Australasian Timber - August 2016

AUGUST 2016

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NEWS

Queensland research centre to improve tall timber building industry The sky’s the limit

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IMBER BUILDINGS are a familiar part of Queensland life, and they are about to get taller. The University of Queensland has teamed up with the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hyne Timber, Lendlease, and engineering firm Arup, to create the Centre for Future Timber Structures (CFTS).

Centre Director Professor Jose Torero said the new centre would research ways to use timber to meet the challenges of sustainable construction.

“The centre houses a new Australian Research Council-funded Industrial Transformation Hub with a mission to engineer new timber building products,” Professor Torero said.

“The findings will help deliver tall timber buildings and transform the timber industry in Queensland.”

Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries Leanne Donaldson said researchers from DAF’s Forest Product Innovation team at the Salisbury Research Facility had been instrumental in establishing the centre of excellence and would work closely with the scientists.

“The semi-commercial-scale processing and prototyping capacity at the Salisbury Research Facility is a key asset for the hub, which will help to accelerate research findings into solutions for industry,” Ms Donaldson said.

“The Palaszczuk Government is providing $1 million over five years, and in-kind contributions to the centre and I look forward to seeing results that will stimulate greater use of Queensland timber in high-rise construction projects.

The Government’s $1 million in funding has been matched by the University of Queensland. Private sector partners are Queenslandbased timber processor Hyne Timber, global engineering firm Arup Engineering and major building company Lendlease which has already constructed high-rise timber buildings in Melbourne.

“The centre will develop engineering solutions that address current barriers to the use of structural timber in the fast-growing and extensive medium-rise tall buildings market where timber is an ideal construction material.”

“Many Queenslanders live in timber buildings, but timber is sparingly used in high-rise constructions and this exciting collaboration is out to change that,” said the Minister.

“Increased acceptance of timber construction in medium to high-rise

¢ Professor Jose L Torero Head of the UQ School of Civil Engineering explaining to Minister Donaldson the Fire Testing Procedures on Cross Laminated Timber Blocks.

¢ Centre Director Professor Jose Torero.

structures would be a major boon to Queensland’s forest industries and that’s why this project is attracting so much interest and good will,” the Minister said.

The multidisciplinary team includes product manufacturers, fire safety engineers, and structural engineers who will work together to ensure that Queensland and Australia lead the world in the increasingly competitive tall timber engineering market.

Researchers at the new centre will work closely with Queensland Fire and Emergency Service to ensure the inherent fire safety of timber products and buildings.

Previous research on robotic construction and digital fabrication facilities at UQ have proven the potential to drastically increase construction speed, while reducing the weight of material and waste on site.

Researchers involved in the new centre have already developed new products using techniques from the aerospace industry to greatly improve the strength of timber products.

The Centre for Future Timber Structures was officially opened

by Minister Donaldson, Professors Simon Biggs, and Professor Jose Torero at UQ’s Advance Engineering Building on 12 July.

australasian

¢ Minister Donaldson learning about an innovative PhD student project to develop an innovative concrete floor system using Hyne timber and concrete.

¢ The Advanced Engineering Building (AEB) enhances The University of Queensland’s (UQ) ability to deliver practical active-learning styles for engineering students, and maximise global research opportunities enabling UQ to respond to major shifts in the world economy and global marketplace for innovative engineering solutions. The AEB houses the state-of-the-art GHD Auditorium – a 500 seat lecture theatre supported by large-span timber trusses from mixed hardwoods grown in the Maryborough region – as well as active learning laboratories and student spaces, and contemporary research facilities to support global engineering research centres.

Publisher and Chief Executive: Advertising: J ohn Burton Subscriptions: Hartley Higgins j.burton@ryanmediapl.com.au subs@forestsandtimber.com.au Suite 103, 486 Whitehorse Road, Adelaide: (08) 8369 9516 Adelaide: (08) 8369 9522 Surrey Hills, Victoria, 3127, Accounts: Timber classified: phone (03) 9888 4822 Adelaide: (08) 8369 9555 j.burton@ryanmediapl.com.au INDEPENDENT & AUSTRALIAN OWNED General Manager: Adelaide: (08) 8369 9516 Postal Address: Peter Muscet 630 Regency Road, Broadview, Production: Luke Westle Editorial: John Hudswell FRONT PAGE PHOTO: The Endless Stair.

South Australia 5083 j.hudswell@ryanmediapl.com.au Read more about this unique structure on page 8.

Phone: (08) 8369 9555 Adelaide: (08) 8369 9512 Fax: (08) 8369 9501 Out of office: (08) 7127 6370 Conditions: The opinions expressed in Australasian Timber Magazine are not necessarily the opinions of or endorsed by the editor or publisher unless otherwise stated.

All articles submitted for publication become the property of the publisher. All material in Australasian Timber Magazine copyright © Ryan Media. All rights reserved. No part may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means (graphic, electronic, or mechanical including information and retrieval systems) without written permission of the publisher.

While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information, the published will not accept responsibility for errors or omissions, or for any consequences arising from reliance on information published.

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NEWS

Rising green consumerism has significant prospects for wood usage, according to FWPA research

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ONSUMER RESEARCH into perceptions around the environment and climate change indicate that the forestry and wood products industry are increasingly viewed as making positive contributions to carbon sequestration and emissions reduction. These research results are also available to industry to use in company and marketing communications.

As part of continually monitoring the market for wood and wood products, Forest and Wood Products Australia Ltd (FWPA) conducts annual consumer research studies.

The results of this research not only provide information about how people perceive and use wood, they also deliver insights into how consumers regard the relationship between the forest and wood products industry and the environment.

Conducted by Sydney firm Pollinate during May 2016, the latest results suggest that fostering consumer understandings of the carbon sequestering potential of forest and wood products could continue to generate gains in their use.

Since March 2014, there has been an increasing acceptance within Australia of climate change as a pressing issue, with more than half of Australians feeling that the issue is serious and needs to be addressed right now. By contrast, the number of Australians who do not believe climate change is occurring has continued to decrease – as shown by the chart below - to a current low of 3%.

home is somewhat lower, although the overall trend indicates a high receptivity to messaging around these benefits. Further data from the research situates the forest and wood products industry in the top tier of reliability for environmental information (alongside environmental organisations), suggesting there is further potential for benefit messaging to heighten awareness and subsequent usage of wood as a sustainable material.

ENVIRONMENTAL KNOWLEDGE Australians exhibit very high knowledge on the carbon sequestering benefits of trees, although awareness is somewhat lower on the sequestering benefits of harvested wood and wood products in the home.

Given the growing concerns over climate change and very high knowledge of wood’s carbon sequestering benefits, there has been a sharp corresponding increase in support for the use of wood as a sustainable material. Almost 70% of respondents believe Australians should “use more wood because it’s more environmentally friendly” when compared with alternative materials.

Farming and harvesting are perceived positively as natural parts of wood production, and more than 80% of Australians believe cutting down trees is acceptable as long as they are replaced.

With support for timber harvesting and use of wood at record highs, the study highlights the substantial impact of positive environmental messaging for the industry. As more Australians begin to engage with green consumption, the sharp upward trend in timber and wood product usage can be expected to continue.

If you would like to use some of these research results in your company communications, or if you would like more information about the recent code change, please contact Eileen Newbury, FWPA’s marketing and communications manager at eileen.newbury@fwpa.com.au or call 0419 313 163.

CLIMATE CHANGE BELIEFS Concern over climate change has continued to rise since March 2014, with 85% of Australians believing it is an issue, and 51% believing it needs to be addressed right now.

Corresponding with upward trends in climate change beliefs, more Australians are engaging with the green products and services markets, with more than half of Australians making greater efforts to purchase ‘green’ products. This uptake of ethical consumption holds significant potential for the forest and wood products industry as more consumers actively seek out sustainable products across different categories.

RECENT EFFORT TO PURCHASE ‘GREEN’ PRODUCTS AND SERVICES More than half of Australians self-assess as making greater efforts to purchase ‘green’ products and services.

Additionally, there is a consistently high knowledge exhibited amongst Australians of the environmental benefits of trees in the context of climate change – previous research studies have indicated that this is correlated to FWPA marketing campaigns. The most recent data indicates a widespread awareness of the sequestration properties of wood, particularly the ability of trees to absorb atmospheric carbon. Knowledge of the carbon storing capacity of harvested wood or wood products in the

Is the RBA set to cut rates further?

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Interest Rates, Australia Source: HIA Economics, RBA

9.00

2.90

8.00

2.80 2.70

7.00

2.60

6.00

2.50

5.00

2.40

4.00

2.30

3.00

2.20

Mortgage Rate Margin to OCR (RHS)

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Discounted Variable Mortgage Rate

RBA Cash Rate

Jul-16

Jun-16

Apr-16

May-16

Mar-16

Jan-16

Feb-16

Dec-15

Oct-15

Nov-15

Sep-15

Jul-15

Aug-15

Jun-15

Apr-15

May-15

Mar-15

Jan-15

Feb-15

Dec-14

Oct-14

Nov-14

2.00

Sep-14

2.10

1.00

Jul-14

2.00

Aug-14

– December period,” said Dr Dale.

“The residential construction industry has kept the domestic Australian economy afloat over recent years.

“The on-going strength of the industry will provide vital short term stability to the economy at a time of heightened political uncertainty.

“Should any loss of confidence in housing emerge in coming months then that would send an early signal of deteriorating prospects for the broader Australian economy,” said Dr Dale.

% Interest Rate

POLITICAL UNCERTAINTY at home and abroad has increased the chance of a second cut to the Official Cash Rate (OCR) later in the year.”

“Everybody expected the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) Board to leave the OCR steady for July and that’s what they decided to do,” said HIA Chief Economist, Dr Harley Dale.

“Looking ahead, the current political dynamic increases the prospect of a loss in confidence and economic activity in Australia in 2016/17. Hence the reason for the increased probability of a rate cut occurring over the August

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NEWS

ATIF talks in Brisbane focused on KPMG review of legality legislation

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MEETING of the Australian Timber Importers Federation in Brisbane formally noted the closure of the Queensland Timber Importers Association and the resultant transfer of four new members to ATIF. The closure of the QTIA with members prepared to work closely with other timber importers at a national level was unanimously endorsed at QTIA board meeting in March.

Chris Woodhouse, a principal of Woodhouse Timber Co Pty Ltd, said the move away from a purely state-based organisation to one with a strong national perspective was perceived as reflective of today’s needs.

After the ATIF meeting, Mr Woodhouse took the opportunity to present a cheque to support the industry educational activities of the J.W. Gottstein Memorial Trust Fund.

The amount, a proportion of QTIA’s liquidated funds, was accepted on behalf of the Gottstein Trust by the trust’s national secretary Jim Bowden.

He said such industry support of the Gottstein Trust and its fellows and scholarship holders represented a co-investment in the forest and forest products sector.

“Three new fellowships were awarded this year, with recipients to undertake further studies in countries as diverse as Canada, the US, Germany, Austria, Brazil, Japan, Switzerland and New Zealand,” he said.

He urged industry to consider the wide

benefits the trust offered to companies and organisations throughout Australia.

“Businesses in industry have people – from the workshop floor to academia – who can apply for Gottstein fellowships or scholarships in 2017 for the chance to further their experience, education or training within or outside Australia,” he said.

Project topics are listed on the Gottstein website (www.gottsteintrust.org).

Applications for each category will be considered by the trustees and promising applicants will be selected for interviews in October 2016.

The ATIF board also appreciated the opportunity to meet with the recently appointed Timber Queensland CEO Mick Stephens over dinner after the board meeting.

ATIF general manager John Halkett said board discussions included consideration of the federal government’s illegal logging legislation following the in-principle endorsement of the recommendations of the KPMG review of the impacts of the illegal logging legislation on timber product importing businesses.

“Discussing also reflected on recent meetings with the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources forestry-related policy and compliance staff and the need for follow-up after the federal elections,” Mr Halkett said.

“More specifically, the board discussed progress on the preparation of a regulatory impact statement by the department and

¢ In Brisbane for the ATIF board meeting .. David Meyer, managing director, Meyer Timber, Melbourne, Greg Blenkiron, managing director,Tilling Timber; Melbourne, John Halkett, general manager, ATIF, Sydney, Mick Stephens, CEO, Timber Queensland, and Robert Cairns of Frostpine,Sydney.

¢ Chris Woodhouse, chairman of the Queensland Timber Importers Association (right), presents a cheque to J.W. Gottstein Trust secretary Jim Bowden. Looking on is ATIF chairman Nils Koren.

possible subsequent amendments to the Illegal Logging Prohibition Amendment Regulation 2013.”

The board also noted that the Illegal Logging Prohibition Act 2012 was due to be reviewed next year.

Mr Halkett said the board also considered possible changes to plant import conditions that could impact on timber product imports following the June 16 commencement of new federal biosecurity legislation.

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The same industry-leading news, views and ad’s you’re reading in this issue are now available on-line as well.

While we know print is the most convenient form for reading in the yard, lunchroom or highlighting an important point for the next reader, we also know that many of our readers want to go straight to websites or send emails or links from the articles and ad’s they’re reading.

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Australian Design.

American Hardwood.

5 of Australia’s top designers took on the challenge to create a seat from American red oak, tulipwood or cherry.

The question they were looking to answer was: ‘What is the true environmental impact of design?’

The wood used in the Seed to Seat designs you see here will grow back in the US hardwood forest in under 3 seconds.

Find out how at www.seedtoseat.info

americanhardwoodANZ

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TIMBER EXPORTS

Reinventing American hardwoods Timber expert Neil Summers explores new possibilities for exterior and structural applications

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HE WIDE range of American hardwood species offer the architect and designer a wonderful palette of colours, textures and grains from which to make furniture and design interiors. What they do not offer is a very durable wood species that can be considered for outdoor applications such as cladding or decking.

Meanwhile, their use in structural applications has been somewhat limited by a lack of know-how.

However, this is now changing through the application of new, and relatively simple, technology coupled with a readiness to explore timber as a material for a wider range of construction solutions.

The growing outdoor cladding and decking market uses significant volumes of timber, which at present uses very little American hardwoods and, therefore, it provides major scope for growth. In the hardwood forests of the United States, there are a few naturally-occurring very durable species, such as black locust, but they are not available in commercial quantities. American white oak has been used successfully in Europe on some large projects, but allowance has to be made for sapwood and preservative treatment may be necessary. However, the application of 10,000 square metres of white oak exterior cladding on the EU Veterinary Centre in the harsh climate of Ireland back in 2002, shows that this species can be used for this purpose if handled and installed correctly.

Ever since I was tasked by the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) nearly five years ago to investigate the subject of exterior markets for hardwoods, it became evident that wood modification was going to play a very significant role.

Applying wood modification processes

enables non-durable species to be used externally. Thermal modification of timber is one such generic process and it is adaptable to a range of different timber species. The modern commercial method of thermal modification that we know today was developed in Scandinavia some 30 years ago, enabling the plentiful local softwood resource to be made durable without the application of chemicals.

It soon became apparent that certain temperate American hardwood species could also lend themselves very well to the thermal modification process.

The leading species are ash, tulipwood, soft maple, yellow birch and red oak.

Some lesser-known species such as hackberry, sapgum and basswood also modify very well. Europe is still at the heart of the thermal modification industry with now just over 100 kiln facilities producing commercial volumes of modified timber. These kilns range in size from a 5 cubic metre capacity up to the bigger operations using kilns capable of treating loads of up to 40 cubic metres at a time.

Showcasing potential AHEC has used thermally-modified timber (now known generically as TMT) to showcase its potential for outdoor application in a number of their recent design collaborations.

The first project was the Infinity Bench designed by Martino Gamper for the 2012 London Design Festival.

In his unique design, he used five different thermally-modified American hardwood species; tulipwood, ash, soft maple, red oak and yellow birch.

The range of species used allowed for an exciting contrast in colours, grains and textures. Other bench design collaborations in thermally-modified American hardwoods include Emirati designer Khalid Shafar’s CITY’s

¢ The mound and the climbing ropes that lead children inside the structure.

Photographer: Helen Binet

Bench in Dubai and Australian Ben Percy’s design for Sydney Indesign 2013. One further interesting project using thermally-modified tulipwood was Adam Khan’s Octopus, designed for Wallpaper* magazine’s ‘office of the future’ exhibition at Howick Place in London in 2013. This installation featured both natural and thermallymodified American tulipwood in colour-contrasting juxtaposition.

Recent commercial uses of TMT include a large decking project at the ITN building at 200 Gray’s Inn Road in London. Here the architect, IMA, selected thermally-modified American ash as the choice of timber to deliver a specification with Durability Class 1, outstanding dimensional stability and deriving from an source with

proven environmental credentials.

Another project, the recently-opened and prestigious Disney store in Shanghai, makes extensive use of TM American ash in the façade cladding. American ash is the most popular species for TMT decking and cladding applications because of its open grain. However, thermallymodified American tulipwood offers an attractive alternative for cladding, due to its smooth finish and lower raw material cost.

Nothing comes close to wood In construction there is no other material that comes anywhere near wood in its potential to offer environmental benefits. Recent developments in construction timber Continued on next page

¢ The aerial view of the thermally modified tulipwood structure in the playground of Chisenhale Primary School. Photographer: Helen Binet

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TIMBER EXPORTS

Reinventing American hardwoods

Continued from last page

products such as cross-laminated timber (CLT) and glued-laminated (glulam) beams have meant that structural design in timber for buildings has been raised to another level. There are significant advantages to building in wood too; including lower foundation costs, as timber structures are invariably lighter; and an overall shorter construction time.

Two recent London projects using timber structurally really stand out and these are the new BskyB offices in Osterly and Canary Wharf Crossrail station. Although these projects are constructed from softwood, American hardwoods can play an increasingly significant role in future developments in timber construction. Looking back to 2000, Hopkins Architects used American white oak for the Arupdesigned grid-shell roof structure over the courtyard of Portcullis House in Westminster. Initial strength testing showed American white oak to have a strength class of D50, roughly twice the strength of high grade softwood.

This meant that more slender timber members could be used, allowing for structural performance along with aesthetic design. This project prompted AHEC to test four commerciallyimportant species for their strength values, so that these could be incorporated into the Eurocodes and design standards. White oak, red oak, ash and tulipwood were tested to EN338. This standard defines a range of strength classes based on values for bending strength, stiffness and density. All of these values

were published in AHEC’s technical guide Structural Design in American Hardwoods, which is available at www.americanhardwood.org.

Interestingly, American tulipwood, although meeting the D40 strength and stiffness requirements, did not have the necessary density in order to permit it to be classified.

Ground-breaking AHEC’s long-standing partnership with the London Design Festival has enabled it to showcase a number of ground-breaking structural collaborations using American hardwoods in iconic London locations.

The first of these was in 2008, with David Adjaye’s Sclera pavilion, which used laminated and engineered American tulipwood. Perhaps even more intricate was the 12.5 metre high American red oak Timber Wave, erected outside the entrance to the Victoria & Albert Museum in 2011.

Designed by Amanda Levete of AL_A with Arup, this pushed structural design in timber to its very limits.

Here, curved chords made from 7mm lamellas were glued together to form wavy laminated beams and the whole was held together with a series of cross-ties.

Cross-laminated timber is quickly becoming established as an important construction material. Made from low-cost softwood, it is essentially a thicker version of plywood that is ideal for making structural wall panels and floor cassettes. So the next structural

¢ Children playing on the structure. Photographer: Helen Binet

¢ The innovative Endless Stair, designed by Alex de Rijke of dRMM

collaborative project for AHEC at the London Design Festival set out to show that American hardwoods could also be considered as the raw material for structural CLT. The result was the innovative Endless Stair, designed

by Alex de Rijke of dRMM. This complex, free-standing structure explored the first use of hardwood CLT, using American tulipwood in this Escher-inspired series of staircases.

While in situ, the Endless Stair allowed for many fine views over London and the Thames from its location outside the Tate Modern Gallery. American tulipwood is an amazingly versatile and abundant hardwood species. It has a very high strength to weight ratio and it is three times stronger and stiffer than softwood in rolling shear, a mechanical property that is extremely important in CLT construction. Better strength and stiffness mean that thinner CLT panels can be made when using tulipwood and another benefit of CLT is that it utilises the lower grades of sawn timber, where defects are not an issue. As a direct result of this project, the first commercial use of American tulipwood CLT will be seen in the UK later this year.

Practicality and performance AHEC was lucky to be involved in a wonderfully uplifting project that was completed at a school in East London towards the end of 2015.

Embracing what is probably the first use of thermally-modified timber in a 8

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structural application for a permanent structure, the project was Room on a Hill, designed by Asif Khan. The school wanted to enhance and upgrade their playground and also incorporate something that could be used as an outdoor learning centre. When AHEC saw the design, they immediately wanted to be involved in the project and saw it as an opportunity to showcase the warmth of TMT in this environment. The elevated structure is made from thermally-modified American tulipwood slatted panels in a galvanised steel frame, with a thermally-modified American ash deck supported on thermally-modified American ash joists. One of the really great things about project was that the school children were consulted on the design of the space and were asked to incorporate what they wanted.

The finished structure will help the children to learn about sustainability and aesthetics in design and that using timber has environmental benefits.

Through AHEC’s vision, sustainable American hardwoods are now beginning to enter new and exciting commercial markets. As the world reembraces timber as a building material, it is hoped that they will become recognised more for the possibilities they can offer in all aspects of design and construction.

More information: www.americanhardwood.org www.timberbiz.com.au

NEWS

FWPA helps keep industry ahead of the game

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N INNOVATIVE new 5-year strategic plan demonstrates Forest and Wood Products Australia’s responsiveness and flexibility – while offering greater transparency to stakeholders. Essentially, the new plan moves from an operationally structured approach to one that focusses on outcomes – across the entire supply chain.

“As a requirement of our Statutory Funding Agreement with the Australian Government, Forest and Wood Products Australia Ltd (FWPA) reviews our strategic plan every year, to create a rolling 5-year planning process,” said John Simon, Chairman of FWPA, “this new plan is a significant step forward, one that represents not only a change on paper, but one that will also affect the operations of our company.”

Mr Simon continued to explain that the new strategy was driven by significant changes in the company’s operating environment. These included the introduction of Government matching payments for voluntary contributions, recent changes to the National Construction Code, industry funding for a WoodSolutions technical field force pilot program and a commitment from forest growers to fund a 2-year program to review research and extension structures and priorities.

“We reviewed these developments and a desire to improve stakeholder engagement and ‘ownership’ of the plan with our directors, senior staff and key stakeholders,” Mr Simon said, “during discussions it became evident that our previous, traditionallystructured plan, based around functional areas, such as research and development (R&D) and marketing, was inward looking and didn’t communicate as effectively as it could to our stakeholders, who understandably are more interested in results than how we are organised to achieve them.”

The new plan is a substantive repositioning of the company, based on creating stronger links between operational goals and five thematic-based strategic priorities

FWPA’s previous structure reflected the evolution of the company, from a statutory R&D organisation to an industry services company, in which new services were added in response to industry feedback, with each new service becoming a new program.

The new plan is a substantive repositioning of the company, based on creating stronger links between operational goals and the following five thematicbased strategic priorities – which become the new program names: Promoting the advantages of wood products • Aligning products to market needs • Assisting value chain optimisation • Increasing resource availability and reducing risk • Impacting decision making and industry capability Each of these programs will engage the relevant functional expertise and competencies within the company (e.g. R&D investments, marketing, statistics and codes development) as required.

“This is not a trivial ‘repackaging’ of the organisation,” said Ric Sinclair, FWPA’s Managing

¢ Ric Sinclair, FWPA’s Managing Director.

Director. “It is a major advance that will require changes to our advisory groups, accounting systems and staff accountabilities to align operations and responsibilities with the new plan.”

When asked what would be the first thing industry players and FWPA members would notice about the new strategy, Mr Sinclair replied that he hoped it would be a realisation of the breadth and depth of FWPA’s activities and how they contribute to every sector of the industry.

“From our website to our newsletters, our communications will also reflect the new structure and hopefully be more accessible and informative, providing all our stakeholders with a broader, yet more focussed picture of the benefits we bring to increasing the growth and productivity of forest and wood products in Australia.”

Scion a winner in the 2016 KiwiNet Awards SCION AND licensing partner Sonae Indústria have won a KiwiNet Award for their partnership to commercialise a new wood reinforced plastic product that could be used in cars, appliances and a range of consumer products.

The annual KiwiNet Research Commercialisation Awards is New Zealand’s premier event celebrating the achievements of individuals, teams and organisations actively commercialising publicly funded research.

The Crown research institute Scion and Sonae Industria have won the MinterEllisonRuddWatts Research & Business Partnership Award for their deeply embedded working relationship.

Scion has partnered with European wood processing giant Sonae Indústria, successfully establishing a commercial value chain for wood fibre reinforced plastics. The key enabling technology is embedded in wood fibre dice, known as Woodforce, which is sold by Sonae Industria to plastics processors.

¢ Scion Business Development Manager Jeremy Warnes (left) and IP Executive Gregor MacDonald describing the Woodforce commercialisation partnership.

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Scion Business Development Manager Jeremy Warnes says this accolade is very exciting for both parties.

“We have been working very closely together for eight years, not always easy from both sides of the world, but have now reached the point where Woodforce is starting to make inroads into the market,” says Mr Warnes.

Plastics with wood fibre are stronger and stiffer than plastics alone, but, until recently, handling the bulky fibre has not been commercially feasible. Scion’s patented process forms wood fibre into ‘dice’ that can be made in existing MDF plants and easily added to a range of plastics.

Mr Warnes says as most opportunities for composite plastic manufacture are outside New Zealand, Scion looked for an MDF manufacturer with a global reach who could be key party in a complex and unfamiliar value chain.

“Government funding helped enormously in reaching the technology development stage where we could engage a global company looking for sustainable technologies,” said Mr Warnes.

Sonae Industria was granted an exclusive licence for the wood fibre dice technology in Europe in 2011 and North America in 2013. Sonae owns and has developed the Woodforce brand.

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The commitment of both partners working with the full value chain has led to the optimisation of Woodforce and the compounding process, putting the partners in a strong commercial position. End products that meet demands for lighter weight, thermal stability and sustainability are being trialled and approved by major automotive manufacturers. The wide exposure to companies along the value chain has also led to relationships with other manufacturing industries to develop new products.

“Ultimately, the product will end up in plastic parts in cars, appliances, furniture and a wide range of consumer goods,” says Mr Warnes.

“The commercial potential is very large. Figures are hard to define for a range of reasons, such as do we define the dice our partner sells, or the plastic products that are manufactured using our technology.

It also depends on uptake and commercial reality of a competitive environment. However, we believe that the potential could ultimately be in the 100’s of millions in business generated on a global scale.”

Scion developed and patented the technology with funding from New Zealand’s former Foundation of Research, Science and Technology (now the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment).

9

NEWS

CCTV systems from NAWIC NSW Transitioning analogue to IP camera technology Awards for How making the change can benefit business Excellence

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ising Stars and recognised leaders, individual excellence and inspiring teamwork will be honoured when the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) NSW Chapter holds its 2016 Awards for Excellence on 25 August.

NAWIC’s NSW Chapter President, Sarah Hogan, says: “Now in its 15th year, our awards program recognises and rewards the extraordinary contributions made by women at all career levels and in all sectors of Australia’s construction industry.

“While women remain under-represented in our industry, the number of award nominees continues to grow each, reflecting the seismic changes underway in the industry, and the depth of female talent out there.”

A panel of industry experts will select award winners based on strict criteria. Categories up for grabs include: • Lendlease Crystal Vision Award • WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff Business Woman of the Year Award • Hassell Award for Contribution to a Project’s Development • Probuild Tradesperson Scholarship • Master Builder Association NSW / Clinton Recruitment Award for Team Innovation • Acoustic Logic Award for Contribution to Sustainability • Brookfield Multiplex Scholarship for Future Leaders • MPA Award for Achievement in Construction, Refurbishment and Fit Out • ·Stockland Award for Innovation in Design • CBRE University Scholarship • Built Project Manager Award The awards will be held at the Star, Sydney.

Established in 1995, the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) champions and empowers women in the construction and related industries to reach their full potential.

NAWIC’s vision is an equitable industry within which women fully participate, and it values are: Courage, Inclusion, Resilience, Integrity, Safety & Wellbeing

IN TODAY’S fast moving world, many businesses struggle to keep pace with evolving technology.

When it comes to security, investing in upgrades should be considered a priority. CCTV technology has shifted from analogue based systems to new internet protocol (IP) based systems. For those businesses that have yet to make the change, it is worth considering the benefits that IP cameras can have for their business.

IP camera technology utilises an IP network to transport video images from the camera to a head end. This head end ranges from a “plug and play” type box to a full blown server. An IP camera system will provide many benefits but image quality is most significant as IP camera resolution is at least three times higher than analogue. This significant increase in image resolution is behind many advanced CCTV capabilities that are available today and used for purposes beyond traditional security surveillance. For businesses that are still using an old analogue system, the transition doesn’t have to be expensive.

In addition to better image quality, using an IP CCTV system also reduces the need for stand-alone DVR recorders. IP systems use a single Network Video Recorder (NVR) which can be housed on any network and can monitor multiple locations.

Existing analogue cameras can simply plug into the IP network using IP transition encoders.

The benefits of IP camera systems: • Clear, high resolution image quality • High level integration with other critical systems, e.g. fire alarms, access control, lifts, building

management systems, etc • Can integrate with video analytics to detect and analyse movement, traffic flows, abandoned objects, etc According to Mark Shaw, Managing Director, ADT Security: “Having access to IP digital cameras with improved image quality and camera range, can have wide reaching benefits for businesses. In addition to enhancing security and surveillance, centrally monitored IP surveillance systems can be used to monitor lone and remote workers, incorporate facial recognition capabilities for access control in high security locations, and can even be used to track footfall and people movement in retail and crowd controlled environments. The use of CCTV today can genuinely transform many different types of business and service environments beyond traditional surveillance.”

Embedded analytics can be integrated with IP camera systems to help retailers better handle queues and manage staff registers. Other tools that integrate into IP systems include heat mapping which can provide valuable information about the popularity of in-store promotions and sales displays.

When looking to upgrade security systems, it’s important to consult with a licensed security professional that has extensive experience in commercial IP CCTV systems. ADT Security professionals are licensed security experts who are able to provide an independent assessment and design a tailored solution to suit any business requirement.

Palming off a new veneer QUEENSLAND FOREST product researchers have made a significant breakthrough allowing the production of rotary veneer from processed coconut palm stems.

Dr Rob McGavin, Research Facility & Project Manager at the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries’ Salisbury Research Facility, said this opened the door to further exploration of the use of palm stems as an alternative to traditional timber products.

“Coconut palms are more like grass than wood with very different properties, so it requires a different processing and product manufacture approach,” he said.

“Their visual appearance makes coconut palm products ideal for decorative purposes, however, structural products such as plywood and laminated veneer lumber or LVL, are now certainly possible as well.

“Creating veneer from processed 10

coconut stems was long thought to be impossible, but after four years of work DAF’s Forest Product Innovation (FPI) team has come up with a very effective approach using spindle-less veneering methods.

“This relatively new technology provides an alternative method of processing logs with small dimensions and varying internal qualities.

“This will be especially useful as small-diameter, high density timbers are typical of Queensland’s hardwood forest resource,” he said.

“The new processing approach can yield recoveries up to six times greater than traditional conversion techniques.”

Dr McGavin and DAF’s Eric Littee recently presented their veneer research findings at the final CocoVeneer project workshop in Fiji. ¢ Veneer represents significant breakthrough.

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER

AUGUST 2016

www.timberbiz.com.au

EDUCATION

Qualifications and the labour market

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DUCATION PLAYS an important role in preparing individuals for entry into the labour force, and ensuring they have the skills necessary for on-going employment and life-long learning.

Over recent decades there has been an increased demand for vocational and higher education qualifications across many industries. This has resulted in a steady increase in the proportion of the working-age population with nonschool qualifications, according to a report from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

In 2015, 9.4 million (61%) Australians aged 15–64 years had a non-school qualification, up from 8.7 million (59%) in 2010-11 (Table 1 and Learning and Work, Australia 201011 (cat. no. 4235.0)). More than three quarters (82%) of people with a nonschool qualification were employed compared with 61% of those without a non-school qualification. In 2010-11, 84% of Australians with a nonschool qualification and 63% of those without were employed (Table 2).

An estimated 3.5 million (23%) Australians aged 15–64 years held two or more non-school qualifications, with more women (24%) than men (22%) having completed multiple qualifications.

Women with two or more non-school qualifications were more likely than those with one qualification to be employed (80% compared with 74%). In comparison there was little difference in employment rates amongst men with one or two or more non-school qualifications (87% and 88%) (Table 1).

Average personal weekly income increased with the number of nonschool qualifications completed. Men working full-time, who held two or more non-school qualifications, earned on average $813 per week more than their full-time working counterparts without a non-school qualification. Similarly, full-time employed females with multiple non-school qualifications earned an average $504 per week more than those working full-time without a non-school qualification (Table 3).

In 2015, it was estimated that 44% (5.0 million) of the 11.3 million employed Australians aged 15–64 years had a non-school qualification and worked in the field of their highest qualification. An additional 11% of employed people, had at least one non-school qualification and described their highest as relevant to their current job, even though they were not working in the same field.

As such, 55% of employed people held a non-school qualification that was relevant to their job.

More than six out of ten (63%) employed people aged 25–34 years, and a similar proportion (62%) of those aged 35–44 years, had a non-school qualification and were employed in a job relevant to their highest non-school qualification. In comparison, only 54% of employed people aged 55–64 years worked in a job where their highest qualification was relevant, up from 49% in 2010– 11, even though the proportion of 55–64 year olds with a qualification had remained stable (65%).

People employed in the Education and training industry (80%) and Professional, scientific and technical services (79%) were most likely to be employed in jobs relevant to their highest non-school qualification.

Only 26% of people employed in Accommodation and food services and 29% in Retail trade industries had a relevant non-school qualification.

Almost three quarters (72%) of employed Australians whose highest qualification was a postgraduate award, such as a Doctorate, Masters degree or Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate, worked in the field of their qualification, compared with only 64% of people whose highest non-school qualification was a Certificate level.

Some fields of study had higher proportions of people working within the same field as their highest non-school qualification.

Graph 1: Working in the field of highest non-school qualification - By main field of highest non-school qualification(a)

Footnote(s): (a) Persons aged 15 to 64 years with a non-school qualification Source(s): Qualifications and Work, Australia 2015 Australians whose highest non-school qualification was within the fields of Education (78%), Health (75%), Information technology (74%) and Architecture and building (74%) were the most likely to be working in the field of their highest non-school qualification (see Graph 1).

Employed people who completed their highest non-school qualification within the last five years (between 2010–2015) were more likely than those who completed their highest qualification more than 15 years ago (before 2000), to be working in the same field as their highest non-school qualification (70% compared with 60% respectively). This may suggest people move into other occupations over time as they gain experience in the workforce, or qualifications lose

their relevance over time. In 2015, an estimated 1.5 million (13%) employed people worked in a job where their highest non-school qualification was not relevant. The reasons for this included; a lack of positions in a relevant field (26%), no longer interested in the field (26%) and being comfortable in their current job (21%). More than half (53%) the people whose highest qualification was within the field of Creative arts reported a lack of available positions as a reason why they were not working in a relevant field. Only 17% of people whose highest qualification was in Education reported a lack of available positions as a reason not to be working in a relevant field.

Continued on next page

Relevance of qualification to current job Whilst the proportion of workingaged people with non-school qualifications has increased, workers may be employed in fields that have little relevance to their qualifications.

In this section, the term ‘working in the field of their qualification’ indicates that an individual is using their qualification for the purpose of which the qualification was originally intended. It implies the person is a good fit for the job, due to having specific skills and knowledge. This is most likely to occur in specialist fields, such as medicine, nursing and teaching. The term ‘relevant’ refers to people working in the field of their highest qualification, or if not, whose highest qualification is still relevant to their job. An individual not working in a job where their qualification is relevant may be due to a number of reasons including that there is low demand for jobs in a certain field (not the person’s choice), or that the pay is significantly less. www.timberbiz.com.au

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER

AUGUST 2016

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EDUCATION

Qualifications and the labour market

Continued from last page

Incomplete qualifications A qualification is considered incomplete if it was stopped before the completion of all academic requirements, regardless of whether the person intends to complete the qualification at some point in the future. It does not include people who are currently studying a course.

In 2015, 2.7 million (18%) Australians aged 15–64 years had at least one incomplete non-school qualification. Of these, Bachelor degrees were the most common (37%) incomplete non-school qualification, followed by Certificate level qualifications (34%).

Both employed and unemployed people were more likely than those not in the labour force (18% and 19% compared with 14%) to have an incomplete non-school qualification. This is partly because younger working aged people 25-34 and 35-44 years (22% and 20% respectively) were more likely than people in other age groups to have an incomplete qualification.

There was little difference in the proportion of men and women with an incomplete non-school qualification (17% compared to 18%). Drop out rates were similar amongst those who had completed a non-school qualification (18%) and those who had not (17%).

Migrants and qualifications In this section the term ‘adult migrants’ refers to people born outside

Australia who were at least 15 years of age when they migrated to Australia.

In 2015, 73% of adult migrants aged 15–64 years had a non-school qualification compared with 58% of those born in Australia.

The proportion of adult migrants who had a Bachelor degree or higher on arrival had increased from 23% for those who migrated before 2001 to 45% for those who migrated after 2010. The proportion of adult migrants who held a non-school qualification on arrival to Australia increased from 39% for those who arrived before 2001, to 62% for those arriving after 2010. This increase is most notable in female adult migrants, with 32% having a nonschool qualification on arrival before 2001 compared with 61% for those arriving after 2010 (See Graph 2).

More than one third of adult migrants (37%) attained a non-school qualification after arrival in Australia.

A similar proportion of male (36%) and female (37%) adult migrants had gained a non-school qualification since arriving in Australia.

In 2015, 79% of employed adult migrants aged 15–64 years had a non-school qualification compared with 65% of employed people born in Australia and 63% of employed migrants who arrived as children (aged less than 15 years).

Amongst employed adult migrants, 40% were working in a field relevant to their highest non-school qualification attained before arrival. One in three

Graph 2: Adult migrants with a non-school qualification on arrival - By year of arrival and sex (a)

Footnote(s): (a) Adult migrants aged 15 to 64 years Source(s): Qualifications and Work, Australia 2015 (33%) employed adult migrants had gained a qualification after arrival and were working in a field relevant to their highest qualification attained after arrival.

Of employed adult migrants who held a non-school qualification on arrival to Australia, just over half (55% of males

Liquid by-products from wood and forest industry find use in wood-plastic composites

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NOVEL method for adding liquid by-products from the wood industry into wood-plastic composites (WPCs) prior to manufacturing was developed in a new study from the University of Eastern Finland. The study also discovered that protontransfer-reaction mass-spectrometry (PTR-MS) is a suitable method for measuring the amounts of volatile organic compounds, VOCs, released from WPCs. There is an increasing need to find new alternatives for crude oil based materials such as plastics. WPCs are natural fibre composites with properties of both plastic and wood. These composites are used, for example, in buildings and in the manufacture of automobiles. It is estimated that the production of WPCs will experience an annual growth of 14% between 2014 and 2019.

Wood and plastics are very different materials in terms of their chemical properties, which is why additives are used in WPCs to enhance the compatibility of these constituents. Additives are also used to improve composites’ water absorbing and weather resistance properties, among other things.

However, some additives are rather expensive and their incorporation into WPCs is not straightforward. Thus, WPCs are in need of novel and effective additives that are based on renewable resources.

In the study, liquid by-products generated from biochar production and heat treatment of wood were added to WPCs, and the effects of the additions on the composite properties were analysed. The findings have relevance for two different industries as the wood industry by-products are more extensively used in the WPC industry.

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The findings of the study show that liquids separated from wood can be added to WPC granulates using the method developed in the study. Composites treated with liquids performed better in injection moulding and the samples of each material type were very homogeneous. Furthermore, the addition of liquids extracted from wood significantly reduced the water absorption of the composites and in some cases improved their mechanical properties.

The study also examined the suitability of PTRMS for analysing the amounts of VOCs released from WPCs. The advantages of the method include a short analysis time and the opportunity to monitor the release of VOCs in real time. The study suggests that PTR-MS is a suitable method for analysing the amount of VOCs released from WPCs. Clear and consistent differences between different WPCs and amounts of VOCs released were found using PTR-MS. For example, significant amounts of VOCs were released right after manufacturing. The amounts of VOCs released grew after the addition of liquid byproducts from biochar production and heat treatment of wood; however, the emission levels of harmful compounds did not increase to a level that would be hazardous.

The findings were presented by Taneli Väisänen, MSc (Tech), in his doctoral dissertation entitled Effects Of Thermally Extracted Wood Distillates On The Characteristics Of Wood-Plastic. The findings were originally published in the European Journal of Wood and Wood Products, the Journal of Thermoplastic Composite Material, and the Journal of Wood Chemistry and Technology.

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER

AUGUST 2016

and 50% of females) were working in the same field as their highest qualification. A higher proportion (65% of male and 69% of female) who attained a non-school qualification after arrival were working in the field of their highest qualification gained after arrival.

EXPOBOIS goes to new time slot

THE FRENCH machinery and manufacturing technology association SYMOP (Syndicat des Machines et Technologies de Production) has decided to reschedule EXPOBOIS, France’s leading wood industry trade fair, from its original timeslot in November to a new timeslot in the spring season. The biennial event will next be held from 13 to 16 March 2018, at the Villepinte exhibition centre in Paris.

SYMOP’s decision was made in light of current turbulences and shifts in today’s French trade fair market and in response to wishes voiced by the show’s exhibitors for a national fair in Paris and a regional event in Lyon.

Organizers of EXPOBOIS will now work out the detailed concept for the 2018 event in close collaboration with exhibitors and the relevant associations.

Major emphasis will be placed on the topics of sustainable forestry and the modernization of timber processing and woodworking infrastructure, as well as on highlighting the benefits of Industry 4.0 (or industrie du futur, as it is known in France) for French SMEs. EXPOBOIS 2018 will put the spotlight on all the solutions needed by wood-industry enterprises to modernize their operations and thus maintain and build on their competitive edge.

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IN THE NEWS

Delivering next generation buildings

International News Briefs US-Canada still at loggerheads over timber deal

United States and Canadian officials said that after 100 days of “intense engagement,” the two countries have not been able to agree on the terms for a new softwood lumber agreement, with “significant differences” remaining between them, the Engineering NewsRecord reported. Canadian exports to the U.S. total 28% of the U.S. softwood market — $4.6 billion in 2015 — and the countries are now operating under a one-year moratorium period, as the most recent trade agreement expired in October 2015. According to the National Association of Home Builders, the U.S. proposed a four-year phased reduction in Canadian softwood exports to a share of 22% of the U.S. market, but the Canadians want an extension of the previous agreement.

D

ELIVERING NEXT Generation Buildings is the theme for the 2016 prefabAUS Conference to be held in the Seymour Centre, University of Sydney, from 10-12 October.

The conference will showcase the best in prefabricated and offsite technology and design, exploring the future of the built environment. This conference is hosted annually by the industry, for the industry.

The conference finds a new home in Sydney in 2016, and is proudly being hosted by the University of Sydney Architecture Design and Planning. This year will again feature some of the industry’s most highly regarded thought leaders, showcase ground breaking projects, explore innovative technology and host tours to some of Sydney’s most exciting locations for the offsite construction industry.

The 2016 program will also feature an inaugural cocktail party and networking event to ensure connections across the industry.

Australia award-winning architect and Associate Professor Ryan Smith is the international keynote speaker for the event.

Professor Smith is from the University of Utah where he is director of the Integrated Technology in Architecture Centre (ITAC): a university/industry teaching, research and outreach centre that is an agent of change at the intersection of design, education and construction industries.

He has performed US$2.5m+ in research grants and contracts from public and private institutions since 2004 (including FEMA, USDA, & DOE) to qualify and quantify industry related technology questions of production in architecture. Widely published, he is author of Prefab Architecture (Wiley 2010) and coeditor of Building Systems (Routledge 2012). Smith speaks on emerging issues in the construction industry including offsite building, BIM, IPD and sustainability.

Also joining this year’s speaker line up is Marc Norman from the Harvard University School of

Enhancing visibility into new building code regulations

Design. Passionate about addressing inequality, Norman curated the Designing Affordability: Quicker, Smarter, More Efficient Housing Now exhibition at the Centre for Architecture in New York (October 15 to January 16). This exhibition will be featured at the prefabAUS conference. prefabAUS is a not-for-profit industry organisation established in 2013. Its members include manufacturers of prefabricated buildings and modules, flat packs, bathroom pods and sub-assemblies, as well as component suppliers, architects, engineers and other technical consultants, project managers, builders, clients, allied industry associations, government and academic researchers.

Design and construction capabilities boosted XLAM AUSTRALIA has boosted its capability in design and construction, with the appointment of former AECOM Melbourne senior structural engineer, Nick Hewson, to the role of technical manager. The move brings to three the number of full time staff in the company with more recruits likely as its workload expands “dramatically”, ahead of the company’s new $25 million plant at Albury-Wodonga, even before the plant swings into construction and commissioning.

Among Mr Hewson’s first projects will be the engineering overview of the CLT systems and the types of testing that will be required for the products.

He said that what attracted him to the role was the business model XLam is setting up for its Australian operation, which is based on providing a “fuller service” to industry that includes design, supply and installation of CLT products.

He said the significant financial investment by directors of Hyne Timber in the Australian operation means the company will have a high level of certainty around supply from the outset.

“We already know exactly what timber we will be using,” Mr Hewson said.

He said the Albury-Wodonga plant and the technology that will be used within it will make it a “world leading, state-of-the-art facility.”

The plant’s design and install capacity in addition to manufacture and supply will mean the construction industry can obtain a service that is www.timberbiz.com.au

Against the trend

much more comprehensive than that provided by CLT companies based in Europe, he said.

This will take away a lot of the “hurdles and headaches” that have made it hard to get timber over the line in final project specifications.

Local manufacturing would also be an advantage, as bringing in product from overseas involves a high level of potential complications and risks.

The announcement of the new plant has generated enormous interest from project proponents.

“The project inquiries are constant. There is every chance we will be running at full capacity from day one,” he said.

XLam expects to have its first CLT products coming out of the new plant in mid-2017.

Mr Hewson previously headed up AECOM’s timber solutions department in the buildings and places division, working on projects including King William St multi-storey cross-laminated timber residential project in Kent Town, Adelaide.

He was also part of the team on the multiresidential MacArthur Gardens project in Sydney, which is seeing its first CLT panels lifted into place this week. -- The Fifth Estate Previous roles have included project structural engineer for Irwinconsult and with SMEC in Australia, senior structural engineer for Techniker in the UK, where he worked on the detail design for the nine storey Stadthaus apartment project in London’s Murray Grove.

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER

Leading Australian solid timber and timber products specialist Tilling Timber has released SmartFrame Design Software Version 12. Relating to the structural framing system of a building or structure such as roof, wall and floor elements, Tilling’s SmartFrame Design Software provides increased visibility into the new building code regulations, helping users cope with the challenge of understanding the frequent changes. The software is particularly useful for building practitioners that design and engineer building projects. Feature highlights of the new SmartFrame Design Software Version 12 include new building code regulation enhancements; improved graphical interface; 40% more 3D rendered models; latest in laminated veneer lumber building materials including SmartLVL 15; increased span varieties; and beam designs up to 3 spans with 2 cantilevers.

AUGUST 2016

Despite reports showing a shrinking architecture industry in South Australia, Matthews Architects has broken the trend with a major expansion program. The company’s planned growth will see its staff numbers double from 12 to 24 people in the next two years.

Matthews intends to maintain the company’s position in the market based on staff development and its significant place in the sector, in South Australia, as well as interstate. Matthews Architects’ focus is on private commercial, retail, residential and education projects with clients like Emmett Property, Lexus Adelaide and St Peters College.

ACCC puts conditions on buy plan Metcash will not be able to dictate how much stock retailers buy through its wholesale hardware operation after the competition watchdog added two procompetitive conditions on to its bid for the Woolworthsowned Home Timber & Hardware business. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission said the proposed merger of the Mitre 10 and HTH chains had raised concerns that Metcash would use its market power to prevent retailers from purchasing stock from third parties, including suppliers and rival buying networks.

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ASSOCIATIONS

The plain fact is that people still need people!

By Eric Siegers Principal, The Timber Hub

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HE QUESTION was asked, “why on earth did you invest in creating the Timber Hub?” quickly followed by “How can it make money? “. The making money bit I will keep to myself, but I thought it might be prudent to share why the Timber Hub makes sense.

As I was going through the statistics of the Timber Merchants Associations built over years of accrual, I noticed a very odd thing. As the fortunes of the association waned along with consolidation of the merchant sector, the use of the advisory centre didn’t diminish.

Add to that, as the rise of the internet threatened many businesses with closure due to loss of relevance, the advisory service actually increased in consumer usage, as the digital revolution took place. Oddly, the reduction in staff did little to deter users to contacting the centre.

So, as I looked at the numbers, it became clear that with the rise of the internet the need to talk with someone about an issue became ever more pressing. This statistic was oddly replicated across industry sectors and over a wide range of products, and

interestingly as business reduced their staff to increase their profitability, this affected the customers expectation of the business they were serving. Obviously. I asked why?

The internet increased peoples access to information, but the digital space does little to confirm the findings garnered from the computer screen. As any of us knows, the internet can give us a lot of good information. There is a but. If you don’t know the topic well or are not confident the wrong information can be gathered. Talking to a person relieves the confusion that is gained by accessing the internet. This is the same reason why 9 out of 10 people try before they buy.

It may seem trite, but people want to talk to another person about their product choices. Importantly, they want to trust someone. This is why information centre’s are beginning to pop up in a number of different fields.

Time for Max to put his feet up after a highly successful career From Eric Siegers

Principal, The Market Bytes IT IS with mixed emotions that we announce Max Wilson’s retirement from the TimberHub. After a distinguished career spanning more than 55 years in the Timber Industry, and with a respected presence at the TimberHub since 2005, Max Wilson has finally decided to hang up his dust coat. His contribution at the TimberHub will be sorely missed. Our gratitude cannot be measured.

Max came into the world at the time of one of our country’s most difficult periods - the Great Depression. In 1937, he was born into a family of 10 children in Bourke, NSW. Hardship was no stranger to his family and from a very young age he gained an understanding of what it took to survive in the face of adversity. His father had been a “jack of all trades”, working for the Department of Works and Housing, moving from station to station, lopping trees and doing whatever it took to look after his family, often taking his wife and children with him - living in tents on the land.

In 1944, Max and his family moved to Vermont in Melbourne, with his father continuing to work on stations around rural Victoria. After finishing school, Max took on a mechanic’s apprenticeship, but it was not long before he decided to join his father with the gruelling work on the farms in the country, helping with work as varied as bricklaying, home renovations and clearing the bush to make way for much needed agriculture.

Returning to the city in 1959, Max was able to gain employment through his father’s contacts with Swanson Brothers and at the Lucas Batteries Factory. After a few years, he joined Friend Furniture Manufacturers - an importer of furniture timbers - as a delivery driver and was soon in charge of the yard. Within three years, Max worked as their Sales Manager - a role in which he exceeded and gained valuable knowledge in the Industry.

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The year 1963 was an important year for Max. It was the year he married Pam a partnership that has lasted as long as his career - his wife of almost 55 years.

By 1971, happily married and with two children, Max had been invited to work at a small timber importing company called Austley Timber. Within a short time, he became a partner of the firm, staying with them for eight years. 1979 saw him moving on to become General Manager at Meyer Timber. Through 1986 and into the early 90s, Max worked for the ACI Group and MLM Timber, solidifying his renown within the timber industry.

After a successful career, Max’s turning point came in 1994 when he joined MK Spence and Son in Sylvan - a role for which he will most likely be remembered and one he describes himself as being one of the happiest of his life.

It didn’t take long before Max was able to take over the business, making it one of the most successful niche timber traders in Melbourne’s outer east. After working as the best of the best for 10 years, Max decided to sell the business and take things a little easier, joining the TimberHub as an advisor in 2005.

What Max doesn’t know, isn’t worth knowing! His style has been described as being no-nonsense, informal, affable, expert, methodical, direct, succinct and even sometimes blunt! All of these qualities will sorely be missed, but most of all his enthusiasm, knowledge and generosity will never be replaced!

The best platitudes cannot express our gratitude to Max for his prowess and we wish him all the best for his health, family and most of all, his happiness.

Some of Max’s quotes from his friends at the TimberHub: “Are you listening to me now, young fella?”

“You should see what I do for my friends!!”

“Diggedadiggedadiggeda!!!”

Once again, we wish Max a fantastic and healthy retirement and look forward to catching up and hearing more about his travels and years of experience. Cheers Max.. we will keep on listening!

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER

In case you hadn’t noticed.. Telco’s are doing it, and they are not alone. So the role of the Timber Hub is to provide the consumers, medium to small sized specifier companies and builders, (and yes even merchants) a resource that clarifies the role of timber in its various applications.

The important thing to note that while the industry falls over itself to find new leads through all number of architectural, designer and construction events, we find that offering an information service provides us some pretty good insights to products, projects and opportunities that otherwise go under the radar and get lost in the fray.

Whatever the reason, the market needs information to advance a whole raft of projects and opportunities. The real question is “do we have the confidence to trust in information to be a way to drive growth?”

TABMA and timber industry dinner promises to be a gala night

By Colin Fitzpatrick Chief Executive Officer Timber & Building Materials Association (Aust.) Ltd THIS YEAR’S TABMA and Timber Industry Dinner will be held Friday, 7 October at Dockside, Cockle Bay, Sydney. We have engaged an events coordinator to arrange the dinner and already she has come up with some great ideas and surprises that will make the evening a wonderful occasion. We are particularly grateful to our major sponsors – ITI Australia, Gunnersen, Tilling Timber, Simmonds Lumber and ATS Timber for their outstanding support.

Official invitations will be going out next month but bookings can be made immediately by emailing me at colin@tabma.com.au TABMA Queensland and Industry Awards 2016 is the year for the Queensland timber industry awards and a dinner will be held on Saturday, 15 October at Rydges Southbank to present these prestigious awards. Judging for the awards has been completed and I am reliably informed that although selecting the winners was difficult there will be some surprises. We are very grateful for the support shown by our major sponsor ITI Queensland.

The categories and finalists are listed below. Dinner reservations can be made by contacting Alicia Oelkers at alicia@tabma.com.au Best Timber Merchant 5 Star Timbers Doyles Home Timber and Hardware Tradeware Building Supplies Gowan Lea Timbers Best Building Materials Centre Bretts Home Timber and Hardware Porters Cairns Hardware Simons Home Timber and Hardware - Toowoomba Best Timber Wholesale Operation Simmonds Lumber ITI Tilling Timber AUGUST 2016

Carter Holt Harvey Best Frame and Truss Operation Premier Timber & Trusses Langs Truss Trusscorp CQ Frame and Truss Best Timber Manufacturer Colonial Restorations / SCD Parkside Wondai Dry Mill Timbeck Architectural Lindsay Meyers Best Sawmilling Operation Parkside - Wandoan Hyne - Tuan Robertson Bros Sawmills

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ASSOCIATIONS

New financial year – key workplace TVAA now on facebook changes Brian Beecroft Chief Executive Officer Timber Trade Industrial Association

T

HE COMMENCEMENT of every new financial year for many organisations heralds the opportunity to start the budget and finances with a clean sheet.

An opportunity to learn from any mistakes and make any relevant adjustments to last year’s financial statements. In effect it’s like a grown up’s Report Card!

However, increasingly more often than not, the new financial year is also the time when government departments, authorities and industrial tribunals deem fit to introduce a raft of changes applying from 1 July each year to Australian businesses.

You guessed it, this year is no different! Changes have occurred to modern awards, the high income threshold in relation to unfair dismissal/award coverage, minimum rates of pay, time off in lieu of overtime and superannuation. Let’s deal with the regular indexed changes first.

High income threshold The high income threshold will increase to $138,900 per annum operative from 1 July 2016. The previous threshold was $136,700 per annum until 30 June 2016. In my view, the threshold is arguably far too high but it needs to be taken into account in the circumstances outlined below.

Employers should take note that the high income threshold is the amount by which a non-award employee is excluded from the unfair dismissal provisions of the Fair Work Act, and in regard to the guarantee of annual earnings relating to modern awards. The increase in the threshold affects a number of different provisions under the Fair Work Act, including: • an award/agreement-free employee’s eligibility to claim unfair dismissal; • the maximum amount of compensation of 6 months’ earnings that the Fair Work Commission can order an employer to pay to an employee deemed to have been unfairly dismissed; and • the level an employer can guarantee an employee’s earnings which renders the provisions of the applicable modern award no longer applicable to the employee.

Guarantee of annual earnings Under the current industrial legislation high income employees who are covered by a modern award can agree to avoid or modify the award with their employer.

The employer must provide a written undertaking guaranteeing annual earnings at least equal to the “high income threshold”. However, these employees remain “covered” by the award and may access unfair dismissal provisions.

Employers are strongly advised to seek assistance in drafting these written undertakings (TTIA can assist) to ensure you have identified correct items as income to avoid any potential litigation down the track.

National Wage Case review On 3 June 2016, the Fair Work Commission handed down its annual wage review decision. The decision varied the following: • Minimum wage rates in modern awards (including the Timber Industry Award 2010) – increased by 2.4% from first full pay period commencing on or after 1 July 2016 (rounded to nearest 10 cents).

• National minimum wage – increased by 2.4% to $672.70 per week, or $17.70 per hour • Wages for juniors, apprentices – most rates are expressed as a percentage of a nominated adult rate so they receive a proportionate increase to the adult rate • Wages for trainees and pieceworkers – most trainees are covered by the National Training Wage system that is www.timberbiz.com.au

included a schedule in most awards. National Training Wages will also be increased by 2.4% from the first pay period to commence on or after 1 July 2016.

• Piecework rates will increase in accordance with the relevant provision of the Timber Industry Award 2010 pay rates.

• TTIA members have been sent the relevant rates and summary sheets.

Review of modern awards Annual Leave The Fair Work Commission full bench decision of 23 May 2016 determined that a number of matters in relation to annual leave are to be varied in modern awards.

Modern awards (including the Timber Industry Award 2010) have NOT been varied to reflect the decision at this stage. It is anticipated the variations will commence during the second half of this year.

The changes to modern awards include: Cashing out of annual leave The full bench was satisfied the variation of 115 modern awards to incorporate the revised cashing out model term was necessary to ensure these awards provide a fair and relevant safety net. The 115 modern awards will be varied during the second half of 2016.

Excessive annual leave The full bench determined that 83 modern award will be varied to insert the revised excessive annual leave term.

This is in order to address situations where a significant proportion of an employer’s workforce currently have excessive leave accruals.

Leave in Advance The FWA determined that modern awards that require an employer to pay an employee for annual leave prior to proceeding on leave will be varied. Practically this means that employees who are paid by electronic transfer will be paid in accordance with their usual pay cycle while on annual leave.

Modern Award Flexibility Time off in lieu of payment for overtime A Fair Work Commission full bench issued a decision to insert a model time off in lieu of payment for overtime (TOIL) clause into 113 modern awards. TOIL arrangements allow employers and employees to agree to employees working outside their ordinary hours so that they can then be absent for some of their ordinary working time.

The Commission has adopted a ‘time for time’ rate for the accrual of TOIL, rather than a ‘time for penalty’ rate.

Time for time will not apply to those modern awards that already contain a ‘time for penalty’ TOIL rate. Employers will need to check their relevant modern award provision or contact TTIA. There are a number of specific safeguards that apply to TOIL including a written agreement must be made and retained on each occasion and that TOIL must be taken within 12 weeks of the overtime being worked.

In my view TOIL is a worthwhile concept, although its value can be limited when the industry is busy and employers are looking to ensure that as many of their staff as possible are actually at the workplace, contributing to workflow and the demands of the business’s customers.

SuperStream – small business employers The previous deadline of 1 July 2016 has been pushed back to 28 October 2016. This means an employer with fewer than 20 employees will be required to pay superannuation contributions for their employees electronically (EFT or BPay) and send the associated data electronically.

TTIA operates the key industrial relations advisory unit for timber industry employers nationally with inhouse qualified and experienced staff. TTIA will also be conducting national Member information sessions later this year to provide further assistance on these changes.

In the meantime, employers are advised to contact the TTIA Advice Hotline on (02) 9264 0011 for any further information or assistance on the implementation of these changes.

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER

AUGUST 2016

By Peter Llewellyn Technical Representative Timber Veneer Association of Australia (TVAA) THE TIMBER Veneer Association already has a presence on the net through its wellpatronised website at www.timberveneer. asn.au. Here veneer users and specifiers can find a range of publications to guide them on using veneers to best advantage.

There is also a comprehensive photo gallery on the association’s website to show how timber veneers can be used in modern design to achieve striking results.

However, it’s not so easy to show breaking news and topical issues on a website. To address this need, the Timber Veneer Association recently set up a Facebook page.

Items related to the use of veneers will be posted regularly, and the page is updated frequently to make sure it reflects current issues.

Everyone in the building industry and supply chain is urged to become a ‘friend’ of the TVAA Facebook page and log on regularly to keep up with events.

TVAA President Gray Parsonson says: “Being on Facebook is the next logical step in keeping timber veneers at the forefront of interior design. We hope interior designers, architects, and others in the building industry will ‘like’ the new page”.

Li-ion is leader of the pack!

KALMAR, PART of Cargotec, has launched new, highly efficient, emissionsfree lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery technology for its 5-9 ton electric forklift truck range.

Already commonly used in a wide range of products, from consumer electronics to electric cars, Li-ion technology brings significant advantages over traditional leadacid batteries for electric forklift equipment.

Li-ion batteries can be fast-charged during breaks in work, significantly improving the productivity of forklifts.

They also eliminate the need for frequent battery changes as well as costly additional batteries and the associated equipment required to replace them. Because charging is emissions-free, the batteries can be charged anywhere in the facility, removing the need for expensive acid-protected charging areas. Furthermore, Li-ion batteries last three to five times longer than lead-acid batteries, are cooler and waste less energy in overcharge.

“Our electric forklift trucks already offer savings from fewer and shorter standstills, faster and simpler maintenance, and longer service life,” said Peter Ivarsson, Director Sales and Marketing, Forklift Trucks at Kalmar.

“The new Li-ion battery technology makes them even more attractive as investment. This improvement is a great example of how we support our customers’ operational and environmental goals through developing cost-effective and sustainable solutions.”

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AUSTRALIAN TIMBER DESIGN AWARDS

The wonderful world of wood

By David Rowlinson Wood and Paper Programs Manager Planet Ark

P

LANET ARK believes that trees play a critical role in our environment as producers of oxygen, a home for wildlife, source of biodiversity and, for people, a connection to our natural world.

We believe that what remains of our high conservation forests should be protected and treasured. As such, Planet Ark opposes clearance of high conservation value forest for wood products and for plantations, as this will have negative impacts on biodiversity.

As we face the growing threat of climate change, however, it is important to consider all options for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, including the use of responsibly sourced wood.

There are three reasons that wood is a sustainable material for building and construction.

Firstly, timber is the only renewable construction material available. Positive environmental outcomes can only be achieved by the continued move towards better forestry practices. Here in Australia we can take solace from the fact that Europe’s forests have expanded over the past 20 years despite the significant growth in wood use.

Secondly, wood is unique among building materials because it is a natural carbon store. In order to

produce 1kg of timber, a tree consumes 1.47kg of carbon dioxide and returns just over a kilogram of oxygen to the atmosphere (AGO, 2004). Up to 50% of the dry weight of timber is carbon.

As a result responsibly sourced wood products store the carbon that the growing trees have removed from the air for the duration of their life in use.

Thirdly, the energy consumed in the production of timber is significantly lower than that consumed by traditional building materials. Steel and concrete consume very high levels of energy in their production, whereas the timber harvested from sustainably managed plantation results in a net reduction in atmospheric greenhouse gases (AGO, 2004). As a rule of thumb substituting a cubic metre of wood for other construction materials (concrete, blocks or bricks) will save up to 1 tonne of CO2 emissions.

A recent report by ClimateWorks has highlighted that 23% of Australia’s total CO2 emissions come from materials used in the construction sector.

Fortunately, the technology already exists (wood!) for these emissions to be massively reduced almost immediately.

Certification is the only way to prevent illegal logging and allow consumers to choose wood products

¢ Candleback school library

that they know are from sustainable sources. There are two primary certification schemes in Australia; the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Australian Forest Certification scheme (AFCS).

In addition to the significant environmental benefits there are many other significant benefits that the use of timber can provide.

Wood is good for your health and wellbeing Exposure to wooden furniture and fittings has real and measurable health and wellbeing benefits. Studies examining the effects of wooden rooms and furnishings clearly demonstrate that the presence of wood has positive physiological and psychological benefits that mimic the effect of spending time outside in nature. The feelings of natural warmth and comfort that wood elicits in people has the effect of lowering blood pressure and heart rates, reducing stress and anxiety and increasing positive social interactions.

In addition, timber is hygroscopic and has the ability to exchange moisture with the surrounding air, which provides a buffer against short-term changes in humidity and temperature.

Wood is safe Wood has significant natural insulating properties and burns in a slow, predictable way. That means that timber buildings are less likely to collapse and don’t release the same hazardous toxins as concrete and steel.

The recent changes to the National Construction Code are based on a high level of scientific proof; the deemed to satisfy provision requires sprinklers and a 16mm fire check which provides a very high level of protection against fire.

Wood is durable Wood is a durable material for both homes and commercial buildings.

When properly maintained it can last hundreds of years. Wood is resistant to heat, frost, corrosion and pollution. The only factor that needs to be controlled is exposure to weathering. Problems associated with rot and termites are generally the result of poor attention 16

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER

AUGUST 2016

to construction details, which expose the wood to moisture and sunlight, or inappropriate timber specification.

Modern wood preservatives enhance natural durability.

Wood is strong As the knowledge and understanding of different timber species has grown, so too has the use of timber in applications where strength is a key performance criteria. Timber’s superior strength qualities provide a versatile and reliable building material for a wide range of structural applications, from beams, walls and flooring through to formwork and large timber panels. One of the latest engineered wood products is Cross Laminated Timber, which have the same strength as precast concrete panels but are significantly lighter.

Wood is a natural insulator Wood is a natural insulator due to air pockets within its cellular structure, which means that it has a high level of thermal resistance. As a result, buildings produced using timber require less energy to heat and cool, resulting in reduced energy bills.

Wood is fast to construct Timber construction components are typically prefabricated offsite, which can provide a significant reduction in onsite construction time. A major advantage in using timber rather than wet pour concrete is the elimination of set and dry times, reducing the construction program and allowing other trades to begin work sooner.

Responsibly sourced wood can play a major part in helping tackle climate change, particularly in helping to reduce the embodied energy emissions in the construction sector.

More information: please visit http://makeitwood.org

www.timberbiz.com.au

AUSTRALIAN TIMBER DESIGN AWARDS The 17th Annual Australian Timber Design Awards, Australia’s most recognised stamp of excellence in timber design, is in the lead-up months to winners being announced. This much-vaunted national competition is open to architects, landscape architects, building and interior designers, and engineers. There is an array of categories to cover all types of timber projects and use of timber products. Winners will be announced in Sydney at the awards presentation night in September. As part of the lead-up to the prestigious event, Australasian Timber continues to feature some of the best architects in the business.

Life is too short to be boring!

D

www.timberbiz.com.au

¢ Red Hill House

t uc od Pr

B ARCHITECTURE (DBA, formerly known as Duckbuild) is an expressive, progressive, Melbourne based architecture firm with the mantra: Life is too Short to be Boring.

DBA’s work is sustainable and affordable, while often exuding a flamboyant colour scheme or formal sculpting. The ultimate driver for DBA is getting their projects successfully built. To date, DBA have done architecture work for 98 different sites, projects ranged in size from façade refurbishments to five bedroom houses and multi-milliondollar apartment developments. The majority of DBA’s work is residential, such as the award winning Red Hill House. DBA also do commercial, for instance the award winning Apical Office Fitout, Richmond. For DBA’s hospitality work, a good example is the highly publicised Denis the Menace Café, Cremorne.

After gaining experience at renowned architecture firms – Edward Suzuki, Tokyo and ARM, Melbourne - in 2009, Simon Cookes hatched DBA. While at ARM he worked on various award winning projects such as the $550million Perth Arena, $300million shopping centres and a $30million office building, as well as residential projects.

DBA’s excellence in architectural practice has been recognised in various awards and publications.

Awards received include: Timber Design Awards 2015 (Residential) - Winner, Timber Design Awards 2015 (emerging designer) Shortlisted, Dulux Colour Awards 2014 (Commercial Interior) Commendation, Houses Awards 2014 (New House over 200m²) Shortlisted, and Melbourne Design Awards 2013 (Interior Design Corporate) - Winner. DBA has also been recognised in various publications including: The Age twice, Herald Sun, Weekly Review, Architect Victoria, Green Magazine and many blogs. Simon also appeared on Vasili’s Garden TV show presenting DBA’s ‘Learning and Play Garden’ at Glenroy West Primary School.

It is important to be an active contributor to society. Simon and DBA donated weeks of their time to this Glenroy West Primary School project. Simon and DBA donated money and raised money for charities such as: Melbourne City Mission, Friends of the Earth, UNHRC, and Life Line. Simon is also heavily engaged in Melbourne’s architecture community as a judge for the Australian Institute of Architects, a final year architectural design teacher for the University of Melbourne, and captain of the Emerging Architects and Graduates Network Archisoccer team.

®

¢ S imon Cookes

Moreover, ecological sustainability is close to Simon’s heart; he was a certified First-Rate residential energy rater, he advocates ecologically sustainable design and provides sustainability advice to other architectural practices. For Visions & Pathways 2040, facilitated by the Victorian Eco-Innovation Lab (VEIL), Simon was engaged to liaise with Australia’s top minds on sustainability and Simon re-imagined a sustainable path for Melbourne.

Simon is also somewhat of a tech evangelist. A Building Information Modelling consultant, and an Australian Post-Graduate Award recipient for his research into Neighbourhood Information Modelling. Most recently, Simon has been developing a web start-up – ‘LARKI’ – which digitises early stage 3D architectural practice, to improve efficiency and disciplinary integration, in order to make architecture more affordable and accessible to everyone (not just the elite). Watch this space.

Continued on next page AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER

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AUSTRALIAN TIMBER DESIGN AWARDS

Life is too short to be boring!

Read on for Simon’s views during a question and answer series with Australasian Timber:

First client: An architect for Ecologically Sustainable Design (ESD) advice.

Progression of the business: From solo in my living room in 2009 at the age of 28, to an office of 5 people in 2014, to myself and 2 other tech start-up co-founders.

Some of your more unusual works: Glenroy West Primary school. The design included a boat, a maze, an “island”, mini golf and vegie patch with resident scarecrow.

Also the highly colourful Apical Office Fitout.

The amount of times you have concentrated on timber: There have been quite a few projects built and un-built that focused on timber. Red Hill House, Pipers Creek House (unbuilt), Denis the Menace café. Denis the Menace used a range of different timber reclaimed pine crate material for banquettes, mismatch reclaimed timber for wall cladding, rough saw alpine ask slats, blackbutt furniture.

The brief behind the awardwinning Red Hill House: The Red Hill House, set amongst the vineyards of the Mornington

Peninsula, with a site sloping to a view of the bay, can be seen as a consideration of traditional notions of vernacular within a contemporary rural context. The linear house works with the contours of the sloping site, nestled most of the way up the hill for the best view. Conceptually, the client’s vision for what they saw as the classic Australian ‘farm house’ (cue images of Colorbond TV ad campaign with couple ogling at pitched roofs in pseudo-ecstasy) was brought into the modern day.

The ‘house’ typology is reduced to timber clad walls, pitched-roof and fenestration. This refined ‘house’ form becomes the building block that is multiplied, morphed and distributed, creating a relaxed collection of various ‘house’ blocks sizes, roof pitches, projections and window shapes. The aggregation of forms agglomerate to contain the substantial house within, but read to the south as a series of buildings conjuring a small Nordic village nestled into the hillside (with a nod to the local Mt Martha beach boxes). The village-like aesthetic is reinforced by freestanding gabled pavilions (shed & gym) scattered within the landscape. Each of the three approaches to the house arrive at a portico, draped in rough sawn Oregon neatly snipped to permit access, like a head of hair with a fringe artfully cut to reveal the face or entry points. A deck runs the length of the house’s north along the natural land contour, unifying the

Continued from last page

¢ Richmond Office

¢ Interior of the Red Hill House

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southern multitude of forms into a straight, continuous viewing facade.

The external design concept is introduced internally through expressed cathedral ceilings and an abundance of glazing drawing the eye to the trees, rolling vineyards and Port Philip Bay beyond. Cruciform circulation leads from the south entry, north to the pool, east to the adults end or west to the kid’s zone.

Centred is the lobby, with exposed roof structure above and a view north past the infinity edge pool reflecting the bay and sky. Along the long east-west axis are sleeping and amenities anchored at either end with rumpus (west) or kitchen and dining (east), attracting their respective generation. Thoroughfares are cut perpendicular to the east-west axis allowing glimpses of the north from the southern aspect, increasing the porosity of the external volume and giving the gabled-forms a light and ephemeral quality to match their fanciful forms.

The material palette was restrained to dark tones outside and light tones inside, favouring warm and natural, such as timber ceilings and floors.

Finer grain articulation plays out in lines along surfaces – vertical ship-lapped weatherboards, profiled roofs, vertical Oregon portico enclosure or horizontal baseboard slatting, steps and decking. In essence this Duckbuild design, the tinted

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER

AUGUST 2016

glazing and timber cladding are an abstraction, reflecting literally and metaphorical the natural features of the surrounding water and woods.

What you thought of the 2015 Australian Timber Design award: Shock. We were up against some great projects, so were quite surprised but also elevated and very grateful to have received the award. It was refreshing to see a panel of judges from various fields not just all architects like some other awards.

Which makes the award feel like it was receiving broader recognition from the design, construction, engineering and real estate industries more broadly.

Has this meant a difference to business: Recognition is valuable for a design professional. So yes, it has made a difference to DBA. We are very thankful for this award.

Long term plans for your operation: Continue to offer high customer service architecture services for projects like the Red Hill house. Also working on a more streamlined, accessible offering through LARKI, with the dream that great architectural can permeate everywhere, regardless of location, taste or budget. Stay tuned. Exciting times. www.timberbiz.com.au

HOUSING

Housing portfolio must be in Housing remains Australia’s economic new Turnbull Ministry powerhouse

E

NSURING A strong national focus on housing is critical to retaining Australia’s AAA credit rating, says the Housing Industry Association (HIA), the voice of Australia’s residential construction industry.

“Residential building activity has been the engine room of the Australian economy for the past four years,” said HIA’s Chief Economist, Dr Harley Dale. “It has filled the void left by a contracting mining sector, and has gained some ground on a decade of undersupply in new housing. But there’s much more that needs to be done if Australia is to defend its AAA credit rating.

“The incoming Commonwealth Government needs to focus on building the new homes for our growing population, meeting the housing needs of our changing demographics, addressing the housing affordability challenges confronting younger generations, supporting the 321,595 businesses that operate across the residential building industry, and importantly, enabling the industry to grow and expand its contribution to the Australian economy,” said Dr Dale.

“The industry generates over $160 billion in national GDP each year, contributes $77 billion in taxes, provides jobs for over one million workers and touches the lives of every Australian every day.”

“Australia needs a Commonwealth Housing Minister - a senior Minister in cabinet to provide national leadership, to coordinate federal, state and local government housing programs, to guide important industry policy reform

¢ HIA’s Chief Economist, Dr Harley Dale

nationally, and ensure housing has a front seat in cabinet discussions around taxation reform, national budget repair, infrastructure and workforce development,” Dr Dale said.

“External rating agencies and organisations like the IMF are watching our economy closely, particularly housing, and are clearly looking for economic focus, leadership and policy reform. Reform is the key; while procrastination could well be the nation’s Achilles heel. A lack of federal focus on housing policy reform increases the chance of a ratings downgrade.”

THE LATEST ABS figures for new dwelling commencements provide a healthy update for the nation’s economy, according to the Housing Industry Association (HIA), the voice of Australia’s residential building industry.

“New home commencements reached a fresh record in the March 2016 quarter and residential construction is unequivocally the powerhouse of the Australian economy,” said HIA Chief Economist – Dr Harley Dale.

“In addition to being a key economic driver in its own right, new home construction is having a very strong positive impact on many other parts of Australia’s economy and labour market,” Dr Dale said.

“New dwelling commencements reaching yet another record over the 12 months to March this year (nearly 230,000) reinforces the vital economic role new home building continues to play in 2016.

“There are so many generalisations and exaggeration about purported oversupply in Australia’s housing market that the key point to recognise is lost – Australia’s economy and labour market would be substantially weaker without the new home construction sector,” said Dr Dale.

“Based on the latest results, detached house commencements have peaked for the cycle, but remain well above their historical average. Meanwhile, commencements of ‘multi-units’ continue their stratospheric rise – exceeding the number of detached houses over the last year.

“The stunning headline masks large geographical divergences around the country, but most states and territories are ahead on the ledger,” he noted.

Over the 12 months to March 2016, new dwelling commencements increased in: the Australian Capital Territory (+44.1%); New South Wales (+24.1%); Queensland (13.1%); Victoria (11.6%) and Tasmania (+6.6%). Commencements fell in the Northern Territory (-24.7%), Western Australia (-19.0%) and South Australia (-3.1%).

“What goes up will come down and there is unprecedented uncertainty regarding the nature and magnitude of the down cycle that will unfold over 2016/17 and 2017/18.

“It would be risky to tinker with housing policy right now,” said Dr Dale.

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