Ireland’s Wood Marketing Federation is planning a roadshow next year to promote Woodspec: A Guide to Designing, Detailing and Specifying Timber in Ireland – a comprehensive specifiers’ guide launched in July.
The guide has been produced as a limited number of illustrated hard copies backed by CD-ROMS and the Woodspec website at www.coford.ie/woodspec.
It is the result of four years of work by a team comprising architects, engineers, wood scientists, foresters, designers, builders and a range of specialists including processors and wood treatment experts.
The versatility of wood is illustrated in the guide which provides necessary information for architects and engineers in sections including design guidance, detailed drawings, sample timber specification and timber building specifications.
Project manager Donal Magner said: ‘Most of what we are doing is really on the website which has had around 1,500 hits, mainly from architects and engineers, since it was launched.
‘We have asked for feedback from users about the guide and it will be updated as specifications and standards change. It will also be updated based on users’ comments and suggestions.’
Mr Magner said the production of Woodspec coincided with a period of new confidence in the Irish forest industry which now has a total output of €444m, with potential for Irish timber to increase domestic and export market share because annual production from Irish forests will rise by 25% by 2006.
The roadshow, due to take place in March, will visit nine centres around Ireland and details will be available on the website.
