Australia is built on concrete and steel. From decades the construction culture has favored those materials which require massive quantities of energy and resources to produce. In the last years, thanks to an innovative and forward-thinking approach of industry professionals, mass timber or the way we call it, engineered timber, has emerged as the only material that is both renewable and can meet the demands that modern society has of its structures.
Several buildings are now built with structural engineered timber applied where it is smart to use it: long-spanning elements, portal frames, bracing panels, slabs, roof systems and even façade panels. With up to 1 tonne of carbon per cubic metre of material sequestered, timber provides a true boost to the green performances of any building.
Structurally, engineered timber is very strong, robust, and light. Buildings of engineered timber have 30% less dead load than comparable concrete structures, requiring lighter foundations and opening up the possibility for retrofits expanding existing structures. Using prefabricated elements made of engineered timber, construction sites are quieter and more easily managed, improving safety.
There are no wet or hot trades pouring concrete or welding frames. Architecturally, the material has a high aesthetic quality which can be expressed to leverage the biophilic response, saying the natural tendency for stress levels in occupants to reduce in the presence of nature.
Rubner and Theca Timber provides a vast array of engineered timber solutions, including Glued Laminated Timber (glulam) and Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT), that can be used as part of sustainable structures for eco-friendly buildings.
