Members of the UK’s House of Commons recently received a research briefing on ways to address the growing housing shortage in England. Members were told that an estimated 340,000 new homes would be needed each year to meet the growing demand. Offsite timber frame construction could be the solution for housebuilders.
News in offsite construction
Element5 at the Forefront of a Revolutionary New Way of Building
A feature article in the London Free Press on Monday (3-14-22) highlights a St. Thomas, Ontario manufacturer at the forefront of what is becoming a revolutionary new way of building. The company is Element5. Element5 manufactures wood beams and panels used in building construction.
LP Building Solutions Completes Sale of Stake in I-Joist Joint Venture to Resolute Forest Products
LP Building Solutions (LP) announced on Friday (3-4-22) that it has closed on the previously announced sale of its 50% equity interest in two joint ventures that produce I-joists to Resolute Forest Products Inc. The long-time partnership was established as an equity method investment in which both LP and Resolute Forest Products had a 50% interest in each entity.
Stora Enso Oyj Halts All Exports and Imports From Russia
On Tuesday (3-2-22), Stora Enso Oyj, the Helsinki Finland-based integrated paper, packaging, and forest products company, which operates three corrugated packaging plants and two wood products sawmills in Russia, said it will stop all exports and imports to and from Russia. The company also announced that a mitigation plan has been activated to secure availability of input materials from other sources.
Wisdome Stockholm to be Sweden’s National Museum of Science and Technology Showcase of Climate-Friendly Construction
Sweden’s National Museum of Science and Technology is soon to be home of Wisdome Stockholm, a scientific experience arena located within the museum. Designed by architects Elding Oscarson, the 1,325 square meter building, which features a vaulted roof, will be home to a globe-shaped dome theatre of 21.6 meters in diameter hosting a 3D cinema with a spherical screen.
Stora Enso to Invest 9 Million Euros in Automated Cross-Laminated Timber Coating Line at Ybbs, Austria Sawmill
Stora Enso announced on Friday (2-11-22) that it will be investing 9 million euros in an automated cross-laminated timber (CLT) coating line at their Ybbs sawmill in Austria. In the news release, the company said the investment will further strengthen its position as a leading global provider of engineered wood products for low carbon, sustainable buildings.
Timberlink Investing Millions to Upgrade Tarpeena Sawmill and Construct New CLT/GLT Plant
Timberlink’s Tarpeena sawmill, located in South Australia, is undergoing a multi-million-dollar expansion. The project will include an upgrade the existing sawmill and the construction of Australia’s first cross laminated timber (CLT) and glue laminated timber (GLT) manufacturing plant, which will be co-located on the sawmill’s site.
Australia’s Clean Energy Finance Corporation Promotes Use of Timber in Large-Scale Construction with Debt Financing
Wanting to promote a mass transformation in timber construction across the property sector in Australia, the Australian government’s Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) is providing $300 million (AUD) in debt finance for eligible projects nationwide. The new CEFC program seeks to transform large-scale building construction in Australia, with the potential to cut construction-related emissions.
New White Paper Released on Mass Timber Construction in the UK
The RICAAuthority, an annually funded research scheme supported by 24 major United Kingdom insurers, has just released a new white paper on mass timber construction in the UK. The report, “Insurance Challenges of Massive and Mass Timber Construction,” is recommending that hybrid structures combining traditional and modern method of construction may represent the best route forward to satisfying multiple considerations including insurance risks and carbon reduction.
B.C. Becomes Mass Timber Hub of North America — How it All Began
According to Nate Bergen, project development manager at Kinsol Timber Systems, “British Columbia is currently seen as the hub of North America when it comes to mass timber architecture, engineering, and installation.” Bergen goes onto say in his interview with the Daily Hive, that “Aside from all the performance advantages of mass timber, some of the biggest benefits come from the ability to pre-plan and prefabricate mass timber buildings…”