WoodSolutions Timber Talks: Recent Episodes
Adam Jones
Timber is becoming known as the building material of the 21st Century. It is strong – a high strength to weight ratio is recently being utilized with innovative developments; it is safe – being both durable and achieving fire ratings; it is sustainable –timber being the most viable option, acting like a carbon sink to reduce the effects of global warming. Research by Mcgraw and Hill suggests that innovation in the construction industry has been stagnant for over 50 years. Timber may provide the productivity gains similar to that of other industries, being suitable for prefabrication and allowing rapid construction cycle times.
Timber Talks, provides the latest informative and entertaining information about the best design practices, latest innovations and interesting case studies from the world leading experts in timber design, specification and construction.
This is the final episode of Timber Talks with Adam as host. And its a special final episode with Alastair Woodard who is an industry legend and early mentor of Adam’s to bring him into the timber industry. We learn about the past & future of the initiatives that have driven the industry forward. People like Alastair are unsung heroes where when they finally decide to retire, we’ll take for granted the tremendous amount of initiative that they bring for the industry.
Adam is going all in on CLT Toolbox hence can’t hedge his bets staying host of this.
Starting and scaling a mass timber factory is no small feat. For Timberlink and NeXTimber, Jeremy Church has been there from the beginning, driving their mission to reshape the construction industry with sustainable solutions. In this episode, Jeremy shares what it takes to make a timber project truly successful—from the nuances of design collaboration to the inner workings of a high-performance factory. It’s been a long time coming, and we're thrilled to finally have Jeremy on Timber Talks to discuss the critical role suppliers play in transforming the face of construction globally. Don't miss this insightful conversation!
As EWPs in emerging mid-rise markets are maturing, standardised practices are developing. With every year, new learnings are accumulating in the industry. Robbie Svars has 10 years experience and was one of the earliest adopted in Australia. In this episode we talk about the levers to pull in search of cost neutrality & common sense to achieve project objectives. Sometimes a minor change can have a multiple change on cost. Hence understanding these levers can make all of the difference.
Over the last few decades there has been meaningful change in the design of timber buildings. There are always a few early adopters in each region who are major contributors to the change and Damian Hadley and his team at Cantilever are amongst them. In this episode we have a wide ranging conversation with Damian about the evolution of the industry, sustainability, optimisation & so much more!
Nick Hewson has been involved for over a decade in mass timber projects. The challenges have evolved over the years and the industry has come along way. The focus now moves onto moisture during construction as one of the priorities for derisking projects. In this episode we learn from Nick from his decade of experience and how to make projects successful.
Chris Wood is a GM at StandStruct and one of the most experienced influencer installers of timber buildings globally. In this episode we learn from the range of projects that he's been part of. We discuss the things that have made projects successful, but also the things that make a project the occasional disaster. Woody is an industry legend with a lot to learn from!
In this episode, we’re joined by Kevin Peachy to discuss the future direction of WoodSolutions and their strategic plan.
Kevin introduces himself and his role, then explains what WoodSolutions is and its vision. He outlines the major changes in the new strategic plan compared to previous directions, highlighting the goals and aspirations for the future.
We explore the biggest opportunities and megatrends in the timber industry, discussing how WoodSolutions plans to capitalize on them. Kevin elaborates on strategies to boost timber competency across the built environment, emphasizing how these efforts will reduce risk and drive market confidence.
Ensuring expert advice, skills, and education quality is another priority for WoodSolutions. Kevin discusses specific initiatives in place to support skilling and accreditation within the timber industry.
Finally, we discuss how WoodSolutions measures success, providing insights into the metrics and benchmarks used to evaluate the impact of their strategic initiatives.
We're in a time of rapid innovation in urban development, driven by the need for sustainable use of space. Today, we're chatting with Kelly Harrison from Whitby Wood.
Kelly introduces herself and her role, then delves into the Optoppen Project's mission to transform urban spaces using rooftop extensions. She highlights the benefits of building extensions, such as space optimization and energy efficiency.
We discuss the untapped value on rooftops and address concerns about the structural integrity of existing buildings, examining the reliability of data and drawings. Kelly also shares insights into the growing appetite for mass timber in the UK and her vision for the future of timber construction, emphasizing innovations and challenges.
In this episode, we’re joined by Franco Piva to discuss advanced Building Information Modeling (BIM) and its importance in mass timber projects.
Franco introduces himself and his role in the timber industry. He explains advanced BIM management, highlighting the difference between effective and poor practices. Franco discusses who ensures proper BIM management and the roles of suppliers and engineers in the process.
Franco shares keys to successful mass timber projects from his experience and offers his vision for the future of the timber industry, including emerging trends and advancements.
One of the key processes of designing safe & efficient timber buildings is the structural modelling process. However, this does require deep understanding & expertise in order to execute effectively. Timber is a material with very different characteristics to concrete and steel. And in this episode, we're speaking with a world leading expert on this topic Zhiyong Chen, Senior Scientist at FPInnovations about the structural modelling of timber buildings.
We're experiencing a time of fast innovation and growth in the timber industry, driven by the megatrend of decarbonization. Today, we're lucky to be speaking with Dean Lewis, Director of Mass Timber From Skanska.
In this episode, we explore the potential of a mass timber program, discuss key conversations needed at the start of projects, and discuss the most exciting developments in mass timber globally. Dean also highlights recent innovations and shares insights on the future of the mass timber industry.
In this episode, we dive into the intricacies of insuring mass timber projects with Michael Hastings from MD Hastings. Michael provides valuable insights into how the insurance market operates, the current availability of insurers for mass timber buildings, and the unique challenges that these innovative structures present in terms of insurance. He offers practical advice on achieving the best coverage and price in today’s market, explores ways to improve the insurability of mass timber buildings, and discusses how the industry can handle major innovations on the horizon. Lastly, Michael shares his perspective on the future of construction and its implications for the insurance sector.
Michael offers practical advice on achieving the best coverage and price in today’s market, explores ways to improve the insurability of mass timber buildings, and discusses how the industry can handle major innovations on the horizon.
As mass timber continues to innovate the construction industry, it brings both challenges and groundbreaking advancements. In this episode, I sit down with Meike Engel and Ornagh Higgins from Aspect Structural Engineers. They share their extensive experience with tall mass timber projects, discussing key lessons learned, optimal building systems, and the integration of mass timber with concrete and steel. We delve into optimizing design programs for efficiency and explore the promising future of mass timber construction. Join us to gain insights from these industry leaders on navigating and shaping the evolving landscape of mass timber.
We're experiencing a time of fast innovation & growth in the timber industry on the back of the megatrend of decarbonisation. There has never been a better time to act like an entrepreneur to make the change that you might be looking to see. Today we're lucky to be speaking with Tim Seims, a Global Innovation Leader & Go To Market Strategy specialist. In this episode we speak about fertile ground for innovation, nuances in timber construction & go to market strategy.
As timber products enter new markets, there are naturally going to be moments with teething pains alongside moments of innovation that the world hasn't seen before. Since 2014 when Andrew Waugh and the project team drove Stadthaus, the world's first mid-rise mass timber building that unlocked the new market we know today. Since then, there has been a variety of hurdles that have popped their head up and in the midst of being overcome to take the industry forward. As always we enjoy learning from the leaders from around the world and not many more fun to speak to than Andrew Waugh!
Timber is a material that can meet some of the emerging trends in construction; including offsite manufacturing, productization and sustainability. Some people & companies around the world are on the bleeding edge of driving this change to make the future a reality. In this episode, we're lucky to be speaking to Lucas Epp Vice President at Structurecraft. In this episode we discuss the importance of a master-builder mindset, the advantages & disadvantages of vertical integration, the future of software & how to best design with mass timber products.
Lucas is very humble and one of the most intelligent and insightful engineers I've come across in my career so I know you'll enjoy this episode!
There are pioneers on the cutting edge pushing the boundaries of what's possible in timber design. And luckily today we're speaking to Robert Jackson a Partner at Fast + Epp, a company pioneering the field of timber construction. In this episode we discuss a range of projects that he's been in previously, the prospects of the post & plate system and finally a 10 storey commercial office in a seismic region.
Robert was awesome to speak to and I know you'll love this one!
Mass timber buildings are maturing fast as a viable option for new projects. In Australia there is a small group of people who have been getting their hands dirty for a while now; Andy Knight (Construction Manager) and the team at Brother Nature are some of them. In this episode, we chat to Andy about some of the scars and lessons he's had since the start of the journey and also speak about the keys for successful mass timber project delivery.
In this episode of Timber Talks we're priviliged to be speaking with Christoph Kulterer CEO of Hasslacher Timber. Christoph is a seasoned CEO in the industry and iinvestment decisions over his career a big reason the mass timber market is what it is today. We discuss his thoughts & philosophies on leadership, the role of technological innovation going forward and what the future holds for the industry.
Chris is an influential leader and we are very lucky to get to sit down with him. Enjoy!
Acoustics design is often considered the dark arts of mass timber design. Most importantly, the acoustic solution can be the governing factor for designs and the differentiator for what an overall cost effective solution might be. In this episode we're chatting with Aedan Callaghan about the design principals for acoustic design, how to determine acoustic performance and of course the unfolding future of mass timber construction.
In today's podcast, we're joined by Ashley Cagle, a seasoned structural engineer and Technical Director at Woodworks, specializing in biogenic carbon and sustainability. Ashley sheds light on the transformation of the U.S. landscape for mass timber, focusing on pivotal code evolutions and the conversation encompassing the sustainability of timber. Through candid discussions, we confront pressing enviro-ethical debates, including on biogenic carbon, the scenario of land adequacy, and the eventuality of wood materials. Anticipate navigating the breathtaking progress and denouements defining the impetus and unsurpassed journey of mass timber's grand entrance.
Today we're speaking with Fabia Baumann from Henning Larsen Architects. Fabia shares her unique perspective on the synergy between these two disciplines, especially in the context of Europe's heterogeneous architectural landscape. We explore the evolution of design practices, tackle the bottlenecks facing designers, and delve into the nuances of measuring sustainability in construction. Fabia also highlights the latest innovations from Scandinavia and shares her excitement for the future of mass timber construction.
In this episode we speak with Marjan Popovski the Lead Scientist At FP Innovations. Marjan, has been a major driver of some of the major developments in research over the last few years. Subsequently the industry is moving forward based on the hard work of the senior leaders like Marjan. In this episode, we speak about the most exciting research, codes and standards and finally where things are moving.
In today's episode, we're joined by Marco Huter of KLH to discuss the evolution of mass timber. Marco shares his background and dives into his proudest project, revealing insights into KLH's global reach. He addresses the challenges in mass timber adoption, the sustainability of feedstock with rising demand, and principles for efficient mass timber design. Listen in as we explore the changing landscape of building codes in Europe and Marco's vision for the industry's future by 2030. Join us for a journey into the heart of sustainable construction.
In this episode we speak with Karl-Heinz Weiss from Weiss Insights, where we delve into the past, present, and future of mass timber. Karl-Heinz, a veteran in the field, shares his extensive knowledge and predictions in this comprehensive discussion.
Historical Evolution and Principles: Discover the journey of mass timber, from its early days to modern advancements. Karl-Heinz shares his personal history and background, providing context and insight into the key principles that have driven successful projects in the industry.
Current Innovations: Learn about the most exciting current developments in mass timber. This segment focuses on the latest technologies and innovative approaches that are shaping the industry today.
Future Trends: Look ahead with Karl-Heinz as he forecasts the direction of mass timber over the next decade. His predictions and insights offer a glimpse into the potential transformations and advancements in the field.
This episode offers a unique opportunity to understand mass timber from a holistic perspective, guided by one of the industry's seasoned experts.
In this episode of "Timber Talks," we're joined by industry expert Ricky McLain. As we explore the upward surge of timber in the architectural landscape, Ricky sheds light on its rising adoption and the evolving cost dynamics. Beyond the traditional uses of timber, we dive into its potential in high-rise constructions and envision the transformative future of timber-infused skylines. Prepare for an enlightening discussion that bridges the gap between ancient material and modern innovation.
In this episode we speak with Arnie Dider, COO and Founder of the Forest Business Network. With a rich background steeped in forestry and supply chain expertise, Arnie sheds light on the burgeoning realm of mass timber and its global growth trajectory. We chat how the supply chain is transforming, from ramping up capacity to introducing new products. Arnie offers insights into areas where innovation thrives and elaborates on legislative changes impacting the industry worldwide. Finally we reflect on how conversations about mass timber have matured over the years and what the future holds for this revolutionary building material.
In this episode of Timber Talks, we chat with Kate Nason from Frasers Property. We dive into their sustainability goals and the allure of passivehaus design, a passion of Kate's. We discuss the balance between energy efficiency and embodied carbon, the evolving building codes embracing this design, and the role of modern construction methods. Kate also sheds light on the future interplay of sustainability in private and public sectors. This is the second time we've had Kate on the show and she's a genuine superstar.
In this episode of Timber Talks, we have the privilege of speaking with Lisa Podesto, Senior Business Development Manager at Lendlease. Join us as we explore the concept of whole building componentization and its recent evolutions. We delve into the lessons learned from major players in the industry and discuss the barriers hindering progress. Lisa also provides insights into optimizing cost in construction and the potential cost efficiency of mass timber through comprehensive optimization strategies. Furthermore, we gain an overview of the evolving market in the US and gain Lisa's perspective on the future of the industry.
In this episode of Timber Talks, we are joined by Melissa Gaspari, an Associate at Andefena. Melissa shares valuable insights on the importance of Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) and how they are becoming more accessible through new tools and infrastructure. We delve into the role of Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) and discuss key considerations for timber buildings from a sustainability perspective. Melissa also addresses the tradeoff between operational energy and embodied carbon in building design. We explore the current trends in sustainability and conclude with Melissa's thoughts on the future of the construction industry in the next five years.
In this episode of Timber Talks, we sit down with Katharina Lehmann, CEO of Blumer Lehmann. Katharina shares her remarkable journey with the company and highlights her proudest achievements. We explore the unique positioning and contributions of Blumer Lehmann in the industry. Discover the benefits of vertical integration up the supply chain and how timber can address the biggest trends in modern buildings. Learn how digital design tools have revolutionized architectural processes and why understanding the entire supply chain is essential for designers. Lastly, Katharina imparts valuable advice for young professionals starting their careers.
In this episode of Timber Talks as we sit down with Ed Bond, Principal Structural Engineer at Robert Birds. Ed provides insights into the trends in embodied carbon-specific requests from clients and discusses how structural engineers can address these demands. We delve into the changing role of structural engineers and explore the concept of "Virtual Design and Construction." Ed explains the problems that can be solved with digital software and gives us a glimpse into the full digital design suite he is working on. We discuss the benefits and opportunities enabled by this suite. Finally, we wrap up the conversation by exploring Ed's perspective on the future of construction.
In this episode of "Timber Talks", we speak with Andrew Dunbar, a Senior Structural Engineer at Structex. Andrew is a leading expert in seismic design for timber buildings, and shares his insights on designing resilient and sustainable timber structures.
During our conversation, Andrew discusses his approach to designing timber structures for seismic performance and sustainability, and provides advice for young professionals interested in pursuing a career in timber engineering.
Whether you're a seasoned professional or just starting out, this episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in the intersection of timber design, seismic performance, and sustainability.
In this episode of Timber Talks, Antony Wood, CEO of the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, shares his insights on using mass timber in tall building construction for sustainability and efficiency. We discuss the potential for embodied carbon reduction and the benefits of sustainably managed forests. Antony also describes innovative mass timber buildings and the possibility of off-site manufacturing. We explore the future of timber construction and emerging technologies for tall building design. Tune in for this informative discussion with one of the industry's leading experts!
In this episode of Timber Talks, we had the pleasure of interviewing Nathan Benbow, Engineering Manager, and Danny Watson, Structural Engineer at Ash. Join us as we delve into Ash's approach to designing and constructing timber buildings, highlighting the importance of Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DFMA) in their process. Our experts discuss key considerations for design teams working with timber suppliers, including lead times and manufacturing schedules, and share exciting new timber products and innovations that Ash is developing. We also explore the company's growth and evolution, the challenges faced in timber construction, and valuable advice for professionals interested in pursuing timber building projects.
In this episode of Timber Talks, we speak with Ian Tyson, CEO of Timberlink, about the company's recent investments in engineered wood products (EWPs). Ian shares his insights on expanding into new products and markets and discusses the challenges and opportunities that come with growth. We also explore the potential for exponential growth in the EWP industry and the importance of responsible and ethical sourcing of timber. Ian highlights the steps Timberlink takes to minimize the environmental impact of its operations and discusses the evolving supply chain with increased demand and new technology. Finally, we wrap up with Ian's advice for young professionals.
In this episode of Timber Talks, we speak with David Barber, a Principal at Arup, about the complex considerations involved in fire design for timber construction. We delve into the thought processes behind exposing timber in a building and explore the varying codes and regulations around the world. David shares his insights on how engineering deems acceptable risk levels and the most important research being conducted in the industry today. Finally, we look ahead to the future of timber construction and explore the exciting possibilities in this rapidly evolving field.
On this episode of Timber Talks, we sit down with Rob De Brincat, Head of Strategy and Business Development at Viridi. Rob shares his expertise on the topic of mass timber and its potential for becoming a mainstream construction material. We dive deep into the topic and discuss the importance of team collaboration, as well as the critical things that need to be done right from the beginning of projects.
If you want to learn more about designing or building with timber, I recommend you go to the WoodSolutions Website and download the Technical Design Guides:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/publications
I recommend watching the WoodSolutions weekly webinars. Previous recordings can be found on the WoodSolutions website:
https://woodsolutions.com.au/
In this episode of WoodSolutions Timber Talks, we sit down with Ninotschka Titchkosky, co-CEO of BVN, to discuss the groundbreaking Atlassian Tower. As the world's tallest timber building, the Atlassian Tower in Sydney, Australia, stands as a testament to the potential of sustainable construction and design. Join us as we delve into the journey of creating this remarkable structure.
Throughout our conversation, we explore the intricate process of designing the world's tallest timber building, from conception to completion, and the critical components that must be in place from the very beginning, including team dynamics, Building Information Modeling (BIM), and more. We discuss the sustainable design principles incorporated into the Atlassian Tower, and how they contribute to its eco-friendly footprint, as well as the major challenges faced during the design and construction phases and how the team overcame them.
In this episode of Timber Talks, I had a conversation with Christine Zinkgraf from Lewis Builds about the growth of mass timber buildings and the advantages of this construction method. We discussed topics such as the increase in interest, the speed of construction, the risks involved, and the level of prefabrication that makes sense. Christine also shared her thoughts on the challenges of using old versus new wood and the innovations in the industry, as well as where she sees the industry moving in the next five years.
In this episode of Timber Talks, we're speaking with Javier Glatt, the founder of Cadmakers about the future of construction documentation. We'll delve into the issues with traditional documentation processes and how software can offer a solution. We'll also discuss the evolution of the digital ecosystem in construction and how new technologies are changing the game. Javier will share his thoughts on what can be automated in the construction process, the future of BIM modeling and its impact on offsite construction, and much more. Get ready for an informative and engaging conversation on the future of construction documentation.
In this episode of Timber Talks, we're speaking with Oliver Lang CEO of Intelligent City about the future of construction and building. We'll be discussing the vision behind Oliver's work, the key technological advances being used today with a focus on robotics, the process of construction and how it differs from conventional methods, the hurdles to adoption of this new way of doing things, the balance between standardisation and flexibility, and finally, where Oliver sees the industry heading in the next 5 years. Oliver will share his knowledge and insights on these critical topics and provide a unique perspective on the future of construction and building. This is a must-listen for anyone interested in the future of sustainable construction and building.
In this episode of Timber Talks, we're speaking with Christina Wijeratne from the Clean Energy Finance Corporation about sustainable construction and building. We'll be discussing the goals of the CEFC, the unique challenges of embodied carbon, the mass timber program and why it was deployed, what the money is for and how people can get involved, the dynamics of lending money for projects, and the future of sustainable construction. Christina will share her knowledge and insights on these critical topics and provide a unique perspective on the role of financing in sustainable construction. This is a must-listen for anyone interested in the future of sustainable construction and building.
In this episode, we're exploring a case study on the Mass Timber Innovation Hub at the University of Newcastle. Our guest is Ali Habibi from Northrop, who was involved in the project and will share his knowledge and experiences. We'll be discussing why timber was chosen, the challenges faced during the project, the differences in the engineer's role for mass timber projects, the modelling and fabrication process, fire compliance and design, and lessons learned across all projects. Finally, Ali will give us his thoughts on how he sees the future of mass timber construction evolving. This is a must-listen for anyone interested in the future of sustainable construction and building.
Today's episode is all about finding practical solutions for construction productivity. We have a special guest, Phil Tondl from Lipman, who will share his knowledge and expertise on the subject. Phil will discuss design team dynamics, the benefits of standardization, and the evolution of documentation in construction. Plus, Phil will give us his thoughts on what the offsite construction ecosystem will look like in the next 5 years. So, sit back, relax and join us for this exciting and informative conversation with Phil Tondl on Timber Talks.
Today we have a special guest, Lisa Oliver, Project Director at Holmes ANZ. In this episode, we dive into the world of post and beam construction, and Lisa shares her wealth of knowledge and experience in the industry. We discuss the creation of a high-level guide on post and beam construction, the role of the structural engineer at the beginning of the project, the key items to consider, common pitfalls to watch out for, and the latest innovations in the field. Plus, Lisa gives us a sneak peek into what she's currently working on and what exciting projects she has in the pipeline. So, join us for this informative and engaging conversation on Timber Talks.
As the global population continues to grow, our cities are becoming more congested and land is becoming more scarce. In recent years, building extensions has grown as a response to the demands of urban densification and sustainability. A new research project has looked at Urban Densifiaction in a new light with innovative solutions to these complex challenges. Today we’re speaking with Paul Kremer, host of the Mass Timber Construction Podcast (and a lot more) about using mass timber and hybrid construction to create sustainable and socially connected communities.
If you want to learn more about designing or building with timber, I recommend you go to the WoodSolutions Website and download the Technical Design Guides:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/publications
I recommend watching the WoodSolutions weekly webinars. Previous recordings can be found on the WoodSolutions website:
https://woodsolutions.com.au/
The German International School Sydney consists of preassembled offsite CLT modules. The project aimed to build sustainable, prefabricated classrooms at a cost and time frame equivalent to traditional options whilst achieving the passive house design standard. In this episode we're speaking with Knut Menden, Principal at Betti & Knut Architects about:
- Why 3D modular was the preferred construction method,
- The overall costs compared to traditional demountable school designs,
- The advantages and possibilities around repeatability,
- And so much more!
If you want to learn more about designing or building with timber, I recommend you go to the WoodSolutions Website and download the Technical Design Guides:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/publications
I recommend watching the WoodSolutions weekly webinars. Previous recordings can be found on the WoodSolutions website:
https://woodsolutions.com.au/
Prefabricated timber buildings require a shift in the design paradigms that are common in construction. Perhaps none more so than the need to have a multidisciplinary approach to professions in order to achieve the high quality and level of detail that is required early on projects. Today we're lucky to be speaking with Nigel Burdon, Technical Director at AECOM about the structural grids, acoustic requirements, compliance pathways, fire design and all of the major issues relating to commercial office buildings.
If you want to learn more about designing or building with timber, I recommend you go to the WoodSolutions Website and download the Technical Design Guides:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/publications
I recommend watching the WoodSolutions weekly webinars. Previous recordings can be found on the WoodSolutions website:
https://woodsolutions.com.au/
In the past, structural engineers were typically more involved with the construction and erection of their designs. And this might be preferable for the timber buildings of today. Given that the cost associated with the timber structure is closely tied to connection and erection efficiency, following the Master Builder Mindset can set timber projects up for success. In this episode we're speaking with Leif Johnson the Structural Engineer Director at Structurecraft about the benefits of leveraging the design-install model.
If you want to learn more about designing or building with timber, I recommend you go to the WoodSolutions Website and download the Technical Design Guides:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/publications
I recommend watching the WoodSolutions weekly webinars. Previous recordings can be found on the WoodSolutions website:
https://woodsolutions.com.au/
Insurance plays a critical role for any construction project. And in particularly, it plays a key role in the adoption of mass timber systems in mid-rise and high-rise development. In this episode we’re lucky to be speaking with Jacob Concannon a Vice President at Gallagher, who are a global insurance broker who are creating awareness and education about mass timber through the insurance sector. In this episode we discuss the current state of play with mass timber and insurance and how things can be improved to streamline adoption moving forward.
If you want to learn more about designing or building with timber, I recommend you go to the WoodSolutions Website and download the Technical Design Guides:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/publications
I recommend watching the WoodSolutions weekly webinars. Previous recordings can be found on the WoodSolutions website:
https://woodsolutions.com.au/
As our buildings are improving in energy efficiency, good envelope design is as important as it has ever been. For a successful holistic design there is a host of items that designers need to consider, that sometimes comes with tradeoffs. In this episode we're speaking to Mark Dewsbury a Lecturer of Architecture and Design at The University of Tasmania about:
- How our buildings have been improving over time,
- The tradeoffs between ventilation, durability and sustainabiltiy
- And best practice design strategies for holistic design
If you want to learn more about designing or building with timber, I recommend you go to the WoodSolutions Website and download the Technical Design Guides:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/publications
I recommend watching the WoodSolutions weekly webinars. Previous recordings can be found on the WoodSolutions website:
https://woodsolutions.com.au/
Eric Tweedle Stadium is a new sports facility, consisting of mass timber with 9.5m cantilevers. This new state-of-the-art community sports pavilion is home to the first-grade Two Blues Rugby Union team, with seating for 750 spectators, and is the first mass-timber framed grandstand structure in Australia. The project won the 2021 Timber Design Award amongst strong competition. In this episode we're speaking with Ivana Simkovic project architect from DWP and Nick Boey the project Engineer from Northrop about the design, installation and keys to the project's success.
If you want to learn more about designing or building with timber, I recommend you go to the WoodSolutions Website and download the Technical Design Guides:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/publications
I recommend watching the WoodSolutions weekly webinars. Previous recordings can be found on the WoodSolutions website:
https://woodsolutions.com.au/
Industrialised construction encompasses a shift towards of commodisation of construction products and manufacturing processes whilst maintaining architectural intent and flexibility. This has the potential to improve productivity and enable decarbonisation whilst improving the sector's profit margins. In this episode we're speaking with Allan Chalmers (Industrialised Technical Specialist) and Ryan McMahon (Director of Products for Industrialised Construction) about:
- What is manufacturing informed design,
- What have the hurdles to adoption been so far,
- The success stories in Australia and around the world,
- And much more!
If you want to learn more about designing or building with timber, I recommend you go to the WoodSolutions Website and download the Technical Design Guides:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/publications
I recommend watching the WoodSolutions weekly webinars. Previous recordings can be found on the WoodSolutions website:
https://woodsolutions.com.au/
Engineered timber construction systems are rapidly growing in popularity. With specifiers and developers selecting timber solutions for their triple bottom line benefits, it has never been more important for the cost consulting industry to understand the products available and their cost implications. In this episode we’re speaking with Barry Lynch and Eoin McLoughlin from Logic Group about:
- The existing top-down data on the costing,
- What elements go into the “wholistic cost”,
- And how fast we can install and corresponding savings on the prelims for timber buildings
If you want to learn more about designing or building with timber, I recommend you go to the WoodSolutions Website and download the Technical Design Guides:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/publications
I recommend watching the WoodSolutions weekly webinars. Previous recordings can be found on the WoodSolutions website:
https://woodsolutions.com.au/
Engineered timber construction systems are rapidly growing in popularity. With specifiers and developers selecting timber solutions for their triple bottom line benefits, it has never been more important for the cost consulting industry to understand the products available and their cost implications. In this episode we’re speaking with Barry Lynch and Eoin McLoughlin from Logic Group about:
- The existing top-down data on the costing,
- What elements go into the “wholistic cost”,
- And how fast we can install and corresponding savings on the prelims for timber buildings
If you want to learn more about designing or building with timber, I recommend you go to the WoodSolutions Website and download the Technical Design Guides:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/publications
I recommend watching the WoodSolutions weekly webinars. Previous recordings can be found on the WoodSolutions website:
https://woodsolutions.com.au/
The National Construction Code is Australia's primary set of technical design and construction provisions for buildings. The code has a long complex history, and understanding it is critical to building to an acceptable level of quality and ensure safety. Understanding the compliance pathways is critical for successful timber buildings. And today, we're speaking with Andrew Dunn the CEO of the Timber Development Association about
- The performance requirements and compliance pathways,
- How to achieve an FRL with timber products and
- What circumstances may additional fire testing be required
If you want to learn more about designing or building with timber, I recommend you go to the WoodSolutions Website and download the Technical Design Guides:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/publications
I recommend watching the WoodSolutions weekly webinars. Previous recordings can be found on the WoodSolutions website:
https://woodsolutions.com.au/
William Perkins High School consists of a significant quantity of exposed wooden structures, enabling the benefits of biophilia for the students and building occupants. Education buildings have the unique challenges, when trying to build in the short windows that sit between teaching periods. Within these windows the building was constructed with an innovative team and creative engineers. In this episode, we’re speaking with Alan Dowdall, the project structural engineer, a timber specialist with vast experience about achieving fast programs in construction and the importance of simplicity in design.
If you want to learn more about designing or building with timber, I recommend you go to the WoodSolutions Website and download the Technical Design Guides:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/publications
I recommend watching the WoodSolutions weekly webinars. Previous recordings can be found on the WoodSolutions website:
https://woodsolutions.com.au/
Architects are looking to expose wood as much as possible, in order to demonstrate the benefits of sustainability and enable the advantages of biophilia. However, when exposing timber a good understanding of both the fire resistance level of the building elements, and the dynamics of the fuel load are critical to understand. Recent research has unveiled new insights into the safe exposure of wood, isolating items such as amount of encapsulation, location of encapsulation and ventilation. In this episode, we’re speaking with Daniel Brandon Senior Research Scientist at RISE (Sweden) who is one of the world’s foremost experts on large scale fire testing, on designing for exposed wooden structures.
If you want to learn more about designing or building with timber, I recommend you go to the WoodSolutions Website and download the Technical Design Guides:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/publications
I recommend watching the WoodSolutions weekly webinars. Previous recordings can be found on the WoodSolutions website:
https://woodsolutions.com.au/
The New Academic Building is a transformative project for Murdoch University and for the national Higher Education sector more broadly. The project consists of a unique timber structure, over 130 meters long and comprised of four storeys. In this episode we’re speaking with the project team; Edward Berry the Architect from Lyons, Jamie Cook the builder from Multiplex, Pratik Shrestha the Engineer from Aurecon and Mario Busolli a supplier from XLam Dolomiti about;
- The special focus on building modelling,
- Managing the supply chain during design,
- And of course the lessons learned for all the team
If you want to learn more about designing or building with timber, I recommend you go to the WoodSolutions Website and download the Technical Design Guides:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/publications
I recommend watching the WoodSolutions weekly webinars. Previous recordings can be found on the WoodSolutions website:
https://woodsolutions.com.au/
As our buildings are becoming more operationally efficient, the impacts that are coming from our materials are growing proportionally. Materials make up a significant portion of the greenhouse gas emissions in our buildings. If the government and private companies are going to achieve their goals, it’s a problem that needs to be solved. In this episode we're lucky to be speaking with Ann Austin, the Head of Sustainability Australia at Lendlease about:
- The unique challenges of absolute zero targets,
- How to improve material supply chains,
- And how organisations are facilitating the shifts
If you want to learn more about designing or building with timber, I recommend you go to the WoodSolutions Website and download the Technical Design Guides:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/publications
I recommend watching the WoodSolutions weekly webinars. Previous recordings can be found on the WoodSolutions website:
https://woodsolutions.com.au/
Recently, the popularity has been increasing around mid-rise timber buildings. Having fully exposed structures has made a lot of sense at a certain height. However, we can only unlock the use of timber in high-rise buildings if it is combined with steel and concrete, with consideration of fire, acoustics and structural performance. In this episode we're speaking with Nick Hewson, Product Development Manager at Viridi about:
- How light-frame can be utilized for mid-rise buildings
- What systems are most suitable for apartment and office buildings
- How we can combine materials to unlock new heights for timber
If you want to learn more about designing or building with timber, I recommend you go to the WoodSolutions Website and download the Technical Design Guides:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/publications
I recommend watching the WoodSolutions weekly webinars. Previous recordings can be found on the WoodSolutions website:
https://woodsolutions.com.au/
Scion Innovation Building, is a Crown Research Institute that specialises in technology development for the forestry industry. The building is a cutting edge showcase for engineered timber, not only in terms of aesthetic but what it contributes to a zero carbon future. A highlight is the peaks in glulam timber standing tall at the entrance.
The list of international awards the building has won is too long to include in its introduction, but one of note is the World Timber Building of the Year, World Architecture Festival 2020 - 2021.
Today we're lucky to be speaking with Jeremy Smith from Irving Smith Architects and Alistair Catanach from Dunning Thornton Engineers about the building, structural systems, innovation and much more.
If you want to learn more about designing or building with timber, I recommend you go to the WoodSolutions Website and download the Technical Design Guides:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/publications
I recommend watching the WoodSolutions weekly webinars. Previous recordings can be found on the WoodSolutions website:
https://woodsolutions.com.au/
Carved from robust engineered timber and clad in high-performance glass, The Bond is a state-of-the-art building represents the future of office design, with 7-storeys of mass timber glulam frame supporting Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) floor and roof panels. In this episode we're speaking with the Jessica Rodham, the Project Architect from Fitzpatrick and Partners about the reasons behind choosing timber, the unique challenges of the building and keys for project success.
If you want to learn more about designing or building with timber, I recommend you go to the WoodSolutions Website and download the Technical Design Guides:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/publications
I recommend watching the WoodSolutions weekly webinars. Previous recordings can be found on the WoodSolutions website:
https://woodsolutions.com.au/
Prefabricated timber buildings can be much faster than traditional construction, only if the rate of installation is optimised for. Unfortunately, sometimes the installation is an afterthought, and the original promises of significant program savings can quickly fade away. Here, the installers perspective is critical to enable fast construction. In this episode we're speaking with Chris Wood the General Manager of StandStruct about:
- The benefits of engaging an installer early on in projects
- The importance of co-ordinating between timber non-timber interfaces,
- And strategies for enabling program savings in installation
If you want to learn more about designing or building with timber, I recommend you go to the WoodSolutions Website and download the Technical Design Guides:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/publications
I recommend watching the WoodSolutions weekly webinars. Previous recordings can be found on the WoodSolutions website:
https://woodsolutions.com.au/
Offsite construction is still in its infancy and is currently in the process of scaling up. The benefits in terms of speed on productivity are well known, however, there are benefits that come far beyond that. Mirvac, one of Australia's largest builders is leading the way in this space, and today we get to speak with David Haller the National Operations Manager about: * The journey of Mirvac into offsite construction * The balance of prefabrication and architectural intent * And where the industry is heading in the medium-long term
If you want to learn more about designing or building with timber, I recommend you go to the WoodSolutions Website and download the Technical Design Guides:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/publications
I recommend watching the WoodSolutions weekly webinars. Previous recordings can be found on the WoodSolutions website:
https://woodsolutions.com.au/
The Sara Cultural Centre is one of the world's tallest timber buildings. The 20 storey award winning project, designed by White Arkitekter is constructed largely from timber in local forests, contributing to sustainability in terms of the building and its content. Built from a combination of cross-laminated timber (CLT) and glued laminated timber (glulam), the project in Skellefteå includes a theatre, gallery, library, museum and a hotel.
In this episode we're speaking with Florian Kosche, the Project Structural Engineer about the he keys to the successful project delivery.
If you want to learn more about designing or building with timber, I recommend you go to the WoodSolutions Website and download the Technical Design Guides:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/publications
I recommend watching the WoodSolutions weekly webinars. Previous recordings can be found on the WoodSolutions website:
https://woodsolutions.com.au/
Building physics is often underappreciated, despite being critical for safe and healthy buildings. Although most of us aren't taught at universities, it is increasingly important and now included in our building codes. In today's episode we're speaking with Darren O'Dea, co-founder and Director of Speckel (www.speckel.io) about:
- The fundamentals of building physics
- How to successfully model for condensation
- Best building design practices.
If you want to learn more about designing or building with timber, I recommend you go to the WoodSolutions Website and download the Technical Design Guides:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/publications
I recommend watching the WoodSolutions weekly webinars. Previous recordings can be found on the WoodSolutions website:
https://woodsolutions.com.au/
As we're continuing to innovate and build taller timber buildings, the installation process is sometimes an afterthought. With good planning, the installation can be de-risked and improve the overall program. In this episode, we're speaking with Lincoln Ladds who is an Associate Engineer at TTW about:
- The challenges around mixing materials on a project
- The temporary works design considerations
- And major lessons learned in construction engineering for the projects he's been part of
If you want to learn more about designing or building with timber, I recommend you go to the WoodSolutions Website and download the Technical Design Guides:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/publications
I recommend watching the WoodSolutions weekly webinars. Previous recordings can be found on the WoodSolutions website:
https://woodsolutions.com.au/
As the digital revolution continues along, the construction industry is adopting new processes. At the center of all this is building information modelling, which includes a whole ecosystem of plugins that can solve unique problems. In this episode we're speaking with Virginia Senf from UNIFI Labs about: * How to minimize digital waste, * How to improve current workflows using BIM, * Reducing friction in the implementation of BIM
If you want to learn more about designing or building with timber, I recommend you go to the WoodSolutions Website and download the Technical Design Guides:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/publications
I recommend watching the WoodSolutions weekly webinars. Previous recordings can be found on the WoodSolutions website:
https://woodsolutions.com.au/
The current status quo is to apply the concept of ‘sustainability’ to the discourse of our actions in planning, design, development, manufacturing, and construction, even agriculture and forestry. However, sustainability may not be enough, as to ‘sustain’ is still part of a degenerating system – we need to go beyond sustainability to move from a degenerative system to a regenerative system. Regenerative Design provides the opportunity to restore, renew, revitalise, and replenish our natural resources. The aim of the process is to achieve net-positive impacts for nature, ecology, health and society. In this podcast we're speaking with Dr Phillip Roos, one of the world's foremost experts on regenerative design. If you want to learn more about designing or building with timber, I recommend you go to the WoodSolutions Website and download the Technical Design Guides:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/publications
I recommend watching the WoodSolutions weekly webinars. Previous recordings can be found on the WoodSolutions website:
https://woodsolutions.com.au/
If you want to learn more about designing or building with timber, I recommend you go to the WoodSolutions Website and download the Technical Design Guides:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/publications
I recommend watching the WoodSolutions weekly webinars. Previous recordings can be found on the WoodSolutions website:
https://woodsolutions.com.au/
In construction, there is a plethora of disruptive technologies that can be used to change the way we design, model and build. New disruptive technologies means new opportunities, and perhaps none mores than the productisation of construction. Today we’re lucky to be speaking with Amy Marks VP Industrialised Construction Strategy, or better known as the Queen of Prefab about:
- The shift to productisation
- Why data for manufacturing assembly is the new DfMA,
- And all things regarding the transformation of construction
If you want to learn more about designing or building with timber, I recommend you go to the WoodSolutions Website and download the Technical Design Guides:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/publications
I recommend watching the WoodSolutions weekly webinars. Previous recordings can be found on the WoodSolutions website:
https://woodsolutions.com.au/
Recently, new products have come onto the market and have enabled designers to change the way we build. Engineers have new tools in the kit, which are going to be vital as we approach net zero. Andrew Lawrence is Arup’s global timber specialist, and in this episode we discuss:
- How timber is changing the way we build
- Using timber to enhance seismic performance
- Using timber alongside other hybrid materials
If you want to learn more about designing or building with timber, I recommend you go to the WoodSolutions Website and download the Technical Design Guides:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/publications
I recommend watching the WoodSolutions weekly webinars. Previous recordings can be found on the WoodSolutions website:
https://woodsolutions.com.au/
If you’ve never visited a sawmill before, you’ll be surprised about how much happens behind the scenes in turning a log into a product. The timber supply chain has continually found new ways to improve the utilisation fo feedstock and forest value by creating new products. In this episode we’re speaking with Dave Gover, the GM of R&D at AKD about:
- The story of what happens behind the scenes in turning a log into a product
- What are the three goals of the timber supply chain
- How are the quality of products maintained.
If you want to learn more about designing or building with timber, I recommend you go to the WoodSolutions Website and download the Technical Design Guides:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/publications
I recommend watching the WoodSolutions weekly webinars. Previous recordings can be found on the WoodSolutions website:
https://woodsolutions.com.au/
In order to achieve zero carbon goals, we need to measure both operational and embodied carbon impacts, for short and tall buildings. Different densities indeed pose different challenges. In this episode we’re speaking with Philip Oldfield (Associate Professor at UNSW) about:
— the challenges for sustainability in high-rise and mid-rise buildings
- What are the solutions on offer to reduce embodied carbon impacts
- What are the most important design aspects to get right with timber
If you want to learn more about designing or building with timber, I recommend you go to the WoodSolutions Website and download the Technical Design Guides:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/publications
I recommend watching the WoodSolutions weekly webinars. Previous recordings can be found on the WoodSolutions website:
https://woodsolutions.com.au/
The productisation of construction is changing design and delivery models for our buildings. By using data to generate designs, buildings can be delivered faster with cost savings and cost certainty. In this episode, we speak with Paul Wintour, Founder of Parametric Monkey about:
- The inputs that can be optimised for in design
- The right business models to capitalise on the changes
- The development of prefabrication and BIM
If you want to learn more about designing or building with timber, I recommend you go to the WoodSolutions Website and download the Technical Design Guides:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/publications
I recommend watching the WoodSolutions weekly webinars. Previous recordings can be found on the WoodSolutions website:
https://woodsolutions.com.au/
Multidisciplinary understandings can unlock new innovations. By getting a grip of installation, architecture, engineering, manufacturing and everything to do with timber construction, designers can unlock the best solutions for what a project may need. In this episode we’re speaking with Shannon Hilchie Founder at Faet Lab and David Bowick President at Blackwell Engineers about:
- Principles for how engineers can best work with architects
- Designing for fabrication and assembly
- The next rounds of innovations in timber construction
If you want to learn more about designing or building with timber, I recommend you go to the WoodSolutions Website and download the Technical Design Guides:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/publications
I recommend watching the WoodSolutions weekly webinars. Previous recordings can be found on the WoodSolutions website:
https://woodsolutions.com.au/
The construction industry is evolving as it embraces digital technologies and sustainable design. Lendlease pioneered mass-timber construction for almost a decade now and continues to evolve. Today we’re speaking with Lisa Podesto, Senior Business Development Manager at Lendlease about:
- The evolution of Lendlease and mass timber
- Why big tech companies are adopting timber
- How digital technology can change the way we design, fabricate and build
If you want to learn more about designing or building with timber, I recommend you go to the WoodSolutions Website and download the Technical Design Guides:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/publications
I recommend watching the WoodSolutions weekly webinars. Previous recordings can be found on the WoodSolutions website:
https://woodsolutions.com.au/
Ascent is a 25 storey building and when complete, is set to be the tallest timber building in the world. The mass timber floors are constructed above five levels of concrete. The system adopts a glum post and beam with CLT floor plates. Today we’re lucky to be speaking with John Peronto, Senior Principal at Thornton Tomasetti about:
- The lateral stability system as we get taller
- The compliance pathway for the project
- Allowing for tolerances for fast installation
- And a lot more
If you want to learn more about designing or building with timber, I recommend you go to the WoodSolutions Website and download the Technical Design Guides:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/publications
I recommend watching the WoodSolutions weekly webinars. Previous recordings can be found on the WoodSolutions website:
https://woodsolutions.com.au/
As the construction industry adapts to new challenges in environmental and social sustainability, new opportunities are emerging. SCIUS Advisory is a boutique consulting firm based in Vancouver, Canada focused on leading the way towards a more sustainable future. Today we’re speaking with Helen Goodland, the Principal of Research and Innovation at Scius Advisory about:
- Effective policies around the world to enable change
- Best practice methods of measuring sustainability impacts
- How offsets can be used as a bridge to low carbon
Check out their research:
https://www.sciusadvisory.com/
If you want to learn more about designing or building with timber, I recommend you go to the WoodSolutions Website and download the Technical Design Guides:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/publications
I recommend watching the WoodSolutions weekly webinars. Previous recordings can be found on the WoodSolutions website:
https://woodsolutions.com.au/
Timber buildings can last for thousands of years, if designed properly. Water is the enemy of all materials and must be accounted for. The risks associated with mould, fungi and decay must be minimised if we’re looking to maximise the service life of a designed building. And today we’ve got one of the world’s leading experts in this field, Professor Jeffrey Morrell here to speak to us about:
- The differences between mould and decay
- What are the conditions for insect and termite attack
- The application of the 4Ds of durability
If you want to learn more about durability, I recommend you download WS Technical Design Guide #5.
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/articles/timber-service-life-design-guide-5
I recommend watching the WoodSolutions weekly webinars. Previous recordings can be found on the WoodSolutions website:
https://woodsolutions.com.au/
Since 1875, the Lehman Group has transformed raw wood into innovative products. Today, the most brilliant ideas are brought into reality with the technical planning, production and assembly from the craftspeople at Blumer Lehman. And today we’re lucky to be hearing from Katharina Lehman, the CEO of the Lehman Group about:
- How timber has evolved and developed in recent decades
- The craftsperson’s approach to freeform construction
- Using technology to drive innovation.
If you want to learn more about designing or building with timber, I recommend you go to the WoodSolutions Website and download the Technical Design Guides:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/publications
I recommend watching the WoodSolutions weekly webinars. Previous recordings can be found on the WoodSolutions website:
https://woodsolutions.com.au/
Check out Blumer Lehman’s brilliant projects here:
https://www.lehmann-gruppe.ch/en/holzbau.html
Venice is undergoing stresses due to tourism and sea-level rise. But with new stresses propose the opportunity to innovate and evolve design approaches. Tye Farrow, Partner at Farrow and Partners has proposed an innovative solution to transform and evolve the city of Venice through the new stresses. In this episode we discuss:
- What are the current threats to Venice
- The concept design, and how the philosophy of antifragility is applied to the project
- How timber is incorporated into the project
If you want to learn more about designing or building with timber, I recommend you go to the WoodSolutions Website and download the Technical Design Guides:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/publications
I recommend watching the WoodSolutions weekly webinars. Previous recordings can be found on the WoodSolutions website:
https://woodsolutions.com.au/
The Ballarat Gov Hub is a new $100 million multi use office development in the Northern end of Ballarat's central business district. This multi-story mass timber structure, is the largest timber built office building in Victoria to date, and achieve a Green Star 5 Star rating for the base building and the fit-out. Today we’re speaking with Jack Alam, Design Manager at Kane about:
- Timber first design principles applied for the project
- Why the prioritisation of certification is paramount
- Most important lessons from the project
If you want to learn more about designing or building with timber, I recommend you go to the WoodSolutions Website and download the Technical Design Guides:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/publications
I recommend watching the WoodSolutions weekly webinars. The webinar Jack mentioned can be found on the WoodSolutions YouTube channel :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5m3hok--Y18
More information about the project can be found here:
https://www.kane.com.au/project/ballarat-govhub
Evolution consists of trial and error over the space of millions of years. Over time, it’s safe to say nature typically lands on what works. And two ways to implement nature inspired design is through biophilia and biomimicry. In this episode, we’re lucky to be speaking with Bill Browning, world renowned on the research of these concepts. He was a co-founder of Terrapin Bright Green and founding member of the US Green Building Council. In this episode we discuss the principles, economics and design tips with biophilia and biomimicry.
If you want to learn more about designing or building with timber, I recommend you go to the WoodSolutions Website and download the Technical Design Guides:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/publications
I recommend watching the WoodSolutions weekly webinars. Previous recordings can be found on the WoodSolutions website:
https://woodsolutions.com.au/
Check out ‘Terrapin Bright Green’:
https://www.terrapinbrightgreen.com/
Wulanda Recreation and Convention Centre, Mount Gambier’ includes outdoor aquatic facilities, a 1000 seat capacity performance space, six indoor multi-purpose courts and community function rooms. The aquatic center consists of glulam beams spanning 42m, the largest within the southern hemisphere. The construction team including DesignInc Adelaide as architects, Badge Constructions as Head Contractor, SCP Engineers as lead engineer and Hess Timber as the glulam supplier. In this episode we’re lucky to be speaking with Ben Luppino from DesignInc Adelaide and Tyson Infanti from Hess about:
- Why timber was chosen for the project
- Durability considerations for maximising service life of the building
- Logistics and freight when transporting 42m beams from overseas into Australia
I recommend watching the WoodSolutions weekly webinars. Previous recordings can be found on the WoodSolutions website:
https://woodsolutions.com.au/
As computing power increases, designers are able to create unprecedented structures with unlocked creativity and productivity. In this episode, we’re lucky to be speaking with David Benjamin, a Director of AEC Industry Futures at Autodesk Research and Founder of The Living. In this episode we discuss:
- The concept of, how to best utilise generative design procedures
- The range of design goals that can be optimised for with powerful computing
- The convergence with other technologies for building information modelling
This was a forward thinking conversation which I’m sure you will enjoy.
If you want to learn more about designing or building with timber, I recommend you go to the WoodSolutions Website and download the Technical Design Guides:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/publications
I recommend watching the WoodSolutions weekly webinars. Previous recordings can be found on the WoodSolutions website:
Check out ‘The Living’:
http://www.thelivingnewyork.com/
Canadian architecture and multi-disciplinary practice Dialog has designed a hybrid mass timber tower prototype that promises to revolutionise tall buildings as we know them. The design is of a hybrid timber towers of up to 105 storeys of zero carbon, addressing climate change. Today we’re speaking with Craig Applegath, Partner Architect at Dialog about:
- The concept design for the 105 storey sky scraper
- Solving both operational and embodied energy challenges with new technologies and design approaches
- Leading technologies for moving to zero carbon
If you want to learn more about designing or building with timber, I recommend you go to the WoodSolutions Website and download the Technical Design Guides:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/publications
Murray Grove is the first tall urban housing project to be constructed entirely from pre-fabricated solid timber, from the load bearing walls and floor slabs to the stair and lift cores. The project came in cost effective and sequestered carbon rather than emitting it, opening a new door to sustainable construction. Andrew Waugh, the Foudner of Waugh Thistleton Architects was the lead pioneer in unlocking this new door to the entirely new industry that is mass timber construction today. We spoke with Andrew Waugh on Season 1 of the podcast, and it is a privilege to circle back and speak to him again. In this episode we discuss:
- What has happened since the Stadthaus (also known as Murray Grove) and today
- Learn about a new evolution in architectural design, with a recent project 6 Orsman Road
- And where the puck is moving with digital design, prefabrication and assembly.
If you want to learn more about designing or building with timber, I recommend you go to the WoodSolutions Website and download the Technical Design Guides:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/publications
If you want to learn more about designing or building with timber, I recommend you go to the WoodSolutions Website and download the Technical Design Guides:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/publications
Collectively we all had a year like no other in 2020. The challenges we faced were unprecedented but with them come new trends and new opportunities. And After predictions of Armageddon, the residential construction sector is going through an unexpected boom. we’re speaking with Adrian Hondros, the CEO of Porter Davis about:
- Making sense of 2020 and what it means for our future
- The future of sustainability, digital and prefabrication in residential construction
- Advice for professionals to be relevant in a changing future.
If you want to learn more about designing or building with timber, I recommend you go to the WoodSolutions Website and download the Technical Design Guides:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/publications
If you want to learn more about designing or building with timber, I recommend you go to the WoodSolutions Website and download the Technical Design Guides:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/publications
To begin Season 4, we’re going to be doing a best of series for the next 4 weeks. Today, we’ll be looking at the best moments in Timber Talks so far, on the topics of design. In this episode you’ll hear from:
- Jennifer Cover CEO at Woodworks USA on 7 advantages to tap into for timber
- Nick Milestone Chairman at Trada on the importance of timber first design
- Emma Russell, Senior Engineer at WSP on building extensions
- Andy Buchanan on use of post tensioned building systems
- Hans Blaas Professor of Timber Engineering at Karlsruhe Institute of Timber Technologies on connection design fundamentals
- Rob Dixon Senior Fire Engineer at ARUP on things to consider for exposed timber
- Karim Khalifa Director at Sidewalk Labs on innovative fire solutions
- Greg Nolan Director at Centre for Sustainable Architecture with Wood at UTAS on durability of wood
- Shaun Walsh President at AILA on external use of timber
- Jesse Clarke Building Science Manager at Pro Clima Aus on designing for building physics
- Amanda Robinson CEO at Marshall Day Acoustics
- Ryan Miller Senior Associate at Buehler about designing for vertical movement
If you want to learn more about designing or building with timber, I recommend you go to the WoodSolutions Website and download the Technical Design Guides:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/publications
To begin Season 4, we’re going to be doing a best of series for the next 4 weeks. Today, we’ll be looking at the best moments in Timber Talks so far, on the lessons learned for the case studies we’ve had on the show. In this episode you’ll hear from:
- International House and Daramu House, with Jonathan Evans (Director at Tzannes Architects) and Karl-Heinz (former GM at Design Make)
- 25 King Street, with Basil Richardson (Studio Director at Bates Smart)
- 55 Southbank Boulevard with Julian Anderson (Director at Bates Smart), Rob De Brincat (Business Development Manager Icon) and Nathan Benbow (Associate at Vistek) on 55 Southbank Boulevard
- Arbora with Keven Durand (Project Manager at Nordic Structures)
- HoHo Vienna with Richard Woshitz (Director at Woschitz Group)
- The Seedhouse with James Fitzpatrick (Partner at Fizpatrick and Partners)
- Latrobe University with Danielle Pacella (Associate at JCB), Danielle Savio (Project Manager at Multiplex) and Atreyu de Lacy (Technical Director at TTW)
- Ryan Miller (Senior Associate at Bueler Engineers)
- The late Gary Caulfield (former CEO at XLam Aus)
If you want to learn more about designing or building with timber, I recommend you go to the WoodSolutions Website and download the Technical Design Guides:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/publications
To begin Season 4, we’re going to be doing a best of series for the next 4 weeks. Today, we’ll be looking at the best moments in Timber Talks so far, on the topics of sustainability and wellness. In this episode you’ll hear from:
- Davina Rooney the CEO at GBCA on keeping on target mitigating global warming risks
- Ken Morrison the CEO of The Property Council Aus on the forward trajectory of the construction code to improve base standard construction quality for emissions reductions
- Andrew Waugh, founder WTA on the impact of material choices
- Ulrich Dangel Associate Professor at the University of Texas and author of A Turning Point In Timber Construction, on sustainable forest management
- Stephen Mitchell a Principal Consultant at Thinkstep on the end of life options for timber
- Kate Nason an Environmental Designer at Atelier Ten on Prefabrication and Passivhaus
- Jack Noonan VP at the International Well Building Institute on the impact of architecture on health
- Marie-France Stendahlf, Head Of Business Development at White Architecture Canada on using architecture as medicine
- Caroline Pidcock, Director at Pidcock Designs on material connection to nature in the biophilic design framework
Links to WoodSolutions EPDs and Biophilic Design research:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/articles/environmental-product-declarations
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/wood-at-work
If you’ve got any feedback on the show you can find me on Linkedin:
httpwww.linkedin.com/in/adamjoneswoodsolutions/?originalSubdomain=au
To begin Season 4, we’re going to be doing a best-of series for the next 4 weeks. Today, we’ll be looking at the best moments in Timber Talks so far, on the topics of innovation. In this episode you’ll hear from:
- Michael Marks the Founder Of Katerra on the inefficiencies in construction and a new paradigm of designing
- Michael Green Director at MGA, on how to improve the supply chain
- Adam Strong, formerly at Strongbuild, on importance of early supplier involvement
- Karim Khalifa, Director at Google-owned Sidewalk Labs on the importance of cost certainty
- Karla Fraser, Director at Hive Projects on the utilisation of virtual modelling
- Richard Maddock Associate Partner at Foster and Partners on digital design
- Christophe Sigrist Professor at Bern University in Switzerland
- Ola Skoglund, COO at Randek on innovation in Robotics
Sign up to the WoodSolutions Webinars, every second Tuesday of 2021:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/podcasts/woodsolutions-webinars-2021
Check out the WoodSolutions Technical Design Guides:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/publications
If you’ve got any feedback on the show you can find me on Linkedin:
httpwww.linkedin.com/in/adamjoneswoodsolutions/?originalSubdomain=au
Inspiring a new generation of apartment living in Perth, the De Havilland apartments combine sophistication and thoughtful design, with modern and environmentally sustainable building principles and practices. The 4 storey apartment building consists of predominately a timber LVL structure. In this episode, we’re speaking with Stuart Hawley, the Director At Bluerock Projects, about the design and construction of the project.
1430 Q, in Sacramento is a 6 storey light-frame building on top of 2 storeys of concrete. Although tall, 4 – 6 storey stick frame buildings aren’t yet common in Australia, they’re somewhat the norm in USA and Canada. When sticking to the right design principles, there is proven cost savings compared to traditional construction. Today we’re speaking with Ryan Miller, a Senior Associate of 15 years experience in Buehler’s Sacramento Office about:
- Why light frame material makes sense
- The interaction between concrete and timber
- Designing and detailing for vertical movement
If you’re interested in designing taller stick frame buildings, I recommend you download WoodSolutions Technical Guide #50 – Structural Engineering Of Mid-rise Timber Buildings.
The construction sector desperately needs to modernise due to rising costs and stagnating productivity. Through deep collaboration and technologies of the 4th industrial age, a new exploration is underway using innovative advanced technologies. In this episode we’re speaking with Professor Paul Kremer about:
- What 4th Industrial Revolution technologies are enabling new ways to build
- The kit of parts design approach
- What level of prefabrication can be expected in the future.
Check out the WoodSolutions website, the world's biggest website on wood:
www.woodsolutions.com.au
The WS Technical Design Guide can be found here:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/articles/mid-rise-timber-buildings-design-guides
Timber structures are best designed as systems, taking into account structure, acoustics, thermal and fire. A hybrid system can leverage the advantages of different materials to solve the problem in the most effective manner. Today we’re talking with Rob Nestic about utilisation of Timber Concrete Composite Systems. In this episode we discuss:
- The performance aspects of the TCC system
- Prefabrication and the nuances around pouring concrete offsite or onsite
- The supply capacity of Australia for these systems
Check out the WoodSolutions website, the world's biggest website on wood:
www.woodsolutions.com.au
The WS Technical Design Guide can be found here:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/articles/mid-rise-timber-buildings-design-guides
I recommend downloading Technical Design Guide #30, which looks at the design of Timber Concrete Composite Systems
When occupying a building, humans are constantly releasing moisture into the air. Moisture, needs to find a way to successfully leave the home and avoid condensation on structures. Today we’re speaking with Jesse Clarke, Building Science Manager from Proclima Australia about:
- How the seasons, time of day and geography change the directional flow of moisture
- How membranes can assist in controlling moisture flow
- How to achieve passivhaus and airtightness within buildings
It is a highly important but underappreciated topic. We get a little technical for a bit in the middle, but I recommend you stick through.
Building Information Technologies are changing the way we design and build, unlocking efficiencies in schematic design, delivery and building operations. As we transition to the new way of building utilising 3D modelling, there are new challenges for project teams to overcome, and opportunities to take hold of. Today we’re speaking with Maria Laguarda-Mallo about
- How to effectively manage Building Information Modelling on a project
- Using generative design approaches to model various schematic designs based on a project’s goals
- What new technologies are likely to disrupt construction
The light-weight nature of timber is unlocking a new type of construction: building extensions on existing building. The world’s largest timber vertical extension is 55 Southbank Boulevard, which consists of a 10 Storey Hotel situated on top of an existing 1987, seven storey concrete building. To carry the additional loads, the existing building had to undergo significant engineering analysis. In this episode we speak with Emma Russell, a Senior Engineer from WSP about:
- The works on the existing building, 55 Southbank Boulevard
- How to strengthen existing buildings to carry additional loads
- What project teams need to consider to determine if their building has existing capacity to build upon
If you enjoyed this episode, I recommend you check out the 55 Southbank Boulevard Webinar with the CLT engineer and builder. All of the WoodSolutions webinars can be found here:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/podcasts/woodsolutions-weekly-webinars-2020/55-southbank-boulevard-case-study-10-storey-vertical-building-extension
It is the physical and social environment that is the number one determinant of our health. As we spend most of our time in doors, the buildings we occupy have more of an impact on our health than our access to medical care or the genes that we’ve got. It is important to acknowledge that the buildings we design have a fundamental impact on our health and well-being. In this episode we speak to Jack Noonan, the Vice President at the WELL Building Institute about:
- How the Well Rating Tool incentivizes designers to improve health outcomes for buildings
- How designers can improve health and well-being for building occupants
- The business case for investing in health
Research commissioned by Forest and Wood Products Australia and conducted by Pollinate looked at how exposed timber surfaces influences wellness at work. If you want to check out the research, head to:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/wood-at-work
Prefabrication is allowing us to build to a high quality with very tight construction tolerances, enabling the achievement of passiv-haus design principles. Passivhaus is reducing the operational energy demands contributing to cost and carbon efficiency of our buildings. In this episode we speak with Kate Nason, an Environmental Designer at Atelier Ten about:
- Using prefabrication to achieve passiv-haus design
- How timber can improve operational efficiency for buildings
- Australia’s journey to carbon neutral construction
Check out the WoodSolutions website, the world's biggest website on wood:
www.woodsolutions.com.au
Sign up to weekly webinars:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/podcasts/woodsolutions-weekly-webinars-s1
The Brock Commons building is an 18 Storey Post and Plate system built in the University of British Columbia Canada. The project was a major leap in timber construction productivity, achieving a floor cycle time of 3 days. Today we are speaking with Karla Fraser, the Project Manager for the project. In this episode we discuss:
- Utilisation of mockups in construction
- How virtual modelling can assist in building productivity
- Designing and building a post and plate system
Building professionals globally are turning to timber as it provides a healthier, environmentally friendly, sustainable, efficiently off-site prefabricated solution that dramatically reduces construction times and accordingly the overall cost of the project.
Check out the WoodSolutions website, the world's biggest website on wood:
www.woodsolutions.com.au
Sign up to weekly webinars:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/podcasts/woodsolutions-weekly-webinars-s1
Exposed timber post and beam structures leverage the benefits of biophilic design and wellbeing. From a design point of view there are a number of challenges that need to overcome. Nanyong Technological University Academic South Building is Asia’s last post, beam and CLT project. The 40,000 sq m project will cost $180 million and be completed in 2021. In part 2 of this 2 part series we’re speaking with Gary Caulfield, the project director and David Kingham, the project engineer about:
- Logistics of the project and dealing with COVID-19, using an international supply chain
- The cost curves of mass timber as a material selection going forward
- Managing moisture during construction
Check out the WoodSolutions website, the world's biggest website on wood:
www.woodsolutions.com.au
The WS Technical Design Guide can be found here:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/articles/mid-rise-timber-buildings-design-guides
If you’ve got a mid-rise project that you want assistance with, you can get free advice from the WoodSolutions MAP Team. Just email me at jones@woodsolutions.com.au and we will get back to you.
Exposed timber post and beam structures leverage the benefits of biophilic design and wellbeing. From a design point of view there are a number of challenges that need to overcome. Nanyong Technological University Academic South Building is Asia’s last post, beam and CLT project. The 40,000 sq m project will cost $180 million and be completed in 2021. In part 1 of this 2 part series we’re speaking with Gary Caulfield, the project director and David Kingham, the project engineer about:
- The 80/20 principle applied for the design and construction of timber structures
- Utilising suppliers and contractors early in the project
- Fire testing requirements and IP for approval of the exposed structure
Check out the WoodSolutions website, the world's biggest website on wood:
www.woodsolutions.com.au
The WS Technical Design Guide can be found here:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/articles/mid-rise-timber-buildings-design-guides
If you’ve got a mid-rise project that you want assistance with, you can get free advice from the WoodSolutions MAP Team. Just email me at jones@woodsolutions.com.au and we will get back to you.
Using 3500 cubic meters of cross laminated timber (CLT) and Glulam timber, La Trobe University Student Accommodation provides over 600 new beds and new student amenities, for the university’s growing Bundoora Campus.
Today we’re lucky to be hearing from the project team, Danielle Savio Project Manager at Multiplex, Danielle Pacella Associate Architect at JCB and Atreyu de Lacy Associate Director Engineer at TTW. In part two of this two part series you will learn about:
- Construction advice for building with exposed timber
- How close is the industry to utilising construction productivity fully
- Lessons learnt for the project
Check out the WoodSolutions website, the world's biggest website on wood:
www.woodsolutions.com.au
The WS Technical Design Guide can be found here:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/articles/mid-rise-timber-buildings-design-guides
Timber can increase productivity up to 50%, if prefabrication is leveraged to its fullest extent. Latrobe University Student Accommodation is an exemplar example, a 3500 cubic meters of cross laminated timber (CLT) and Glulam timber, providing over 600 new beds and new student amenities, for the university’s growing Bundoora Campus. It took only 12 weeks from design, to timber landing on site. Today we’re lucky to be hearing from the project team, Danielle Savio Project Manager at Multiplex, Danielle Pacella Associate Architect at JCB and Atreyu de Lacy Associate Director Engineer at TTW. In part one of this two part series you will learn about:
- What the project team did to fast track the construction
- The building information model (BIM) and documentation strategy
- Leveraging the advantages of timber and concrete to get the best outcome
If you’ve got a mid-rise project that you want assistance with, you can get free advice from the WoodSolutions MAP Team. Just email me at jones@woodsolutions.com.au and we will get back to you.
Check out the WoodSolutions website, the world's biggest website on wood:
www.woodsolutions.com.au
The WS Technical Design Guide can be found here:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/articles/mid-rise-timber-buildings-design-guides
Together, building and construction are responsible for 39% of all carbon emissions in the world. Australia has signed to the Paris Agreement, committing to keep global warming to 1.5C – 2 C. It is safe to say, the construction industry is going to change significantly in order to meet these targets. The Green Building Council of Australia is the organisation that is showing us the way to move forward to achieve these goals. Today we are lucky to be speaking to Davina Rooney, the CEO of the Green Building Council of Australia about:
- What opportunities are presented by COVID-19 for bouncing back better
- The case for zero carbon pledge from an organisation’s point of view
- Recent initiatives from the GBCA
Green Building Day on the 16th of June 2020 is one of the GBCA’s main event for the year, this year looking at how we can drive change in construction. You can sign up to the event here:
https://new.gbca.org.au/get-involved/green-building-day/
If you want to understand the environmental impacts of timber, you can check out the recently completed industry-wide WoodSolutions EPDs. Head to:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/articles/environmental-product-declarations
Check out the WoodSolutions website, the world's biggest website on wood:
www.woodsolutions.com.au
Sign up to weekly webinars:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/podcasts/woodsolutions-weekly-webinars-s1
Timber is light-weight which has a wide range of benefits. But being light-weight means extra attention needs to be paid to the acoustic design. Some understanding of acoustics is recommended for all consultants who partake on a mid-rise timber project. Today we are speaking with Amanda Robinson, co-CEO of Marshall Day Acoustics on this topic about:
- Fundamental principles of sound
- The NCC and AAAC requirements
- How to achieve best practice design detailing for timber buildings
Building professionals globally are turning to timber as it provides a healthier, environmentally friendly, sustainable, efficiently off-site prefabricated solution that dramatically reduces construction times and accordingly the overall cost of the project.
Check out the WoodSolutions website, the world's biggest website on wood:
www.woodsolutions.com.au
Sign up to weekly webinars:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/podcasts/woodsolutions-weekly-webinars-s1
The property industry is crucial to Australia’s economy, accounting for 13% of GDP and employing 1.4 million people. It was impossible to predict a global pandemic that simultaneously created a health and financial crisis. Today we are speaking with Ken Morrison the CEO of the Property Council about:
- Long term and short term impacts on the construction sector
- Bouncing back to rebuild a better Australia
- The potential stimulus response of the State and Federal Government
Building professionals globally are turning to timber as it provides a healthier, environmentally friendly, sustainable, efficiently off-site prefabricated solution that dramatically reduces construction times and accordingly the overall cost of the project.
Check out the WoodSolutions website, the world's biggest website on wood:
www.woodsolutions.com.au
Sign up to weekly webinars:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/podcasts/woodsolutions-weekly-webinars-s1
See the Property Council Website:
https://www.propertycouncil.com.au/
The Seedhouse is the winner of the Timber Design Awards in 2019, and home to James Fitzpatrick, architect from Fitzpatrick and Partners. This residential home utilises the latest technologies in engineered timber construction, designed with experimentation in construction and engineering, supported by architectural vision. In this episode we discuss the story behind The Seedhouse, the construction lessons learned and cutting edge engineering for the building.
See the beautiful images and learn more about the Seedhouse:
https://www.fitzpatrickpartners.com/projects/the-seed-house/
Check out the WoodSolutions website, the world's biggest website on wood:
www.woodsolutions.com.au
The WS Technical Design Guide can be found here:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/articles/mid-rise-timber-buildings-design-guides
New tools for design are potentially allowing us to enter an unprecedented period in construction. Parametric design tools allow for new architectural forms, robotics and 3D printing allows for new assembly, and prefabrication enables on-site productivity. Today we are speaking with Richard Maddock, an architect and computer systems engineer with Fosters and Partners. In this episode we speak about:
- The Nasa 3D Printed Habitat challenge, for building on Mars, and what learnings can be taken for design
- How new technologies such as robotics and machine learning will impact construction
- How the day to day work for building professionals might shift
Building professionals globally are turning to timber as it provides a healthier, environmentally friendly, sustainable, efficiently off-site prefabricated solution that dramatically reduces construction times and accordingly the overall cost of the project.
Check out the WoodSolutions website, the world's biggest website on wood:
www.woodsolutions.com.au
The WS Technical Design Guide can be found here:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/articles/mid-rise-timber-buildings-design-guides
Upfront carbon is increasingly in the spotlight, as operational efficiency increases. Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) are vital in measuring the impacts of the materials we use to arrive at the best design outcomes. Today we are speaking with Stephen Mitchell, Principle Consultant at Thinkstep ANZ and Chair of EPD Australasia. In this episode we discuss:
- The exciting developments in materials on the road to carbon neutrality
- The life cycle of a timber product
- The opportunities that designers and the supply chain have for improved sustainability in design.
An environmental product declaration (EPD) is a standardised and verified way of quantifying the environmental impacts of a product based on a consistent set of rules that have been developed through an extensive stakeholder consultation process.
The ‘industry wide’ WoodSolutions EPDs can be found at: https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/articles/environmental-product-declarations
Technology is rapidly changing the way we design, manufacture and install our buildings. Eric Karsh is the founding partner of Equilibrium, a Katerra company, who are looking to make major changes the way we build. In this episode we have a forward thinking conversation about costing and designing projects with parametric modelling, optimisation for prefabrication and installation, and utilisation of BIM to improve the design to construction process.
Check out the WoodSolutions website, the world's biggest website on wood:
www.woodsolutions.com.au
The WS Technical Design Guide can be found here:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/articles/mid-rise-timber-buildings-design-guides
Got a Mid-rise project? The Mid-rise Advisory Team will be able to help. Get in touch with me at:
jones@woodsolutions.com.au
Arbora is the largest complex in the world, at the time of recording that is built from massive timber. The three 8 storey buildings is notable not just for its size, but its ability to be cost competitive and environmentally friendly. Today we're speaking to the Project Manager, Keven Durand from Nordic Structures in Canada about the importance for simple design, managing moisture in construction and collaborating with fire authorities for successful certification.
Check out the WoodSolutions website, the world's biggest website on wood:
www.woodsolutions.com.au
The WS Technical Design Guide can be found here:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/articles/mid-rise-timber-buildings-design-guides
Got a Mid-rise project? The Mid-rise Advisory Team will be able to help. Get in touch with me at:
jones@woodsolutions.com.au
Architecture using timber can improve our mental well-being and sequester carbon within our buildings. Marie-France Stendahl is an architect with White Architecture and teaches Lund University in Sweden. In this episode we discuss: the concept of using architecture as medicine to heal our mental health and opportunities for using timber to sequester carbon to heal the planet.
Building professionals globally are turning to timber as it provides a healthier, environmentally friendly, sustainable, efficiently off-site prefabricated solution that dramatically reduces construction times and accordingly the overall cost of the project.
If you want to find out more about the biophilic design research, go to:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/wood-at-work
Check out the WoodSolutions website, the world's biggest website on wood:
www.woodsolutions.com.au
The WS Technical Design Guide can be found here:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/articles/mid-rise-timber-buildings-design-guides
HoHo Vienna is the world's tallest wooden tower, standing at 24 floors and 84m in height and is a great example of how we can combine concrete and timber to achieve the best solution for mid to high-rise buildings. Richard Woschitz, of the Woschitz Group is the structural engineer for the project. Today we speak to him about the structural system and the feasibility for high-rise timber buildings, importance of including fire authorities for innovative projects and managing moisture during the construction process.
Check out the WoodSolutions website, the world's biggest website on wood:
www.woodsolutions.com.au
The WS Technical Design Guide can be found here:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/articles/mid-rise-timber-buildings-design-guides
Got a Mid-rise project? The Mid-rise Advisory Team will be able to help. Get in touch with me at:
jones@woodsolutions.com.au
The market for mid-rise timber buildings is growing at a rapid pace all around the world. Jennifer Cover is the President and CEO of WoodWorks in the USA, an organisation very similar to that of WoodSolutions here in Australia. Jennifer is involved with a large range of projects across the USA with a lot of learnings for us building professionals here in Australia. I was lucky to sit down with her to discus innovative project delivery models, when to engage with suppliers and the cost differences for timber buildings compared to traditional construction.
Check out the WoodSolutions website, the world's biggest website on wood:
www.woodsolutions.com.au
The WS Technical Design Guide can be found here:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/articles/mid-rise-timber-buildings-design-guides
Got a Mid-rise project? The Mid-rise Advisory Team will be able to help. Get in touch with me at:
jones@woodsolutions.com.au
Listening from the US? You can find support for your project from Jennifer and her team at:
woodworks.org
Sidewalk Labs are owned by Alphabet, the same organisation that owns a familiar company called Google. They combine forward thinking-urban design and cutting-edge technology to radically improve urban life around the world. They're planning to build a city out of timber as part of their Quayside development in Toronto, to get the carbon sequestration benefits and fast build times possible with timber.
Karim Khalifa is the Director of Building Innovations at Sidewalk Labs, today we speak to him about the timber buildings they're looking at - including a 35 storey proposed timber tower, how Alphabet engineers can assist in construction and about innovative fire design approaches.
To find out more about Side Walk Labs, head to:
https://www.sidewalklabs.com/
Check out the WoodSolutions website, the world's biggest website on wood:
www.woodsolutions.com.au
The WS Technical Design Guide can be found here:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/articles/mid-rise-timber-buildings-design-guides
Episode artwork by Sidewalk Labs
The project 752 High Street Thornburry is a 5 Storey CLT project set to start construction in October 2019. The architect and the client pursued CLT in order for it's sustainability attributes. We're lucky to sit down with the architect, Paul Gardiner from Gardiner Architects, Nathan Benbow the engineer from Vistek and the builders Alastair Holmes and Chris Wood from Sinjen. This project has multiple challenges in design and construction that has required innovative solutions from the project team.
In part 2 of the interview we discuss:
- How to achieve efficient construction for the project
- Importance of managing moisture in design and construction
- The lessons learned from the architect, builder and engineer
Check out the WoodSolutions website, the world's biggest website on wood:
www.woodsolutions.com.au
The WS Technical Design Guide can be found here:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/articles/mid-rise-timber-buildings-design-guides
The project 752 High Street Thornburry is a 5 Storey CLT project set to start construction in October 2019. The architect and the client pursued CLT in order for it's sustainability attributes. We're lucky to sit down with the architect, Paul Gardiner from Gardiner Architects, Nathan Benbow the engineer from Vistek and the builders Alastair Holmes and Chris Wood from Sinjen. This project has multiple challenges in design and construction that has required innovative solutions from the project team.
Part 1 of the interview we discuss the:
- the influence of early contractor involvement
- the relationship between the timber specialist engineer, the project engineer and the supplier engineers, and
- the use of building information modelling for the project.
Hope you enjoyed this episode. Stay tuned for next weeks episode where we talk about construction, durability and lessons learned.
Check out the WoodSolutions website, the world's biggest website on wood:
www.woodsolutions.com.au
The WS Technical Design Guide can be found here:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/articles/mid-rise-timber-buildings-design-guides
Shaun Walsh is the National President of the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (AILA) and the CEO of City Parklands in Brisbane. Shaun's professional career has spanned 25 years in landscape architecture. Landscape architects are responsible for the design of al the spaces between our buildings, having a major impact on the well-being, sustainability and physical comfort of the occupants in a city. In this episode we discuss biophilic design, lessons from the indigenous and the designing for the external use of timber.
Check out the WoodSolutions website, the world's biggest website on wood:
www.woodsolutions.com.au
The WS Technical Design Guide can be found here:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/articles/mid-rise-timber-buildings-design-guides
The Pacific Timber Engineering Conference in 2019 had people from industry and academia share the latest developments in research in timber construction. I got to speak to 10 presenters at the conference, which will form the next two episodes of Timber Talks. In this weeks episode we continue where we left off, with 5 more presenters on topics such as adaptive design, connections, composite concrete/timber systems, robustness and CLT band beams. The conversations were taken at the conference, so please excuse the ambient noise and enjoy hearing about the latest research. First off we have Jon Shanks on agile and adaptive design.
0.55 Jon Shanks from Timbered on adaptive design
5.45 Giovanni Scollo from Rothoblaas on connections
10.30 Robert Tan from Mitek on Composite Timber-concrete systems
13.00 Benoit Gilbert from Griffith University on robustness
15.50 Jeremy Church from Xlam on CLT Band-beams
Check out the WoodSolutions website, the world's biggest website on wood:
www.woodsolutions.com.au
The WS Technical Design Guide can be found here:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/articles/mid-rise-timber-buildings-design-guides
The Pacific Timber Engineering Conference in 2019 had people from industry and academia share the latest developments in research in timber construction. I got to speak to 10 presenters at the conference, which will form the next two episodes of Timber Talks. In part one you will hear 5 presenters from the conference on topics such as Passivhaus, sustainability, the capacity of forests, prefabricated timber envelopes and durability, from experts around the Asia Pacific region. The conversations were taken at the conference, so please excuse the ambient noise and enjoy hearing about the latest research. First off we have Toby Hodsdon from Arup, who will introduce us to the conference and talk on the role of research.
0.55 Toby Hodsdon from ARUP introduces us to the conference
4.15 Marcus Strang from the University of Queensland and Grun Consulting on Passivhaus and engineered wood
6.40 Andrea Stocchero from Scion on sustainability opportunities of timber
12.10 Eugenia Gasparri from the University of Sydney on Unitised Timber Envelopes
16.00 Geoff Stringer from the University of Queensland on durability
Check out the WoodSolutions website, the world's biggest website on wood:
www.woodsolutions.com.au
The WS Technical Design Guide can be found here:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/articles/mid-rise-timber-buildings-design-guides
Hans Blass is a professor of timber engineering at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and is world reknowned on his work into innovative and reliable structural timber connections. He is the author of the book 'Timber Engineering - Principles for Design' and previous winner of the Marcus Wallenberg Prize, for significant contribution to forestry and forest industries. He came to Australia for the Pacifc Timber Engineering Conference, PTEC, where I was lucky to catch him and talk to him about connections, sustainability and a taste for how timber is developing in Germany. As we were speaking at the conference, you're going to hear a bit of ambient noise.
The WS Technical Design Guide can be found here:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/articles/mid-rise-timber-buildings-design-guides
If you have any suggestions for guests or feedback on the show, connect with me on Linkedin and let me know:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamjoneswoodsolutions/
One of the advantages of timber, is it's ability to enable prefabrication for a building to simultaneously improve quality, price and program for a project. The design, logistics and manufacturing are all critical for efficient offsite construction to achieve these productivity gains. At the Frame Australia 2019 conference, I spoke with 3 world leading experts on this topic. In this episode you will first hear Nick Hewson the Design Manager for Xlam on DFMA and logistics, second is Karel Vinckier the founder of HSBCAD on the evolution of BIM, and finally you will hear from Ola Skoglund the COO of Randek on advancements in robotics.
Check out the WoodSolutions website, the world's biggest website on wood:
www.woodsolutions.com.au
The WS Technical Design Guide can be found here:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/articles/mid-rise-timber-buildings-design-guides
If you have any suggestions for guests or feedback on the show, connect with me on Linkedin and let me know:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamjoneswoodsolutions/
Research has shown that utilising exposed timber increases our connection with nature is one of the major elements of biophilic design with proven benefits in well-being and productivity. It also is commonly desired by architects for the beautiful finish, and by developers for market differentiation.
The performance solution and engagement of fire engineers allows designers to utilise a much higher proportion of exposed timber structure. Today we speak with Rob Dixon and Travis Stirling, Senior Fire Engineers from Arup on their perspective on how to achieve the performance solution. In this episode we discuss all the risks and the solutions for exposing timber in mid-rise timber buildings.
If you want some free generic advice on both the dts provisions or the performance approach for your project, the WoodSolutions team will be able to help. You can contact me directly at jones@woodsolutions.com.au, and I'll put you in touch with the right team member.
Check out the WoodSolutions website, the world's biggest website on wood:
www.woodsolutions.com.au
The WS Technical Design Guide can be found here:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/articles/mid-rise-timber-buildings-design-guides
If you have any suggestions for guests or feedback on the show, connect with me on Linkedin and let me know what you think:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamjoneswoodsolutions/
Sustainability is currently a trend around the globe, and Australia has signed to the Paris Climate Change agreement, committing to keep global warming to below 1.5C to 2.0C. The buildings industry has made a lot of progress in understanding the solutions for operational energy, and inevitably the proportion of impacts that come from structural materials is increasing. Timber construction has a big role to play in reducing the impacts of materials, and therefore understanding the life cycle is essential. Today we speak with Ulrich Dangel, the program director for Architecture at the University of Texas and the author of 'A Turning Point in Timber Construction', all about the different stages of the journey for a timber product.
Check out the WoodSolutions website, the world's biggest website on wood:
www.woodsolutions.com.au
The WS Technical Design Guide can be found here:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/articles/mid-rise-timber-buildings-design-guides
If you have any suggestions for guests or feedback on the show, connect with me on Linkedin and let me know:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamjoneswoodsolutions/
Changes to the 2019 National Construction Code Volume One increase the range of buildings, up to an effective height of 25m, in which fire-protected timber construction systems can be used. New responsibilities are placed on the Structural Engineer, Architect and Certifier. Today we speak with Paolo Lavisci, the Program Development Manager - Mid-rise Construction at WoodSolutions and Boris Iskra, National Codes and Standards Manager at Forest and Wood Products Australia about:
- What are the new 2019 NCC updates,
- Which building types have the greatest opportunities from the changes, and
- The general movement of building codes around the world
This is a two part series where today we focus on the DTS provisions of the 2019 NCC. Next week we will explore the performance solution approach for exposed timber.
Check out the WoodSolutions website, the world's biggest website on wood:
www.woodsolutions.com.au
The WS Technical Design Guide can be found here:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/articles/mid-rise-timber-buildings-design-guides
If you have any suggestions for guests or feedback on the show, connect with me on Linkedin and let me know:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamjoneswoodsolutions/
Michael Marks is the co-founder of Katerra, a vertically integrated company setting up a global supply chain, utilising factories and prefabrication to paving an entirely new construction process with a quantum leap in efficiency. Michael has been named the top 10 CEO's of all time within Silicon Valley, as he grew Flextronics from $93 million revenue to $16 billion, and was previously an interim CEO of Tesla.
The multi-trillion dollar global construction industry is ready for change. Construction companies typically invest less than 1% of revenue into new technologies - lower than every other major industry. Katerra is on a mission to change this by optimising every aspect of building design, materials supply and construction. Early results indicate we can expect an improvement in quality, increase in productivity and a reduction in overall costs.
In the podcast we spoke about Katerra's take off event. Check it out here:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCz2NPBeDIssraA3tCX6ikNw
If you've got a question about wood, then you'll find the answer on the WoodSolutions website, the world's biggest website on wood:
www.woodsolutions.com.au
If you have any suggestions for guests or feedback on the show, connect with me on Linkedin and let me know:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamjoneswoodsolutions/
Greg Nolan is an Associate Professor at the University of Tasmania's Discipline of Architecture and Design and Director of the University's Centre for Sustainable Architecture with Wood. Aubxw `884, Greg Nolan has been involved with research and development aimed at improving the use of wood and timber products in sustainable building, and recovery of wood products from the available resource. In today's episode we have a master class on the material characteristics of timber products, designing for durability and the conceptual design process for timber buildings.
If you want to check out the WoodSolutions Technical Guide #46, head to:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/articles/technical-design-guides
Christophe Sigrist is a professor of Timber Design and Steel Design at the Bern University of Applied Sciences, a member of numerous code technical committees in Europe and a Director of ongoing research work, undergraduate and post graduate projects on cutting edge Timber Design. New technologies in design software and robotics are unlocking opportunities for complex structures, previously unavailable to building professionals of the past. In this episode we discuss:
- The new capabilities of generating complex geometries and automated structural design in modern design software's
- How skilled craftsmanship combined with advanced robotics can build new complex structures
- The opportunities in Industry 4.0 for construction
Building professionals globally are turning to timber in mid-rise construction as it provides a healthier, environmentally friendly (carbon), sustainable, efficiently off-site prefabricated solution that dramatically reduces construction times and accordingly the overall cost of the project.
Bern University website can be found here:
www.ahb.bfh.ch/en/home
The Swatch building discussed can be found here:
http://www.blumer-lehmann.ch/fileadmin/documents/10_Unternehmen/111_Erlenhof-News/Blumer-Lehmann_AG_News_2017__E.pdf
Check out the WoodSolutions website, the world's biggest website on wood:
www.woodsolutions.com.au
Michael founded Michael Green Architecture in 2012 with a focus on advanced wood buildings that support community, health and the environment. Michael is known for his research, leadership and advocacy for timber buildings, and is the author of 'Tall Wood Buildings' and has multiple TED Talks that have had hundreds of thousands of views. In this interview we discuss the biggest problems facing construction, automation and robotics, and why his firm has recently paired up with Katerra.
If you want to use timber on your next project, there are over 45 free technical guides found at the WoodSolutions website. Technical guide 37 which focuses on the steps to deliver a mid-rise timber building is a good start.
www.woodsolutions.com.au/articles/technical-design-guides
Watch Michael Green's TED Talk here:
Michael Green: Why we should build wooden skyscrapers
The project, 55 Southbank Boulevard is a defining new landmark in Melbourne, being crowned as the the worlds tallest timber building extension, with a 10 storey cross laminated structure sitting on top of an existing 7 storey concrete building. The technical challenges, of building one of Australia's tallest timber buildings on top of an existing building has significant technical challenges, and we were lucky to speak with the builder, Rob De Brincat, the Manager of Innovation at Atelier, the architect Julian Anderson, a director at Bates Smart and Nathan Benbow, a senior Structural Engineer at Vistek.
In part two of this two part discussion:
- The role of building information modelling, and the utilisation of these models for fabrication and construction
- The importance of collaborating with shop drawers and and installers for successful prefabrication
- All of the key lessons learned on the project
If you want to use timber on your next project, there are over 45 free technical guides found at the WoodSolutions website. Technical guide 37 which focuses on the steps to deliver a mid-rise timber building is a good start.
www.woodsolutions.com.au/articles/technical-design-guides
The project, 55 Southbank Boulevard is a defining new landmark in Melbourne, being crowned as the the worlds tallest timber building extension, with a 10 storey cross laminated structure sitting on top of an existing 7 storey concrete building. The technical challenges, of building one of Australia's tallest timber buildings on top of an existing building has significant technical challenges, and we were lucky to speak with the builder, Rob Debrincat, the Manager of Innovation at Atelier, the architect Julian Anderson, a director at Bates Smart and Nathan Benbow, a senior Structural Engineer at Vistek. In part one of this two part discussion:
- The unique project challenges, such as cranage requirements with limited site access, building with minimal occupant disruption and the strengthening of the existing building
- How early contractor involvement was key for solving design issues, and ensuring efficient design and construction
- Designing and detailing with other materials such as the steel core, and concrete transfer deck
Hope you enjoyed this episode. Stay tuned for next weeks episode where we talk about digital design, fabrication and lessons learned on the project.
If you want to use timber on your next project, there are over 45 free technical guides found at the WoodSolutions website. Technical guide 37 which focuses on the steps to deliver a mid-rise timber building is a good start.
www.woodsolutions.com.au/articles/technical-design-guides
Lisa Thom is a Structural Engineer, and Design Manager for Lendlease and a Timber Engineering Course Lecturer at the University of New South Wales. In this episode, we discuss:
- The range of the additional skills that are required for professional structural engineers looking to design with timber,
- How university curriculums need to change to include the relevant skills such as prefabrication and logistics
- How we can inspire more woman to join construction
Building professionals globally are turning to timber in mid-rise construction as it provides a healthier, environmentally friendly (carbon), sustainable, efficiently off-site prefabricated solution that dramatically reduces construction times and accordingly the overall cost of the project.
If you want to use timber on your next project, there are over 45 free technical guides found at the WoodSolutions website. Technical guide 37 which focuses on the steps to deliver a mid-rise timber building is a good start.
www.woodsolutions.com.au/articles/technical-design-guides
Today, we are taking an opportunity to meet the WoodSolutions Mid-rise Team, and discuss the momentum of timber in Australia since the programs inception in 2016, and key advice for professionals looking to use timber on their next project.
The mid-rise advisory service, is a program that offers FREE professional advice on any aspect of mid-rise timber buildings. The program was launched in 2016, in response to the changes in the National Construction Code which allowed for the construction of mid-rise timber buildings up to 25m in height. With extensive experience in property development, construction, timber engineering and architecture from around the world, the WoodSolutions Mid-rise Team are ideally placed to help with design and construction professionals, and provide the advice to make the most of cost, time, environmental and other advantages of timber building systems.
In today's episode, we meet Gerry Neylan, the Lead program development manager, Paolo Lavisci, an engineer and program development manager, Laurence Ritchie the cost and program estimator, and Stefan Gerber an engineer and program development manager from Brisbane
If you want to use timber on your next mid-rise project, the team you've just met will be able to help out with some free advice.
Robert Malczyk is a timber structural engineering specialist, and the founder of Equilibrium consulting from Canada, which has recently been acquired by construction technology company Katerra, who are looking to make some big changes to construction. Robert is a forward thinking and provocative engineer, and when I got to speak to him at the WCTE in Korea, he caused a bit of controversy with his forward thinking views about what disruption is set for construction on the horizon. In this episode we discuss:
- Why big technology companies like Facebook, Amazon, Apple and Google are pouring money into construction
- How timber is the material to unlock massive innovations
- How parametric design, and building optimisation will create unprecedented efficiencies in design, prefabrication and construction
If you want to use timber on your next project, the latest WoodSolutions Design Guide #46, Wood Construction Systems can help. It has been developed to assist building professionals to confidently explore conceptual structural designs for timber rich buildings and structures.
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/articles/technical-design-guides
Dr Andy Buchanan is one of the pioneers of modern timber construction, developing new engineering concepts, such as the Pres-Lam technology with University of Canterburry, and is author of Structural Design for Fire Safety and the New Zealand Timber Design Guide. Being one of the worlds foremost timber engineering experts, I took the opportunity to discuss with him engineering theory on various aspects for timber design, including:
- First principle theory behind tall timber buildings, including the advice for the framing for stability and the engineering properties
- How the development of new connections are improving the panel stiffness, to design to new levels
- The timber technologies available, including cross laminated timber and laminated veneer lumber, and in what situations are each most applicable
If you want to use timber on your next project, the latest WoodSolutions Design Guide #46, Wood Construction Systems can help. It has been developed to assist building professionals to confidently explore conceptual structural designs for timber rich buildings and structures. The link to this guide, along with the other 45 guides can be found at:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/articles/technical-design-guides
Andrew Waugh is the founding director of Waugh Thistleton Architects, a world leading architectural practice in the use of cross-laminated timber. He was the pioneer for CLT, with Stadhaus in 2008 and the architect for the worlds largest CLT project, Dalston Lane completed in 2017.
In this interview with Andrew we:
- The life cycle of CLT, including the carbon sequestration of CO2 within CLT and it's role in tackling climate change in the coming decade and how to deal with panels at the end of life
- How architects can draw inspiration from the pioneers of architects in 1920, who grew up with low density timber framing and had the vision of how reinforced concrete could change how buildings look like - in a similar way, architects today need to have the vision to change what massive timber buildings look like
- How the construction industry is lacking behind others and why timber is the disruption the industry needs
I was speaking with Andrew in the midst of the World Conference of Timber Engineering, of which he was keynote. It was recorded in the lobby of his hotel, so you can expect a bit of background noise.
Basil Richardson is a Studio Director at Bates Smart, where he leads technical design, documentation and construction for many of the firm's large scale timber projects. In today's episode, we talk about 25 King Street, a 10 storey timber building which has just officially been completed and stands as Australia's tallest commercial office building. In this episode we discuss:
- The evolution of the floor grid, from 12x9m, 9x9 and 6x9m, and the stability system, and the corresponding thought processes behind the design process
- The fire considerations to achieve the beautiful exposed timber finish, and the floor build up required for Class 5 buildings
- The learnings and takeaways in design and construction for the project
Building professionals globally are turning to timber in mid-rise construction as it provides a healthier, environmentally friendly (carbon), sustainable, efficiently off-site prefabricated solution that dramatically reduces construction times and accordingly the overall cost of the project.
If you want to find out more about the biophilic design research, go to:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/blog/wood-makes-more-workable-workplaces-assoc-professor-jacki-schirmer
Got a question about wood? One of the WoodSolutions technical guides should have the answer. To download your free guide, go to:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/articles/technical-design-guides
In part two of this two part series, we discuss:
- How a wholistic view is the key to enabling construction gains in timber projects
-
Why the approach to timber buildings need to be designed from a first principles paradigm and the opportunities for smaller companies to come on this timber journey
-
Why Australia is in the unique position to develop a supply sustainably sourced supply chain to enable a growing market
Building professionals globally are turning to timber in mid-rise construction as it provides a healthier, environmentally friendly (carbon), sustainable, efficiently off-site prefabricated solution that dramatically reduces construction times and accordingly the overall cost of the project.
This is part one of the two part series, stay tuned for part two next week.
If you want to use timber on your next project, there are over 45 free technical guides found at the WoodSolutions website. Technical guide 37 which focuses on the steps to deliver a mid-rise timber building is a good start.
www.woodsolutions.com.au/articles/technical-design-guides
Nick Milestone is the Chairman of the Timber Research Development Association, and Philipp Zumbrunnen is a director at Eurban limited, both based out of London. This is a two part series where we listen to these two world renowned international experts discuss how the mid-rise timber building market is developing, from the perspective of the United Kingdom.
In part one of this two part series, we discuss:
- The construction targets for the UK for 2025, and how prefabricated timber systems, integrated design and early contractor involvement can be combined to meet these goals
- The advantages timber has with design for manufacture and assembly (DFMA) over traditional construction, and why we are on the cusp of a revolution in construction methods
-
The opportunities to stimulate manufacturing sector, and the response of timber construction workers on site
Building professionals globally are turning to timber in mid-rise construction as it provides a healthier, environmentally friendly (carbon), sustainable, efficiently off-site prefabricated solution that dramatically reduces construction times and accordingly the overall cost of the project.
This is part one of the two part series, stay tuned for part two next week.
If you want to use timber on your next project, there are over 45 free technical guides found at the WoodSolutions website. Technical guide 37 which focuses on the steps to deliver a mid-rise timber building is a good start.
www.woodsolutions.com.au/articles/technical-design-guides
Jonathan Evans is a partner at Tzannes, who was previously the lead architect on International House in Sydney, a 7 Storey commercial office building designed for Lendlease, which previously won the Australian Timber Design Award 2017; and Karl-Heinz Weiss, an engineer and the general manager for DesignMake at Lendlease, who has extensive experience he is bringing to Australia, working on projects like K5, the world's largest engineered timber office building in Brisbane, and a proposed major redevelopment at Collins Wharf in Melbourne.
Jonathan and Karl-Heinz are teaming up together for their next project, C1 in Barangaroo which is being called 'The Big Sister' of International House, which is also 7 storeys, but have decided to continue to push the boundaries, by increasing the floor spans by a further 50%.
In part two of this discussion, we cover:
-
How to break new ground and innovate in both engineering and architecture
-
The lessons learned from previous projects, to be taken into C1
- The flow from digital work flow, to physical prefabrication and then to construction of building elements
- The importance of sustainability and reducing embodied carbon in our buildings
Building professionals globally are turning to timber in mid-rise construction as it provides a healthier, environmentally friendly (carbon), sustainable, efficiently off-site prefabricated solution that dramatically reduces construction times and accordingly the overall cost of the project.
If you want to use timber on your next mid-rise project, the WoodSolutions mid-rise team can help with free professional advice. You can contact me directly at:
jones@woodsolutions.com.au,
and I will put you in touch with the right team member.
Or, the 46 free technical guides found at the WoodSolutions website. Technical guide 37 which focuses on the steps to deliver a mid-rise timber building is a good start.
www.woodsolutions.com.au/articles/technical-design-guides
Jonathan Evans is a partner at Tzannes, who was previously the lead architect on International House in Sydney, a 7 storey commercial office building designed for Lendlease, which previously won the Australian Timber Design Award 2017; and Karl-Heinz Weiss, an engineer and the general manager for DesignMake at Lendlease, who has extensive experience he is bringing to Australia, working on projects like K5, the world's largest engineered timber office building in Brisbane, and a proposed major redevelopment at Collins Wharf in Melbourne.
In Part A of this discussion, we cover:
- How timber stacks up, cost wise with traditional construction
- The response of tenants in constructed timber buildings, like International House in Sydney
- The psychological and health effects of exposed timber, and opportunities in educational and office buildings
Building professionals globally are turning to timber in mid-rise construction as it provides a healthier, environmentally friendly (carbon), sustainable, efficiently off-site prefabricated solution that dramatically reduces construction times and accordingly the overall cost of the project.
If you want to use timber on your next mid-rise project, the WoodSolutions mid-rise team can help with free professional advice. You can contact me directly at:
jones@woodsolutions.com.au,
and I will put you in touch with the right team member.
Or, the 44 free technical guides found at the WoodSolutions website. Technical guide 37 which focuses on the steps to deliver a mid-rise timber building is a good start.
www.woodsolutions.com.au/articles/technical-design-guides
Today we are speaking with Caroline Pidcock all about biophilic design, also known as designing in accordance with nature. Her practice has been inspired by the possibilities of creating desirable places, that are sustainable for the planet and enhance people's wellbeing. After 25 years of running her own residential practice she is focusing on how to strategically accelerate the uptake of sustainable ideas.
Connection to nature is essential to wellbeing - yet past design practices in urbanization have led more to a detachment from the natural world. In this episode, we discuss:
- Opportunities to reconnect with Nature through the built environment
- The latest research that supports biophilic design principles
- The 14 patterns of biophilic design, as described by Terrapin
New research, funded by FWPA, produced by Pollinate and peer reviewed by Jacki Schirmer of university of Canberra was launched last week at the 2018 Green Cities Conference, has revealed that buildings designed on biophilic principles, including natural looking wooden surfaces in the workplace, are strongly associated with increased employee well-being and satisfaction; in turn enhancing engagement, creativity, innovation, retention and wellness - and all of which leads to improvements in productivity and personal and business success.
If you want to find out more about the research, go to:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/blog/wood-makes-more-workable-workplaces-assoc-professor-jacki-schirmer
Got a question about wood? One of the WoodSolutions technical guides should have the answer. To download your free guide, go to:
https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/articles/technical-design-guides
Adam Strong is Managing Director at Strongbuild, a Sydney-based company specialising in streamlined building systems and sustainable resources with a focus on the design and delivery of multi-residential, aged-care and retirement living projects. One of the advantages of timber, is it's ability to enable prefabrication for a building to simultaneously improve quality, price and program for a project. In this interview with Adam we discuss:
- How stepping back in the supply chain has given Strongbuild the control to produce higher quality offsite, enable higher productivity onsite and push innovation
- Why early contractor involvement is key to unlocking all of the productivity benefits for timber construction
- Why design, detailing and logistics are fundamentals for a successful prefabricated project
Building professionals globally are turning to timber in mid-rise construction as it provides a healthier, environmentally friendly (carbon), sustainable, efficiently off-site prefabricated solution that dramatically reduces construction times and accordingly the overall cost of the project.
If you want to find out more about Strongbuild, go to:
www.strongbuild.com.au/
If you want to use timber on your next project, there are over 45 free technical guides found at the WoodSolutions website. Technical guide 37 which focuses on the steps to deliver a mid-rise timber building is a good start.
www.woodsolutions.com.au/articles/technical-design-guides