FEATURE
Timber in construction
By Rory Macnamara
An initiative by the Department of Trade , Industry and Competition ( DTIC ) to start the discussion on using timber in construction is to be welcomed . South Africa has a huge housing shortage and whilst much work is going on in the affordable housing space in bricks and mortar , steel timber must be seen as another material to resolve the shortage .
Of course , there are downsides as there are with any material , but these should not confuse us as to the options we have to build and supply housing to our people . We focus on timber in this issue and look at the advantages of timber as a home .
While there are a number of SABS standards for timber as well as the treatment of timber , providing sufficient controls to build in timber , as Rudolf Opperman of the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications ( NRCS ) stated , to provide comfort to the Building Control and Fire Chiefs , a Mass Housing Standard is required .
As Europe , Australia , New Zealand , the US , and many other countries have been building timber houses for centuries , getting such a standard should be quite simple .
So together with DTIC and DHS talking to each other and with SABS being part of the DTIC such a standard should be in the making now !
There are very capable bodies in this country that can provide guidance : such as the Institute for Timber Construction , SA Wood Preservers Association and more . The Universities of Stellenbosch , Pretoria and Natal are also highly active in much research in this field .
The DTIC Timber in Construction group has good and vibrant discussions , indicating the need and knowledge around to make timber a main line building material .
“ The Minister of Human Settlements ( DHS ), Lindiwe Sisulu , spoke recently on this subject , showing full support for timber in construction .”