A packed meeting at the Institute of Structural Engineers (IstructE) in London heard an impassioned plea for the use of “more and more wood” in UK construction in January.
So many people turned up to a special presentation by Richard Harris of structural engineer Buro Happold entitled “21st Century Timber Engineering – the age of enlightenment for timber design “that a second room had to be used as an overspill.
Mr Harris said that engineered timber construction in the UK had a long history, highlighting its importance in Victorian building, including the work of Isambard Brunel.
During the 20th century steel and concrete became the material of choice for engineered structures and timber was largely relegated to “craft” status.
But today, Mr Harris maintained, thanks to a combination of factors including demand from architects and customers, “timber in construction is enjoying a renaissance”.
“It is emerging as the new construction material for the 21st century and we are now in a position to fulfill timber’s 19th century promise,” he said.
Perhaps the key factor driving the rediscovery of wood, said Mr Harris, was its environmental performance and the ability of forests and timber to act as a carbon store and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
“With other materials you have to use less to benefit the environment, with wood you have to increase consumption,” he said. “We clearly are not going to stop using concrete and steel, but to compensate we have to use more and more timber.”
He stressed that structural engineers need to know more about timber’s performance and to understand and work more closely with the supply chain so that the best material is used for the task.
Mr Harris told TTJ he was “delighted” with the turn out at the meeting particularly from young engineers. “It proved my point about growing interest in timber construction,” he said.
