Architecture
Australia's Tiniest State of Tasmania Backs a Timber-First Policy
Tasmania is promoting a culture of wood in public architecture, but what impact will it have on residential building?
Tasmania, our smallest state, is renowned for its dense wilderness, glacier-formed mountains and its native forests, 45 per cent of which are protected in reserves. In June 2016, the Tasmanian government announced the development of a policy that would encourage the use of timber products in construction and architecture. It is the first state in Australia to do so, and the policy would require that wood be considered in the initial stages of all public buildings, including construction, fit-out, heating and energy.
This new policy will help support the local timber industry and promote more sustainable development. But how will it affect residential architecture in Tasmania? We ask a number of industry experts and architects at the forefront of timber architecture about how the policy could shape the future design of new homes, as well as taking a look at how we got here.
This new policy will help support the local timber industry and promote more sustainable development. But how will it affect residential architecture in Tasmania? We ask a number of industry experts and architects at the forefront of timber architecture about how the policy could shape the future design of new homes, as well as taking a look at how we got here.
“With this long tradition of timber craftsmanship comes a multi-generational resource of knowledge about how timber can be grown, managed and worked,” says architect Mat Hinds of Taylor and Hinds Architects. “We have a responsibility as a society to tap into this knowledge and foster it, and to ensure that it is coupled with the best environmental practices in the world.”
Tasmania’s New Wood-Encouragement Policy
The Tasmanian Government’s policy will require that timber products be considered in public building projects, “which will promote a shift towards viewing wood as a first choice for construction, interior design and daily living,” Joan Rylah, Liberal Member for Braddon, announced on behalf of the Tasmanian Govenment.
The Tasmanian Government’s policy will require that timber products be considered in public building projects, “which will promote a shift towards viewing wood as a first choice for construction, interior design and daily living,” Joan Rylah, Liberal Member for Braddon, announced on behalf of the Tasmanian Govenment.
The announcement followed changes to Australia’s National Construction Code that open the way for Mass Timber Construction, a building process using engineered wood products as the primary structural material of choice. This change allows for timber products, such as cross-laminated timber (CLT) – a material similar in strength and stiffness to reinforced concrete, but with a much lower embodied energy consumption – to be used in buildings up to 25 metres in height.
The changes to the construction code puts Australia on par with other advanced countries and is expected to spur demand for local timber needed for the fabrication of CLT.
Encouraging the use of timber products is part of the Tasmanian State Government’s commitment to the local forestry industry. “The increased use of wood will make a significant social difference to the local community, supporting manufacturing and jobs and recognising the historical importance of the industry to regional areas,” says David Rowlinson, Campaign Manager of Planet Ark’s Make it Wood campaign.
How Will the Policy Contribute to Sustainable Development?
Timber is a renewable resource that as a construction material can contribute to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. There are three points to consider on why industry professionals should choose timber as a first option building material.
Timber is a renewable resource that as a construction material can contribute to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. There are three points to consider on why industry professionals should choose timber as a first option building material.
- Use of renewable resources
- Reduction in greenhouse gas emissions
More than 20 per cent of Australia’s carbon emissions come from constructing and maintaining the built environment. Using wood and wood-based materials could lead to a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, and ultimately play an important role in addressing the effects of climate change.
- Sustainable forestry management
How Will the Policy Contribute to Residential Architecture and Construction?
Timber has benefits not only for sustainability, industry growth and stimulating the local economy, but also for domestic spaces and environments. There are a number of expected benefits from the support of the policy in residential architecture.
Timber has benefits not only for sustainability, industry growth and stimulating the local economy, but also for domestic spaces and environments. There are a number of expected benefits from the support of the policy in residential architecture.
1. Up-skilling architects and more sophisticated architecture
A lot of architects in Tasmania already use timber in domestic architecture. However, Nolan believes the policy has the capacity to influence multi-residential building development, directly affect public housing policy, and influence the ability of architects to understand timber building better.
A lot of architects in Tasmania already use timber in domestic architecture. However, Nolan believes the policy has the capacity to influence multi-residential building development, directly affect public housing policy, and influence the ability of architects to understand timber building better.
“A greater level of sophistication and care is required in commercial and public buildings and this will trickle into the residential sector and affect the up-skilling of professions in the ways they can use wood more effectively,” Nolan says.
Peter Walker, Director and Principle Architect at Cumulus Studio expresses a similar viewpoint. “Public buildings allow architects time and budget to experiment and research new techniques that they can then use for residential projects. It is our experience that there is usually a direct flow-on effect from public architecture through to the domestic market. In this case once people have the opportunity to come into contact with different ways timber can be used.”
2. Aesthetic and atmospheric qualities of timber environments
Timber provides a sense of organic warmth, softness and tactility that few other materials possess. Cumulus Studio recently won an Intergrain Timber Vision Award for its innovative use of timber across a number of public and residential projects, including Bell Buoy Beach House (pictured).
“Timber is such a versatile material, which allows us to treat it differently depending on the aims of the project,” Walker says. “Sometimes it adds warmth to a space; sometimes texture or colour; sometimes organic quality. Sometimes we use timber because it is cost effective, whereas other times we use it to emphasise quality and luxury.”
Timber provides a sense of organic warmth, softness and tactility that few other materials possess. Cumulus Studio recently won an Intergrain Timber Vision Award for its innovative use of timber across a number of public and residential projects, including Bell Buoy Beach House (pictured).
“Timber is such a versatile material, which allows us to treat it differently depending on the aims of the project,” Walker says. “Sometimes it adds warmth to a space; sometimes texture or colour; sometimes organic quality. Sometimes we use timber because it is cost effective, whereas other times we use it to emphasise quality and luxury.”
Hinds agrees that seeing more timber in public buildings will encourage people to want it in their private buildings. “When care is taken in the making of our public spaces and institutions, it is like a ripple effect. We notice that people engage the processes of architecture differently in their private domain if they are seeing high-quality aspirations in the public domain.
“Think of a timber-lined room, carefully made, with the character of light, the scent of the timber, and the warmth that is imparted to a space by this material. Its uniqueness is self-evident. Timber possesses a peculiar kind of architectural magic. We always seek to capture that magic in our work.”
“Think of a timber-lined room, carefully made, with the character of light, the scent of the timber, and the warmth that is imparted to a space by this material. Its uniqueness is self-evident. Timber possesses a peculiar kind of architectural magic. We always seek to capture that magic in our work.”
3. Psychological and physiological benefits of timber environments
The benefits of timber also extend to the psychological and physiological. Planet Ark’s report, Wood – Housing, Health, Humanity, commissioned for the Make it Wood campaign, found exposure to wood products and timber interiors has positive health benefits, similar to those created by spending time in nature.
The benefits of timber also extend to the psychological and physiological. Planet Ark’s report, Wood – Housing, Health, Humanity, commissioned for the Make it Wood campaign, found exposure to wood products and timber interiors has positive health benefits, similar to those created by spending time in nature.
The report found people are innately drawn towards timber. It also showed that being surrounded by wood at home, work or school has positive effects on the body, brain and environment. In addition, wood elicits feelings of warmth, comfort and relaxation, and can even help reduce recovery times for the ill and injured, which leads to shortened hospital stays.
Philip M Dingemanse from PMD Architecture + Design created his own home in Tasmania and used timber panels to line the living spaces and create a wonderful feeling of warmth.
4. Renewable heating resource
The policy will encourage wood to also be considered for heating and energy. “Wood currently makes up about 20 to 25 per cent of all renewable energy produced in Australia, in comparison to about 46 per cent in Europe, which is predominantly in heat generation,” Nolan explains. “Wood is a more significant component of renewable energy resources than people realise, know or want to admit, and it contributes as much to Australia’s renewable energy consumption as [the other fuel types] of wind, solar panels and hot water systems combined.”
The policy will encourage wood to also be considered for heating and energy. “Wood currently makes up about 20 to 25 per cent of all renewable energy produced in Australia, in comparison to about 46 per cent in Europe, which is predominantly in heat generation,” Nolan explains. “Wood is a more significant component of renewable energy resources than people realise, know or want to admit, and it contributes as much to Australia’s renewable energy consumption as [the other fuel types] of wind, solar panels and hot water systems combined.”
Wood, as a fuel type, is predominantly used for heat generation in Tasmania. “There is potential to see more use of biomass [such as wood] as a heat source in public buildings and it will help to lift the market up and increase people’s capacity of how to use it in construction,” Nolan says.
5. Improved wood products and construction
While most timber housing projects involve timber-framed construction, steel or engineered timber beams are sometimes used in long-span situations, and Nolan says he expects to see blended approaches continue to occur.
While most timber housing projects involve timber-framed construction, steel or engineered timber beams are sometimes used in long-span situations, and Nolan says he expects to see blended approaches continue to occur.
“We will see a mixture of construction types – a combination of CLT and timber element types that people are already good at using, such as nail-plate trusses and lightweight fabrication,” Nolan says. “It will also encourage the capacity of wood fabricators to supply into the domestic market, providing high-end products and products of better capacity and price.”
It should be noted that while timber is an attractive and practical choice, it is important to use the correct type of timber and treatment application. Coating timber minimises the effects of weathering, and wood preservatives can prevent decaying. There are no ‘designated bushfire-prone areas’ defined in Tasmania, however, timber typically burns in a predictable fashion, making fire-management easier. The effects of shrinkage and swelling are vastly reduced in engineered-timber products, with CLT being superior in terms of fire resistance, noise insulation and heat insulation.
Will Other Australian States Follow?
The interest in building contemporary timber homes is no doubt increasing. Tasmania is the first Australian state government to develop a state-wide wood encouragement policy, although it has been promoted on a smaller scale in a handful of councils and shires across the country.
The interest in building contemporary timber homes is no doubt increasing. Tasmania is the first Australian state government to develop a state-wide wood encouragement policy, although it has been promoted on a smaller scale in a handful of councils and shires across the country.
Fabiano Ximenes, Research Scientist at Forest Science, Department of Industry – Lands – NSW Government, contributed to the UN Report and welcomes the news of Tasmania’s policy and what it may mean for other Australian states. “Any incentive that may be created for the increased use of wood in buildings is a welcome development,” he says. “The more policies such as this adopted in different jurisdictions, the more legitimate it becomes in the eyes of different local governments and therefore increases the chances of wider adoption.”
How About the Rest of the World?
Internationally, like-minded governments and councils are also implementing wood encouragement policies, including Rotorua in New Zealand, Hackney in London, Quebec and British Columbia in Canada, and the national governments of Finland, France and the Netherlands.
Internationally, like-minded governments and councils are also implementing wood encouragement policies, including Rotorua in New Zealand, Hackney in London, Quebec and British Columbia in Canada, and the national governments of Finland, France and the Netherlands.
Steel, glass and concrete revolutionised architecture in the twentieth century, enabling bigger buildings to be constructed, and now the twenty-first century has been described as ‘the new timber age’. Timber and engineered timber products look set to be a defining force in architecture as sustainable development advances, and the benefits of timber environments are increasingly realised – with Tasmania helping to lead the way.
TELL US
What do you like about all-timber homes? If you live in one, what are the benefits? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
TELL US
What do you like about all-timber homes? If you live in one, what are the benefits? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
The first British settlers arrived at what was then called Van Diemen’s Land in the early 1800s. They established settlements and put convicts to work clearing forests for timber to be used for local construction and shipbuilding for the British navy. As forest-based industries expanded throughout the 1800s, Tasmania supplied timber across the colonies and to Britain, spurring economic development and fuelling the need for the management of public forests.