Japan takes UK timber frame tour

A delegation from Japan has undertaken a fact-finding tour around the UK to discover the drivers for growth in the use of timber frame.

BRE hosted representatives from the Japan Forestry Agency, Japan Housing and Wood Technology Centre, Japan Wood Preservers Industry Association and Japan Wood Preserving Association.

Timber construction is in decline in Japan, and the group wanted to learn why timber frame is on the rise in the UK.

They focused on timber’s role within the Green Guide for Specification and the advantages modern timber products can have in green specification mechanisms, such as an extended service life.

The three-day trip included visits to Pinewood Structures’ and Potton’s timber frame factories, the SmartLIFE housing project in Cambridge and a Taylor Lane Timber Frame site in Newbury to learn about the timber frame construction process.