WoodWorks to develop university timber modules

North American wood promotion initiative WoodWorks has agreed a deal with a dozen US universities to develop a series of virtual learning modules covering the use of wood in non-residential construction.

The 30 modules will be worked up under the newly formed Wood Education Initiative, and will be used in undergraduate and graduate-level engineering programmes. They will also be available for the continuing education of industry professionals, according to WoodWorks.

Universities signed up to the project include Washington State University, the University of Wisconsin at Madison, the University of Buffalo, Oregon State University, the University of California at Berkeley, Colorado State University, the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, the California State Polytechnic University campuses at San Luis Obispo and Pomona, San Diego State University, California State University at Los Angeles and Santa Clara University.

The introduction of the modules is part of a drive to ensure the use of wood is featured more heavily on related university curricula.

“The long-term goal is to ensure that emerging design professionals have the skills to design non-residential structures in all of the major building materials - including wood,” said Mikhail Gershfeld, professional practice professor of civil engineering at California State Polytechnic University at Pomona, which is leading the project.

“When selecting structural materials for a project, designers need to consider a variety of factors.

“The lack of training and understanding of strength, limitations and proper use of a particular material shouldn’t be among them.”

WoodWorks is a collaborative venture between industry bodies, research organisations and government agencies, including APA – The Engineered Wood Association, Canadian Wood Council, South-eastern Lumber Manufacturers Association, Southern Forest Products Association, Western Wood Products Association, the US Forest Service’s Forest Products Laboratory, Forestry Innovation Investment and Western Wood Preservers Institute.