Timber construction is gaining popularity for a wide range of building types and sizes. As a natural cellular material, it is strong and light, making it easy to transport and erect.
It can also be machined to very high tolerances, making it ideal for prefabrication. Recent advances in computer controlled manufacturing and stronger and larger engineered wood products like cross laminated timber (CLT), mean that timber construction can now achieve shorter programme times often at lower overall cost, while providing safer, cleaner and quieter environments on site. It is also our only renewable construction material and it locks away carbon dioxide for the life of the building.
To realise all of these benefits we need to take full advantage of timber’s unique properties from the very start of a project. We also need to understand and anticipate its performance in fire, its vibration and acoustic properties, its contribution to envelope behaviour and energy use, and its integration with building services systems. This is where Arup’s multidisciplinary approach can offer a real advantage to help deliver efficient and reliable overall designs.
We are excited by the opportunities that timber can offer and believe that our wide range of skills and experience can help create timber structures that are beautiful, sustainable and affordable at the same time.
