TALKING TIMBER
Timbercraft taking
timber to new heights
South Africa can learn a lot from the rest of the world...
By Denvin Lucas, managing director, Timbercraft | Images by Timbercraft
A house that Timbercraft worked on.
I
am of the opinion that before we tackle the timber
building method, we should explore the thinking around
this industry, how it is embraced by the rest of the world
and how we South Africans can learn.
Privileged to be invited as a guest speaker at the ninth
Wood Conference held at the CTICC a few weeks ago, I was
amazed to see what our European and American friends are
producing in their respective countries.
We explored the world’s top five timber buildings in
Norway, Canada, Australia and England and was introduced
to a building system, CLT (cross laminated timber) and glulam
(laminated structural beams). The extensive use of these
components took the buildings to more than 20 floors,
towering heights of ±30m.
We explored Zanzi Bar just off Africa where entire villages
are being built with timber frames. Sadly Timbercraft, the
company I manage, and many other timber builders in South
Africa can only be accredited with our projects at three
storeys and only 10 to 12m high.
We are well aware the world is climate change continuous
and we hear of the types of carbon emission reduction
strategies being implemented in the construction and
materials (timber) design, but still we find designers,
architects and engineers are slow or unwilling make the shift.
Alternative building systems – timber in particular – has
been identified as a major role player in the fit against global
warming. Dr Brand Wessels, senior lecturer at the
Department of Forest and Wood Science at Stellenbosch
University, was interviewed on Talk Radio 702.
52 APRIL / MAY 2019 //
Timbercraft were awarded the manufacturer award by the DTI,
Brand South Africa and Proudly SA.
He asked, "Why do South Africans not build their homes with
timber?" His reply was, “Cost and the absence of a timber
building culture”.
For us at Timbercraft, and the general sentiment among
our peers, is that we are more or less cost parallel on many
projects with conventional buildings.
TIMBER BUILDINGS OFFER:
1. Superior thermal values
2. Carbon emissions that are significantly reduced
3. Deliveries to site to a minimum
4. Light weight
5. A third faster to build than brick, mortar and concrete
6. Use up to 80% no water (not less)
We are not here to replace or ignore the roll concrete plays in
our economy, we merely want to work together with like-
minded individuals introduce timber a bit more sternly into
the market for the good of OUR planet and for future
generations.
Timbercraft celebrates its 40th anniversary this year and
we pride ourselves as being industry specialists, with the
added recognition of the winner at the sixth Annual SA
Premier Business Award for sustainable manufacturing –
another proud moment for us.
We are long-term members of the ITC-SA and NHBRC and will
gladly assist young, old and unsure built design professionals
with their projects to take alternative building methodology
for timber to new exciting heights in South Africa.
www.timberiq.co.za