Australia’s overarching legislative construction council, the Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) recently passed a change to the National Construction Code (NCC) allowing timber construction to increase in height from 3 to 8 storeys. With Australian cities nearing their limits in terms of urban sprawl, this change comes at a particularly apt time to explore the benefits of a variety of structural systems outside the closed loop of steel and concrete.
4 critical questions to ask when designing and specifying for mid-rise construction is a new whitepaper that has recently been released, commissioned by Australia’s largest distributor of Engineered Wood Products, Tilling SmartFrame.
The whitepaper addresses the question of when best to engage with design assistance, particularly when available from your structural material provider. While many groups mistake this assistance as potentially replacing the work of an architect or engineer, in actuality the expertise offered by structural material providers is designed to complement those pre-existing roles.
The paper goes on to explore the risks associated with overdesigning from structural and cost perspectives – a common outcome when utilising only a single structural material – before examining the possible benefits when taking advantage of a variety of structural systems for a project. These benefits range from the practicality of a design solution to alternative, external benefits such as in regards to seismic resistance and environmental comfort.
The whitepaper is free to download and comes with additional information on the potential to increase density within our cities by repurposing and adding onto existing structures.
To find out more about the prime considerations surrounding the design and specification for mid-rise developments and how effective design collaboration will improve outcomes, click here to download 4 critical questions to ask when designing and specifying for mid-rise construction.
