Centre for Natural Material Innovation – precision engineered timber

Innovative processes to make more platform components from timber.

Last updated: 1st December 2021

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Innovation Lead: Jo Dickson

Website:
cnmi.org.uk/


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Summary

Alongside a platform approach and other low carbon materials, timber can play an important role in delivering net zero buildings. To fulfil this potential, innovative processes for designing and prefabricating engineered timber will be needed, so that it can be used to create more modular, digitally fabricated and sustainable building components. The Centre for Natural Material Innovation is demonstrating what is possible; from curving engineered timber panels to joining timber elements using linear friction welding; while creating the digital workflows needed for the robotic cutting, offsite manufacture and on-site assembly of precision engineered timber components.

Innovation type: Kit of parts, Process
Organisation type: Research centre

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Project pioneers

The Centre for Natural Material Innovation is a cross-disciplinary centre, bringing together people and research in plant sciences, biochemistry, chemistry, fluid dynamics, engineering, and architecture to look into how we can use natural materials to transform the way we build and achieve zero carbon emissions.

The problem

According to the World Green Building Council, buildings are currently responsible for 39% of global energy-related carbon emissions. 28% of this is currently related to the operation of buildings, such as heating and electricity usage; while 11% is due to emissions associated with materials and construction processes throughout the whole lifecycle of a building project, also known as embodied carbon. Global building stock is expected to double in size by 2060, at which point (on a business-as-usual projection) embodied carbon is expected to contribute almost half of overall building-related emissions, given the increasing availability of low carbon options for meeting a building's operational energy requirements.

Vision

Timber has lower embodied carbon than many other conventional building materials. Innovative processes for designing and prefabricating engineered timber open up the possibility to use it within the context of a platform approach to construction. Alongside other components created from more sustainable materials, precision engineered timber can play an important role in lowering the embodied carbon of the construction industry. Timber consists of approximately 50% atmospheric carbon, with every ton of timber storing 1.8 tonnes of atmospheric carbon dioxide. So as well as having lower embodied carbon, increasing the use of timber in construction could also play a role in the storing or sequestration of atmospheric carbon. There is growing evidence that the use of exposed timber in school buildings helps to improve well-being and enhance the learning experience.

Key Insight

The Department of Education (DfE) builds up to 200 new schools each year to satisfy demand for student places and maintain stock. GenZero has seen the DfE partner with construction innovators to create a new design guide for all DfE procured schools and set the standard for new school buildings in England with the aim of making them net zero. Timber will be an important material within this.

First step

To play an even greater role in a platform approach; where buildings are designed, manufactured and assembled using interoperable components; innovative processes for designing and prefabricating engineered timber would be needed. The team at the Centre for Natural Material Innovation wanted to demonstrate what it was possible to prefabricate with timber using cutting-edge methods.

Barrier

While engineered timber products are already becoming increasingly important in the decarbonisation of the built environment; innovative processes for designing and prefabricating engineered timber will be needed, so that it can be used to create more modular, digitally fabricated and sustainable building components.

Process innovation

Precision engineered timber can be used to create flexible and adaptable spaces using platform approaches that align with the Construction Innovation Hub’s Platform Rulebook principles. The production of engineered timber uses a process of glueing and machine pressing layers of natural timber together which enables mass production of building components, whilst guaranteeing high quality and consistency. These components can be easily transported for assembly. In cases where the project is an extension to an existing school, the build can be completed offsite minimising disruption to pupils. To showcase the potential of these methods The Centre for Natural Material Innovation worked with PLP Architecture and Dukta to create Unfolding, a pavilion featuring research by Ana Gatóo and Antiopi Koronaki at the 2021 London Design Biennale. The pavilion was created using a cutting technique known as kerfing, where timber is scored and cut in specific patterns that affect the strength and flexibility of the wood. This allowed flat, rigid panels to be folded or curved into intricate patterns that mimic the shape and flexibility of trees and other natural structures. This structure is designed to be easily assembled and disassembled, using specially designed pegs that can be reused multiple times. A proof-of-concept collaboration with TWI Ltd, which specialises in materials joining and engineering processes, saw the development of a sustainable process to rapidly join timber elements using linear friction welding. This can join pieces of timber by rubbing them together at high speeds for two to three seconds. The resulting welded joint is as strong as the timber itself; removing the need for adhesives that can take hours to dry, present health hazards and limit the reuse of the timber.

Digital Innovation

Working with the Centre for Digital Built Britain’s (CDBB) the project team has defined digital workflows for the robotic cutting, offsite manufacture and on-site assembly of precision engineered timber components. These can be made available to architects, engineers and contractors. This automation ensures tight turnaround times so that new buildings could be added within school holidays, minimising disruption for pupils and teachers. 

Whole life innovation

The project adopts a systemic and multidisciplinary approach to the use of engineered timber as a material that can help reduce the emissions of the construction industry. It aims to assess the benefits and the whole life cycle of engineered timber products, ranging from forest management and carbon sequestration, through modern methods of construction and design for disassembly, to supply chains and procurement policies.  In order to unlock the potential of timber for use in offsite manufactured large-scale school buildings the project will develop timber building procurement model and demonstrate the advantages of modular, large-scale timber through evidence-based papers and research-based designs.   Researchers are designing an extension to an existing school building in Cambridge, using prefabricated engineered timber construction methods as a demonstrator project.
Timber consists of approximately 50% atmospheric carbon. Every ton of timber stores 1.8 tonnes of atmospheric C02. Studies show that buildings using predominately timber will sequester carbon from the atmosphere for the lifespan of the building; offering substantial benefits as a sustainable alternative to current conventional materials.
Building schools using prefabricated engineered timber construction methods can stimulate the growth of engineered timber processing businesses in the UK. These new businesses could provide long-term employment and, if distributed regionally, contribute to the creation of employment opportunities to support a ‘levelling up’ of prosperity across the UK.  At the end of a structure’s life, timber elements may be reused, recycled, or upcycled. When combined with sustainable management of forests, constructing buildings using prefabricated engineered timber could facilitate the transfer of significant volumes of atmospheric carbon into the built environment for long-term storage in a cost-effective manner. 

Collaborators

Key team members at the Centre for Natural Material Innovation at Cambridge University include Senior Research Associate, Antiopi Koronaki; Co-Investigator, Darshil Shah; Research Programme Manager, Andrew Smith; Research Associates, Aurimas Bukauskas and Dario Marino; and Research Assistant, Yiping Meng.  
The Centre for Natural Innovation is supported by the Leverhulme Trust, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, the Royal Society, the British Academy, and the Laudes Foundation. Industry collaborators include Waugh Thistelton Architects, Smith and Wallwork Engineers, Cundall Engineers, Kier Contracting, TWI Ltd and the Construction Scotland Innovation Centre.

  • British Academy
  • Construction Scotland Innovation Centre
  • Cundall
  • Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
  • Kier
  • Laudes Foundation
  • Leverhulme Trust
  • Royal Society
  • Smith and Wallwork Engineers
  • TWI
  • Waugh Thistelton Architects

Lead support

This research into precision engineered timber forms part of the Centre for Digital Built Britain’s (CDBB) work at the University of Cambridge. It was enabled by the Construction Innovation Hub, of which CDBB is a core partner, and funded under the Transforming Construction Challenge.

Long Term Vision

By increasing the complex compenents that can be created using timber, it can play a greater role in a platform approach and therefore contribute more towards lowering the embodied carbon of the construction industry.

Human Stories

Researchers are building an extension to an existing school building in Cambridge, using prefabricated engineered timber construction methods as a demonstrator project. There is growing evidence that the use of exposed timber in school buildings helps to improve well-being and enhance the learning experience.

Powerful Processes

The production of engineered timber uses a process of glueing and machine pressing layers of natural timber together which enables mass production of building components, whilst guaranteeing high quality and consistency. These components can be easily transported for assembly. In cases where the project is an extension to an existing school, the build can be completed offsite minimising disruption to pupils. A proof-of-concept collaboration with TWI Ltd, which specialises in materials joining and engineering processes, saw the development of a sustainable process to rapidly join timber elements using linear friction welding. This can join pieces of timber by rubbing them together at high speeds for two to three seconds. The resulting welded joint is as strong as the timber itself; removing the need for adhesives that can take hours to dry, present health hazards and limited the reuse of the timber

Fascinating Facts

According to the World Green Building Council, buildings are currently responsible for 39% of global energy-related carbon emissions. 28% of this is currently related to the operation of buildings, such as heating and electricity usage; while 11% is due to emissions associated with materials and construction processes throughout the whole lifecycle of a building project, also known as 'embodied carbon'. Global building stock is expected to double in size by 2060, at which point (on a business-as-usual projection) embodied carbon is expected to contribute almost half of overall building-related emissions, given the increasing availability of low carbon options for meeting a building's operational energy requirements. Timber consists of approximately 50% atmospheric carbon. Every ton of timber contains 1.8 tonnes of atmospheric carbon dioxide. A timber building has lower embodied carbon than buildings constructed with many conventional construction materials, even before the atmospheric carbon dioxide captured and stored in the timber, is taken into account.