Timber can be a viable alternative for concrete or steel prefab for housing with aesthetics, low embodied energy, renew-ability etc. as additional advantages or drivers for its adoption.
Only if it be produced under a forest sustainable management
India has been importing timber as far as from Malaysia for fish trawler construction,which proves too costly.Most of the states are loosing tree cover steadily over the years.Instead of wood,the traditional red soil+cow dung held in place by thin Bamboo chips has proved a marvel in rural India.It is environmentally friendly, remains cool even during summer & comparatively warm during winter & construction of such a structure comes to a small fraction to wood.It is not a hazard even during Earth quakes.
But I am looking for a structured solution which can be applied at a mass level with a certain blend of both formal and informal project delivery systems.Such low cost solutions may suit for individualistic tastes but many people might not prefer it when it comes to a sense of quality living.If we can invest in local timber production would not it serve the dual purpose of afforestation and construction?.At the same time timber being a renewable source we could get a sustainable product. Suggestions?
Are you looking for a technologic solution, a way of improving policy or looking at it from the innovation perspective?
Historically, timber was used already has a pre-fabricated element for low(er) cost construction. The main reason was material avalability and seismic resistance (manly due to the material flexibility and the way it was assembled). Please check "Pombalino" buildings in Portugal.
@Ricardo Barbosa
Timber prefab systems have already been developed and are use in many regions of the world may be as a part of future vision for sustainable construction.But still in countries like India engrossed in provisions of basic amenities to a large part of its population with housing as a major challenge there are very few studies based on use of timber as a structural material.I believe the use in housing is only restricted to premium resorts or lifestyle buildings built with imported sections (with very few players involved in it).Even after talking to my professor the first reaction was that timber construction is banned etc.Hence I was interested in undertaking a time-cost study on timber prefab houses compared with conventional prefab as well as conventional materials like concrete/brick mortar.
@Kenneth Towe
It means that timber once processed and finished cannot be returned to the nature in its natural form?So is it advantageous or not?
Since it is acting as a carbon sequestration agent for a long term is not its use more advantageous than a conventional concrete or even innovative materials like fly ash etc when supported by a conventional forestry program?
The study you are interested in seems interesting. I would like to point out that even if it´s not possible to recicle the wood itself, the incorporated energy in the finished product is much lower than conventional prefab (like steel framed, for example) or concrete.
- Badges
- Science topic
- Similar topics
- Engineering
- Civil Engineering
- Construction
- Construction Engineering