“As long as you’re going to be thinking anyway, think big.” So said Donald Trump, billionaire owner of Trump Tower, the 68-storey New York edifice containing 263 luxury condominiums, 13 storeys of offices and a vast six-storey, sky-lit atrium.
Commercial developers using timber frame are obviously not thinking quite as big as Trump so far, but they are thinking bigger than they did and its use for multi-storey flats is gaining momentum.
Prime evidence of the market’s burgeoning medium to lofty ambition is a new multi-million pound project in Manchester.
Ladywell Point in Eccles, four miles from Manchester city centre, is the latest project from the pairing of Eleco Timber Frame (ETF) and Hemlock Construction, building for Pinetree Developments.
On this occasion, ETF has a supply-only order for more than £2m-worth of its patented ElecoFrame system for the development which, when completed, will comprise 262 apartments in three blocks, two of five storeys and one of six.
The total value of the development is estimated at more than £10m, and it is expected to take two years to complete, although it’s hoped some units will be occupied well before this.
This is the fourth time Hemlock and Eleco have worked together and, so far, all the projects have been flatted developments.
Their first project, in 2006, was an 82-apartment project called The Gallery in Manchester’s Moss Lane. Timber frame proved the obvious solution for Hemlock’s design manager Paul Derbyshire: “The ability to achieve the thermal requirements of the current Building Regulations in a quick, site-efficient way was the main driver for my decision,” he said. “Timber is an environmentally-sound building material and the ability to use it with brick, wood or render cladding meant that the design elements did not need to be compromised. Improved site logistics and speed of delivery were also crucial in the choice of timber frame for The Gallery.”
These twin drivers have been the principal reasons behind Hemlock’s use of the ElecoFrame in subsequent projects, as well as the fact that using timber frame had a positive impact on the return on investment, with all The Gallery apartments selling ahead of schedule.
In 2007, Hemlock contracted Eleco to supply its timber frame system for another Manchester project, Stamford House, which was a basement, ground and first floor with a concrete frame and six-storeys of timber frame above. The building was designed to incorporate 36mm of shrinkage – a critical factor in high-rise timber frame.
“Our timber works very well in those situations, because we can reduce shrinkage down by using super-dried timber on the horizontal members,” said Joe Tupshafski, ETF sales and estimating manager. “And, because it was a full progressive collapse design, we used Versalam (laminated veneer lumber) in which there is very little shrinkage. When you are working at such high levels with multi-storeys, it’s important to do everything in your power to minimise it.”
This has been a key issue in the new Ladywell Point development too, given the number of storeys and apartments involved. ETF’s expertise in this area was certainly one of its main selling points for Hemlock’s Phil Simons.
“We had built in timber frame before, but we chose Eleco because it impressed us with its professionalism and speed of design,” he said. “But, perhaps most important, was the ability of the frame not to shrink that much. If you can design out a lot of the shrinkage then it takes a lot of the headaches out of the process.”
ElecoFrame is described as “a value-added patented system” and was developed by Eleco Building Components for housebuilders, developers and contractors seeking to “minimise construction time, improve site logistics and reduce overall costs”.
Instead of the sheathing boards used on the outside of wall panels in conventional timber frame, the system combines the use of nail plates and diagonal bracing.
“The racking strength of our panels is achieved by the combination of diagonal racking webs that are then secured into the panel using Gang-Nail plates, a similar process to making roof trusses,” said Tupshafski. “Eleco frame panels are manufactured from the same TR26 high-grade structural softwood as most roof trusses. This is 88% stronger in bending and 20% stronger in compression than the C16 grade that is often used in open panel systems. This is not necessarily representative of our overall panel strength in comparison to other systems but is an indication of our commitment to using the best materials available.”
Eleco’s relationship with Hemlock, said Tupshafski, typifies the way it likes to work with clients.
“We want to feel like we’re on the team at a very early stage, starting with the initial enquiry,” he said. “If we’re on board early enough, we can advise on how to make the scheme more cost-effective and simple things like making sure internal load-bearing walls are aligned through the building levels. It’s down to strong communication.”
And, while building multi-storey developments in timber frame might not yet be widespread, more and more developers are waking up to the potential benefits.
“If you can project enough confidence to provide a solution and let the client understand that you’re offering a credible solution, then you’re in with a chance,” said Tupshafski. “When you’re dealing with this many storeys, orders won’t just arrive on your desk: they will involve detailed discussions with the client, architect and designers so everyone understands how the timber frame will perform and exactly what is required to provide the detailing to overcome things like settlement.”
According to developer Phil Simons, “as long as you fully understand the constraints of timber frame, and work within them, then the design period is fairly short, the lead time to production is short and the time on site is extremely short”.
“This means there is a lot less interest burn and [the ability] to get some money in quickly which is all-important, in this exceptionally competitive market.”
So, while timber frame may not scale the heights of Trump Towers, a strong future in multi-storey buildings now looks far from a tall order.
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Racking strength is provided by a combination of diagonal racking webs secured into the panel with Gang-Nail plates |
Keywords: Eleco Timber Frame
