Category Archives: Wood, Paper & Green Building

The latest edition of our Dezeen Debate newsletter features a mass-timber tenement-style housing development by Scottish studio Fraser/Livingstone. Subscribe to Dezeen Debate now. Designed by the studio as a contemporary addition to the historic site, the building is Scotland’s first developer-led, mass-timber housing development in Edinburgh. Named Simon Square, it consists of six flats and replaces an old builder’s yard on a site closely bordered by 19th-century stone tenements, in Edinburgh’s Southside. Readers had a mixed reaction. One described it as “out of character with its context” while another thought “it sits well” and a third agreed saying it’s “sensitive to its period surroundings”.

Timber is a natural, renewable material, easy to fabricate, and with low-carbon emissions.  …Simply put, due to the complex physics involved in the perpendicular lamination, the strength of CLT board is similar to that of reinforced concrete, and has proven performance under seismic forces. …In the early 21st century, as a more sustainable and responsible reforestation-focused wood industry grew, CLT started to become the material du jour for sustainable and, indeed, circular building projects, with organizations like Circular CLT dedicated to reducing CLT production waste and finding solutions for it such as biomass-fuelled hydrogen power. But how did CLT use in construction begin? And what does it mean for the future?

A Swiss research team from Empa’s Building Energy Materials and Components Lab explores the potential for using raw, plant-based materials as insulation for buildings.   Led by scientist Dr. Jannis Wernery and researchers from the Zurich University of Applied Sciences, the project is based on binding carbon dioxide in insulation materials, preferably waste products from agriculture and forestry, over the long term.   …Carbon stored in biomass can be permanently fixed through the use of heat treatment.  The resulting material, known as biochar, can store carbon dioxide throughout the life of a building and be used again following the deconstruction of a building, reports Rémy Nideröst of Empa. However, Dr. Wernery explains, “there is still a lot to do before the idea can be put into practice.”  

Outside engineering experts believe the collapse of so many buildings throughout Turkey was caused by poor construction practices that should have been upgraded since a similar quake struck the region 24 years ago. …More than 5,600 buildings were destroyed, including some schools, hospitals, roads and other critical structures. …In 1999, a 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck northwest Turkey, killing an estimated 17,000 residents. After that disaster, leaders promised tougher building practices… “A building normally should behave in a ductile way, that means it can sway and accommodate a large deformation without collapsing,” Dr. P. Benson Shing, at the University of California San Diego said. “That applies to any kind of construction, whether it’s reinforced concrete, steel, or reinforced masonry or wood structures.” …“The predominant vulnerable building types are unreinforced brick masonry and low-rise non ductile concrete frame with infill construction,” according to the USGS assessment. [Access to this story requires a Wall Street Journal subscription]

i2C Architects’ design for Timbertop Estate, in Melbourne’s south-east, embodies its name with a combination of Cross Laminated (CLT) and Glue Laminated Timber (GLT) to be utilised for the commercial and retail hub. CLT and GLT manufacturing capabilities in Australia are growing, with many companies looking to manufacture the cross-stitched timber material, which maximises strength and minimises wastage. i2C Architects Shaun Daly says the benefits of the material make it ideal for the age of sustainable design. “…exposed CLT panelling on the walls and ceiling build on the contemporary external design language to create a harmonious flow,” he says. “The internal timber creates warmth and softness… When biophilic design elements like this are applied, the health of the end user improves while simultaneously allowing the business to reduce their carbon footprint.”

A development team led by two former Greenpeace chiefs and including practices Archio, Ash Sakula, Charles Holland, Mae and Mole have revealed plans for a sustainable 700-home scheme in East Sussex. Masterplanned by Periscope, the £430 million Phoenix project for developer Human Nature aims to create the UK’s largest timber neighbourhood on a 7.9ha brownfield site in Lewes. Among the other design firms on the riverside job are Adam Richards Architects, emerging practices Al-Jawad Pike and TDO with sustainability experts Material Cultures and local outfit Rabble. Lewes-based Human Nature, which was founded by ex-Greenpeace Directors Michael Manolson and Jonathan Smales, is also working with Kathryn Firth of Arup, environmental engineers Atelier Ten, flood and civil engineers Expedition, and timber engineers Whitby Wood. …The housing project on the banks of the Ouse will be constructed from timber cassettes, insulated by bio-based fibres and ‘embellished’ with other low-carbon and repurposed materials.

Fear of fire in the wake of the Grenfell tragedy is holding back a switch to more sustainable building materials, a leading architect has told Sky News. Andrew Waugh of Waugh Thistleton Architects, which is at the forefront of eco-building design, said the construction industry and regulators are too cautious about using engineered timber in tall structures – even though the catastrophe was in a concrete tower. “We are being held back,” he said. “(The UK) were the innovators of this material before Grenfell happened. “Now we have a situation where the rest of the world are changing their building regulations, changing their planning laws and government procurement for housing, hospitals and schools to promote the use of timber. “And we are alone in the UK in not doing anything to promote the use of timber.” Mr Waugh designed the new six-storey Black and White Building, the UK’s tallest office block constructed from engineered timber.

Pune, India — The British Columbia provincial government’s crown corporation, Forestry Innovation Consulting India Pvt Ltd (FII India), popularly known as Canadian Wood, hosted a seminar on ‘Reman Projects with Canadian Wood’ in Pune. It focussed on the rising demand for the company’s sustainable wood, which is sourced from certified forests of BC Canada. Additionally, there were conversations on the emergence of India as an important market for sustainable wood construction, especially with several timber-built projects cropping up across the country. Pranesh Chhibber, Country Director of Canadian Wood, said, “we are currently collaborating with 41 stockists in 22 cities across India to provide high quality wood. …our aim is to raise awareness among stakeholders about various Canadian wood species which are sustainably sourced and also become their go-to supplier. …We are the largest lumber producer, and are growing fast and sustainably, providing multiple benefits to our partners.”