An additional benefit to heavy timber is the ease of repair after a fire. The charred sections can visually be assessed and evaluated for residual capacity, and the damaged timber can then be cut away and replaced. This is in contrast to steel, which buckles under extreme heat.
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Charring creates a protective layer that acts as insulation and delays the onset of heating for the cold layer below. With continued exposure to fire the char layer grows, increasing the insulation and slowing down the burning rate, providing greater time for escape or intervention.
Heavy timber constructions have an inherent level of fire resistance. This resistance increases with the thickness of the wooden elements because when timber is exposed to fire the outer layer burns and turns to char.
Engineers and fire researchers today have a significant body of knowledge of how timber constructions perform in fire. The structural stability of timber is well understood and importantly it is predictable, allowing timber constructions to be created that meet the same fire safety codes as steel and concrete buildings.
Fire Safety
A common concern raised in regard to the use of wood as a building material is whether or not there is an increased risk of fire. The Martian Embassy was a runner up in the Interior Fitout category of the Australian Timber Design Awards.
Project partners Will O’Rourke and The Glue Society stated that the warm tones of wood transformed the previously long, dark and unloved shop into a source of inspiration that kids are excited to walk into.
Construction was simplified by the flexibility of plywood. Flat sheets were cut into 1068 ribs, which were then put together like a giant puzzle to create a three-dimensional space. The acoustic qualities of timber further enhanced the sounds, smell and lights of the red planet that animated the space.
The Martian Embassy in Redfern Sydney is a creative writing centre for young people. The Centre is designed to be a fusion between a whale, a rocket and a time tunnel, created by oscillating plywood ribs, red planet light and sound projections in order to provoke fun and unleash creativity.
Airtightness directly affects the energy efficiency and thermal insulation capacity of a building. Therefore, although much consideration and/or the insulation value was maximized, it will have minimal effect if the airtightness value has not been addressed.
Regardless of how insulated a home is, with the highest R value, etc. - all goes to waste with inefficiency in airtightness. Most conventional stick frame homes have a low airtightness rating (unless specially targeted during construction) whereas Holz100's tongue-and-groove system ensures a high level of airtightness throughout.
Maximizing a building system's potential airtightness is necessary when desiring to achieve passive house standards. Having a high airtightness rating means more energy conservancy and less heating required to keep warm during winter.
Thoma Holz100 has been certified through the Blower Door Test and achieved the airtightness required for passive housing. Airtightness is a very important and integral part of an exceptional building system.
The Candlebark library won the 2012 Australian Timber Design Award. Judges stated that they were greatly impressed by the expert use of engineered timber, its careful detailing and timber selection, and the use of recycled and salvaged timbers to create a natural reading environment.
The design of the library highlights how wood can be used in bushfire-prone areas, one of the greatest misconceptions people have regarding the use of wood. Internal temperatures during a bushfire would only peak at 29°C.
The site also doubles as the school’s bushfire shelter. The combination of the earth covered roof, double glazed windows and the massive timber beams gives the building excellent thermal performance, with models showing that internal temperatures during a bushfire would only peak at 29°C45.
The shelves in the library are made from timber and steel racking components, created by a local cabinetmaker using Hoop Pine plywood. This set up was found to be more robust and serviceable than the all-steel alternative commonly found in school and public libraries as well as being less expensive and more attractive.
The ceilings are lined with hoop pine plywood, while the windows and external doors are made from recycled blackbutt timber and the pergola, internal door frames and benches are salvaged Monterey cypress.
The aim was to create a visually dramatic and gently warped roof structure that fans out like a book opening to the view. The facility was designed to promote the use of both new and recycled timber.
This effect occurs due to wood absorbing and releasing moisture in order to maintain equilibrium with the surrounding air, known as the equilibrium moisture content. Wood therefore absorbs moisture from the air in humid conditions and releases moisture in dry conditions.
Wood products within a room improve indoor air quality by moderating humidity. On the air: wood products within a room have been shown to improve indoor air quality by moderating humidity.
This result occurred despite one in two people saying they were completely unaware that wood had associated health benefits. The images were taken from a study by David Fell (2010), which showed Canadians have similar innate attitudes towards wood.
From one furnished with a wooden chair, desk, blinds and other items made from wood, while the other showed the same items made from plastic, two out of every three people said they preferred the wooden room.
For Holz100, even with CLT prefab homes, you can achieve a very visual appeal and natural look for your home. Australians appear to be innately drawn towards wood. When Planet Ark presented survey participants with images of two rooms, most voted for the wooden space.
Shortening hospital stays through reduced recovery times will also reduce costs to the medical system, whilst improved first impressions of organisations will attract business to the Australian market.
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