Summary
¦ Simon Orrells took over from Geoff Arnold as UKTFA chairman in January.
¦ The UKTFA has appointed Andrew Carpenter as chief executive.
¦ There are areas of commercial construction as yet untapped by timber frame.
¦ A new, virtual, Knowledge Centre will go live later this year.

If it’s true that one pound in every six is spent at Tesco then the timber frame fraternity could be in for quite a ride. According to Martin Young, the retail giant’s chief architect, 20 out of its next 27 supermarkets will be designated eco stores and could potentially be timber frame.

It’s that kind of statistic that gives Simon Orrells great confidence in the timber frame market’s future. He took over the UK Timber Frame Association (UKTFA) chairmanship from Geoff Arnold in January and is upbeat about prospects, despite the inevitable hole that public sector spending cuts will carve into the social housing sector.

“There are untapped areas of the commercial sector that we can move into,” he said. “If it can’t be built in timber, it can’t be built at all.”

Social housing sector

The key to capitalising on these markets while the social housing sector is in the doldrums and one of his main drivers as UKTFA chairman, is to increase awareness of timber frame’s flexibility and sustainability credentials and to secure earlier involvement in projects.

“We need to focus on early involvement as the project can then be designed – not over-designed – to the [client’s] requirements,” he said. “When they’re over-designed they are over-priced and then timber frame is perceived as being more expensive than other build methods, whereas with the right design advice timber frame is actually cost neutral. And when build time and then whole life costings are taken into account, it is cost competitive.

“We need to raise awareness in the client groups to think timber frame first,” he added. “The self-build market is very knowledgeable on timber frame as the industry has worked hard to educate it. We’ve got to get the same message across to architects, consultants and contractors and get them to understand how flexible timber frame is, moving beyond the ‘build method’ argument and concentrating on the many benefits their clients gain by living, working or enjoying leisure time in quality constructed, well insulated, sustainable buildings with low running costs and maintenance.”

The association’s “fit and forget” Fabric First message has entered the construction community’s collective consciousness – the phrase was much in evidence at Ecobuild, for example – but, said Mr Orrells, the concept still needs pushing. “Get the external envelope right and the rest is easy,” he said, “but we have to get people to understand the lifetime costs of the building so they don’t automatically think bolting renewables on to a leaky, poorly constructed building envelope is the only option to sustainable construction, because it isn’t.”

Site Safe success

The UKTFA’s Site Safe fire prevention and safety initiative has also made real progress. “Since Site Safe was launched in January 2010 we’ve had more than 330 registrations and one fire,” said Mr Orrells. “That’s still one fire too many and we are working hard to eradicate building site fires completely.”

More updates are due on Site Safe shortly, but in essence it requires that any project of four storeys and above, or 2,500m², or within a risk area (next to a petrol station, for example), is logged with the Fire Service as soon as the timber frame manufacturer receives the order. The Fire Service can then conduct a site-specific risk assessment.

In September timber frame manufacturers will be able to log projects on the Health & Safety Executive website. As the scheme is audited monthly by BM TRADA, it shores up timber frame’s reputation and boosts confidence in the sector.

BM TRADA also accredits the UKTFA’s product quality scheme (formerly the UKTFA Q-Mark), which again, boosts credibility. “Unless accreditation is third party it doesn’t really add value, so this is a big benefit. It also prepares our members for the CE marking requirements in 2013.”

Chief executive

Despite the uncertain economic climate, the association continues to be forward thinking, as evidenced by the appointment of a chief executive after a break of four years (part of the role having been fulfilled by the chairman and the voluntary board of management in the interim).

Andrew Carpenter, whose previous career includes 28 years with architectural masonry products manufacturer Forticrete, brings with him an impressive contacts list and extensive lobbying experience and that, and Simon Orrells’ own hands-on experience of running a timber frame factory, is already proving to be a winning combination.

“He’s spent the first three months of the year meeting the membership face-to-face, which has been a massive benefit,” said Mr Orrells. “With the board being made up of representatives from the membership including manufacturers it’s good for the [rest of the] membership to meet someone who is totally independent.

“The feedback he has received will prove invaluable in helping to shape the future strategy of the association.”

Knowledge is a two-way street and other initiatives plug into his ambition to educate the market and achieve the “end game” of building awareness.

Networking events

The association’s regional meeting in Birmingham in March rang the changes, as it incorporated the UKTFA’s first networking event and this format will be repeated at the next meeting in September. “Instead of the regional meetings running all day, they’ll run in the afternoon and follow client events in the morning, to which architects and specifiers from the housebuilding and commercial sectors will be invited,” said Mr Orrells. “Craig White from White Design spoke at the Birmingham meeting and it was a great success.”

Also spreading the gospel will be the virtual Knowledge Centre, an online learning resource, due to go live later this year, which will feature an architects’ module which will be CPD accredited and endorsed by RIBA.

It adds up to an exciting time ahead and Simon Orrells is determined that during his tenure as chairman, the UKTFA membership will grow and “we can draw on all their experience, knowledge and innovation”.

With that expertise at its disposal, he said, the timber frame sector will reap the rewards of an improving market.