By Gareth Barber, MD of The Stable Company

The demand for more space seems almost insatiable – with housing and education leading the charge
Share on X

You might not associate timber with evidence-led, dynamic construction, but as a unique, radical alternative to more common bricks and mortar construction methods, wood is undergoing a 21st century renaissance.

With design possibilities that lend the material to building projects big and small, timber’s ability to provide a practical, energy-efficient – and even mood-boosting – solution have led to a resurgence in its popularity. How, exactly, has timber caught the nation’s eye?

Wood is undergoing a 21st century renaissance
Share on X

Radical, flexible building design

Through centuries of experimentation and technical advancement, timber has been a way of proudly expressing culture and heritage. Some of the most iconic structures on Earth are timber constructs. With superior tensile strength, timber can be manipulated and applied to an incredible number of construction blueprints: perhaps most contemporarily and ostentatiously, the Metropol Parasol.

With superior tensile strength, timber can be manipulated and applied to an incredible number of construction blueprints
Share on X

Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) is a game-changing technological innovation for timber construction. It sounds simple, but CLT is made by layering softwood, gluing and then pressing it together. This creates small timber sections that can be put together to make larger structural panels, with a thickness of around 50 cm. As strong as steel, leading designer and architect Alex de Rijke has called CLT ‘the new concrete’.

Further developments in CLT mean it is able to pass rigorous seismic, fire and sound requirement tests – and is even suitable for high rise blueprints. Indeed, the world’s largest and tallest timber office began construction in 2018. “25 King”, with over nine storeys and topping 48 metres in height, is to be constructed from over 3,000 individual timber elements, with over 21,175m² of CLT used; this includes beams, columns (33 on each floor) and floor panels.

Cross-Laminated Timber is a game-changing tech innovation
Share on X

The ultimate sustainable building material

Timber is a 100% renewable material. As well as acting as a carbon store, the manufacture of timber is less energy-intensive, cutting down non-renewable energy use. So too is its transport, as it typically weighs less than concrete or steel.

A thoughtfully-designed timber building contains additional features that supplement these eco-friendly natural properties. Air-source heat pumps are able to keep building interiors at a consistent temperature, with day/night light sensors also cutting down on unnecessary energy – and financial – expenditure. Carefully considered window placement can also maximise the use of natural light.

Designer and architect Alex de Rijke has called CLT ‘the new concrete’
Share on X

Maintaining optimal temperature

Part of timber’s radical offering is its natural ability to maintain an optimised interior environment. This is of particular value to those involved in the sector of education, where timber has become an evidence-led choice for school specifiers.

Inside timber is a cellular structure which contains air pockets. These help to limit the material’s ability to conduct heat – meaning users don’t bake in the summer heat as they might in a brick or concrete alternative. And with smaller-scale projects, timber modular buildings are often standalone, able to be fitted with bi-fold, sliding doors which opens the space up to the outdoors – a favourable setup for staying cool whilst having opportunity to fulfil outdoor learning objectives.

As well as users staying cool in summer, they also won’t feel the chill in winter – because timber is a natural thermal insulator. Timber’s structural air pockets prevent heat inside from dissipating; the result, a more stable temperature and comfortable environment for users. This has financial and environmental benefits – reducing reliance on central heating and fans.

As a building material, timber is also hygroscopic – meaning it improves indoor air quality by moderating humidity levels. This makes it a popular building material for car garages, for example, that mustn’t get too moist, but also ideal for avoiding mugginess on hot, rainy afternoons.

Timber is hygroscopic - meaning it improves indoor air quality by moderating humidity levels
Share on X

Physiological benefits

A study by Planet Ark makes abundantly clear the benefits of ‘biophilic design’ – where nature is incorporated into buildings and man-made surroundings. The use of materials such as timber has been shown to boost cognitive performance by connecting humans to their outdoor surroundings.

Interestingly, studies show that people talk more with timber around. In a 2012 study, 44 elderly residents were studied in wooded surroundings – tables, chairs and tableware – and then analysed in similar plastic surroundings. The results show a marked increase in social interactions when in the presence of wooden products – that is, they were more talkative, open and willing to engage.

The use of materials such as timber has been shown to boost cognitive performance by connecting humans to their outdoor surroundings
Share on X

Innovative and accessible spaces

As architects retain a large degree of design freedom when building with timber, the finest of details can be considered. Timber, therefore, is a popular choice for those wishing to provide accessible environments for those who may have additional needs or require supervision. Standalone timber buildings can feature accessibility ramps, sliding doors, acoustic insulation and wide, open spaces for supervision.

Further developments in CLT mean it is able to pass rigorous seismic, fire and sound requirement tests – and is even suitable for high rise blueprints
Share on X

Affordability

Building projects completed with timber often come in at a lower cost than if completed with other construction materials such as brick or concrete. That’s also not factoring in that public sector projects that use timber modular construction have been, historically, more likely to attract grant funding or other financial support – thanks to their environmental sustainability. Because of the off-site element common to timber modular construction, on-site disruption is minimised, too.

As well as acting as a carbon store, the manufacture of timber is less energy-intensive, cutting down non-renewable energy use
Share on X

Beyond its aesthetically-pleasing natural “look”, recent technological developments mean that timber is a smart material suitable for projects big or small. The proven environmental, financial, practical and even physiological advantages of timber construction are making it a firm favourite for those looking to provide a unique, radical alternative to traditional construction methods.

Recent technological developments mean that timber is a smart material suitable for projects big or small
Share on X

The post #BuildTheFuture > Smart Timber appeared first on Tech Trends.

Fake fires have sure come a long way since the 70s…

Every winter we used to go to our friend’s family cottage in Cornwall which was charmingly graced with one of those (very) vintage electric fires. An enormous, ugly plastic and metal beast that took up most of the miniscule living room

When it got desperately cold we’d switch it on and watch the bars turn an angry, incandescent orange. Fierce heat would emanate, along with a smell I could only assume was burnt dust. You’d feel your skin stretching and drying under that assault, and if looked at it for any length of time, you’d almost be guaranteed a headache.

I loved that cottage and all its vintage quirks, but I certainly wouldn’t buy me one of those. These days, if you’re in the market for an artificial fire, your options look much brighter indeed, and not in a migraine-inducing sort of way.

Glen Dimplex is the world’s largest manufacturer of electrical heating appliances and parent company for some of the industry’s best-known brands in that space including Ability, Burco, Campa, Creda, Dimplex, Faber, NOBO, Redring, Valor and Xpelair.

Glen Dimplex is the world's largest manufacturer of electrical heating appliances, and some of its artificial flame tech is being showcased at the Shoreditch Flame Studio
Share on X

It also designs, develops and manufactures professionally installed heating and ventilation systems for residential and commercial buildings. This ranges from smart electric heating systems using the latest control and communications technologies, through to heating networks encompassing heat pumps, MVHR systems and a range of heat emitters.

Their ‘Flame Technology’ incorporates the latest electric and gas fire technology and includes:

The Dimplex Opti-myst effect uses unique patented tech which creates a 3D illusion of real smoke and flames as is already proving popular not only among hotels, restaurants and homes, but also in TV and theatre productions

Nothing makes for a cosy evening like lighting up that kindling
Share on X

Another innovative approach to warming up your surrounding environment with tech is the Dimplex’s Opti-V, which combines real fire footage displayed on a high definition LCD screen with a unique illusory technique to create the effect of flickering flames – complete with smoke and burning embers – definitely better than playing a video of a fireplace on your TV!

“These technologies offer an easy, low maintenance and safe focal point in a room, offering a unique and eye-catching illusion and an alternative for those looking to get the ambience of a fire.”

These are all showcased in London’s Shoreditch Flame Studio which is a collaboration between designers and architects to create exciting, aspirational spaces to suit any individual project.

Hey, why not have a REAL fire, I hear the purists ask? I’m with you.. Nothing makes for a cosy evening like lighting up that kindling… The giddy sense of achievement you get when it catches, the smell of wood smoke, the being wrestled out of the way by three dogs as they park their fat little red bums in front of it for the evening. It’s all magic, and my little woodburning stove is probably my favourite thing about our house.

The Dimplex Opti-myst creates a 3D illusion of real smoke and flames
Share on X

These technologies offer an easy, low maintenance and safe focal point in a room
Share on X

But it a pain to clean, and you end up with most things around the house eventually coated in ashes. Plus there’s a lot of remembering to buy/order kindling, logs, coal, firelighters, etc. and if the atmospheric air pressure is not quite right, the chimney doesn’t draw properly and you end up with rather too much of that delightful woodsmoke smell.

Besides, as I know all too well having been forced to live in houses without fireplaces for way too many winters, it often proves difficult or impossible to have a real fire in your home. So this type of tech could offer a lifeline for those of us who are deprived of that wonderful feeling you only get from watching the flickering flames as your Stafford drowns out the Antiques Roadshow with his happy snoring. Looking at some of these techy fires, I have a feeling they might even fool my Watson.

Alice Bonasio is a VR and Digital Transformation Consultant and Tech Trends’ Editor in Chief. She also regularly writes for Fast Company, Ars Technica, Quartz, Wired and others. Connect with her on LinkedIn and follow @alicebonasio on Twitter.

The post #BuildTheFuture >Tech to Warm Your Hearth appeared first on Tech Trends.