FEATURES
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 .
52 JUNE / JULY 2018 //