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Innovative structural systems in timber
OAI: oai:purehost.bath.ac.uk:openaire_cris_publications/ffaf4118-7a6f-447f-aa17-4b900fb8aa4c
Abstract
The UK is one of the world’s largest net importers of timber and timber products1. Whilst wood-based panels, including oriented strand board (OSB), wood chipboard and cement bonded particleboard and medium density fibreboard (MDF) and other fibreboard are all manufactured in UK, laminated timber products are largely import-ed. In some ways this is an advantage; there are many manufacturers of wood products and there are competing suppliers for projects. On the other hand, the UK market is reliant on suppliers from outside the country providing sales and support services and products carry the burden of high transport costs.
Innovation of timber systems is essential to maintain the competiveness of timber as a construction material. With creativity and ingenuity, the use of timber will grow and the opportunities for UK growers of timber to sell their wood into a higher value market will increase. In particular, the use of timber for taller buildings and longer spans offers the opportunity to increase the market share of timber in the commercial sector of UK Construction, currently dominated by the use of steel and concrete.
Innovation of timber systems is essential to maintain the competiveness of timber as a construction material. With creativity and ingenuity, the use of timber will grow and the opportunities for UK growers of timber to sell their wood into a higher value market will increase. In particular, the use of timber for taller buildings and longer spans offers the opportunity to increase the market share of timber in the commercial sector of UK Construction, currently dominated by the use of steel and concrete.