A one-day convention entitled New Approaches to Engineered Timber in Contemporary Architecture held at the Centre for Timber Engineering (CTE), Napier University, Edinburgh demonstrated that engineered timber components are very much in vogue with architects and engineers.
Nearly 100 architects, structural engineers, government officials, timber industry personnel, Forest Commission representatives and CTE undergraduates saw a variety of timber products used in a number of case studies demonstrated by the nine speakers.
Traditional softwood glulam beams, I-joists, Kerto LVL and solid softwood lumber were demonstrated alongside projects involving American temperate hardwoods in both load-bearing applications and their more traditional use in interior design.
Convention chairman Peter Ross from Arup Consulting Engineers gave a brief history of the development of timber engineering and outlined the information engineers require to do their work.
This included the development of the theory of structures, understanding the applied loadings on buildings, knowing the properties of the material, and the development of timber connectors and adhesives.
He said that the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC), Arup and BRE had recently produced the first design values for four American temperate hardwood species.
One of the speakers, architect David Page, told the audience he had drifted away from timber earlier in his career but had now returned to the material because of its natural appeal.
Delegate Duncan King of AHEC said: “The enthusiasm and imagination emanating from the speakers for wood as a modern material will stimulate the thoughts of others to be even more creative and continue to push the boundaries of timber engineering even further forward.”
