Cross Laminated Timber Builds Greener Future

Kevin Mallon is a Contracts Manager with leading construction and fit-out company, Gilbert-Ash. With over 15 years’ experience, Kevin has worked across several sectors including education, retail, mixed-use developments, industrial, hotels and airports. Having used Cross Laminated Timber on a number of high-profile projects, Kevin believes this material can help the construction industry build a greener future.

Globally, unfortunately construction is a major polluter but for a number of years the industry has been on a journey to reduce its impact on the environment.

With the UK government’s commitment to achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 now enshrined into law, the journey needs to take to the fast lane at top speed.

In recent years there has been a collective determination throughout the industry to radically improve its carbon footprint. Initiatives such as BREEAM have been welcomed, with procurement, design, and construction now all coming under the closest scrutiny to ensure the highest levels of sustainability and productivity.

However, this will not be enough for the construction industry to play its part in the UK meeting its net zero targets. We need to embrace new materials and practises that will help our buildings be as sustainable and environmentally friendly as possible.

There have been some really exciting developments on this front such as ‘self-healing concrete’ and bricks infused with wool and seaweed to name just two new materials.

But one material, which has been around since the 90s, is really starting to muscle in on concrete and steel.

Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) is a prefabricated engineered wood product consisting of several single-bonded layers of solid-sawn lumber arranged at right angles to each other and glued together with structural adhesive. CLT offers many advantages over conventional building materials. Its excellent structural properties provide a number of benefits including improved insulation, optimal air humidity, soundproofing, high load bearing capacity and earthquake-proof construction. It can be structural or non-structural and can be the sole building material or part of a hybrid system.

No-one is claiming that CLT is the magic bullet which will completely transform the construction industry and power us towards net zero, but it can take its place in a mix of materials which will help us build a ‘greener’ future.

With timber currently the only mainstream renewable construction material, CLT’s sustainability credentials are there for all to see, especially when the forests the timber comes from are carefully managed.

A building constructed using CLT is significantly lighter than an equivalent steel or concrete design, reducing foundation requirements and the use of significantly less concrete.

Build times are around 20% faster when compared to concrete buildings which helps to greatly reduce the emissions from each project.

With large elements of the build prefabricated, far fewer workers and machinery are required on site, again reducing the carbon footprint of the project. This also helps alleviate the growing problem of fewer skilled workers in the industry.

Design flexibility is greatly enhanced as CLT can be essentially engineered to whatever specification is needed, enabling large parts of the construction to be completed off site. As the wood is precision engineered, the performance of CLT buildings is also impressive with greater degrees of airtightness. The structural performance is similar to that of reinforced concrete.

With mental health and well-being, a significant issue at present, it should not be underplayed the role a building can have in nurturing positive mental health. For example, exposed timber is found to create a naturally calming environment.

Gilbert-Ash has incorporated CLT into a number of recent projects ranging from office redevelopments to student accommodations. In a landmark project, the company also constructed an eco-mosque at Cambridge.

The superstructure of the mosque consists of prefabricated CLT panels, with the 70mm CLT internal faces exposed as internal wall and ceiling surfaces, all treated with a fire-retardant finish.

The CLT flat roof construction is supported by glue-laminated timber (glulam) joists which transfer load to the structural glulam tree canopy. Glulam members also provide trimming to skylights. The CLT roof plate acts as a diaphragm to transfer lateral loads to the external walls.

The new mosque’s prayer hall frame is constructed with CLT double curved glulam timber trees formed from 2,746 individual pieces in 175 variants, the first building in the world to be built with this form of timber construction.

A recent project I was closely involved in, where CLT was a central component, was the City of London Freemen’s School Swimming Pool.

The swimming facility building was constructed using a series of glulam portal frames, structurally braced with cross-laminated timber panels, creating a beautiful yet striking, sustainable building, with over 200 tonnes of CO2 captured, producing a carbon neutral building. The swimming pool building boasts the exposed timber frame that also incorporates windows looking out onto the surrounding woodland, to give a sense of swimming amongst the trees.

Careful planning and coordination were required to preserve the integrity of the specialised timber used in this project, including specific handling and installation techniques. From off-site manufacturing to transport and lifting methods, Gilbert-Ash worked closely with the specialist timber contractors to develop strategic procedures to ensure the timber was not contaminated.

The deep columns of the all-timber construction and zinc with wrap-around glazing afford direct views from the water into the woodland. In addition to providing a warm and natural finish that echoes the surrounding trees, the timber surfaces are robust, thermally insulating, carbon neutral, corrosion resistant, and requires little maintenance.

Despite the evidence of the benefits CLT can deliver for the construction industry, the findings of a government consultation may prevent this material from really reaching for the skies.

The industry is awaiting the outcome of the government’s consultation on the review of the ban on combustible materials being used in or on external walls of buildings. The ban was established in the wake of the Grenfell disaster and essentially means that CLT buildings were blocked from going above 18m high. The government believes this height should be lowered to 11m.

Regardless of how this plays out, CLT can play an important role in the future of construction in the UK. To borrow a phrase from the world of cycling, the sustainable and low carbon footprint CLT delivers is a ‘marginal gain’ as we look at all areas of the industry and the impact we have on the environment.

We just need to ‘get on our bikes’ in realising the full potential of this material and the benefits it can bring.

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Hidden Impact of Brexit Taking Toll on SMEs

Since the reopening of the construction sector in the summer of 2020, confidence has been sky high, with growth in March 2021 the highest on record since 2014. According to figures from IHS Markit/CIPS, the growth of output had grown in line with increased commercial, domestic and civil engineering projects. These works have largely come in the form of restarting delayed projects, critically around office development, leisure and hospitality.

New build residential work has also experienced a major boost, along with domestic renovation, with higher spends in both categories. However, the industry must tread cautiously, as the current growth projections carry a sting in the tail, potentially punishing small trades companies more harshly than ever before.

One could be excused for forgetting, but the initial COVID lockdown both in the UK and Europe was considerably tougher than the most recent events.

In March 2020 the entire UK material supply lines were put on pause for a number of weeks. While the headlines were dominated by the lack toilet paper and pasta, for the trade and construction sector this was plasterboard, cement and many other essential materials. The result of which was that prices of these products shot up rapidly as availability decreased.

While it’s easy to blame the pandemic for these short-term supply constraints, there is another fly in the ointment, Brexit. Without passing judgement on the decision to leave the EU, Brexit has lengthened the supply lines for a number of core supplies from Europe. A significant majority of materials required by UK trade and construction are manufactured or processed in mainland Europe. As the pandemic swept the continent almost all major countries suffered shortages in stock; now however, manufacturers are refilling the supply chains that are closer to home first, with the UK falling to the back of the queue.

While this should ease over time and it is encouraging to see efforts to move material production to the UK, there is no quick fix. This has led to further hurt for SMEs in the trades as larger companies have been able to purchase these products at higher prices, to the detriment of their smaller competitors.

Ben Dyer, CEO of Powered Now, discussed the difficulties that are on the horizon for smaller businesses in the trades: “At Powered Now we are delighted to witness the increase in both order books and confidence. Higher demand for construction and trade services has a real world trickle down to small and medium trade businesses.

“However, we are very worried about the implications of stress on the UK supply chain. While some of these issues will naturally clear as the threat of Covid and Brexit reduces, the short-term impact on the smaller contractor market threatens to derail these good weeks of growth.

“We are especially critical of larger firms choosing to stockpile. The industry is only as healthy as the workforce within it, and these larger companies rely on much smaller contractors to operate, of whom are being unfairly penalised. It is incredibly short-sighted of larger firms to use their leverage over smaller ones. Not only does this hurt the economy but will eventually catch up with them due to their reliance on the SME sector for contract staff. We hope this practice, like COVID, can eventually be eliminated.”

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Notre Dame Restoration Embraces Digital Technology

It has been two years since a fire engulfed Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, and in that time a public body dedicated to the conservation and restoration of the cathedral has been established, which recently announced its official patronage with Autodesk.

Autodesk is a global software provider and is contributing design and construction technology solutions, including Building Information Modelling (BIM) support, an intelligent data and geometry 3D modelling process and technical expertise. The use of BIM creates a historical digital record for increased resiliency for future events and restoration.

By embracing the new innovative digital approach, the public establishment which is dedicated to the conservation and restoration of Notre Dame is enabling cloud collaboration among stakeholders as well as relying on a common data environment to serve as a central repository for all project information so all permitted stakeholders can have access to the latest data and plans.

Data created using reality capture technologies prior to the fire enabled Autodesk to create 3D BIM model of the Notre Dame Cathedral as it existed before the fire. Autodesk then used recent reality capture scans to create 3D models post-fire for comparison.

Army General Jean-Louis Georgelin, President of the public establishment dedicated to the conservation and restoration of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral, said; “I warmly thank Autodesk for supporting the rebirth of Paris Notre-Dame Cathedral. Using digital technologies designed for the supervision and management of the restoration site is essential for the public institution. Thanks to Autodesk’s patronage, the use of cutting-edge design and construction technologies and BIM, are being leveraged to help prepare for the reopening of the cathedral, and to once again welcome both pilgrims and visitors.”

Nicolas Mangon, Autodesk Vice President of Business Strategy for Architecture, Engineering and Construction Design Solutions, said: “We are humbled to participate in the restoration and future preservation of the Notre-Dame Cathedral, a truly magnificent architectural wonder of the world. Since the devastating fire two years ago, we have provided funding and technology to support the effort through the French Fondation Du Patrimone (Heritage Foundation) and this announcement reinforces our commitment.”

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Balancing the Risks and Rewards of MMC

Innovative, efficient, and reliable, the construction sector’s attentions are once again turning to modern methods of construction (MMC). As well as helping to tackle the UK’s housing shortage, these techniques also have the potential to support an infrastructure revolution. Andrew Cullis, risk analyst at risk management consultancy, Equib, discusses how managers can effectively balance the risks and rewards of MMC when delivering a project.

As part of its Spring Budget commitment, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) promised to establish an MMC Taskforce, backed by £10m of seed funding. Meanwhile, in the private sector, Interserve’s recent appointment of a technical director to focus on modern methods of construction shows that this is something larger companies are now factoring into their 2021 strategy.

One of the major advantages of using MMC techniques, such as off-site construction, is the net reduction in risk. These methods can mitigate the risk of injury to both workers on site, as well as members of public who live or travel close to the area. Whether it’s a traditional house build or a diversionary route on a rail project, people may be using the area during construction. This could expose them to a risk of accidents, due to the large volume of heavy plant and machinery movements in close proximity. Building remotely removes much of this risk. Off-site construction methods also have the potential to reduce material wastage, boost the reuse of equipment, and minimise the need for specialist labour onsite.

The coronavirus pandemic has highlighted how important it is for project managers to limit the number of people on site at any one time. The Construction Leadership Council’s (CLC) site operating procedures have been designed to introduce consistent measures in line with the Government’s recommendations in relation to social distancing. Where projects have been delayed as a result of the pandemic, MMC is a cost-effective way of making up lost time while maintaining high safety standards.

The use of modular systems is one of the initiatives that the rail industry has been benefitting from for some time. Bringing pre-assembled equipment to site that can be easily plugged into the network is an effective way of boosting efficiency. Across the spectrum of off-site products, modular is the most complete in factory finish, allowing structural units to be joined on-site. These methods have been developed and standardised with signalling and Overhead Line Equipment (OLE), as well as on track with Switches & Crossing (S&C) installations.

When managed properly, modular methods can improve efficiency levels and mitigate the risk of overshooting time and cost estimates, however, across the industry there has been some resistance to modular S&C. This involves building up in situ using a modular technique, where trains can drive into the factory and collect the S&C unit before transporting it to its final location on the track, where it is then craned into place. Recently, however, a few derailment investigations by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) have indicated a possible connection to modular S&C builds. While the technique has temporarily become less popular as a result of investigation recommendations, the industry is working to ensure that the process is safe.

In the meantime, an alternative is for a team of specialists to build the units off-track in a separate location. In this case, project managers will be given a set-up time and a dedicated compound or ‘build-up area’. However, this can raise issues around land agreements and consent, which have potential to escalate project costs and cause time overruns.

In order to mitigate the risks associated with off-site construction, project managers should follow risk management best practice. They should start by carrying out a comprehensive risk assessment and analysis, in order to identify and quantify risks and opportunities associated with the project, before putting appropriate mitigation strategies in place. Specialist support may be needed in carrying out workshops with major stakeholders to secure buy in for any cost contingencies required.

Despite their potential to reduce the overall risk profile of projects, off-site construction methods can also bring associated risks such as time delays linked to transporting modular units onto site or prompt investigation of more extreme safety concerns. In some instances, these risks can be critical, therefore, careful management is required from the outset of projects. By conducting detailed and meticulous risk planning during the design stage, managers can minimise the need to rework designs mid-way through, which could push the build back by weeks or even months.

As well as design considerations, logistical factors such as how to transport modular units from the factory to the construction site should be prioritised. Detailed route planning, specifications around load/size requirements and liaison with third parties (highways, local councils etc.) can all help to reduce risk. While this can be time consuming, its importance shouldn’t be underestimated.

Once the project is underway, project managers should ensure that thorough risk identification and assessment sessions are undertaken at regular intervals. Sticking to this approach, from the design stage through to completion, will ensure good decision making and improve project outcomes.

In recent months, the construction industry has undergone a significant transformation. The pandemic has been a force for change and the sector must continue to adapt and modernise to stay competitive. For project managers, this as an opportunity to increase their knowledgebase and breadth of experience by utilising new technology and the benefits it brings to projects going forward.

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4D Health and Safety Training at HS2

Health and safety in the construction industry is getting a welcome boost thanks to funding from HS2 via the UK’s innovation agency, Innovate UK.

A new customisable online training tool is now in development by specialists in cloud-based Building Information Modelling (BMI) and digital twins, 3D Repo, in partnership with 4D consultancy, Freeform and Balfour Beatty Vinci JV.

The new tool is set to replace the generic training videos and presentations that are normally shown with live walkthroughs of site-specific 4D (construction sequencing) visualisations based on existing BIM models which can be understood in any language.

Generic safety training is set to be replaced by real-time, site-specific visualisations that will be delivered via an easy-to-use cloud-based user interface.  Health and Safety aspects will be coordinated with the HSE’s ‘Discovering Safety Programme’, to help enhance opportunities for compliance and reusability across other contractors.

Funding for this new training system will be provided via a Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) innovation competition funded by High Speed Two (HS2) and managed by Innovate UK. The competition aims to deliver innovation which will drive project effectiveness and process for use during the design and construction phase of HS2.

Dan Fawcett, Head of Innovation & Transformation at Balfour Beatty Vinci, said: “Our number one priority is to be ‘Be Safe and Well’ when constructing HS2, and BBV’s work on 4D Constructability Reviews with 3D Repo to date is a great example of innovating to improve health and safety. Introducing further collaboration with Freeform and HSE to build on this work is yet another step forward in ensuring no injury, ill health or incident is caused by our work activities.”

James Bowles, Founder of Freeform, said: “4D models use graphical and non-graphical project information including time, resource, and logistics management to create more predictable, robust plans and sequences. With 3D Repo, we are developing a novel online tool which allows for simple planning and visualisation of intricate tasks to improve health and safety not only on HS2, but for the entire construction industry.”

By using the power of the cloud, this new training system is to provide centralised tracking of induction performance with full audit trail and reporting to measure effectiveness.

Work on the new 4D health and safety toll began last month, March 201 and follows from a recent announcement about adoption of new SafetiBase 4D technology which allows works to safely identify and resolve issues using immersive 360 degree screens.

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Mental Health in Construction Deteriorates

New research from Structural Repairs has found that 62% of construction workers have reported that their mental health has deteriorated as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to a study from Personnel Today, the construction industry is a crucial component to the UK’s economy, and whilst many industries and companies have stepped up over the last few years when it comes to recognising the significance of acknowledging mental health, it showed that the construction industry is yet to do this.

Physical health is a big concern within the construction industry, and is very much on its radar, but the risk of suicide in low-skilled male labourers, especially those who work in the construction industry, is three times higher than the national average, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). This finding must be addressed by organisations within the industry, as a means to protect its workers.

Carl Laidler, Director of Wellbeing at Health Shield Friendly Society said: “While the social stigma around talking about mental health is gradually fading all-round, the construction industry progress here remains patch and needs to change. In the same vein, men have been reported by BMI Healthcare to be half as likely as women to access mental health services and struggle to discuss issue of this nature.”

Interestingly, the results of Structural Repairs showed that out of the individuals surveyed, 71% of women reported that their mental health has declined due to COVID, while in comparison, just 55% of men reported the same. This is an important factor to consider give how male dominated the construction industry with just 11% of the workers being women, as reported by The Smith Institute.

Overall, it can be understood that within the UK, mental health is an aspect which has been both significantly and negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, both in and out with the construction sector. While other industries might find themselves better prepared to deal with the unforeseen and rapid decline in mental health, it is quite obvious that the construction sector is still far from where it should be when dealing with the mental well-being of its workers.

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Construction Industry Needs to Stop Hiding Behind “Unforeseen Delays”

Richard Robertson is Development Director at Cadline, which provides technology and services to improve business performance in design, analysis, data management, and collaboration across the architecture, engineering and construction industries. Here, Richard discusses the issue of unforeseen delays and what proactive measures can be taken to solve them.

Recent research published by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) suggests that three out of five construction projects are completed late. Considering this is more than 50% of building sites, we need to establish what causes this ongoing issue and look for ways to change. After all, it does no good for construction to be among a handful of industries that are known to never finish on time or within budget. Every new announcement of a construction site experiencing issues and delays costs contractors and firms a good share of public trust.

While construction projects are complex due to the many stakeholders and processes involved, it seems that the collective industry creates a smokescreen about delays – a mentality that is seriously harming trust in the sector.

Some of the UK’s biggest hero construction projects, such as Crossrail and HS2, are notably delayed and considerably over budget, causing frustration for contractors. More often than not, delays are caused by a lack of information or access to data in the planning stages, but these challenges can be easily avoided in future.

Risk mitigation

A major issue contributing to delays within the industry is communication silos. For example, an architect may be unaware of the latest construction timeline while the contractor chases for supplies. Deadlines set without the most up to date information are inevitably missed, and so the domino effect falls. By breaking down communication silos we’re able to set evidence-based project timelines that are far more likely to be met. We should approach risk management in the planning stage with practical eyes, work around any issues and allow time for changes before the project starts.

Large projects require the ability for teams to access and update data in real time throughout the construction lifecycle, such as order changes, redesigns, progress and job costs. This not only reduces the likelihood of error but saves time and resources by improving communication and streamlining workflow for the entire workforce. Often this information is only available to senior stakeholders, but everyone engaged in the project should have easy access to the most accurate information, via a secure platform, to work most efficiently.

Being able to convey information to colleagues in a timely manner is essential in every project, even more so in the current environment where information is changing rapidly, globally. Manual updates and paper or email trails can often become lost or create a backlog, causing essential time to be wasted on searching for information.

Productivity

The pandemic has proven that the industry needs to be set up for modern ways of working in order to avoid delays, having thrown us into the deep end as teams adapted to working remotely. However, it has also helped us to realise that with the right tools, remote operations can be far more productive. For example, waiting for in-person site visits and manual reports to be completed can slow down progress, especially where firms are limited to the number of staff allowed on site at one time. But utilising cloud-based technology enables firms to view a site from anywhere in the world in real time, streamlining productivity, freeing up admin time and minimising delays.

These platforms allow companies to share live progress of projects with their field teams, stakeholders and clients, so all parties are aware of any potential issues and can ensure tasks run on time. It is in the interest of all construction companies to set their staff up for better ways of working and to embrace new methods and technology early – ahead of possible challenges arising.

Creating a construction plan based on estimated data is ineffective, even if the “ideal” results seem more attractive. Utilising technology enables businesses to plan based on accurate, up-to-date data with intelligent and cohesive timelines to offer a more realistic deadline. This avoids any risk of over-optimism and helps team plan for all scenarios, enabling them to be better equipped to make key decisions throughout the project timeline. As a key contributor to the UK economy, the industry is under immense pressure to meet project deadlines and delays cannot be afforded. With more businesses facing public scrutiny and being under the spotlight, it is ultimately how they respond to delays that can truly make or break a project.

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