Photo: the appearance of wood in general – this is an example
“SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION IS THE FUTURE”; JUST LIKE OUR COLLEAGUES IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY, WE ARE AWARE OF THIS. WE THEREFORE REGULARLY ASK OURSELVES THE QUESTION: HOW CAN WE DESIGN A STRUCTURE SO THAT IT HAS AS LITTLE IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT AS POSSIBLE? ONE OF THE SOLUTIONS IS TO DESIGN A STRUCTURE IN WOOD. INTERESTINGLY, OUR CLIENTS REGULARLY ASK US WHETHER WE CAN ALSO DESIGN AND CALCULATE WOODEN STRUCTURES. THE ANSWER IS CLEAR: YES!
Wood is a good choice as a building and construction material because of its inexhaustible and renewable nature. Especially when the wood used has an FSC or PEFC label; then it is certain that it comes from a sustainably managed forest. In addition, wood weighs relatively little, for example, yet is incredibly strong. With laminated beams, we also make quite large spans. Wood contributes to architectural flexibility and faster execution. However, making a structure out of wood is not easy; it requires specialised knowledge of a structural engineer.
KNOWLEDGE OF WOOD AND ITS PROPERTIES
When designing in timber structures, the specific properties of wood must be taken into account. This means that the frameworks are just slightly smaller than for steel structures. Sometimes even smaller than ideal; the advantages of using wood make up for this. Indeed, one advantage of wood is that it is stored CO2 and it has a favourable weight-to-bearing capacity ratio. Also, a laminated timber construction does not need any more finishing and, contrary to expectations, a timber construction behaves well in case of fire.
Want to know more about timber structures for your own design and what Pelecon can do for you in this regard? Call us and we will make an appointment for a cup of coffee!