LOCAL NEWS
CLT could transform construction
After almost 150 years of concrete and steel , the world is
returning to wood . This time around it is Cross
Laminated Timber ( CLT ) that is transforming building construction globally .
Nelson Mandela University ( NMU ) has commissioned a CLT building that is set to influence a new direction for design and construction in South Africa . CLT and mass timber construction is already making significant inroads in Europe , North America , Australia and Scandinavia as the low carbon , sustainable , economically competitive construction technology of the future .
“ To advance the adoption of CLT in South Africa we have established the CLT Engagement Unit as a transdisciplinary entity in the Faculty of Engineering , the Built Environment and Technology ( EBET ),” says the CLT Engagement Entity coordinator , Dr Ossie Franks .
NMU has committed R4.4-million to the CLT building project and has partnered with Italian construction company Innovhousing for the construction , with the aim of promoting the CLT building technology and developing the industry in South Africa .
“ This is the right technology for the times ,” says Innovhousing ’ s founder and CEO , Eugenio Bin . “ South Africa has a massive carbon footprint and a significant housing and building backlog . CLT offers the solution as it is a carbon neutral , sustainable way of building .”
Innovhousing architect Alessandro Zuanni and wood structural engineer Franco Piva have designed the two-storey 350m ², multi-use CLT building . It is being prefabricated in Europe , will be delivered to site , flat-pack furniture style , and will be erected in a matter of days .
“ The University will use the building to advance knowledge , research and skills about CLT and mass timber construction , incorporate it in our curriculum and transdisciplinary research , including engineering , architecture , construction management sciences , and business and economic sciences ,” says Dr Franks .
CLT presents a major opportunity for new industry and job creation , according to Prof Jos Louw from the School of Natural Resource Management . “ We need to recognise the many advantages of CLT and stimulate the culture of using wood for construction in South Africa .”
First published in SA Forestry magazine , November 2020
Coega biomass centre ready to restart
Hive Energy ( United Kingdom ), iLive Sustainable
Development ( South Africa ) and Partners for Innovation
( Netherlands ) have joined forces to establish Coega Biomass Centre in South Africa .
The company , funded by Hive Energy , has taken over and will restore the existing non-operational plant to produce high quality wood pellets using biomass residues , non-indigenous forest , and destructive invasive vegetation , restoring indigenous vegetation , improving water supplies , and providing cleaner burning fuel to replace dirty coal , charcoal , and anthracite .
The new venture aims to illustrate the viability of the parties ’ innovative approach to establishing sustainable biomass supply chains with a positive impact to the environment that unlocks more end-uses for the global market .
The initiative will commence with wood pellet production that is suitable to be used in many applications – from home boilers for heating and cleaner domestic cooking to industrial furnaces for steam generation and for power production .
Coega Biomass Centre will undertake a full refurbishment of the Biomass plant , which is expected to take nine months , and thereafter develop production capacity to eventually produce as much as 120 000t of white pellets annually .
An estimated 200 000t of equivalent coal CO 2 per annum could be offset with biomass pellets produced by Coega Biomass Centre .
When fully operational , the plant will provide over 100 direct jobs with another 700 indirect jobs generated such as surveying , training , harvesting , collection , transportation and processing of biomass inputs .
Coega Biomass Centre ( CBC ) is also conducting a feasibility study to introduce new drying and torrefaction technologies to produce black pellets . The range of feedstocks used to produce black pellets is broad and enables the beneficiation of biomass residues – such as forestry residues that would otherwise being left in the plantations to rot , producing methane which has a very high green-house gas impact .
www . timberiq . co . za // FEBRUARY / MARCH 2021 3