Innovative timber design in the UK is becoming recognised worldwide according to a team from Oregon Timber Frame and Napier University who gave presentations at the 9th World Conference on Timber Engineering (WCTE) in Portland, Oregon last month.

Robin Dodyk, technical director at Oregon Timber Frame, Professor Abdy Kermani of Napier University, and Robert Hairstans, a consultant, gave presentations on “Development of the optimum sustainable timber frame wall development” and “Stability of domestic dwellings” at the event, which attracted over 500 delegates from 45 countries.

Mr Dodyk said a common theme was the importance of “performance-based analysis” leading to “performance-based design” and how this led to safe, reliable and durable timber structures, for both medium-rise housing and non-residential applications.

The keynote presentation by Gary Williams of Timber Systems Ltd Toronto stressed the importance of “not standing still” in order for timber to compete with other materials.

“In Europe and the UK, adventurous, innovative timber design is increasingly recognised,” said Mr Dodyk.

“Some processes and procedures presented at the conference as innovative are standard practice in the UK. Different nations had their specialisms – for instance the Americans and Japanese were experts in seismic construction – but innovative design, especially in medium-rise construction, was clearly a strength in the UK.”

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