USD
GBP
EUR
Through years of practice and development, heavy timber construction has been recognized as a sustainable, economical, and safe building form. The increasing number of successful heavy timber construction projects also demonstrates its superior performance.
In our previous post, we discussed why heavy timber structures are increasingly favored by developers, architects, and builders (Why are heavy timber structures becoming more and more popular?). Today, we'll talk about the excellent performance of heavy timber structures in use.
△ MEC, image courtesy of KK Law
Energy saving and heat preservation
As a natural insulating material, wood, at the same thickness, has 400 times the thermal insulation performance of steel, 1600 times that of aluminum, and 10 times that of concrete or brick. A 150 mm thick wood wall has the same thermal insulation performance as a 610 mm thick brick wall. This means not only a significant reduction in building energy consumption and material savings, but also an improvement in the quality of the living environment.
The structural system of heavy timber buildings is closely connected to the external envelope and floor system, effectively reducing the thermal bridging effect; the use of prefabricated components further ensures seamless connection between components, thereby improving the building's thermal insulation.
According to a research report by Tsinghua University entitled "Comparison of Energy Consumption and Environmental Impact of Timber Structure Buildings and Other Buildings in China," the energy consumption of a light steel structure building for heating or cooling and air conditioning operation for one year in Beijing can power a modern timber structure building for 18 months, while the energy consumption of a concrete structure building for heating or cooling and air conditioning operation for one year can power a modern timber structure building for 23 months. This demonstrates that in the cold northern regions, modern timber structure buildings exhibit particularly significant advantages in thermal insulation and energy conservation.
Healthy and comfortable
Heavy timber structures, with their components exposed, fully showcase the natural color and beautiful grain of the wood, creating a comfortable and healthy indoor environment. Proper design allows heavy timber structures to optimize indoor temperature and improve human comfort through passive systems such as lighting, natural ventilation, and the building envelope.
Scientific research has proven that prolonged exposure to natural environments or elements, such as wood, has positive effects on human health. Exposed wood can save on decoration costs while also providing a warm and comfortable feeling.
Abroad, many nursing homes and hospitals have begun to adopt heavy timber structures. For example, the passive nursing home CSO Arquitectura in Spain.
△ Image courtesy of David Frutos
△ Image courtesy of David Frutos
One of the initial goals of the project was to integrate the building into the healthcare system, allowing users to experience a healing effect in their daily lives. The design utilizes wood to create warm, home-like spaces, a stark contrast to the large, cold environment of a hospital. The unique texture of the wood and the large south-facing windows provide ample natural light, while the transparent windows also bring the natural ambiance of the courtyard indoors.
Green and sustainable
Compared to other building forms, timber structures have a lower carbon footprint. Timber itself is a "carbon-negative" building material, and the two most commonly used engineered wood products in heavy timber structures-cross-laminated timber (CLT) and glulam laminated timber (GLT)-consume less energy during production and use timber from sustainably managed forests, allowing heavy timber structures to play an important role in a sustainable living environment.
As the population continues to grow and migrate to urban centers, the demand for residential and non-residential spaces is constantly increasing. Heavy timber construction is an important step towards sustainability, with more high-rise timber buildings reducing their environmental impact in innovative ways.
Based on the experience gained from numerous projects, sustainable, high-performance buildings can be created in the following ways:
Utilization of renewable energy
Sensor lights
Heat recovery of ventilation systems
Green roof system
Rainwater and wastewater recycling
Air filtration system
△ River Beech Tower project, background image from RBT
△ River Beech Tower project, image courtesy of RBT
Architects and engineers will never stop researching and challenging themselves to achieve better building performance for heavy timber structures.
The 80-story heavy timber residential building River Beech Tower, proposed by Perkins and Will Architects, is undergoing a series of tests with structural engineers and researchers from Cambridge University, covering engineered wood materials, joints, and structural safety. The design team believes that "the idea of building River Beech Tower is not only to create an impressive building in Chicago, but also to believe that the sustainability and superior performance of heavy timber construction can create a comfortable living environment for the owners."