Material-specific documentation, as included in the NATSPEC National Building Specification, allows architects to work in a safer and more flexible manner.
The NATSPEC worksection 0385 Cross-laminated timber (CLT) advice has been reissued for the 2023 April update in response to industry feedback to help better accommodate the growing trend of cross-laminated timber.
Popular across most typologies, cross-laminated timber is an engineered wood material that was first developed in Europe in the 1990s. Over the last ten years, it has become increasingly popular in projects in North America and Australia.
When specifiers select cross-laminated timber for a project, says national not-for-profit organisation, owned by Government and industry, NATSPEC, they must consider material issues including fire resistance, moisture content and volatile organic compounds.
Design considerations include fire performance, expansion and contraction, and joint movement. Transport and construction issues, such as local council restrictions, lifting systems, and lifting areas, need to be considered before starting design, says NATSPEC.
The tallest timber building in Australia, Melbourne’s 69.7-metre tower 55 Southbank, is ranked seventh on the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat’s global list of high-rise timber buildings.
55 Southbank was completed in 2020. Nine of the top ten buildings on the list were completed in the past four years.
Image: Scott Burrows / All Hollows.
