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Timber prefabrication could play a key role in making timber construction more accessible to the general housing market.
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this is difficult to maintain. The alternative is to import these products( which is happening). This, depending on the exchange rate, can further add to production costs.”
But for both Jooste and Slabbert, rather than augmenting supply or demand, offering an innovative alternative to the traditional timber structure, prefabrication can play a key role in making timber construction more accessible to the general housing market.
“ Other than with brick and mortar, so much of timber frame can be premanufactured, which is especially important when building in remote locations. Timber is very amenable to scalability, offers a lower construction footprint and requires less work and time on site; an entire structure could be manufactured in a warehouse, shipped to site and erected quickly, anywhere in the world and with minimum tools,” says Jooste.
Slabbert confirms,“ Timber is so versatile and, coupled with prefabrication, it can quickly, easily and affordably go a long way to addressing South Africa’ s housing backlog. Scalability in the delivery of quality affordable timber housing will be determined by prefabrication and, while timber may not necessarily become a cheaper building material, the way we engineer and deliver the product in future could be a gamechanger for affordability.”
THE HYBRID HOME: A VIABLE COMPROMISE
Comparative studies, marketing materials and discussions on various building materials can lead to‘ either-or’ rationales around which building materials to use, which can quickly close the door on the many benefits of‘ hybrid’ construction.
For Jooste,“ Timber as a building material is well positioned to complement brick and mortar; they can work well together to respond intelligently to a client brief.” Cronje concurs,“ In my own projects, I often mix timber with other methods of construction, using each material type to its best ' fit for purpose '.”
Timber has remarkable potential in South Africa – and has been proven across the world – to add costeffectiveness to its ample range of benefits. Designed and built to standard by qualified and registered people who are experts in timber engineering, construction and inspection, timber construction is as strong, durable and long-lasting as any of its counterparts. While it may be regarded as a material associated either with luxury construction or a low-priced alternative, timber’ s versatility is such that it readily steps up to a timber-only or hybrid high-end brief and could, with prefabricated engineering, respond judiciously and effectively to South Africa’ s housing predicament. Never, though, should timber construction be promoted, classed or executed as a cheap alternative.
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