Furthermore, in countries with old coal, including the US, Canada and Europe, entire communities are economically reliant on the coal plants.
Timber is a renewable material that has the potential to help decarbonise new buildings.However, should the industry move towards using more timber construction, local supply may not be able to meet demand leading to a less sustainable product..
The technical difficulties don’t eliminate the use of engineered timber but it’s clear there are many challenges that require more complex integration and technical knowledge than conventional construction systems..The application of timber is wide reaching from engineered timber solutions to simple uses of lumber in isolated instances.The right type and application of timber needs to be considered alongside the building typology.
However, our prevailing view is that timber is the best structural option, particularly in designs driven by carbon.Timber should be used in low rise buildings such as residential, schools and retail, and could be introduced as upper storeys on a variety of taller builds mixed with other construction systems.
It is not the solution for all buildings, but it has its place within the industry and should be maximised within its constraints.. Technical areas that require further investigation and that may shift the public perspective of engineered timber include the adequate carbon accounting of root decaying and soil, and the impact of sustainable forest management on ecosystems..
Article by Director of Sustainability.With a background spanning industries like agriculture, engineering and healthcare, as well as work as part of the Technology Strategy Board of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), Sully says it’s the significant breadth of her previous experience that makes her so well suited to her current work with the Hub.. Now entering its fourth year in operation, the purpose of the Construction Innovation Hub is to act as a catalyst to support the industry, working with both the UK government and supply chain, in order to establish how we can facilitate more effective delivery of our built environment.
Working with manufacturing and digital processes in its quest to support progression around productivity and efficiency, the Hub focuses on safety, meeting and exceeding existing standards, and looking toward future approaches.The Construction Innovation Hub works with over 200 companies in various ways across a range of projects, and collaborates with government partners, including all of the contracting departments.
At core, the Construction Innovation Hub is a consortium of three organisations:.The Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC), focused on the manufacturing and process element of the work..