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COMMENT
Growing opportunities for specifying timber
Kevin Underwood of the British Woodworking Federation discusses the challenges as well as wide-ranging benefits of using wood as a construction material
W
ood, the world’s oldest and most traditional building material, is increasingly being re-evaluated as a modern-day first choice for both structural and interior applications across domestic and commercial buildings. For example, the structural frame of the building, the roof trusses, flooring, walls, stairs, windows, doors and interior furnishings could in theory all be made from wood. As a renewable material coupled with modern manufacturing, wood is proving to be the catalyst for architecture and construction professionals in creating spaces that promote lower carbon emissions, longevity, beauty, and a real connection to nature.
The ability to create both structural and aesthetic features from wood is due to the wide range of natural species and fabricated products available today. From natural hardwoods and softwoods, plywood and chipboard, to glued laminated (glulam) beams and cross-laminated timber (CLT), wood offers unique properties to architects which are all underpinned by the material’s inherent health and wellbeing benefits, added to its sustainable and physical characteristics.
Benefits of timber
The global movement towards creating spaces that are functional, practical and support the health and wellbeing of the building’s occupants, has driven up the use of wood as a building material. There is a growing desire among the occupants of commercial buildings to work in an environment with a high use of natural materials, with research finding that employee wellbeing was 15 per cent higher in office spaces where natural elements were incorporated. Natural building materials have also been found to improve both the mental and physical wellbeing of people by helping reduce stress, blood pressure and heart rates. From a functional perspective, wood also acts as a natural humidity regulator, which can absorb moisture from the atmosphere during times of higher humidity, and release moisture back into the atmosphere during dry periods. In addition, for commercial environments durability is essential, and this is where the specification of timber has proven benefits.
REDWOOD IN THE CITY
George Barnsdale & Sons manufactured timber sliding sash windows with arched heads to match the original appearance of the Rex Building in the City of London
ADF AUGUST 2019
WWW.ARCHITECTSDATAFILE.CO.UK
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