports dark blue engineering bricks on those exteriors that face the open landscape, while softer, more homely shells of Siberian larch cladding implicitly connect the project to its predecessor on the other side of the street. These brick and timber surfaces are visually separated by the external stairs, while the cladding itself is meticulously detailed – the board-on-board arrangement uses 100mm rear boards and 70mm front boards and incorporates a horizontal ‘stitch’ to the inner layer to resolve the ventilation/fire-stop requirement at first floor level. Tongue and groove boards are used to form the soffits of the porch canopies as well as the side linings to the external stairs. Colour too, connects this new phase of building with its predecessor, with wood ash (grey), storm (olive), green and charcoal stains from the Vaalti range providing a crisp, but subdued finish to the timber on the three blocks.

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This is very deliberately not an ‘all-singing, all-dancing’ approach to architecture, but one that seeks to find its place – and to create one – within the given context. There are many subtleties to the design: gaps between gables allow views of Berwickshire’s agricultural landscape; there are private gardens to both front (for the upper flats) and back (for the lower) with living rooms facing onto each residence’s respective garden area. Similarly, kitchen windows look along the paths (lower flats) or down the stairs (upper ones). Cars are screened between the gables and are pushed to the rear boundary of the site.

Above left: there are private gardens to the front for the upper flats and to the back for the lower Above: Oliver Chapman Architects won the Best Small Project category in the 2009 Wood Awards for an extension to a house in Edinburgh

But back for a moment to the structure of the three buildings. Yes, each block has a 150x50mm timber frame, heavily insulated with mineral wool and with a drylining system used in conjunction with 220x50mm timber joists to form the separating floors and walls. And as with so many of Scotland’s timber frame homes, the offsite manufacture of the structural frames and roof trusses (150x50mm) was carried out locally, in this instance in Hawick by James Swinton Ltd who were also the main contractors for the project. The project eschews the eco-bling of Code for Sustainable Homes levels 5 and 6, but these requirements are not demanded in Scotland anyway. In this context, however, Robert Browning’s aphorism about great men might just as easily be applied to buildings, viz. “no more great buildings, dear God, just raise the general standard”, for at Todlaw, Oliver Chapman Architects have clearly been confident enough in their own abilities to do just that and to set a marker down for others to emulate. ❚

Award-winning ways Oliver Chapman Architects won the Best Small Project category in the 2009 Wood Awards for their extension to a house in West Mayfield, Edinburgh. They also completed two western red cedar shingle-clad houses at Scotland’s Housing Expo (August 2009).

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WOOD AWARDS WINNER

NEW BEGINNINGS The restoration of Stoke Newington Town Hall won the top prize at the 2010 Wood Awards. Sarah Dade reports on a project that breathed new life into the community

BUILT IN THE 1930S in a combination of English Renaissance and art deco style, Stoke Newington Town Hall is a much-loved building at the heart of a vibrant local community. After years of neglect, the building has been given a new lease of life through a restoration programme that has transformed it into a unique events venue. The painstaking work to return the town hall to its former glory has been recognised with several prestigious awards, including the coveted Gold Award in the Wood Awards 2010. The project, which was commissioned by the London Borough of Hackney, also won the Conservation/Restoration category in the Wood Awards. The project team comprised Hawkins\Brown Architects, structural engineers the Building Design Partnership, Killby & Gayford Ltd and conservation specialist Luard Conservation Ltd. The building has a rich and chequered history – the camouflage paintwork on the external walls serves as a reminder of its use as the area’s civil defence headquarters during the second world war. The creation of the new entrance and reception area has incorporated the exposed brickwork of a Tudor mansion that originally stood on the site, so whilst the venue has been brought right up-to-date, it retains the character and history of its past. Hawkins\Brown worked closely with English Heritage, and consulted both the local community and stakeholder groups throughout the planning process. The result is a stunning building which has been carefully restored and refurbished to preserve its original features, whilst creating a 21st century venue through the addition of state-of-the-art audio visual and technical facilities. Work focused on restoring two areas of the building: the council chamber and the assembly hall. Original features, including Australian walnut timber panelling, a dramatic plaster domed ceiling and vaulted galleries, were refurbished, whilst features added later were removed to help restore the town hall to the vision of its original designer J Reginald Truelove. “It was a real privilege for Hawkins\Brown to have the opportunity to contribute to the restoration ❯

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Old and new Australian walnut panelling was carefully matched

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WINTER 2010/2011

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WOOD AWARDS WINNER ❮ of Stoke Newington Town Hall, an historic Grade II listed building,” said John Turner, director of Hawkins\Brown Architects. “Our restoration revives the existing palette of materials, including original brick and hardwood veneers, and complements this with a modern palette of bronze, glass and stainless steel to help marry the old with the new, whilst retaining elements of the original art deco building. “Our challenge was restoring and repairing the building’s original features, and it was really important to us to respect and replicate, where appropriate, the materials used,” continued Turner. “In the council chamber we stripped away the suspended ceiling to reveal the spectacular original domed ceiling, and restored the Australian walnut panelling, carefully matching old with new. “This aspect of the project proved to be particularly challenging and we worked closely with conservation specialists, Luard Conservation, to source veneers to match the originals – not an easy task considering the age of the building.”

The refurbishment included the creation of a new entrance and reception area

Canadian maple floor, which we completely restored to working order to provide facilities for the return of the much-loved tea dances.

ALL PHOTOS: TIM CROCKER

“We went to the Wood Awards ceremony in October not expecting to win, as there were some truly fantastic and inspirational projects in the shortlist, but we were absolutely delighted that the judges recognised the dedication and hard work that went into the restoration. The process of transforming the town hall was arduous, but immensely rewarding for all those involved – it really was a pleasure to bring back to life a ‘sleeping beauty’.”

Amazingly, however, detective work by the team at Luard Conservation led them to track down what they believe to be some of the original veneers, allowing the restoration of the panelling to a level where it is hard to see where old and new meet. It is, said Turner, “a fantastic compliment to the skill and dedication of our craftsmen”. “This attention to detail continued into the assembly hall,” he continued. “It was in dire need of repair, having been all but condemned on safety grounds. Inexplicably full of old three-piece suites, the hall was looking tired and dilapidated, with leaks and stains hiding its underlying beauty. Our biggest job was restoring the sprung

The biggest job in the assembly hall was restoring the sprung Canadian maple floor

Since it reopened last year, the town hall has played host to numerous events, including many weddings and tea dances, placing it once more at the heart of the community. And, of course, there’s that Award. In recognising the restoration of Stoke Newington Town Hall with the prestigious Gold Award, the Wood Awards judges overturned the trend from the past few years where new build projects dominated, demonstrating the exceptional nature of this project. “My fellow judges and I were blown away by the outstanding craftsmanship and sensitive restoration of this historic building,” said specialist conservation judge, Alan Johnson of English Heritage. “The team at Hawkins\Brown recognised the strengths of Truelove’s original design, restoring materials and profiles to their original format and complementing his style with sympathetic interventions, such as the new uplighter illumination in the square-coffer ceiling of the Assembly Hall. In this way, new life has been granted to a formerly overlooked but highly accomplished inter-war civic building.” ❚ Entries for the Wood Awards 2011 will open in March, with the winners being announced at a ceremony at Timber Expo in Coventry on September 27. Full details of all sponsors and further information on the Wood Awards can be found at www.woodawards.com. ●

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IDEAL HOME

An ideal home Swedish timber frame manufacturer Jörnträhus is producing log homes with a contemporary twist. Keren Fallwell reports THINK LOG CABINS and you’ll probably conjure up images of heavy, rustic brown structures in alpine settings. But think again. Swedish timber frame manufacturer Jörnträhus’s new Trend design may be log cabin in construction but it’s anything but rustic. The straight, contemporary lines, monopitch roof and large windows provide a house that would look just as at home in the wilds of rural Scotland or leafy Hampstead. Jörnträhus has been selling its more traditional log buildings to the UK for seven years and last year the company doubled sales here. And now, with its new Trend range, which will be officially launched at the Ideal Home Show in London in March, national sales manager Pete Cossie is confident of further growth. The house will be one of three full-scale homes on show at the March 11-27 event at Earls Court. The show home will be constructed in just three days but normal build time is around eight weeks. The speed – and ease – of assembly – makes it ideal for self-builders although Jörnträhus, or its UK supplier Scandinavian Log Cabins, can provide contractors to erect the building. The house components, made from FSC-certified slow-

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The Ideal Home Show Jörnträhus’s Trend homes will be featured at this year’s Ideal Home Show, as the Open Plan Living Home sponsored by Dulux. Tickets for this year’s show can be booked online or by calling the Ticket Hotline on tel: 0844 415 4144. 50p per ticket goes to the Ideal Homes For Heroes appeal supporting ABF The Soldiers’ Charity. Visit www.idealhomeshow.co.uk/idealhomes-for-heroes for details. The show runs from March 11-27.

grown softwood from the Arctic Circle, arrive on site usually on two or three lorries. Where access is limited, the pallets of components have to be decanted to smaller trucks or, as in one case, lifted in by helicopter. Once the foundations are down the pieces of timber, each numbered, are just, well, clicked into place. “It’s the biggest meccano kit you’ll ever see,” said Cossie. “The 58mm logs just snap on to each other. They interlock on the corners and any joins in the logs are dovetailed. Apart from the very first log, the building goes up to eaves height without any fixings.” Cossie, a carpenter and joiner by trade, appreciates the exacting nature of the components. “We have a tolerance of only +/-1mm. It’s precision engineering,” he said. All the timber is kiln-dried but the only preservativetreated timbers are those used for the rim beam and the trimmer joists which sit on a damp-proof membrane. Once three courses of the ‘logs’ have been laid and the house is square, brackets are fixed to the first course to hold the walls in position and the trimmer joists are screwed to the foundations. The engineered floor joists are placed into position and screwed and, once the building reaches roof height, the purlins are slotted into the walls. The window and door openings are pre-cut. A vapour membrane is fixed to the inner wall, followed www.timber-building.com

Left: Jörnträhus’s Trend house is a modern design using traditional log cabin construction

by timber studs and 250mm glass fibre insulation. In Jörnträhus’s more traditional chalet designs, the interior of the walls is again lined with timber but for the Trend house, fire-treated plasterboard gives a cleaner, more contemporary finish. The exterior stain is applied once the building is completed. The triple-glazed windows, which have a U-value of 1.0W/m2K, add to the modern, open feel. “Triple glazing means we can have larger windows without compromising on the energy-efficiency,” said Cossie. All the houses are fitted with a mechanical heat recovery ventilation system. The house on show at the Ideal Home Show will be a 136m2 version and will include three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and an en suite. The Trend designs range from a one-bed unit of around 15m2 to a five-bed house but really anything goes. www.timber-building.com

Above: the interiors are clean and contemporary and triple-glazing allows large windows to be used, without compromising on energy efficiency

“We have about 10 standard designs in various sizes but about 60% of what we do is custom designed,” said Cossie. “Some customers have come up with some very quirky designs but we can do it. There’s a lot of flexibility.” Cossie believes the Trend design will strike a chord with UK homeowners looking for energy efficiency and something different from a variation on Victorian. “We’re stuck in our ways in Britain and it’s time we moved on. The tide is turning; people are fed-up with living in boxes that aren’t very well insulated. We have a more educated public than we’ve ever had, largely because of the internet. They’ve done a lot of research,” said Cossie. And he plans to have his own contemporary log house too soon. “I’m a carpenter and joiner by trade and I love wood, hence my passion for these houses.” ❚ WINTER 2010/2011

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RETAIL

M&S aims low M&S’s giant new superstore in Cheshire, described as the “Marble Arch of the North”, will feature engineered timber combined with steel and pre-cast concrete in a hybrid structure. Stephen Powney reports

The Project Team Client: Marks & Spencer Main contractor: Simons Group Architect: AukettFitzroyRobinson Engineer: AECOM Timber/steel frame systems supplier and structural frame design: B&K Structures

MARKS & SPENCER has made a very big play on sustainability. The high street retailer, a member of the Global Forest & Trade Network-UK, has committed under its “Plan A” targets for all its timber being sustainable by 2012, using Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified timber in its store developments and fit-outs. Shortly after launching the £200m Plan A programme in 2007, an M&S speaker at T&SB’s Wood Futures conference at the Festival Hall, London, reinforced this commitment and stressed just how critical an issue the environment generally, and minimising carbon emissions, was to business today.

M&S stipulated that 100% of timber used in the store had to be FSC-certified, which on the structural side equates to a mighty 1,159m3 – not an easy ask and something which inevitably has a price premium attached.

Left: the glulam roof structure

Outgoing M&S chairman Sir Stuart Rose planted an oak tree at the site to mark the beginning of construction last November. Foundations have been laid and erection of the structure is expected to start soon. Eco superstores have been springing up at an increasing rate in recent years – M&S completed three in 2007 and five energy-efficient stores in 2009/10. A further eco store is expected to open at Sheffield in the spring.

The company is certainly demonstrating that. When completed next year, its new 195,000ft2 Cheshire Oaks store will not only be the retailer’s largest store outside London and its biggest development for more than 10 years, it will also be one of its most sustainable.

Architect AukettFitzroyRobinson has designed Cheshire Oaks with a dramatic sweeping curved roof, covering 150,000ft2 of retail space offering clothing, home furnishings, technology products, a food hall, restaurant and café.

It has been billed in the local newspaper in Cheshire as the “Marble Arch of the North”, referring to M&S’s largest UK store in Marble Arch, London. “It’s a flagship store for us in terms of sustainability,” said an M&S spokesperson.

“Timber, as a renewable source, has been our preferred structural material for this project; it has low embodied energy and sequestration of CO2 compared with steel and concrete,” said Nitesh Magdani, associate architect at AukettFitzroyRobinson.

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Above: a CGI of the M&S Cheshire Oaks superstore

www.timber-building.com

Much of the structural timber will be left exposed internally to form a striking design feature

“One of the initial aspirations was to minimise the use of materials within the project, hence the inclusion of a timber structure which has allowed us to expose the bare structural materials as finished surfaces within the store.

roof structure in the form of European whitewood glulam. The beams, supported by steel columns, are generally 900x240mm or 600x140mm and curved to suit the roof. Clear spans are more than 14m and will form a striking feature for shoppers.

“We have also specified composite timber/aluminium curtain walling for the same reasons, thus giving a greater sense of warmth from the inside of the store.”

The first floor structure panels will be made of laminated veneered lumber.

The mammoth project is the result of a five-year partnership between M&S and main contractor Simons Group. Derby-based B&K Structures won the £4.25m contract to erect the hybrid structure comprising engineered timber, structural steelwork and pre-cast concrete panels. Specialist frame and envelope contractor B&K started out as a steel contracting business and only added timber structures in 2006. Since then the number of timber engineering structures it has taken on has rocketed and it has developed a reputation for combining materials in hybrid structures, involving glulam, structural steel, cross-laminated timber, structural insulated panels and prefabricated timber cassettes in large projects. At Cheshire Oaks, timber is used predominantly in the www.timber-building.com

“Combining materials proved to be the winner for this client and its delivery team,” B&K said. The structural steel element consists of approximately 1,000 tonnes, complete with intumescent paints. The store hopes to meet a number of sustainability targets, including a 50% reduction in energy and CO2 compared to a non-sustainable store, and up to 90% reduction in landfill waste. The project even has a Facebook page for those who want to follow the construction progress. In the coming weeks it will map the start of erection of the steel and timber frame. New ideas, materials and equipment tested at Cheshire Oaks will be incorporated into M&S specifications in the future. ❚ WINTER 2010/2011

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MOTORWAY SERVICE STATION

Stopping the

TRAFFIC Work will soon begin on a motorway service station with a difference. Sally Spencer reports Howells Architects (GHA), will make a “memorable” impression on visitors.

FAST FORWARD three years and motorists blasting their way up or down the M5 en route to or from the West Country will be able to pull in to a motorway service area (MSA) that, rather than just providing a pit stop, will be a veritable oasis. While burger franchises, supermarket concessions and depressing views of motorway traffic thundering past may be the province of other MSAs around the country, the proposed Gloucestershire Gateway Services on either side of the M5 between junctions 11a and 12, will feature local produce and stunning views of the Cotswolds landscape. The views inside the building will be pretty spectacular, too, largely down to extensive use of timber which, according to project architect James Spencer of Glenn

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The £35m Gloucestershire Gateway Services project, comprising two facilities buildings and two petrol filling stations, is the result of a partnership between a charitable trust – the Gloucestershire Gateway Trust – and MSA developer Westmorland Ltd and will plug a gap in the motorway network. Westmorland owns and runs Tebay Services on the M6 in Cumbria, an award-winning site that has been described variously as “the most innovative MSA in the country” and “the Keira Knightley of service stations”. The intention now is to build on the Tebay model and that’s where timber – and GHA – come in. “Timber was specified by the client at the outset,” said Spencer. “Tebay is a very traditional looking timber and stone building that was built in an almost agricultural way, with a real emphasis on the Cumbrian vernacular.

Above left: the services on either side of the M5 will have the same design but different orientations Below: the buildings are designed to blend seamlessly into the scenery by forming “another undulation in the landscape”

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and express as much timber as possible through the design stage to make it as memorable as possible. The feeling it gives to the space can’t be underestimated.”

The internal timber elements, including the diamond grid glulam ceiling, will be left exposed

“It actually feels more like a country lodge than a service station and there is a huge amount of timber in the building, from bespoke joinery and furniture to reclaimed timber beams to a Scandinavian kit shed in their farm shop.” The plan is for Gloucestershire Gateway to emulate this “second generation rural” and it was the desire for using timber with a contemporary twist that pointed them in the direction of GHA, a practice renowned for that very thing. GHA’s multi-award winning Savill Building at Windsor Great Park is a case in point. “We won the contract following a design competition and at the interview we talked at length about our experience with timber,” said Spencer. “This development has a hand-crafted element to it and Glenn [Howells] has a real desire to make buildings using traditional crafts in contemporary ways. Several of our projects have demonstrated this approach.” The two facilities buildings will be mirror images design-wise, but will be oriented differently according to the topography of the land either side of the motorway. Each will have a footprint of 3,269m2 and will be 9m-high, single-storey buildings. The three main external elements will be an undulating grass roof, Cotswold stone walls and glass, although the latter will be kept to a minimum to reduce its visual impact. Meanwhile the roof construction is a homage to timber – a diamond grid glulam build-up, followed by crosslaminated panels, topped with a grass roof. The timber ceiling structure will be left exposed in all its glory, very much like at the Savill Building where “the structure is the finished product”. “At a recent meeting we looked at reducing some of the height but we felt that would restrict the timber experience,” said Spencer. “We really want to sell this roof

www.timber-building.com

And, he added pragmatically, “creating a beautiful structure and not hiding it behind a drop ceiling adds integrity to the project and is more cost-effective because you’re not having to pay for two ceilings”. The grass roof is dictating timber usage to some degree. “The roof form is designed to look as natural as possible and blend seamlessly into the scenery,” said Spencer. “However, the load-bearing issues arising from using a grass roof mean that solid timber would have to work very hard for us, so we’re looking more towards a manufactured timber product.” He added that some “very interesting conversations” were ongoing with Buro Happold, structural engineer for the project, on how to create the geometry and the formwork for the torus-shaped roof. GHA is also working with Buro Happold to establish the best sources of timber, engineered or otherwise. “We’re not wedded to any particular product at the moment,” said Spencer. “We talked about Douglas fir previously because we know we can get good spans from the Forest of Dean, but we may well find that when we go out to tender early this year that the contractor has other suggestions.” Both GHA and the client will look close to home first, aiming to source sustainable timber locally. Sustainability is a key driver, both in terms of material selection and the “future proofing” technologies embedded in the design, and a BREEAM Excellent rating is the target. In achieving this, GHA is avoiding relatively easy fixes such as “bolt on” solar panels and wind turbines, which could have a negative visual impact and, instead, is focusing on, for example, refrigeration heat recovery, rainwater harvesting and sustainable urban drainage systems (to cope with water run-off from the car parks). Space will also be allowed for charging points for electric cars. Work on the road infrastructure is expected to start this summer, with estimated completion some time in 2013. ❚ WINTER 2010/2011

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ECOBUILD

THE MOST TALKED ABOUT exhibition for the construction industry is on the horizon and – almost incredibly – is set to surpass its previous incarnations in both visitor and exhibitor numbers and, more importantly, its influence. The show, of course, is Ecobuild. Last year exhibitor numbers approached the 1,000 mark, while visitor numbers topped 41,000 – a 20% increase over the 2009 figure. This year’s show has continued to grow like Topsy, to the point where a new venue has been necessary. Ecobuild 2011 will take place on March 1-3 at London’s ExCeL exhibition and conference centre. It’s a much larger venue than the exhibition’s former home, Earls Court, but it has more than size in its favour as Moira Edwards, event director of Ecobuild organiser IBE Ltd, explained. “Ecobuild’s footprint will be 50% bigger again in 2011. Its previous venue simply couldn’t accommodate that growth,” she said. “But the move to ExCeL isn’t simply a matter of space – it’s a modern, purpose-built environment with fantastic facilities and transport links. “That means we’ve been able to create a much more logical and easily navigable layout in which exhibitors showcasing similar products and technologies are clustered together, with relevant seminars and attractions located close by. That, combined with Ecobuild’s new online itinerary planner, means that visitors should find getting around Ecobuild much easier and much more efficient.” Visitor numbers are also expected to rise in line with last year’s percentage increase and are likely to break the 50,000 barrier. In spite, or maybe because of, the problems of the last couple of years and the challenges that lie ahead, Edwards believes the construction sector sees sustainability as “its number one priority and its best opportunity”. “[The construction sector] is fast-moving and hugely innovative, so there is so much that’s new to catch up on, whether it’s products and technologies or regulations and, as Ecobuild has grown, it’s the very best and most efficient place to do that,” said Edwards. “And, increasingly, Ecobuild is recognised as the place for the sector to come together and scratch heads about the challenges, take up the opportunities and celebrate the successes – an event that’s enjoyable as well as useful to attend.”

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ExCeLling at ALL THINGS The phenomenon that is Ecobuild just keeps growing – and timber continues to be a dominant feature. Sally Spencer reports Above left: this year’s Ecobuild moves to a new venue – London’s ExCeL Above right: Ecobuild has grown every year – and will be 50% bigger this year than last

The timber sector will be represented by around 100 exhibitors, either offering timber products or using them in the structures they will build at the event. Of these, highlights will include Ecobuild regular Bill Dunster demonstrating the StramitZED. This latest addition to the ZEDFactory’s eco-housing stable is built from straw board combined with timber and recycled newspaper insulation to form cassettes. The house achieves Code for Sustainable Homes Level 6. Another very structural display will be Pasquill’s “Extreme timber” attraction. A hyperbolic paraboloid, with two large curved and twisting engineered timber structures will demonstrate not just glulam’s aesthetic qualities, but also that, with its low embodied energy credentials, it’s a realistic option for large-span structures. “One of the more ambitious builds at Ecobuild will be a pair of two-storey Passivhaus-compliant dwellings each providing an internal floor area of 135m2 and each including a room-in-the-roof space,” said Edwards. The design of the units, by Miller Hughes Associates, will be taken from a Passivhaus scheme of 38 units being built for Saxon Weald Housing Association in Horsham and using an advanced structural insulated panel (SIP) system provided by members of the UK SIPS Association. www.timber-building.com

Wood for Good’s marketing campaign (see p57). “It’s a great opportunity for the industry to share ideas and meet key figures and potential customers and I’m very much looking forward to meeting them at the show,” said TTF chief executive John White. “Ecobuild is designed to showcase the future of design, construction and the built environment, so it’s the perfect opportunity for the industry to communicate why wood will be at the forefront of this trend. We can offer expert guidance on sustainable construction and the benefits of wood and wood products.”

More traditional skills will be the focus of daily demonstrations by Carpenter Oak of carpentry techniques in Ecobuild’s “Natural, traditional, sustainable” attraction. Of the many timber businesses and organisations taking part, the Timber Trade Federation (TTF), TRADA and the UK Timber Frame Association (UKTFA) will have high profiles.

Pasquill’s “Extreme timber” installation will demonstrate glulam’s aesthetic properties and long-span potential

“Some of our customers have also taken space in the Timber Zone and there really is a great atmosphere amongst the exhibitors and visitors in such a concentration of stands.”

Running in parallel to a number of speaker events, the UKTFA is using the exhibition to demonstrate that timber frame “remains unrivalled in delivering environmentallyefficient buildings”.

He has detected a slight change in visitor type at Ecobuild. “Feedback from our first Ecobuild showed a high percentage of architects and specifiers. It’s still a great opportunity to influence specifiers, but now it’s also a great vehicle to communicate with others involved in the construction industry, from major housebuilders and contractors to self-builders and other industry suppliers.”

“We’ve got an impressive speaker line-up, including Wayne Hemingway, Martin Young, chief architect at Tesco, and Martin Aust, development director of Flagship Housing Association – all tremendous advocates of timber frame,” said UKTFA chairman Simon Orrells.

TRADA, which has supported Ecobuild since show one, is taking its biggest stand yet, at 81m2. Of that, around 20m2 will be dedicated to a student design competition it has been running with Timbmet.

“In addition to the speakers we will be revealing for the first time industry-wide research addressing attitudes towards timber frame and unveiling our new online knowledge centre for architects, enabling them to get the most out of designing in timber frame.” In addition to its own stand, the TTF is sponsoring the Timber Works section of the exhibition again. The sponsorship will highlight its commitment to sustainable building and promote the increased use of wood – it will use the occasion to update the industry on

One regular exhibitor taking advantage of Timber Works is Wolf Systems, which will be focusing on its easi-joist metal web product, used for roofs, walls and floors. “We find the ‘village’ type location in amongst other stands actually increases footfall and makes for a very interesting and busy show,” said Karl Foster, Wolf Systems’ sales and marketing director.

Accsys Technologies’ stand will demonstrate Accoya’s varied applications around the world

The aim of the competition, which was open to students of Oxford Brookes University School of Architecture, was to promote the use of demountable timber in contemporary architecture. TRADA provided technical support, while Timbmet supplied materials and assisted with off-site fabrication. The winning pavilion – designed by third-year part-time student Christian Spendier – will be built at Ecobuild in honour of Timbmet’s founder, the late Dan Kemp. TRADA is an active partner with Ecobuild and will run hourly guided tours of timber stands, highlighting innovations in wood and helping visitors to prioritise their day. “Each delegate will have a headset, to be able to concentrate on the guide and there will be the opportunity to follow up with key contacts afterwards,” said Rupert Scott, TRADA membership and marketing manager. Tours are hourly from 10.30am and will start and finish at TRADA’s stand (S1350). They will be free but spaces are limited and will be on a first-come, first-served basis – ❯

www.timber-building.com

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ECOBUILD ❮ although they can be booked through the Ecobuild website (www.ecobuild.co.uk). The tours are likely to drop by Finnforest’s 75m2 stand, a key part of which will be a second storey constructed using Kerto-Ripa – the company’s wide-span solution for floors and roofs – and accessed via a Kerto staircase.

Wolf Systems will focus on promoting its easijoist metal web product at the show

Beneath this upper level, visitors will be able to view Finnforest’s Low-E wall solution, which is currently being used by leading retailers in new store builds, plus a double-curved Leno cross-laminated wall panel. According to Finnforest’s vice-president, construction industry, Kevin Riley, the key message from the company will be “that engineered timber solutions are versatile and effective and suitable for a vast array of applications, from residential to commercial, retail industrial and leisure, in both the public and private arenas”.

Steico’s roof, wall and floor solutions will be on show, along with its wood fibre insulation

“The stand demonstrates the ambitions we have,” he said, adding that Finnforest’s products and solutions would be underpinned by promoting its timber engineering expertise through its specialist division Finnforest Merk. Sawmiller James Jones & Sons is also focusing on engineered timber, with two product launches at the show – the Service Hole I-joist (SHI) and “the UK’s first and only fully home-grown I-Stud solution”. The SHI increases the versatility of the company’s JJI-Joist and enables large MVHR services to be run through the joist web in locations otherwise not possible in an I-joist. Steico will be showcasing wall, roof and floor solutions with its Steicoflex, Steicotherm and Steicouniversal flexible and rigid insulation panels, along with engineered Steicojoist I-joists, Steicowall insulated wall

Talking the talk This year’s Ecobuild seminar and conference programme will feature no fewer than 600 speakers, including astronomer Professor Brian Cox and human rights campaigner Bianca Jagger. “Timber and timber solutions will make many appearances in the 130 session Ecobuild programme,” said Moira Edwards, “but for those wishing to focus on timber solutions in particular, the ‘Wood is good’ session on Thursday March 3 considers an inspiring selection of products using timber, including an exploration of the structural and aesthetic possibilities of engineered timber.” The “Designing with engineered timber” presentation will be made by

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TRADA’s Dr Keerthi Ranasinghe. TRADA will also take part in the “Part L and F in practice” session, when Lewis Taylor will speak on “The impact of new Part L and F on design” and in the “Association” session, when Dr Andrew Pitman will speak on “Embodied carbon timbers perspective”. The Ecobuild fringe programme will also be well worth a look with the UK Timber Frame Association running a series of sessions including talks on “The Canadian road to zero carbon” and “Building big with wood” from the Canadian High Commission, and modular timber buildings from the Austrian Trade Commission.

studs and Steicoultralam LVL. The company’s natural wood fibre insulation will be very much to the fore. Designed and built in-house, Steico’s 45m2 stand will provide “good touch and feel for visitors”, according to managing director Andy Moore. “Dynamic insulation”, which uses the heat escaping from a building to warm air being ducted via the ventilation system, will be promoted by Energyflo Construction Technologies (see pp38-39). Energyflo experts will be on hand to explain to visitors how, via dynamic insulation, the temperature of the incoming air can be raised by as much as 8OC, using energy that would otherwise be lost. Accsys Technologies will be back at Ecobuild, marking the fifth anniversary of the launch of its modified sustainable softwood, Accoya. Its 50m2 stand will feature interactive displays and demonstrate various applications. New accreditations for Accoya will also be revealed – such as the Scion Durability Report, a five-year independent study which placed the product ahead of species including cedar, cypress, teak and kwila in the durability stakes. Accoya will feature on James Latham’s 25m2 stand, as will Woodex engineered hardwood, and Timura – a new flooring product, which the company describes as a “hero product”. It affords similar status to Moralt Klima door blanks, which will also be on show. Other companies prefer to keep their show plans under wraps until the doors open. The design and layout of Arch Timber Protection’s stand is a closely guarded secret. But, says the company, “new and developing technologies for both preservative and specifier markets” will be launched at the show. ❚ www.timber-building.com

ECOBUILD PREVIEW

Arch Timber Protection Stand S870

Arch Timber Protection is the leading supplier of preservative and fire retardant products and services for the effective protection of timber. At Ecobuild visitors will be able to find out the latest developments in the timber protection industry, including new products – Tanalised Clear and Keywood. Tanalised Clear pressure-treated timber provides a proven natural and clear choice for outdoor timbers used in above ground situations – cladding, timber buildings, deck boards and deck components. Keywood is Arch’s new modified timber, offering a durable, versatile and sustainable option for construction and cladding applications.

Contact: Arch Timber Protection Wheldon Road, Castleford, West Yorkshire WF10 2JT Tel: +44 (0) 1977 714000 email: [email protected]; web: www.archtp.com

Combilift

Stand N900 Combilift Ltd, the leading global supplier of long load handling solutions, will be exhibiting its most compact model – the Combi-CB. Versatility is a hallmark of Combilift’s wide range, and the CB is no exception: designed for handling both palletised and long loads, it is ideal for companies who need the flexibility to handle mixed sized products. Its compact dimensions enable it to work inside containers for much quicker offloading and storage procedures. The CB was originally available with a 2.5t capacity and with LPG or diesel power but Combilift has responded to customer feedback by developing models of this 4-way counterbalance design truck with greater 3 and 4t lift capacities and adding the choice of AC electric power. This is particularly suited for companies where operational noise is an issue, due to the close proximity of neighbours or out of hours use, and its lack of emissions make it an environmentally-friendly option.

Contact: Combilift Ltd, Co Monaghan, Ireland UK tel: 07870 976 758 email: [email protected]; web: www.combilift.com

Finnforest

Stand S1040 Finnforest will feature a broad range of its systems on an impressive 10x7.5m stand. Encompassing part of the stand is a double-curved Leno crosslaminated timber wall panel. An upper storey will be constructed using Kerto Ripa, Finnforest’s wide span solution for both floors and roofs. This will be accessed via a Kerto staircase. Beneath the upper level, visitors will be able to view the commercially successful Low-E wall solution, currently being used by leading retail brands in new store build. Finally, exemplar engineered timber schemes will be projected onto a big screen. The Finnjoist, a fully-engineered timber I-joist, forms the main component of systems such as Low Energy Walls and Roofs which are being specified in large commercial, retail and house build programmes. Alongside these, the SoundBar System for acoustic flooring also helps specifiers and developers meet and even exceed the requirements of both Part L and Part E.

Contact: Finnforest Mayne House, Fenton Way, Southfields Business Park, Basildon, Essex SS15 6TD Tel: 0800 004444 Web: www.finnforest.co.uk

www.timber-building.com

ISO-Chemie GMbH Stand N860

ISO-Chemie’s weather and airtight foam sealing tapes will be on display at Ecobuild 2011 as part of a series of demonstrations showcasing how quick and easy the products are to install. These include ISO-BLOCO One Control for sealing of windows to meet energy saving standards and RAL requirements. The tape offers a single ‘fit and forget’ solution for fast sealing based on the European RAL principles of three-level sealing – the inside seal area is more airtight than the external one, allowing any trapped moisture inside the joint, or within the wall, to escape outwards rather than into the building. Also showing will be the ISO-CONNECT Vario SD range – high performance humidity-regulating sealing foils. Offering ‘intelligent’ humidity control, the foil provides an excellent external weather seal that surpasses the current, and proposed, UK Building Regulations for airtightness in domestic and commercial buildings when used as an internal seal.

Contact: ISO-Chemie GmbH, Wheldon House, Front Street, Ebchester, Co Durham DH8 0PJ Tel: +44 (0) 1207 566874 email: [email protected] Web: www.iso-chemie.co.uk

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ECOBUILD PREVIEW

ITW Industry Stand S722

ITW Industry specialises in products and services for the timber construction industry. Offering a complete package including software, components, fasteners and equipment, the group can bring unrivalled benefits to your business. ITW Industry’s stand at Ecobuild will showcase its comprehensive software suite. It is based on the Building Information Model (BIM) philosophy and enables architects, designers, engineers, estimators and production managers to collaborate data with compatible software – improving turnaround and reducing errors. The suite comprises VisionRez (architectural design), hsbEstimator (material estimation), hsbCAD (timber frame/SIP design & CNC), Alpine (truss and floor engineering) and hsbProduction Controller (manufacturing control). Alpine SpaceRoof will be premiered at EcoBuild. Based on the SpaceJoist floor system, SpaceRoof provides more room-in-the-roof space and faster construction. ITW Industry will exhibit various other products. Patented fastening systems for floor cassettes, decking, cladding, plasterboard and wood fibre insulation will be shown.

Contact: ITW Industry Threemilestone Industrial Estate, Truro, Cornwall TR4 9LD Tel: +44 (0) 1872 245450 email: [email protected]; web: www.itw-industry.com

Masonite Beams & Respatex Stand S961

Byggma Group companies Masonite Beams UK Ltd and Respatex International will showcase the TRADIS closed panel wall and roof system and the Respatex range of decorative wall panels. The use of Masonite engineered timber beams in the TRADIS system significantly reduces cold bridging through the rafters. This delivers excellent U-values with warm roof values as low as 0.09W/m2K achievable, easily surpassing the requirements to achieve level 6 of the Code for Sustainable Homes. The Warmcel 500 thermal insulation used as part of the TRADIS system has a thermal conductivity value of 0.040W/m2K. Using Warmcel 500 means a Better than Zero Carbon rating: it achieves -1.9 Global Warming Potential (kgCO2/m2). The unique Respatex wall panels range is ideal for cladding bathrooms, kitchens, showers and many other types of rooms. Respatex wallpanels have a class 2 surface spread of flame certificate tested to BS 476 Parts 6 & 7.

Contact: Masonite/Respatex Water Meadow House, Chesham, Buckinghamshire HP5 1LF Tel: 0845 6026574; email: [email protected] Web: www.masonitebeams.co.uk; www.respatex.co.uk

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Lathams

Stand S1249 James Latham is gearing up for Ecobuild 2011 with a host of third-party certified products on its stand. All of Lathams’ 10 UK sites are FSC, PEFC and BM TRADA certified, as well as having ISO 9001: 2001 accreditation. Supporting the creation of a sustainable construction industry remains paramount for the timber and wood-based panel products importer and distributor. Products on show at this year’s event include WoodEx, Lathams’ own brand of laminated hardwood and softwood; Accoya, a highly durable, and dimensionally stable certified softwood; Bausen, Lathams’ own brand of high quality solid and engineered hardwood flooring; plus Moralt high-specification engineered door blanks as well as FSC African hardwood. “Ecobuild 2011 will undoubtedly highlight the industry’s most important challenge for the 21st century – that of creating a sustainable built environment,” said Lathams’ director Chris Sutton. “This provides an extremely exciting opportunity, which we’re in a very strong position to capitalise on.”

Contact: Lathams Ltd, Marketing Department, Chartwell Drive, Wigston, Leicester LE18 2FN Tel: +44 (0) 116 257 3415; email: [email protected] Web: www.lathamtimber.co.uk

MiTek

Stand S1310 MiTek Industries, the number one system supplier to the timber engineering industry, will be showcasing its range of products aimed at easing the complex demands made on the modern building designer.

X-Rafter The exciting new roofing system that provides a flexible room-in-the-roof solution, capable of the thermal performance that will increasingly be required by Part L of the Building Regulations.

Posi-Stud The outstanding solution to improve the wall fabric of the building and meet the thermal requirements of the Code for Sustainable Homes providing good airtightness with U-values as low as 0.12W/m2K with a 300mm wide stud.

Posi-Joist With the largest number of licensed manufacturers, Posi-Joist is the obvious solution to the demands on building designers for increased MVHR, plumbing and electrical services.

Machinery Including the very latest in linear saw technology with full optimising software and automated jig setting for the MkI table press.

Contact: MiTek House, Grazebrook Industrial Park, Peartree Lane, Dudley DY2 0XW Tel: 01384 451400; email: [email protected]

www.timber-building.com

Steico

Stand S815 Steico shows Europe’s leading expertise in natural wood fibre insulation and construction solutions for the perfect year round energy saving indoor climate – and healthier buildings – at Ecobuild 2011. The range offers quality and performance using certified sustainable materials while reducing CO2 emissions and saving on energy consumption. They provide cosy warmth in winter and a cool retreat in summer for houses, commercial and industrial buildings. Insulations like Steicoflex and Steicotherm help meet new Part L and the Code for Sustainable Homes. They comply with all UK and EU legislation, as do engineered flooring and structural products such as Steicoweatherdek and Steicoultralam. All are ideal for newbuild, refurbishment, self-build and DIY projects.

Contact: Steico UK Ltd 4 Kinsbourne Court, Luton Road, Harpenden, Herts AL5 3BL Tel: +44 (0) 1582 768321 email: [email protected]; web: www.steico.co.uk

Timber & Sustainable Building / TTJ Timber Works café

Timber & Sustainable Building is the UK’s leading magazine focused exclusively on the rapidly evolving wood-based construction market. The target audience includes architects, designers and other specifiers, housebuilders, contractors, developers, structural engineers and timber frame specialists. Content includes case studies of the latest timber building developments in the UK and abroad, plus special features looking at product development and key issues such as sustainable timber sourcing. TRADA, one of the world’s leading timber research organisations, is technical consultant and the UK Timber Frame Association is another regular contributor. Timber & Sustainable Building is produced by TTJ (Timber Trades Journal), the definitive publication for the timber industry. Coverage ranges from forestry and primary production, through sawmilling and processing, to shipping, distribution and end user markets. It also covers technical issues, wood-processing machinery, treatments and finishes.

Contact: Mike Jeffree, Editor, T&SB/TTJ World Market Intelligence, Progressive House, 2 Maidstone Road, Sidcup, Kent DA14 5HZ Tel: +44 (0) 20 8269 7794 email: [email protected] Web: www.timber-building.com; www.ttjonline.com

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www.timber-building.com

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Combilift Ltd Co Monaghan Ireland Tel: +353 47 80500 Fax: +353 47 80501 UK Tel: 07815 314990 Email: [email protected]

www.combilift.com

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School and SHOWCASE TIMBER-BASED MODERN methods of construction (MMC) have put down pretty solid foundations in UK housing. But they still have to shake a significant swathe of developers, builders, contractors, specifiers and, indeed, consumers out of the conviction that brick and block is best. Another potential limiting factor on market penetration remains a shortage of appropriate site skills in the historically masonry-oriented British building trade. The Nu Build initiative at Stoke-on-Trent College aims to tackle both issues; comprising two state-of-the-art German closed panel, ultra-energy efficient timber frame houses, one a show house to demonstrate the quality and performance of a wood-based building, the other a bare bones educational tool for existing and budding construction workers to learn how to build them. Nu Build came out of Renew North Staffordshire’s 15-year, £2.3bn investment programme to “transform the local housing market”. The aim of the regeneration agency was not only to meet the region’s need for “lots of new housing”, but to help develop a construction industry model that could deliver homes which were

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The Nu Build project in Stoke-on-Trent provides a joint training aid for timber building and a tool for winning over building industry hearts and minds to modern methods of construction. Mike Jeffree reports both “attractive and affordable”. They also had to meet latest government energy standards and ultimately its target for all new houses to be carbon neutral by 2016. Equally important, the initiative aims to “create new jobs and new skills” for local workers. To take the project forward, Renew sat down with local construction businesses and, as the educational and skills provider for the whole initiative, the construction department at Stoke College. According to Ken Burgess, then head of the latter’s engineering and construction faculty, MMC were on the Nu Build agenda early on. “They pressed the right buttons for the whole project www.timber-building.com

MMC 86.2m2 houses for around £80,000 a piece, about £50,000 below market price. “They clearly saw the project as a potential showcase for their business in the UK,” said Burgess. The other partners in the venture were BRE, which advised on the non-Streif elements of the finished buildings and monitored energy performance, and building contractor Kier Partnership Homes, which undertook the foundations and other ground works and completed the houses after Streif’s engineers had put up the timber wall, floor and roof structure. “Kier hadn't done this kind of house before and saw it as a learning experience,” said Burgess. “It had the perception it was a more expensive approach and saw the project as an opportunity to find out if it could engineer out cost if it adapted it and built large volumes.” The prefabricated wall, floor and ceiling and roof panels were delivered to site, together with the Streif engineers, all the connector bolts and other fixings, in just three trucks. The biggest was a ground floor party wall at 10.16x2.7m.

and were also an area we wanted to get on our curriculum,” he said. “They were becoming increasingly relevant, particularly for hitting higher levels of the government's Code for Sustainable Homes (CSH).”

The 0.18W/m2K U-value outer walls comprised a main structure of 4x2in PEFC-certified softwood studwork and a sandwich from outside in including EPI, mineral wool and Saint-Gobain Metac UF glass fibre insulation, Rigidur H gypsum fibre board, and Tyvek Supro breather membrane. ❯

The initial concept was for Nu Build to comprise three buildings on the Stoke campus: one steel and one timber framed offsite manufactured house, plus a sitebuilt timber frame design. This was revised partly due to the West Midlands Centre for Constructing Excellence trimming back the project’s funding, but also thanks to a visit to German offsite build system manufacturers. “A group of us travelled out and were very impressed with the whole approach, the quality of the finished buildings and the sheer efficiency,” said Burgess. “I started out as an engineer in car manufacturing and the production line methods were home-from-home for me.”

Above: the prefabricated wall, floor, ceiling and roof panels, together with all the fixings and the Streif engineers, were delivered to site in three lorries and the shell was weather and airtight in four days Right: education is at the heart of the Nu Build project www.timber-building.com

The company that eventually won over the Nu Build ‘mission’ was the Essen-based 80-year-old offsite timber frame specialist Streif. “The quality of their operation and their houses was a key consideration, but one of the Nu Build objectives was longer term for the housing provider to set up a factory in the North Staffordshire region to employ local people and supply developments in the area and the wider UK market,” said Burgess. “Given the projected volumes of housing needed in the region, Streif expressed an interest in that possibility.” The eventual deal was for the German manufacturer to supply the core structure of two two-bedroom WINTER 2010/2011

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MMC ❮ Party walls comprised similar structure, plus Rockwool insulation, while internal partitions were based on an 80mm stud and included Metac UF. The floors included 160mm of rigid Celotex and the first floor construction comprised 22mm of Kunz chipboard on 240mm softwood beams. The external timber doors and argon-filled, low E glass windows came factory fitted in the wall panels, while internal doors were fitted after erection. Finally, the roofs included 240mm of mineral wool insulation between rafters, plus 60mm between battens to achieve a U-value of 0.17W/m2K. For a variety of reasons, the erection of the main structure by the German engineers took slightly longer than normal. “The key factor was the use of permanent scaffolding, in addition to the 80-tonne crane,” said Burgess. “The Streif engineers were bemused by this as it kept getting in the way. In Germany they would have just used the crane and temporary tower scaffold, but Kier insisted on scaffolding throughout to satisfy UK regulations.” Despite this, the Streif team still had a weather- and airtight shell up in just four days – and you can see it shooting up on a time-lapse film on the college website (www.stokecoll.ac.uk/osm). “It was really just a bolting together process,” said Burgess. “As an engineer, I was particularly impressed with the specialist tools and metal fixings Streif has developed for the job, and the precision. The base dimensions had to be accurate to 3mm.” Streif homes can be finished in any skin, including brick to suit UK tastes, but Nu Build opted for a very German mix of Alsecco polymer render and larch cladding – and the whole structure was finished in two weeks. The houses were equipped with Ventaxia MVHR units and Vaillant solar water heating systems and Ecotec Plus 612 condensing gas boilers for the underfloor central heating system, which runs under a screed on the ground and first floor. Depending on securing the sponsorship, Nu Build might also add some photovoltaic panels. Even without these, the combination of the Nu Build houses’ airtightness and inherent insulation performance, plus the renewables they already have, adds up to very energy-efficient finished structures. “We didn't actually go through the BREEAM auditing process, so we can't make any official claims," said Burgess. "But BRE told us that, technically, we'd achieved CSH Level 4.” The interior finish in the teaching home is minimal so

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that students and builders from local companies can see the mechanics and components of the structure. The showhouse, by contrast, is fully decorated, carpeted and furnished to a ready-to-move-in standard, but is also plastered with posters explaining how it was built and what’s going on beneath the skin. “This one is designed to give developers, specifiers and consumers an idea of what it would be like to live in,” said Burgess. “But they can also kick the tyres.” Largely thanks to the credit crunch and construction slump, some of Renew’s and Nu Build’s wider aims haven't come to pass. Other prospective MMC projects they hoped to be involved in at Stoke’s Waterside Development and in Crewe, with Nu Build acting as an education and information hub, are still on hold. Streif hasn't built a factory here yet either. But the Nu Build site itself is being put to good use as a training facility by students and builders. It is also busy hosting school visits and seminars for construction professionals and specifiers with such titles as Designing for the Future and Energy Efficiency through MMC.

The pair of two-bedroom houses were built for around £80,000 each – about £50,000 below market price Latest completed Streif projects in the UK include a primary school in Frant, East Sussex; student accommodation blocks for Seaford College in Petworth, West Sussex; and a block of 14 flats in Peacehaven, East Sussex. It is now working on another student block in Stokeon-Trent for the YMCA

“Not everything we intended for Nu Build has happened yet,” said Burgess. “But for me it’s still a success. We've got an excellent training facility and, equally important, a tool for winning over the hearts and minds to MMC of people who still think there's nowt like a traditional brick-built house!” ❚ www.timber-building.com

Kielder Observatory, Northumberland

St Anne’s Church, Belfast

Dricon® and Non-Com® Exterior form part of a unique choice of timber protection systems and services available from Arch to provide more time and safety in a fire situation. Dricon® remains the only BBA approved fire retardant treatment for interior timbers and Non-Com® Exterior has a proven track record for external timbers. Our treatment service and expertise can help you and your customers make the most of timber.

New fire retardant specification literature now available

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Dricon® and Non-Com® are registered trademarks of Arch Timber Protection.

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Reassurance as solid as our buildings themselves All our buildings are now accredited with the BM TRADA Q-Mark.

We all want the best for our clients, so we are proud to announce that we have recently been awarded the highly prestigious Q-Mark for our buildings by TRADA, the established timber industry experts. This means we are the only company within our industry whose buildings are formally accredited and MRHITIRHIRXP] ZIVM½IH XS FI SJ XLI highest quality.

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TRANS-TASMAN DESIGN AWARDS

Raising passions IT IS 95 YEARS since the Anzac spirit of colonial unity was forged on the bloody shores of the Dardanelles campaign of 1915-16. But at its antithesis, there is nothing quite like a bit of trans-Tasman rivalry to get the down under passions rising. At least that’s the hope of the respective promoters of the NZ Wood Awards and the Australian Timber Design Awards – both having to up their game to achieve serious consideration from architects and building designers. The problem is the incredible number of design competitions and the diminishing amount of sponsorship money available to prop them up. As with the Wood Awards in the UK, where there has been a recent and significant drop-off in international sponsorship, promoters in Australia and New Zealand are under pressure to deliver a better bang for sponsors’ bucks. So, on the stroke of Christmas, the Anzacs announced the winners of the inaugural Trans-Tasman Timber Design Awards. Organisers emphasise that the event is more about raising the profile of good timber design than what side of the Tasman the gongs go. But as any true-blue Aussie or Kiwi knows, winning is everything! And for the event’s first outing, it was a 2-1 result for the Australians. The timing, and the fact that entries were not required, almost guaranteed the awards would be a bit of a damp squib with architects – most of whom had probably long headed away for their annual summer holidays. But with better planning and promotion (we doubt any of the ‘winners’ were actually aware they were in the running), the contest may yet lift the region’s wood awards to a more desirable level. A faster track to success would be to offer the region’s architects money! Gratuitous publicity associated with a design award is handy – particularly if one is picked out for special recognition by a judge of real eminence (not something these awards are renowned for). But designers cannot live by wooden plaques alone. They need hard cash and overseas trips to get their juices flowing – just like the rest of us. For the record, there is no ‘best Australasian design’, and the 2010 competition had just three winners – decided by a panel from each country’s national

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Wood promotion organisations in Australia and New Zealand have turned to regional rivalry to boost interest in their timber design competitions. Tony Neilson, editor of timberDESIGN Australasia, reports timber awards comparing the merits of their major category winners. “Creating this structure was clearly a very challenging undertaking and from a timber design and construction point of view it is showing the way in what can be achieved in wood, in multi-storey and multi-dimensional timber construction,” said NZ Wood programme manager Geoff Henley. “The level of interest will help our respective organisations decide whether Trans-Tasman awards are a valuable addition to the portfolio of opportunities.” A timber-framed structure, “twisted, stepped and stretched” to the edge of the site in an Australian national park, by architect David Boyle, won the ‘residential’ section.

Above: the ‘woven’ gridshell structure of the Waitomo Caves Visitors’ Centre recalls a Maori eel trap PHOTO: NZ WOOD AWARDS

Right: the winner of the Trans-Tasman Timber Design Awards 2010 residential category was the timber-framed extension to the Burridge Read residence, projecting over its bush site like a rock shelf. The architect was David Boyle PHOTO: BRETT BOARDMAN

Best commercial design went to the Wolgan Valley Resort and Spa in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales, by Turner & Associates Architects and Taylor Thomson Whitting Consulting Engineers. The eye-catching Waitomo Caves Visitors’ Centre in New Zealand’s North Island, by a consortium including Dunning Thornton Engineers and Architecture Workshop, took the community design award. ❚ www.timber-building.com

down under

VIEWPOINT

Why build with

ANYTHING ELSE? HOUSEBUILDING FACES twin challenges from two very different directions: the government’s imperative to achieve zero carbon homes before the end of the decade; and the ability to respond to the economic recovery, when it arrives, and to dedicate capacity to deliver new homes.

Ron Easton, managing director of Stewart Milne Timber Systems, discusses why timber needs to move up the agenda

The recession has forced the industry to downsize significantly and to cut its cloth, its banking facilities and its aspirations for a rapid return to profitable growth accordingly. The dilemma will be how best to invest impoverished resources so the budgetary case for R&D to meet the new regulations will have to be argued against a myriad of other good causes for access to scarce funds. Given the timescales involved until the new regulations begin to impact, it’s clear that the winners will be those who are currently ahead of the game in innovation and developing new, sustainable products that cannot only be delivered to the mass market quickly, but which are both financially and aesthetically attractive to developers, housebuilders and consumers as well. Many of the early-stage development R&D programmes in progress, covering both materials and build systems, are aimed directly at meeting the forthcoming government targets. But with growing and significant demand for sustainable products already here, and only three years before the first deadline is upon us, the challenges in terms of infrastructure and product development are substantial. Anyone not working diligently towards meeting at least Level 4 of the Code for Sustainable Homes commercially is in danger of having missed the boat. At its peak, the housebuilding sector was producing around 240,000 homes per year, of which around 60,000 were built as social or affordable housing. The social and affordable sectors have fared better than others during the downturn, providing relatively consistent volume and a source of much-needed work for the industry. That is until recently and the introduction of the government’s austerity measures and subsequent spending cuts. The private sector has been reduced to a shadow of its former self and these factors now conspire to provide a backdrop of pent-up demand, the true dimensions of which are yet to be realised. Estimates vary, but there is a view that the UK housing stock is short to the tune of 200,000-250,000 homes per year, around 10% of this in Scotland alone. Therefore, it is clear that, not only is

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Ron Easton: the industry needs a “can do” attitude Timber frame provides high quality buildings as a result of being manufactured in a controlled factory environment there demand, but when it arrives it needs to be met quickly, to higher building standards, with improved control of costs and from a reduced pool of resources. Clearly the industry needs an absolute “can do” attitude. The key areas that these homes will address include minimising the energy requirement of the home by using a range of sustainable technologies that all have one thing in common – no need for user intervention. The majority of the environmental performance will be incorporated into the fabric of the buildings, an approach where timber frame is well placed to deliver. Among consumers there is not, as yet, a huge understanding of what sustainability means for housing but, importantly, these homes will also be judged on value for money. Price premiums justified by the cost of embodied technology must deliver an enhanced user experience and a fast return on investment for the consumer (within their tenure in the building) or risk being eroded by competition. This is significant as it will be the margin that the market is willing to support that will dictate the pace of growth or recovery for most operators in the sector. www.timber-building.com

Assuming a level playing field, as the next code supersedes its predecessor, it will be difficult to justify a premium over the previous generation in terms of market acceptance and we will have to engineer new products to ensure that the first version of the next code level costs no more on a like-for-like basis.

Stewart Milne’s Sigma II is already Code Level 4 compliant

Timber is the only truly sustainable building material, being one of the lowest embodied carbon raw materials around. Timber frame will meet the government regulations with ease and, indeed, is already doing so with Code Level 4 being met by Stewart Milne Timber Systems’ Sigma II product. Timber as a building material is proven – it’s been around for hundreds of years, is in common use and is low maintenance. In addition to its environmental credentials, it’s commercially economical, supports improved health and safety, offers design flexibility, provides high quality buildings as a result of being manufactured in a controlled factory environment and rapid build speed. The argument for choosing timber is becoming increasingly apparent but, despite the growing popularity of timber frame, it must be established in the psyche of the housebuilding industry. With the growing need to shorten the cash-to-cash cycle – and speed of build being a key enabler – the industry must be receptive to change. And let’s not forget the consumer. When recovery comes, house buyers and tenants will have more influence, and choice, and shorter lead times and fast delivery are key motivators. Timber frame comes into its own in providing these at the same time as meeting private sector sales models based on concluding off-plan, leaving around 12 weeks to deliver. Closed panel, “fabric first” build systems are well on the way to meeting the need for energy efficiencies, and the ability to tailor production to market demand provides cost-effective flexibility. So for any architects sharpening their pencils to design a modern housing development, any developers looking for assured solutions for contented customers, and any consumers looking for energy-efficient homes that are easy to change, timber frame really does fit the bill. ❚

Build speed is a big point in timber frame’s favour www.timber-building.com

URBAN REFORESTATION

Back to a sustainable

CITY FUTURE JOHN EVELYN, 1620-1706, was a founder member of the Royal Society, a gardener, and like contemporary Samuel Pepys, a prolific diarist. He also wrote many treatises confronting Britain’s lack of natural resources, problems of pollution and the environment. He lived in a time of great excitement. It was a period of expanding mercantile capitalism, but it also invoked an unparalleled awareness and appreciation of environmental problems. War had put incredible pressure on resources, and pollution had become a concern for citydwellers now living beneath a thick cloud of smoke. Evelyn confronted the need for the reversal of environmental decline and proposed various means of conservation. In Sylva (1662), he suggests planting trees throughout the country, to restore England’s depleted forests and woodlands. He described the “prodigious havoc” that had been generated by the thoughtless tendency to “extirpate, demolish, and raze… all those many goodly woods and forests, which our more prudent ancestors left standing”. He describes various species of trees for planting, methods of collecting, growing, caring and cultivation, and their uses. Another key motivation for planting, which persisted until the 20th century, was to create a strategic reserve of timber for wartime. In recent times this has been less of an issue! Sylva consequently slipped into obscurity. However, while studying at the Bartlett School of Architecture I began to ask if the time was right to re-situate some of Evelyn’s ideas within contemporary debates on architecture, sustainability and our cities.

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Architect Tom Noonan proposes reforestation and the reinvention of timber construction to create a sustainable future for London

Wood remains the most sustainable and environmentally-friendly building material. However, the opposition to harvesting remaining natural forest grows stronger and the sourcing of sustainable construction materials has become an increasing concern in the UK. A possible solution, if we are serious in our concerns about climate change and the environment, is to promote and encourage growth of plantations from which our future supply of timber can be harvested. My proposal explores the argument for the reforesta-

A timber workshop ALL ILLUSTRATIONS BY TOM NOONAN

The Institute of Arboreal Science and Technology would be based at Convoys Wharf, Deptford

www.timber-building.com

roundings is predictable and sterile. The 20th century saw the expansive use of such materials and their production is draining the earth of its natural resources. Aside from arguments of sustainability, the ‘experience of making’ is also lost in such architecture, and the connection between it and the user is weakened. The public timber landscape I propose would also be a place to explore the potential of woodcraft and production through educational programmes and workshops. Wood’s close relationship with architecture goes back for as long the latter has existed and an ability to identify and empathise with it makes it different from any other building material.

The institute bank of the Thames

tion of land around the Thames Estuary, as a response to 4,000 years of deforestation, climate change, and the need for sustainable building materials and renewable sources of energy. It adopts Evelyn’s model of reforestation as the starting point of an integrated approach to design, beginning with the security of a local renewable resource. My Reforestation of the Thames Estuary project proposes a reconsideration of the nation’s timber and forestry concerns and objectives, suggesting a programme which primarily provides a supply of wood for the construction industry in a future where it has become a valuable and prominent building material. But the project could also result in a valuable source of fuel. It is time for London to become its own selfsufficient construction and energy resource.

Reforesting the Thames Estuary would provide a renewable resource for construction and fuel

This initiative would also include the creation of the Institute of Arboreal Science and Technology (IAST) as the hub of the capital’s plantation and timber industries. It would sit on Convoys Wharf in Deptford, once the site of the Royal Deptford Dockyard and Evelyn’s residence. The IAST would incorporate a central processing facility and would also be a dock, receiving and distributing wood and wood products throughout the city, making the Thames once again London’s lifeline. It would also promote and advertise the use of timber as a key element in the future of the capital’s architecture. Sitting opposite today’s Docklands developments, the timber landscape of the IAST would counter the vertical concrete, glass and prefabricated high-rises. Designed for speed and efficiency, the architecture of the sur-

www.timber-building.com

Along with such symbolic, empathetic qualities, the practical and sustainable advantages of using timber are manifold, but its use as a contemporary building material in Britain remains relatively minimal. We have a responsibility to use it in building, and to further our relationship with it through innovation in architecture, forestry and technology. Other European countries provide a model and inspiration. Here new and daring timber constructions have set the tone for a revival in the use of wood in construction. University and research facilities have been established to develop and advance the integrity of timber construction and numerous examples of recent architecture illustrate a promising future for the material. Now, with renewed interest in timber technology and construction in the UK, it is hoped old skills and crafts will resurface and adapt to contemporary society, while at the same time these new European skills and crafts are explored and encouraged. Encouragingly, architects of my generation are once again beginning to understand the potential of timber and focusing their energy on its future development and innovation. I hope that this growing interest and knowledge will enable and encourage us increasingly to explore the material through our future architectures. Whether or not my proposal is realised, my aim is also to help advance the conversation concerning the need for a deeper awareness and understanding of timber, and its possibilities in forming cities. I have only touched the surface of the material’s potential. ❚

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CLADDING

SKIN DEEP

Architects are increasingly turning to timber cladding because of its aesthetic appeal and durability. David Castle reports BOAT HOUSES, SCHOOLS, RESIDENTIAL HOUSING, hotels and even a spa; the list of buildings sporting all manner of timber cladding is endless. That the material has permeated the consciousness of both specifiers and end consumers is hardly surprising – in situ, timber cladding gives an ordinary building a different dimension, while as a functional exterior, it can be extremely low maintenance (given the right product and/or coating) and therefore, across its life cycle, very cost-effective. While the economic downturn has had a significant effect on the building sector as a whole, timber cladding continues to outpunch its weight. Manufacturers and suppliers both agree that the market for timber cladding is still strong – and still developing. “There is more and more choice in the cladding market, which is a fantastic situation,” said Andy Hodge, marketing director for treatment manufacturer Osmose Europe. “The market might not be as robust as it could be – given the downturn in the whole building market – but some of the things we’re doing in the sector are still showing growth. There’s real potential for the cladding market.” The growth in exterior applications for timber cladding has been bolstered by architects’ and specifiers’ willingness to push the boundaries with the material.

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Above: painted finishes are increasingly popular PHOTO: ACCSYS TECHNOLOGIES

Right: modified wood offers added durability PHOTO: KEBONY

“Architects are starting to stretch what they do with timber cladding,” said John Alexander, head of product development, Accsys Technologies, which owns the Accoya brand. “A few years ago it would have been regular tongue and groove; now people are becoming more diverse in how they use timber on buildings. It could be louvres, wide cladding, panelised cladding on the first or fifth storey of a building.” And, of course, timber cladding scores highly on environmental credentials. “In newbuild it’s being used as a method to increase the timber content in order to increase the environmental viability of schemes, as well as helping to reduce costs,” said Phil Nash, cladding specification manager for Finnforest. International Timber managing director Tony Miles agreed. “Certified timber in newbuild can contribute to points for the Code for Sustainable Homes,” he said. As an example, International is supplying cladding for Hanham Hall in Bristol, the first large-scale housing development to achieve Code level 6. Its environmental value also makes it ideal for retrofit. “Here,” said Nash, “it’s used to achieve a high end, architectural finish, helping to improve the appearance and thereby add value to the project.” It is this appearance factor that is key to the growth of timber cladding. It gives a building an aesthetic difficult to achieve in any other material. But, interestingly, what people are looking for in terms of finish is changing. ❯ www.timber-building.com

BEAUTIES

CLADDING ❮ In early installations, timber cladding was led by architects and specifiers towards natural-looking products which weathered naturally. Over time, that concept has shown to be not that successful with the consumer. “A product that weathers naturally is fine in an environmentally-friendly area like a rainforest, but in an urban setting you get a lot of dirt from pollution and you end up with something that looks tatty,” said Hodge. “We’ve seen a trend towards cladding products that are finished and will perform well in an exterior situation and will provide aesthetics as well as durability.” Janet Sycamore, marketing manager Arch Timber Protection, agreed. “It’s vital to ensure that good quality standards are maintained if the growth in the market is to be sustained. Our products are designed to add confidence, in respect to enhancing durability and visual appeal. By protecting and enhancing the properties of wood, we are helping to protect markets. “There is a clear requirement to improve cladding’s

longer-term aesthetic properties which is where TANALISED Clear treatment fits in – it’s a useful product for many of the species being used for cladding.” It’s a trend that Miles has also identified. “There’s a move away from natural finishes; painted or stained finishes appear to be more popular,” he said, adding that the colours in painted finishes offered greater design flexibility than brickwork. Cedar remains the number one preference for architects and designers, although larch continues to grow in popularity. Meanwhile, modified wood products like Accoya, Thermowood and Kebony are all being specified (although in smaller volumes) where performance and durability are key requirements. “The main reason that people are considering Kebony is because of its performance,” said Adrian

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Pye, business development manager, Kebony. “It’s a high-performing material with the appearance of a tropical hardwood, the durability and dimensional ability – but it’s the performance that people are interested in.” In a lot of projects where Kebony has been specified, he said, architects are looking for a material that has that tropical hardwood feel and environmental credentials. “It’s still very early days for Kebony in the UK,” added Pye. “But there certainly seems to be a lot more interest now in Kebony and modified wood. Architects are receiving it very well, borne out of a push to have an environmentally-friendly product.” Meanwhile, Accoya continues to be used in a mixture of commercial and residential buildings. “The first Accoya cladding project we did was in July 2006 and that was an architect’s home – and it still looks fantastic,” said Alexander. He recommends that the product is finished as it’s a very light-coloured.

Fortunately, the trend for coated products is increasing, mainly in neutral opaque finishes (light to dark brown). However, there is still a need for untreated, high-performance cladding. “People do like the look of timber and they’re not always sold on the heavily coated products as they like wood to look natural,” said Andy Hodge. “This is why we’ve been successful with the oil effects on Royale because it gives a matt finish and it allows the wood to show through.”

From left: Thermowood; Arch Timber Protection’s modified Keywood; Osmose-treated cladding

Meanwhile, he said, another thing that is impacting on the market is the relatively large increase in specifiers and architects looking for cladding boards that are fire treated. This trend looks like it is going to continue. “We’ve seen an increase from 10% of enquiries to 30% asking for cladding to have some sort of fire retardance,” said Hodge. “There will be new opportunities and products coming through in 2011 that will suit that market.” ❚ www.timber-building.com

INSULATION

Heat-loss heating Dynamic insulation turns a building’s heat loss against itself to provide significant energy saving. Mike Jeffree reports DYNAMIC INSULATION and dynamic tension have something in common. The latter, of course, was the body-building method devised by pioneer fitness guru Charles Atlas. It used self-resistance exercises, tensing muscle against muscle, and no need for costly body-building kit, to turn seven-and-a-half stone weaklings who got sand kicked in their faces into hunks who kicked back. Similarly, dynamic insulation uses the fabric of the building, with no need for costly additional heating or ventilation kit, to boost its insulation and energy performance. The system, developed and being licensed by Energyflo Construction Technologies (as well as attracting “significant private investment” from a range of sources, including Sigma Investments and Scottish Enterprise), evolved from pioneering research at Aberdeen University. In the words of Energyflo product development director and one of the Aberdeen research team Dr Andrew Peacock, dynamic insulation effectively stands what is commonly accepted as thermal insulation on its head. “Most people in construction see insulation as the prevention of heat loss from a building by the installation of a layer of low-conductivity material containing myriad air spaces that heat energy doesn’t travel through easily,” he said. “But all this does is slow heat loss as it’s constantly seeping through the fabric of even the most heavily-insulated building.” The received wisdom to deal with this inevitability, he added, is to increase the thickness of the insulating layer, but you then get into the law of diminishing returns as wall and roof thicknesses increase, floor area shrinks and costs rise. But dynamic insulation introduces an alternative, and in Energyflo’s view, revolutionary new option. Instead of simply trying to hold back the escaping tide of heat energy, it effectively intercepts it and pumps it back into the building through the insulation. Most insulation systems, said Peacock, comprise various thicknesses of layers of material, which is uniform density all the way through. “This is true of mineral wool, expanded polystyrene (EPS) beads and batts, sheep’s wool – in fact all traditional systems.” By contrast, he said, dynamic insulation, which can be made using a variety of insulation products and build

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systems, from timber frame to masonry, has precisely placed and calibrated voids running through it, leading to grilles or air bricks in the exterior wall. “Cold air is drawn into the building via the insulation by the ventilation system, whether that’s mechanical or passive,” said Peacock. “Traditional ventilation systems draw cold air directly in and it must then be heated to prevent the interior temperature falling, which requires energy. Dynamic insulation warms incoming air, thus reducing the need for added energy consumption.” Energyflo says this approach does not affect the insulation’s efficiency, but can raise the temperature of incoming air by as much as 8ºC. “The research demonstrated a 25% increase in energy efficiency over traditional insulation methods,” said Peacock. Dynamic insulation also means builders can build houses with thinner walls, as less insulation is needed to achieve the same energy performance. “We estimate that you could achieve an average extra 2-3% of floor space per house,” said Energyflo business development manager Andrew Dunn. “That could translate into one extra dwelling per development for every 50 built.”

Andrew Dunn: “Dynamic insulation warms incoming air, thus reducing the need for added energy consumption” Top and opposite page: Energyflo panels were used in the roof and walls of this Orkney Housing Association development by Andrew H Wilson

The system has first come to market in Scotland in conjunction with timber frame and Energyflo has already licensed several companies to incorporate its insulation into their products and buildings. It sees its licensee base as a mix of insulation manufacturers, installers, contractors and building system suppliers. One of its first “strategic marketing and supply chain partnerships” is with EPS specialist Jablite. With its board, incoming air passes through prefabricated www.timber-building.com

added, is that it severs the link between ventilation rate and energy consumption. As the air flow rate through the insulation increases, more waste heat is picked up. “This also means healthier indoor air quality can be delivered to the dwelling without the energy penalty,” he said.

channels. Using other insulation types, said Dunn, the voids for drawing the air through the insulation are designed in different ways in the insulation and structure. “The system is adapted by us to each licensee and individual form of construction,” he said. Energyflo has produced design guidance for using dynamic insulation with a range of ventilation systems, including positive input (PIV), mechanical extract (MEV), and balanced whole house mechanical ventilation. Passive stack ventilation is “an option for the future”.

Thermal images of two houses on the Lomond Homes development. The house at the top incorporates Energyflo insulation and shows much lower heat loss than the other, which uses standard insulation Top: dynamic insulation used with Jablite EPS has calibrated voids running through it, leading to grilles or air bricks in the exterior wall

To demonstrate the effectiveness of the system, Energyflo undertook a case study with Lomond Homes on a Kingdom Housing Association development. This involved two identical open timber frame houses using MEV. One was fitted with conventional insulation, the other with Energyflo EPS dynamic insulation panels. Whole house monitoring showed that the latter’s space heating consumption was 38% lower thanks to the dynamic insulation effect. That equated to a composite wall U-value of 0.10W/m2K and a 34% reduction in CO2 emissions. The project also highlighted the impact dynamic insulation has on wall thickness; the Lomond Homes delivered a 0.10W/m2K U-value using a slimline 145mm stud, giving a total wall thickness of less than 350mm. “In timber frame we’ve so far worked with panels incorporating full-fill insulation 145mm stud, 145mm stud with a 25mm void and 89mm stud,” said Dunn. “The performance is influenced to some extent by the thermal resistance properties of the insulation used, but all are turbocharged by the dynamic insulation system.” A key feature of the dynamic insulation approach, he

www.timber-building.com

In a development by Andrew H Wilson for the Orkney Housing Association, Energyflo panels were used in the walls and roofs of closed panel timber frame, with depressurisation provided by exhaust air heat pumps. To monitor its performance, the dynamic insulation was effectively turned on and off. This demonstrated a reduction in the “fabric power requirement” from 55.1 to 39.3WK-1 and a composite U-value for all “opaque building elements” of 0.13W/m2K. In another project, funded by the Carbon Trust, Energyflo panels were used in the roof of a house built by Cala Homes. The 12-month trial demonstrated a 16% reduction in space-heating energy requirement, with ventilation temperatures on sunny days reaching 17ºC when air temperatures were under 5ºC. Adding to the appeal of the system is that it only needs to be used in a proportion of a building’s wall or roof area. “Depending on the structure and location of the dwelling, active building fabric areas comprise 30-70% of the total,” said Dunn. “The rest can use standard insulation.” In allowing builders to meet exacting new thermal legislation using thin wall constructions, the Energyflo system, says the company, is at worst cost neutral. In most instances the claim is that it cuts build costs. The system has been given an A+ rating in the BRE Green Guide for domestic and commercial applications. For the former it’s been added to the BRE’s SAP appendix Qwebsite, and for the latter it’s included in Integrated Environmental Systems building analysis software. Energyflo dynamic insulation is also being evaluated for use as part of AIMC4. This project involves Stewart Milne Group, Crest Nicholson, and Barratt Developments to “research, develop and pioneer volume production of low carbon homes” using a ‘fabric first’ approach. “The goal of AIMC4 is to achieve Code for Sustainable Homes Level 4 performance at Level 3 prices using fabric-only methods,” said Dunn. “Dynamic insulation ties in with that very well.” ❚ WINTER 2010/2011

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INSULATION

The natural touch

SUSTAINABLE INSULATION products, once the preserve of the self-builder or the odd eco project, are now becoming mainstream.

If you were a visitor at last year’s Ecobuild and were in the market for green insulation you could not miss the wide range of products on display. Woodfibre seemed to be everywhere, while sheep’s wool, recycled newspaper and hemp were also on show.

Sustainable natural insulation is now mainstream, and it not only ticks the eco box but also boasts good

performance characteristics. Stephen Powney looks at a few products and their use

The former, still a relative newcomer in the UK market, is gaining momentum now, with European producers actively targeting these shores. Pavatex, Steico, Actis, Gutex and Homatherm are some of the main producers. Woodfibre insulation is produced from pressing together recycled wood fibres into a board product of varying densities, according to the application. Flexible batts generally go between studs and rafters, while rigid boards can be used over rafters as sarking, on the exterior of timber frames ready for direct rendering or the attachment of battens and cladding, as well as in floor constructions. They are also used in renovations to improve insulation in masonry properties. Rigid boards have traditionally been made with a wet manufacturing process but advocates of newer “dry” process boards claim the products can be made with the same attributes but with a reduction in weight, improved thermal conductivity, single ply rather than laminated layers and a more homogenous surface. Woodfibre rigid boards are available in thicknesses from about 22-240mm, while thermal conductivity ranges from 0.038W/m2K-0.049W/m2K and densities 140kg/m3 up to 240kg/m3. The products are water vapour open – so will help a building breathe – and also offer good insulation performance against the cold and thermal mass to protect from heat in the summer. Most products are made with tongue and groove profiles and some are treated with a water-repellent for roof sarking/exterior wall applications. Steico, one of the leading producers of woodfibre insulation, is the first woodfibre insulation manufacturer to produce all three types – flexible boards, dry process boards and wet process boards. At the German construction show BAU in January it unveiled Steicospecial “dry”, a 120mm roof sarking or wall sheathing insulation board with 50% less weight

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than its wet-process predecessor. It also unveiled a dry version of its Steicoprotect direct render board.

Thermafleece sheep’s wool insulation

In addition Steico is promoting use of flexible woodfibre in conjunction with cross-laminated timber walls – where up to 300mm deep Steicoflex can be applied between Steico I-beams fixed to the exterior of the solid wood wall. This, it says, can assist in easily meeting the PassivHaus standard. Pavatex woodfibre insulation products, supplied by Natural Building Technologies (NBT), are being used in the largest PassivHaus development in the UK, Perryfields in Dorset featuring 66 homes by Lomand Homes. These timber frame homes feature a reverse wall construction where the NBT Pavatex Diffutherm boards are fixed to the frame exterior and directly rendered with a lime finish, as well as Pavatex Pavatherm Plus boards with Pavaflex woodfibre batt insulation between the studs. Pavatherm Plus has also been specified for the roof of the homes, with Pavaflex being installed between the rafters to maximise loft insulation. NBT sales director Andy Mitchell said the dramatic growth in woodfibre use in Europe was primarily due to increasing awareness of the systems’ capacity to deliver an ‘all-round’ solution to the challenge of delivering low energy buildings. www.timber-building.com

Right: Pavatex Diffutherm direct render woodfibre insulation Far right: Warmcel is proving popular with timber frame manufacturers “Architects, engineers and designers are realising that there is an all too common gap between design performance and actual performance, due to unnecessarily complex designs,” said Mitchell. “The simplicity of woodfibre insulation systems ensures that the actual thermal performance of the final build is as originally designed.”

voids and between rafters and boasts a thermal conductivity of 0.040W/m2K.

NBT’s woodfibre systems are being combined with another natural product – Thermafleece sheepswool in another NBT project, a new oak frame centre for environmental and ecological education in Sheffield designed by Burnell Briercliffe Architects.

Bosanko said clients and specifiers’ increasing focus on air tightness was leading them to look more closely at Warmcel because of its “blown” application method. “Because of that we have got extremely good air tightness,” he added.

Thermafleece Original contains 85% British wool and 15% polyester binder and is supplied in 1200mm-long slabs. It has a thermal conductivity of 0.038W/m2K and a density of 22.5kg/m3, while the PB20 roll version has similar characteristics.

Bosanko said due to Warmcel being a loose fill material it could overcome design restrictions, adding flexibility and properly insulating non-standard size stud walls – 144.5mm depths for instance.

One of the advantages of sheep’s wool insulation is its ability to absorb nearly 40% of its own weight in moisture due to its high fibre saturation point. The insulation’s binding effect on moisture means the performance does not vary significantly as humidity levels in the building change, which Thermafleece says can contribute to a healthier indoor living climate. Thermafleece says 36 million sheep in the UK produce around 70 million kg of wool, locking up nearly 140 million kg of CO2 – 35,000 cars-worth – from the atmosphere. Meanwhile, another product continuing to grow is Warmcel cellulose insulation made from 100% recycled newspaper by Wales-based Excel Industries. It has been around for 30 years and is installed in more than one million UK buildings. “Despite the market conditions in the UK, we are getting double digit growth, particularly in new build timber frame,” said Nigel Bosanko, sales and marketing manager of Excel Industries’ insulation products division. Warmcel 500 insulation is blown into timber frame wall www.timber-building.com

Excel is particularly proud that Warmcel has a BREEAM global warming rating potential of minus 1.9 – better than carbon zero.

“We still feel sometimes that developers think if it’s sustainable then it must be more expensive. But does not cost the earth,” said Bosanko, adding that pricewise, Warmcel was comparable to Rockwool and slightly more than glass wool. He said a Warmcel-insulated timber frame house with a 140mm stud could meet Code Level 3 of the Code for Sustainable Homes without any bolt-on renewables. A 200mm stud would meet Code Level 4 while an I-beam 300mm stud would be in the Code Level 5-6 zone. In terms of fire performance, it has added inorganic salts to resist fire and is accredited by the Loss Prevention Certification Board and in its “Red Book” of approved fire products. Hybrid natural insulation in the form of Isonat hemp fibre/recycled cotton is also getting a look in. It has a thermal conductivity of 0.039W/m2K and is treated with ammonium salt to achieve fire resistance. Isonat+, made from 55% woodfibre, 30% hemp and 15% polyester, provides a higher density. Both versions are available in batts to standard sizes. ❚ WINTER 2010/2011

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Progress is also knowing how to be inspired by nature.

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TIMBER EXPO

Timber Expo to inform and inspire The UK timber industry is getting behind its brand new show. Mike Jeffree reports “IF THE TIMBER industry can act together, it can achieve big things”. That was the opening salvo from TRADA marketing manager Rupert Scott as he urged timber businesses to back the new Timber Expo show at its launch presentation last October. The event, which attracted around 200 prospective exhibitors, took place at Coventry’s Ricoh Arena where the first Timber Expo will be held on September 27-28.

Andrew Abbott: Timber Expo will be a “forum for easy knowledge transfer”

Loretta Sales said the Ricoh Arena (top right) was selected as Timber Expo’s venue for its modern facilities and central location

Timber Expo is backed by TRADA Technology and already has an array of sponsors, including International Timber/Pasquill, the American Hardwood Export Council, B&K Structures, Grainger Sawmills, Swift Training School, Timbmet, Coillte, Gang-Nail, Norbord, and James Latham. Timber & Sustainable Building and timber sector sister title TTJ are media partners. In total, 60 exhibitors are booked so far, with a further 10% of space reserved awaiting confirmation. The target is to have at least 100 stands.

Visitors, he added, would be offered tours of the show tailored to their requirements, so they could see the cutting-edge products most relevant to their business. An added visitor attraction will be TRADA’s annual In Touch with Timber Conference, which is being relocated to the Ricoh from its established London venue. “The conference will be an integral component,” said Scott, adding that TRADA aims to have some big name architects and engineers among the speakers.

“We see Timber Expo presenting a vision for timber in construction – and without a vision businesses perish,” Scott said. “But we need the industry to be engaged. It will only succeed if it’s a show for the industry, with the industry.”

The presentations for the Wood Awards, the annual competition for timber in architecture, interiors and furniture making, will also switch from London to Timber Expo. In addition, the show will include a seminar programme organised under the established Timber Talks series and a “Timber Buyers’ Forum to facilitate B2B transactional meetings”.

TRADA chief executive Andrew Abbott said the event was needed to provide face-to-face contact between the timber supply chain and customers across the building sector. “The aim is to provide a forum for easy knowledge transfer and persuade construction to use timber more by showing the best our industry can offer.”

According to event director Loretta Sales, the Ricoh Arena was selected as show venue due to its “modern facilities, central location and easy access by road and rail”. The exhibition has reserved 4,000m2 of the Jaguar Hall, with the option to stretch to 6,000m2.

Timber Expo is aiming for 5,000 visitors from across the timber-using and specifying sectors and to hit that target, it will need to be more than a show “where people walk up and down corridors putting product leaflets in a carrier bag”, said Scott. “We must have an event with breadth and depth that both informs and inspires,” he said. “We need it to be a showcase for innovative products, from flooring, cladding and decking, to timber frame, SIPs, glulam, www.timber-building.com

LVL, cross-laminated and timber protection products.”

With nine months to go, Sales is confident Timber Expo will be a success and said it had already opened online visitor registration “to make sure our visitor profile and numbers continue to develop at a pace”. Timber Expo is also forming an exhibitor steering group as, said Abbott, “the best industry events develop by working in conjunction with those who get the most out of them”. For more information: www.timber-expo.co.uk. ❚ WINTER 2010/2011

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ENERGY RATING SYSTEMS

Rating the rating systems AROUND THE WORLD, rating systems have been successful in communicating the elements of green building design to consumers, in concentrating designers’ efforts to move the green agenda forward and in stimulating innovation within technology and product companies. Programmes such as LEED in the US, Canada’s Built Green and the UK’s BREEAM are easy to understand and offer brand value, which has resulted in rapid uptake and adoption by regulators as a means to deliver on green building policy initiatives.

Helen Goodland, executive director of Light House sustainable building centre in Vancouver, Canada, explains how wood products stack up in green building energy rating systems

Given the fact that wood from replenished sources is renewable, is recyclable, can offset climate change and, strength for strength, uses far less energy to produce than concrete or steel, one might think of it as a major credit earner in green building rating systems. However, there are gaps in some of the most commonly used rating systems and how they relate to wood. According to a 2010 study by Light House, a sustainable building market catalyst based in Canada, many rating systems are falling short of delivering low carbon buildings, particularly in terms of the embodied carbon of the building materials employed.

techniques (for example, advanced framing); waste minimisation; life cycle impacts; and indoor air quality.

Of concern to the forestry industry, most rating systems currently undervalue (even, in some cases, ignore) the life cycle benefits of low carbon materials such as wood.

The study concluded that, on average, only 20% of credits in US-based rating systems relate to wood. In UK systems, less than 10% of credits were applicable.

The Light House study analysed 11 green building rating systems, which comprised a total of 18 separate applications. To be included in the study, rating systems needed to be holistic in scope and administered independently.

Light House used each rating system to compare two hypothetical building projects – one that maximised wood use, the other with low-intensity wood use – to assess how wood earns points compared to non-wood building products such as concrete, steel and plastic.

Overall, rating systems are more similar than they are different. To a greater or lesser degree, wood is recognised as follows: certified wood; local sourcing of materials; recycled/reused/salvaged materials; building

While rating systems for homes generally favour wood, in non-residential systems it is slightly easier to gain points by using other building materials, such as concrete and carpet. The study also examined the prevalence of life cycle assessment (LCA) among rating systems. LCA is an objective methodology for comparing materials or even entire structures over the course of their service life. Findings show that the life cycle impacts of materials are not widely considered: only six of the 18 rating systems surveyed quantitatively and holistically recognise LCA and, of those, there is little follow-through from the calculation to the building project itself. Around the world, work is under way to develop robust LCA data and, so far, studies overwhelmingly confirm that wood buildings produce less air and water pollution, require less energy across their life cycle, and generate fewer CO2 emissions than alternative materials.

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The 2ha roof of the Richmond Oval was built out of salvaged lumber from the mountain pine beetle (MPB) infestation; however, MPB wood is not yet explicitly recognised by green building rating systems

The LEED Platinum showcase venue on Vancouver’s waterfront is a high-profile ambassador for innovative Canadian wood products and expertise www.timber-building.com

Research by the US-based Consortium for Research on Renewable Industrial Materials (www.corrim.com) found wood to outperform alternative materials in studies using LCA to compare homes framed with wood and steel in Minneapolis and homes framed with wood and concrete in Atlanta. Research indicates that homes framed in steel and concrete required 16% and 17% more energy respectively (from extraction through to maintenance) than the timber frame homes. The global warming footprint of the steel frame house was also 26% higher and the concrete house 31% higher than the timber frame homes. The advent of international Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) is facilitating the adoption of LCA. EPDs disclose a product’s environmental impacts in such a way that the consumer can make side-by-side comparisons, much like a nutrition label on food products. While the preparation of EPDs requires investment by manufacturers, EPDs can position wood products ahead of the competition, while educating specifiers about the environmental benefits of wood. While EPDs will become part of design parlance in the near future, suppliers need to provide information to designers today about how to achieve specific credits for wood-based products. Environmental Information Sheets (EIS), easy-to-use design guides, structural sizing charts, code interpretations, and credit applica-

tion “cheat-sheets” can all help building professionals negotiate their way through the tangle of rating systems and earn credits for the use of wood in residential and non-residential applications. For their part, designers need to work with clients to quantify sustainability goals and to set building performance targets. Clients need to be educated about the value of wood irrespective of the rating system to be employed. The full potential of wood as a genuine green building material with the capability to get to carbon neutrality may well be under-recognised by the rating systems. Moreover, current pricing structures do not include the true external costs of products in terms of transport, raw materials, and the like, and the industry is also constrained by liability issues and risks inherent in innovation. Adoption of wood as a low-carbon building product must therefore, for the short term at least, be driven by the design community. This can best be accomplished with rating-system targeted support from wood product manufacturers. ❚ Light House provides professional services to businesses and governments to implement sustainable building solutions; for details visit www.sustainablebuildingcentre.com. For more information on green building, or a copy of the Light House report visit www.naturallywood.com. ●

System definitions LEED: The US green building certification programme that provides third-party verification that a building or community was designed and built using strategies that improve performance in: energy savings; water efficiency; CO2 emissions reduction; stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts; and indoor environmental quality. LEED rating systems are tailored to various market segments. LEED is increasingly in use in other countries such as Canada, China, India and Mexico. Green Globes: In the US, Green Globes is owned and operated by the Green Building Initiative, an American National Standards Institute (ANSI) accredited developer of standards. Canada’s federal government uses the Green Globes suite of tools and it has been the basis for the Building Owners’ and Manufacturers’ Association of Canada’s (BOMA) “Go Green Plus” programme. Green Star: Australia’s green standard launched by the Green Building Council of Australia. There are similar programmes in New Zealand and South Africa.

www.timber-building.com

Living Building Challenge: This programme of the Cascadia Green Building Council is mainly active in the US and Canada. It is intended “to define the highest measure of sustainability attainable in the built environment based on the best current thinking – recognising that ‘true sustainability’ is not yet possible”. No project has yet to incorporate all facets of the programme. CASBEE (The Comprehensive Assessment System for Building): Japan’s green standard uses building environmental efficiency (BEE) as a basis for assessment by dividing the building environmental quality and performance by the building environmental loads. NAHB Model Green Home Guidelines: These guidelines are part of the National Association of Home Builders’ National Green Building Program. They are the basis for the Green Scoring Tool, and can also function as the foundation for local organisations’ green building programmes. The SB Tool: This software implementation of the Green Building Challenge assessment method has been under

development since 1996. Initially launched by Natural Resources Canada, the process is now the responsibility of the International Initiative for a Sustainable Built Environment. BREEAM: The UK-based BRE’s Environmental Assessment Method for offices, multi-family residential and ecoHomes offers credits in 10 categories, according to performance, which are then added together to produce a single overall score on a scale of Pass, Good, Very Good, Excellent and Outstanding. Built Green: Owned and managed by the Built Green Society of Canada, this system is open to members of participating Home Builders’ Associations and offers certification for new single-family homes and terraced homes and a pilot in multi-story residential. There is also Built Green Washington, a non-profit co-operative that represents local Built Green programmes throughout Washington state, and Built Green Colorado, the voluntary industry-driven programme of the Home Builders’ Association of Metro, Denver.

WINTER 2010/2011

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TECHNICAL – FIRE SAFETY

HSE sets new standards

FOR FIRE SAFETY TRADA membership & marketing manager Rupert Scott reviews the new guidance from the Health & Safety Executive on fire safety on site and the implications for timber frame construction ALTHOUGH THE construction industry’s performance has improved over the past decade, the rates of death, serious injury and ill health for construction site workers are still too high, with thousands of fires occurring on construction sites every year. As a result, members of the public can also be killed or injured and property adjacent to construction sites put at risk. A spate of large fires affecting sites involving timber frame construction last year, led the HSE to revise its Guide 168 – Fire safety in construction. The new guidance is not compulsory, but if followed is evidence that can be used to show that a competent risk assessment has been made. The person (or people) in control of the premises/site will be the responsible person. On a construction site, this would normally be the principal contractor.

Thousands of fires occur on construction sites every year The most commonly found combustible material on the exterior of buildings is wood, which will ignite spontaneously at intensities above 0.8 cal cm – this equates to the heat output from a significant and nearby fire. Building Regulations are designed to prevent this ignition by specifying boundary distances in completed buildings (see section B4 of Part B). As the protection of a timber frame structure relies on the materials which cover the frame (for example, plasterboards, tiles, insulation) which are fitted during the construction phase, a greater boundary distance may be required than when the building is finished.

During the planning phase, careful consideration will need to be given to both the on-site and off-site fire risks. In built-up areas, designers, clients and co-ordinators will need to evaluate the risk to surrounding premises. The risk will be greatest when the structure is erected, but the protective measures are not yet installed. This period of maximum vulnerability, during which fire may spread quickly, must be considered in detail and minimised as part of the fire risk assessment.

One way of reducing the required boundary distance is to install compartmentation as works progress, to reduce the size of the elevation down to the area between the two compartment walls. Another option is to build the external fire-resisting masonry skin in tandem with the erection of the frame, so that the building replicates its final design as works progress, rather than as a separate phase.

The new guidance requires that the responsible person gives serious consideration to the use of timber and/or materials that have received an appropriate fire treatment. This will not only provide additional safety during the construction phase, but gives added protection for the completed building.

FIRE HAZARD

Key requirements on timber frame sites Without doubt the biggest change in the new guidance is the need to assess the effects of radiated heat on adjoining premises and the possibility of it spreading fire from the source building to a neighbouring one. When a building is exposed to high levels of radiated heat, there is not only a hazard to any combustible material on the outside of the building, but also to the combustible contents of a room.

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Enclosed structures Alternative Dead-end Semi-open structures Alternative Dead-end

Lower

Normal

Higher

60m 18m

45m 18m

25m 12m

200m 25m

100m 18m

60m 12m

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Above: the new guidance requires serious consideration to be given to the use of timber and other materials that have received an appropriate fire protection or retardant PHOTO: UKTFA Top right: during construction, external scaffolding is typically used as part of the escape route. This should be kept clear of obstruction such as diagonal bracing

Where there are a number of timber framed structures being built on one site, the risk of fire spread from one building to the next must also be considered and controlled. The installation of non-combustible materials, such as the early completion of external façades, can help to achieve this. There is an increasing trend towards the use of fire engineered solutions, such as smoke control systems, to extend travel distances within completed buildings. During the construction phase these systems will not be commissioned and operational and therefore it may be necessary to install temporary additional exits or compartmentation. Travel distances should not exceed the limits given in the table. On most new construction projects it will not be possible to rely on the principal staircases, as these will not be in place and fully enclosed with fire doors for the entire construction phase. As a result, it is normal to use external scaffolding as part of the escape route, and this should be kept clear of obstruction such as diagonal bracing. When temporary escape routes are required for changes in level (ie from one floor to another) the code recommends the installation of proprietary all-metal system staircases. The important requirement is that the external wall against which the temporary stairway is erected should be imperforate and afford a nominal period of 30 minutes’ fire resistance for 9m vertically below the stairway and 1.8m either side. This means that all doors, apart from the uppermost one leading onto the external stairway, should have 30 minutes’ fire resistance and be selfclosing. Any other openings, including windows, which are not of fire-resisting construction, should be suitably protected, for example, with plasterboard, proprietary mineral fibre-reinforced cement panels or steel sheets. To stop a fire spreading (and to reduce required bound-

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ary distances) a building can be sub-divided by fireresisting walls, and floors/ceiling – compartmentation. Compartmentation might also form a major part of the fire strategy for the completed building, especially for the larger and more complex structures. The early installation and completion of compartments can also provide protection during the construction phase. It should be given priority but in practice there will be limits on how early compartmentation can be installed. One way to speed up the installation is to specify the use of pre-formed panels where the frame is delivered with fire protection and insulation already in place. Temporary compartmentation should provide at least a nominal period of 30 minutes’ fire resistance. Arson accounts for almost one-third of incidents on site, according to figures published by the Fire Prevention Association. To overcome this threat, the HSE guide requires good material storage practices, away from the site perimeter, in secured compounds and containers. Timber frame sites must also be kept secure at all times, with access to upper levels made secure at the end of the day to prevent potential arsonists getting into the building. Other possible access points such as windows should also be made secure as early as practical in the construction programme, whilst on larger sites in higher risk areas the expectation is for 24-hour security patrols and/or CCTV. ❚

TRADA members may access the latest Construction Briefing, HSG 168 Fire Safety on Construction Sites – A Summary of Changes in 2010 Edition, free of charge from www.trada.co.uk. HSG 168 is available as a free download from www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsg168.htm. The UKTFA 16 steps guide is available as a free download from www.prestoplan.co.uk/Downloads/UKTFA%20Fire%20 Safety.pdf. WINTER 2010/2011

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TECHNICAL – TY UNNOS

Modern take on WELSH TRADITION TY UNNOS, OR “House in one night”, is strongly rooted in Welsh tradition. If a family could build a house within a night, from dusk to dawn, and have a fire burning in the hearth, the house and the land became theirs. Although there is no legal basis to the tradition, it was common practice and many examples survive. Now Coed Cymru, which promotes the management and use of Welsh hardwoods, has initiated a research programme into how to create high-performance affordable housing in Wales while addressing the aspiration to promote the use of Welsh-grown timber in construction. The project was developed in collaboration with the Welsh School of Architecture and the University of Bangor, and funding for the feasibility study was provided by the Countryside Council for Wales, the Forestry Commission and the Environment Agency. The Technology Strategy Board and industrial partners (Pontrilas Timber Ltd, Kenton Jones and Blaenau Gwent CBC) funded the development of the system. TRADA’s 75th anniversary funding complemented the finances. Together this gave the research partners the opportunity to continue their work in the use of locallysourced timber, so encouraging the Welsh timber industry to become more innovative in the use of timber and timber products. The TRADA funding supported the technical assessment, while the Aggregates Levy and the Pembrokeshire SDF paid for the testing programme. Ty Unnos – a very versatile system suitable for volumetric or on-site assembly – is the result of an extensive research programme based on the use of Welsh-grown Sitka spruce and other softwoods to produce structurally-sound members which can be assembled to create a timber frame building system. Shortly after the publication of the feasibility study, Elements Europe Ltd approached the research partners specifically to develop the volumetric system which is now available as Ty Unnos Modular. In comparison with Scandinavian and Baltic softwood of the same species, home-grown timber is of a lower strength class. To make the most of the available strength of home-grown timber, the structural elements of the system were designed from innovative components, namely glued box beams and ladder beams. The structural members of the Ty Unnos system were produced by a log conversion method that provided the

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As part of TRADA’s 75th anniversary competition, Coed Cymru won funding to further develop the Ty Unnos project, demonstrate the benefits of innovative design and locallysourced materials and conduct a rigorous assessment leading to European Technical Approval. Design engineer Ramona Stoicescu was closely involved with the research

TRADA Technology tests proved that, when designed in accordance with EC5, the components and assembly achieve the code’s performance values optimum timber board sizes with the minimum distortion on drying. The remaining material was processed further for other structural elements. This method produced the “maximum use of logs with a minimum waste impact”, according to David Jenkins of Coed Cymru. The structural design was undertaken to Eurocode 5 and associated standards, although sometimes it was necessary to return to basic structural principles for components not specifically covered by the code. For example, the design of the box beams followed the same approach as is commonly used for I-beams, by considering the box sides as a thick web and the upper and lower faces as the flanges. The design of the ladder beams proved to be more difficult, as it was too complex to be justified by calculation due to the solid timber ‘rungs’ acting as a discontinuous web. Consequently the design of ladder beams involved a series of development tests followed by a large number of tests on the final design to establish the load-bearing capacities. These two main structural components form the principal elements used to assemble the system. The box beams form a rigid frame with specially designed node www.timber-building.com

The Ty Unnos research project aimed to address the need to create highperformance affordable housing and promote the use of Welsh-grown timber in construction

connections, while the ladder beams are used with shear diaphragms for the floors and walls. The floor and wall components provide horizontal and racking stability to each module. When modules are stacked to create multi-storey buildings, the shear resistance is transferred through connections between the frames. As it was such an innovative system, the calculation model provided as the theoretical basis for the structural design was verified by a testing programme to confirm the mechanical performance of individual components. To this end, a number of tests were performed by TRADA Technology. These included a series of bending stiffness and strength tests both on the box beams and the ladder beams; rotational strength and slip tests of joint connections; racking strength tests of several panel variations; and fire tests on typical floor/ceiling and wall arrangements. The bending strength and stiffness tests carried out on box and ladder beams provided the confidence that the material design values were safe. The initial tests exposed any weaknesses in design and fabrication that led to important improvements for the final versions. The improvements didn’t involve major changes, but demonstrated the importance of getting the details right. The connectors used at the nodes where the box beams meet to form the frames are designed to transfer rotational forces so that the frames don’t twist out of shape. These connectors were subjected to rotational tests which showed that the strength was lower than predicted, since the mode of failure was not as expected. However, there was sufficient strength in the connectors to derive safe design values that were applied to the design model. The racking resistance test programme, developed under TRADA’s supervision, was undertaken on a range of panel variations to which combinations of www.timber-building.com

vertical and horizontal loads were applied. The racking tests were used to verify the racking resistance derived by calculation in accordance with Method A of EC5. The performance in test was comparable to the capacity derived by calculation, once factors relevant to the calculation method were considered. To comply with Building Regulations, standard fire tests on typical floor/ceiling and wall arrangements were performed. Although Ty Unnos relies primarily on the fire resistance of the plasterboard lining, in common with most timber frame buildings, tests were necessary because the box beams and ladder beams are an innovative method of supporting the lining. The fire tests demonstrated the integrity of the floor/wall arrangements as designed for use in the Ty Unnos system, and also revealed the important role the insulation played in protecting the unexposed internal surfaces. The range of tests undertaken on the structural components have demonstrated or confirmed that each component and assembly, when designed in accordance with EC5, achieves the performance values expected by the code and national regulations. The “verification by testing” programme has also established boundaries to the performance of specific structural elements where the capacities obtained by test are for specific configurations. Boundaries were also established for the existing system, which is limited to a maximum of three storeys. Expressed as a volumetric housebuilding system, Ty Unnos provides an incentive for future generations to invest in and develop original techniques to promote home-grown timber in the construction sector. ❚ WINTER 2010/2011

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INSPIRE SOSP TALK EXPERTS

LEARN

FIND

LINK

TOUCH NETWORK SHAPE CREATE

PLAN EXPLORE

STYLE

EXPECTATION: a dynamic new event designed to

showcase the diverse range of timber technologies and wood products for the built environment

VISIT

DESIGN INNOVATE

VIEW URCE ECIFY TRANSACT

ENGAGE IMAGINE CONTACT DEBATE

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discover more: www.timber-expo.co.uk

TECHNICAL – LOW ENERGY

LOW ENERGY, high performance Author Geoffrey C Pitts and advisory editor TRADA Technology’s Robin Lancashire offer an extract from Low energy timber frame buildings: designing for high performance – TRADA Technology’s new best practice guide ALL FUEL COSTS MONEY and the more fuel that can be saved with energy-efficient buildings, the lower the running costs for building users and owners. It is the building envelope that uses and/or controls the natural elements to assist in providing economic thermal comfort. For cool temperate climates some level of additional space heating will be required but, in most cases, mechanical cooling will not be necessary. The building envelope decisions which affect the ‘economic comfort’ requirement are the thermal resistance, thermal mass and thermal response of the roof, walls and floor and the thermal performance, natural lighting and ventilation characteristics of the windows and doors. These decisions are the major influences on the overall level of building heat loss, on the amount of solar energy collected and on the usefulness of this energy – ie on the space heating requirement. They also influence the level of direct power consumption for lighting and appliances. And it is in the building envelope where the particular energy saving advantages of timber frame construction can be found. Frequently, the decision to build in timber

frame is taken for reasons other than energy efficiency; for example, speed of erection, reduced site labour, dry construction, precision and accuracy of finished building, or even cost. However, as energy efficiency becomes more and more important to clients and designers, this will become one of the major reasons for the choice of timber frame, simply because the system has the ability to incorporate very high levels of thermal insulation. Thermal insulation is not the only energy criterion, however, and an often expressed view is that the low thermal mass of a timber frame fabric is such that solar gain cannot be effectively used. However, high thermal mass is not necessarily beneficial; the important factor is the provision of the right level of thermal mass in the right place to use solar gain. This can be achieved in timber frame without compromising the system’s structural integrity. The climate type under consideration can be broadly described as cool temperate, where winter heat loss is the major energy-efficiency design criterion. Within the general cool temperate climate, a number of variations occur. In the macro-climate cold dry winters and hot dry summers are typical of inland continental areas (north central US, central Canada and inland northern and central Europe) and cool wet winters with moderate, humid summers are typical of maritime regions (UK, Ireland, Denmark, Netherlands, Belgium and Atlantic coastal France). Micro-climate variations are caused by local topography, vegetation or existing buildings. These must be considered in the design to reduce energy consumption.

KEY COMFORT CRITERIA Environmental factors

Effect on interior climate and occupants

Thermal

Occupants require a feeling of warmth for comfort. The usual index for describing this is the dry resultant temperature (tres) which is a combination of the air temperature (ti) and the average radiant temperature (tr) of the room surfaces. tres approximates to ½ x ti + ½ x tr. In most buildings the average dry resultant temperature is normally between 18-22°C.

Air movement

Air movement can cause draughts and, if excessive, may require an increase in tres to maintain comfort. In general the air movement in winter should not exceed 0.1m/s.

Ventilation

Occupants require the introduction of fresh air into rooms primarily for healthy breathing. Ventilation is also required to reduce odour levels, to minimise condensation risk and, in some instances, to provide combustion air. Ventilation should not be excessive as this will increase heat loss and so increase energy consumption. In most buildings ventilation which provides 0.5 air changes per hour for the whole building provides a healthy environment without excessive heat loss.

Relative humidity

Occupants can normally remain comfortable over a relative humidity range from 40-70% at temperatures between 18-22°C.

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with the decisions, while the potential energy benefits can be high.

The external climatic conditions which influence energy consumption are daily and average seasonal temperatures (winter and/or summer), daily and seasonal solar radiation, winter and summer wind (speed and prevailing direction) and, to a lesser extent, precipitation. Air temperature is the major internal environmental factor affecting energy consumption as the building heat loss is directly proportional to the inside/outside temperature difference. While the internal comfort air temperature may vary between 15-30°C, this will normally be between 18-22°C during the heating season. The four key indices which determine the comfort of occupants in buildings are described in the table opposite. Site planning decisions are taken early in the design process and have a significant effect on overall energy efficiency. Orientation is closely linked to all other site planning decisions and is therefore considered in each of the four site planning sections. One of the particular benefits of energy-efficient planning is that there is little or no cost penalty associated

Adding a convenient 50mm service zone to a conventional 140mm stud wall increases the insulation depth to 190mm

The energy considerations for site layout are orientation, minimum over-shading and wind protection. Other site considerations are view, privacy, minimum roadworks (length, width and specification) and minimal service runs and the relationship of landscaping and gardens to the buildings. While these considerations can affect the energy decisions, they would not normally be expected to compromise them. The target site density, however, might be expected to affect energy efficiency decisions adversely, but at even high density (say up to 200 people per hectare) good orientation with minimum over-shading for passive solar gain can be achieved with careful layout and grouping. There is another issue associated with site density: high density implies a greater number of shared party elements which reduces fabric heat loss which might offset reduced passive solar gains. Designers need to consider all these potentially conflicting issues for optimum energy efficiency but, with buildings responsible for up to half the total national energy consumption in industrialised countries, surely that extra work at the drawing board is more than justified. ❚ Low energy timber frame buildings: designing for high performance is £25 to TRADA members and £45 to nonmembers. To pre-order email [email protected] or for more information visit www.trada.co.uk/bookshop. ●

Timber frame houses can be easily adapted to ensure thermal mass is in the right place to utilise solar gain The cost of positioning buildings to maximise solar gain is usually less than the long-term benefit

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NEWS

No need to change regs, says report

Gaulhofer triple-glazed solutions are now being offered by Eco Frame Systems

Window partnership Timber frame manufacturer Eco Frame Systems has announced a partnership with Austrian tripleglazed window manufacturer Gaulhofer. Eco Frame Systems, based in Canterbury, said Gaulhofer products were able to meet strict Passivhaus standards. Gaulhofer manufactures timber windows and aluminium-faced wood windows. Eco Frame Systems undertakes projects across the south of England and London.

Timber plays museum role Engineered timber will feature in a newbuild and reburbishment project at Ditchling Museum in Sussex. Adam Richards Architects’ project, which has received £835,600 from the Heritage Lottery Fund, will include the conversion of an unused cart lodge into a new entrance, bookshop and café and a new building to house a collection store and new gallery. Adam Richards said timber was chosen for the project because of the speed of erection and the ability to achieve shallow walls while achieving the desired U-values. It also allowed the architects to provide open spaces in the building and was a “good, robust surface” for museum fixings.

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A new government document on the future of Building Regulations appears to scotch a key recommendation of the London Assembly in relation to the fire safety of timber frame structures under development. The Assembly’s Fire safety in London: Fire risks in London’s tall and timber framed buildings calls for Building Regulations to be “reviewed specifically” in relation to timber frame construction techniques. But a report – Future changes to the Building Regulations – published by the Department for Communities and Local Government points out that Building Regulations do not cover

buildings under construction. It says “considerable pressure” had been brought on the government in response to recent fires in timber frame buildings under construction. “The fire statistics show that timber frame buildings have a greater risk of fire damage but, as this has not resulted in a higher risk of injury, there is not thought to be any need to change the regulations,” it says. However, the government intends to monitor the area closely in co-operation with the timber frame industry and other external bodies in order to gain a better understanding of the issues. Other recommendations of the

Assembly’s report include temporary sprinklers to be installed on timber frame construction sites, a ban on occupation of sites until the whole development is complete, and identification of the safety critical stages of the construction phase, such as installation of cavity barriers. The UK Timber Frame Association (UKTFA) said it had investigated use of temporary sprinkler systems on construction sites together with various members of the sprinkler associations. It cites obstacles to sprinklers including adequate water pressure, known to be low in London, and cold weather freezing the system.

Kingdom becomes smartroof licensee Fife-based Kingdom Timber Engineering is the latest licensee of the smartroof insulated timber roofing system. Kingdom director Brian Welsh said the addition of smartroof enabled the company to offer a versatile and cost-effective solution for room-in-the-roof construction

in the mainstream private and social housing sectors. Kingdom also manufactures trussed rafters, metal web and I-joists. Smartroof is a collaboration between Wolf Systems and timber engineering manufacturer Wyckham Blackwell.

Kingdom Timber Engineering is now a smartroof licensee

French architects visit UK timber buildings A group of more than 30 French architects are undertaking a tour of innovative timber building projects in London and the south of England in March. The trip is being organised by the Nantes-based north-east France timber industry association Atlanbois, which also runs the biennial French timber exhibition Carrefour international du Bois. The architects are drawn from four regions – Brittany, Poitou Charentes, Region Centre and Pays de la Loire – and their UK study mission from March 1-3 will start at the Ecobuild exhibition at London’s ExCeL (pp18-23).

Buildings the architects will then visit include London’s multistorey Stadthaus tower block and the new Bridport House apartment building (p57), both built in cross-laminated timber. They will also take in the Mossbourne Academy, the Savill Garden Gridshell in Windsor Great Park, the Peabody Trust BedZED development, the Diggers House in Brighton, the Downland Gridshell and Bedale School’s Olivier Theatre, one of the biggest green oak buildings in the UK. “Our architects are particularly interested in the UK’s approach to zero carbon timber construction,

carbon footprint calculation and timber building’s compliance with the Code for Sustainable Homes,” said Atlanbois’ international business executive Sam Padden. “They also want to learn about the use of locally-sourced and, particularly, green timber to build very contemporary houses and other buildings. Historically it was used in France, but today it’s very rare. Most construction timber is kiln-dried. The use in building of what we would consider fuel wood from coppices is also something they’d like to see. It’s very much a look and learn trip for them.”

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To advertise here contact Howard Hassen +44 (0)20 7936 6860 or email [email protected]

Eco-lite™ Slim Plus N&C Glass, Part of Nicholls and Clarke Group of Companies have recently launched Eco-lite™ Slim Plus, an exciting new sealed unit for the renovation of traditional timber windows. Eco-lite Slim Plus retains all the benefits of a standard unit, yet incorporates warm edge technology and a reduced sightline of only 5.5mm. As details are paramount when retaining a buildings’ established appearance, N&C Glass pride themselves in offering high performance glass options that accentuate the beauty of period properties yet attaining modern features that eradicate problems caused by old windows. Eco-lite Slim Plus is available in a range of finishes available for renovating or the restoration of period properties. Each option offers a reduced sightline and is fully compliant to parts 1-6 of the European Standards for the manufacture of insulating glass units. N&C Glass are one of the largest glass suppliers and processors in the UK. For more information about the Eco-lite Slim Plus or any other product by N&C Glass, please contact us or visit our website to download your free technical document. T: 01489 589 858 E: [email protected] W: www.ncdirect.co.uk

PRODUCT MARKETPLACE

Passive Fire Protection Explained - New Training Course Chiltern International Fire (CIF) and BM TRADA Certification’s new training day, ‘Passive Fire Protection Explained’ will address a perceived lack of understanding of passive fire protection (PFP) amongst those who come into contact with this important issue. The course, to be held on Thursday 26 May and Thursday 27 October 2011 in High Wycombe will combine technical presentations with live fire demonstrations. The course is aimed at local authorities, housing associations, building contractors, facilities/estates managers, electrical & plumbing contractors, architects and building control inspectors. Fee: £340.00 + VAT (TRADA members) and £375 + VAT (non-members). Book online or by telephone.

T: 01494 569800 W: www.chilternfire.co.uk/training

New Medite Ultralite - Not to be Taken Lightly There is now an ultra-light MDF worthy of the Medite brand, and the Medite name on an ultra lightweight MDF panel is a fact not to be taken lightly. Following the €15m investment at its Clonmel plant, which confirmed Medite and its Irish parent division Coillte Panel Products as a state-of-the-art MDF manufacturer, Medite is now producing the exceptional fibre quality necessary to manufacture an ultra-light MDF worthy in consistency, quality and reliability, of the Medite name. Geoff Rhodes, Coillte Panel Product’s marketing and business development director said: “Now is the right time for us to put our name to an ultra lightweight MDF panel. In order to meet the high standards set by the rest of the FSC certified Medite MDF range, Medite Ultralite needed to be as consistent and as thoroughly reliable as the rest of the variants in our famous family, and our uncompromising research and development ensured that we were absolutely certain of success. We knew we could produce a fibre of such high-quality that our ultra lightweight MDF would be worthy of the Medite name. And with conviction, we’ve called it Medite Ultralite.” The launch of Medite Ultralite means that for the first time in a number of years, the Medite family of products - Medite Premier, Plus, Flooring Quality, Exterior, Moisture Resistant, Flame Retardant and Ecologique - grows from seven products to eight, all carrying FSC certification. Medite Ultralite maintains the surface smoothness and stability of normal MDF. It can be painted to achieve high quality surface finishes and provide a uniform substrate for overlaying. Major benefits include easier handling, reduced tool wear, and it can be selectively used in applications where lighter weight features are appreciated, such as exhibitions stands/temporary exhibition backdrops, television, film studio and theatre stage sets, shopfitting, lightweight and event furniture, components for caravans and mobile homes, wrapped mouldings, picture frames, aircraft and shipbuilding industries, lightweight ceilings and indoor wall coverings. Mr. Rhodes continues, “As part of Coillte Panel Products, Medite MDF is produced in Ireland, so not only is it certified as sustainable, but for use in the UK and across Europe, the product travels far fewer miles than other options which might be considered, and as of January 2010, the entire range of Medite MDF products - now including Medite Ultralite - are certified as CARB 2 compliant; a ‘best in class’ regulation from California restricting formaldehyde emissions. Combined with FSC certification, Medite MDF continues to deliver a unique combination of high quality and sustainability.” Medite Ultralite is suitable for use in internal dry conditions as defined in EN622 parts 1 and 5 and conforms to EN13986. Boards of this type are suitable for use in Hazard Class 1 of EN 335-3. It retains the light tan colour of the wood fibre from which it is manufactured and Medite Ultralite is manufactured under an NSAI registered I.S. EN ISO 9001:2000 quality management system. www.medite-europe.com

www.timber-building.com

www.smartply.com

www.coillte.com

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NEWS

Code Level 6 achiever Stewart Milne Timber Systems has built four Code Level 6 homes at a groundbreaking zero carbon development in Slough, Berkshire for Scottish and Southern Energy. The development, known as Greenwatt Way, was opened at the end of 2010 and is one of the largest of its kind in the UK. Stewart Milne’s Sigma II closed timber frame panel build system delivers a U-value 0.12W/m2K, A total of 10 zero carbon properties have been constructed – a mixture of two- and threebedroom family houses, and one-bedroom flats.

TRADA guides on insulation TRADA has published details about how timber frame manufacturers can meet future revisions of Building Regulations Part L with mineral wool and rigid foam insulation. Twenty critical details that arise in timber frame construction are identified. The new volumes build on standard details published last summer to prepare for higher thermal performance demanded by last October’s revision of Part L. “The standard details were always intended to be a ‘starter for 10’ to enable manufacturers and designers to meet the new Part L requirements,” said TRADA’s Lewis Taylor. “But we know that the 2013 revision will further ramp up performance. The new optimised details have been produced, working closely with industry, as a way of predicting what will happen, giving better airtightness and further reducing thermal bridging.” The publications are free to members. For more information visit www.trada.co.uk/bookshop.

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Malaysian certified timber given vote of confidence in review Malaysian timber certified by the country’s national forest certification scheme has been given a vote of confidence in a biennial UK government review of forest certification schemes. The government’s Central Point of Expertise on Timber Procurement (CPET) provided a clarification in its review to remind buyers and suppliers that the Malaysian Timber Certification Scheme (MTCS), as a Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC)-

endorsed scheme, was accepted as ensuring legality and sustainability in compliance with the UK government’s timber procurement policy. Malaysia is a significant exporter of hardwood and plywood products to the UK. “However, only PEFC-certified timber should be accepted,” CPET added. “CPET should be consulted for non-PEFC certified MTCS timber as it may still only ensure legality.” FSC and PEFC forest certifica-

tion were also given a clean bill of health in the review. CPET said both schemes continue to deliver evidence of sustainability in compliance with the UK government’s timber procurement policy. CPET said they had made improvements since the last assessment two years ago, including passing new social criteria and ensuring the conversion of forests and national implementation criteria were met. Schemes were examined on the basis of their documentation.

Swimming pool symmetry Timber’s resistance to the “aggressive” environment of swimming pools has led to its being specified for two leisure centres in Surrey and Wales. Both projects, designed by S&P Architects, feature glulam roofs, while for Reigate and Banstead Borough Council’s complex in Horley, Surrey, cross-laminated timber panels will be included in the dry areas. “While timber provides warmth and appeal from its aesthetic, it also provides several benefits tech-

nically,” said S&P associate Steven Neal. “Thermally it is a better product than steel, which has implications in detailing where this element meets the building envelope. Timber is also a material which performs well in the aggressive internal environment of a pool hall. The client also receives benefit during the life cycle cost of the building through a reduction in maintenance; for example the recoating of steelwork.” In Horley the glulam will span 23.5m, while in the Bangor cen-

An impression of one of the swimming pool projects tre, which will house Wales’s first Olympic-sized swimming pool, the S-shaped beams, made from European whitewood, will have a maximum span of 43.5m.

New closed panel timber frame factory A new closed panel timber frame factory has opened in Scotland, claiming to be the first UK operation to manufacture “world-class” German housebuilding technology. The multi-million pound Cumbernauld-based ScotHaus factory, a joint venture between Scotframe Timber Engineering and Precision Engineering Homes, manufactures sealed core intermediate floors, cassette roofs and exterior and interior wall panels,

with pre-installed components, including windows, doors, plumbing, electrics and ventilation. The ScotHaus system promises a reduction in overall build time by around 35-40% compared to traditional methods, with up to 70% of the product manufactured off-site, and thermal performance more than 40% above current industry standards. “We have secured forward order commitments, prior to the

factory’s opening, with key developers for multiple sites across the UK and have every confidence that interest will significantly increase as the performance and quality of ScotHaus are seen in action,” said Ken Tod, ScotHaus co-founder. He said ScotHaus had worked closely with leading German companies and that it had tailored the German system specifically for the UK market.

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NEWS

Growth predicted for timber frame Boathouse A new report shows the timber frame industry lost some market share during 2009 but also says it will outgrow other forms of construction over the coming years. The timbertrends market report, compiled on behalf of the UK Timber Frame Association (UKTFA), says timber frame’s share of the new homes market went down to 24.4% (2008: 25.8%). The volume of timber frame units reduced by 25% to 26,037, while non-timber frame reversed by 19.1% to 80,713 starts. The industry’s market share in

Scotland fell to 67.8%, a loss of 4,800 units, but rose in England to 17% despite a loss of 2,100 units (36%) in the private sector. Timber frame now comprises 8% of all units in the English private residential market and 47% in the social sector. Non-timber frame units were down by 13,262 in England. Timber frame’s market share in Wales and Northern Ireland rose to 21.6% and 10.1% respectively. But the report also shows that the rate of loss of volume for

non-timber frame social housing was double that of timber frame. It also predicts that timber frame will grow faster than any other form of construction over the next two years – rising 32% by 2012, compared to 13% for other construction methods. The UKTFA said the government’s drive towards zero carbon new homes by 2016 and the ability of the timber frame industry to meet increasing demand for better quality homes were the major factors which would contribute to the growth.

CLT multi-storey building under way The Stadthaus in London could soon have a challenger to its title of tallest residential timber structure from another building in the capital. The eight-storey structure, being constructed entirely from cross-laminated timber (CLT), replaces a 1950s block of flats as part of the regeneration of the Colville Estate. Bridport House is billed as the first time CLT has been used in the UK for the entire structure, including ground floor, of a high-rise building. Previous CLT high-rise applications like the nine-storey Stadthaus project in Hackney have featured a concrete ground floor. The 41-apartment building,

commissioned by the London Borough of Hackney, will use CLT panels made from PEFC-certified spruce at Stora Enso’s Austrian factory. CLT was specified as the main structural material to meet sustainability objectives – the carbon sink properties of timber will offset carbon emissions resulting from the construction process. It was also chosen because a storm relief sewer runs under the site, making it unsuitable for a heavy traditional concrete frame structure. CLT panels are being placed in a variety of positions on each floor, thus spreading the load and making it possible to double

The CLT panels being erected in Hackney the size of the building compared to the original structure (with only a 10% increase in overall weight).

Wood for Good introduces new team Timber industry promotional campaign Wood for Good has introduced its new marketing team – design agency Tayburn and PR specialist Citypress – and says the appointment will lead to important developments in the campaign’s strategy. The companies are planning to give Wood for Good a broader

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emphasis; continuing to focus on timber’s environmental strengths, but also promoting its aesthetic, performance and cost advantages. “Tayburn and Citypress’s research highlighted that key customers had a range of misconceptions about timber, including price and whether its aesthetics and performance suited it to modern

construction,” said Wood for Good board member John White. The promotional campaign will challenge wood misconceptions through a mix of advertising and PR targeting “architects, contractors, designers, engineers and builders merchants”. A manifesto will also be aimed at politicians and other decision makers.

achieves Passivhaus

The boathouse is planned to meet Passivhaus standards Associated Architects’ new timber frame boathouse at King’s School, Worcester will meet Passivhaus standards of energy efficiency. The £1.45m two-storey building, due for completion in December, has a masonry ground floor, but uses engineered timber I-joists as the principal structural frame element of the upper storey so it achieves the airtightness of Q50=0.6m3/m2/hr required. The annual heating requirement will come in under the Passivhaus standard’s 15kWh/m2.

Crest uses ThermoWood More than 10,000 linear metres of Finnforest ThermoWood will be used in a major residential development in Cambridge. The Kaleidoscope housing project, being built by Crest Nicholson and comprising 400 apartments and houses, will feature the heat-treated timber as cladding, decking and brise soleil. Site manager Russell Dawkins said that the material had been specified on durability and sustainability. The timber, which is class 2 against decay under EN113, was supplied by Riverside Building Supplies of Maldon, Essex, one of Finnforest’s network of merchant stockists.

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UKTFA

The green deal Supply chain collaboration is essential to delivering sustainable construction, says Joe Martoccia, director of the UK Timber Frame Association

This view is echoed in the IGT report, which states that “the industry requires new ways of working and the acquisition of knowledge and skills that will provide competitive advantage at home and internationally, building on the UK’s reputation as a world leader in sustainable design. The UK construction industry still operates in silos, preferring an elemental building approach to a holistic team effort – this really does have to change”. UKTFA manufacturing members are equipped to deliver a consultative approach to building solutions in residential, retail and public buildings, enabling the design and build process and providing the opportunity to extract the maximum benefit from timber frame construction.

THE RECENTLY-PUBLISHED final report of the Low Carbon, Innovation and Growth Team (IGT) would suggest that the construction industry has engaged positively with the issue of sustainability. I disagree, however. While there are a few notable examples of leading-edge practice, the mainstream construction industry is lagging way behind where it should be on the road to the 2016 zero carbon targets.

Joe Martoccia: We need to recognise the skills and expertise are all around us Top: UKTFA members can deliver a consultative approach to building solutions

And in the next edition of T&SB… • Timber at Ecobuild review • Blackpool’s CLT wedding venue • Brettstapel solid timber construction

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The truth is that nothing in the report is earth shatteringly different from the way the UK timber frame industry is already operating. We have been leading the way in sustainable construction for years. It’s no accident that our market share has been steadily growing in the affordable housing sector, with social landlords appreciating the low carbon, low maintenance nature of a sustainability strategy based on a high performance building envelope. Their tenants appreciate the low heating bills a well-insulated home can deliver. Most of the construction industry is still in denial of 2016 and zero carbon buildings. They have a shock coming; in all industries, the Climate Change Act commitments will have to be met. There appears to be a reluctance from most builders and developers to fully engage with the supply chain. Working in a truly collaborative way is a critical success factor in delivering sustainable construction. Modernising the industry is essential; unlearning the past and embracing new ways of working is paramount. Involving the supply chain at the earliest opportunity can eliminate waste, speed up construction times and deliver true lean, sustainable construction.

With timber frame’s superb, inherent thermal performance, the Fabric First message is even more relevant today and supported in the IGT report. The simple approach of building a thermally-efficient and airtight envelope with the most sustainable, renewable raw material has to be the most sensible approach. Add to this the “fit and forget” principle of timber frame and the zero maintenance appeal only enhances the credentials of timber frame as a build method. The IGT report identifies three tasks for the industry: ● to de-carbonise their own business; ● to provide people with buildings that enable them to lead more energy-efficient lives; ● to provide the infrastructure which enables the supply of clean energy and sustainable practices in other areas of the economy. The latter two tasks can easily be achieved with the use of timber frame. In Linden Homes’ Newhall development in Harlow, Essex, supplied by Howarth Timber Engineering, the design flexibility of timber frame is very evident as the stunning contemporary styles are only made possible with the extensive use of timber. The result is a wonderfully serene, sustainable community which will be featured by the UKTFA at Ecobuild (see pp 18-23). The UKTFA is fully behind “The Green Deal” designed to make Britain’s homes and businesses warmer and more environmentally friendly and we eagerly await the new Energy Bill about to be introduced into parliament. We urge the broader construction industry to engage with UKTFA members to learn how, by working together, the sustainable construction needs of the future can be met. We don’t need a new report; we just need to recognise that the skills and expertise are here. ❚ www.timber-building.com

the start of a new innovative era for Sonae Industria

For more information on a new way to create, call 0151 545 4000 or visit www.innovus.co