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and schemes put in place to boost these figures. The Welsh government stated that all affordable homes built in Wales from 2023 must be timber frame, and to achieve this, a consortium of 11 councils and 14 timber frame manufacturers formed a collaborative programme. Some other leadership examples in the UK are Hackney Council’s Timber First policy and Exeter Council’s Passivhaus drive. There has been some significant and interesting investment in the sector in the last few years, and we expect this only to increase in the future. Scottish timber specialist Donaldson Group purchased Stewart Milne Timber Systems Ltd, and as the rebranded Donaldson Timber Systems, will be investing in its Witney factory to keep up with the huge surge of demand in the housing market post-pandemic (see pp35-37). There are many other examples of the sector’s growing momentum, including business expansion in association with council authorities, investment in new manufacturing machinery and brand-new timber frame home factories. There are clear indications that the importance of timber as a construction material is being recognised, and money is being invested in equipment and facilities that will help the timber building industry grow year on year. Five major housebuilders in the UK now own their own timber frame manufacturing business, signalling a significant intent to build using wood. Over the course of the past few years, there have also been several regulatory developments affecting the timber-based building sector, and there are more on the horizon.
The recently published Building Safety
Act hasn’t extended the ban on building with timber lower than 18m in height, but
they have ensured: “the ban on combustible materials in and on the external walls of buildings, introduced in 2018, will now apply to hotels, hostels and boarding houses – in addition to blocks of flats, hospitals, student accommodation and dormitories in boarding schools.”
These regulations mean that combustible external wall materials, including timber, will need to pass a large-scale fire safety test before being used on residential buildings between 11m and 18m tall.
These new changes certainly help to further strengthen critical fire safety guidance and the STA fully backs the government’s safety in construction agenda. There is now even more reason for a ‘timber first’ approach and clarity on building with wood safely up to 18m.
The opportunity to use structural timber is vast and we first need to start with addressing the nation’s housing stock, where dwellings can be built efficiently in timber frame.
With the government’s Net Zero Strategy placing a firm emphasis on reducing the embodied carbon of buildings, it’s imperative the construction industry – which contributes 35% of global carbon emissions – looks to adopt more sustainable materials quickly. The STA has always been emphatic and proactive when it comes to market development, research and the implementation of initiatives. We’ve invested heavily in extending our STA Assure quality standard assessment to encompass manufacturing quality standards, and on-site competency.
Also proving successful is the Time for Timber campaign, with its objective focused on engaging and working closely with the
insurance and underwriting market to provide the understanding for increasing use of timber in construction. Additionally, the STA has remained active in its role with the Timber in Construction Working Group, working with the government to safely increase the use of wood.
There have been significant challenges to overcome recently in the timber sector as a whole, along with timber construction. The tight supply and rising cost of timber have certainly been problematic, only further exacerbated by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. However, with its robust and well-established supply chains, the structural timber industry is well-placed to address the situation and the prospects for the timber-based building sector overall are looking positive.
Some building programmes are being cut back due to a mix of skills shortages, short supply and the cost of materials, however, the government’s goal to decarbonise construction still presents the perfect opportunity for timber frame projects. Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) certainly provides a solution to the skills and housing crisis, as timber frame construction expedites the build process as well as promoting a much cleaner, more efficient and sustainable solution to build more and in a safer way. It is fairly inevitable that MMC will become the most commonly used approach going forward, as it simply offers too many benefits to overlook.
The significance of timber frame construction’s efficiency and productivity benefits cannot be overstated in the current economic climate, and if the UK government is to ensure a consistent rate of new home constructions each year, efficient construction is essential. ■
Above left: The industry has tackled fire safety Above right: Timber building – cleaner and faster
www.ttjonline.com | July/August 2022 | TTJ
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