The SiOO X Story – Protecting the Planet - Book - Page 13
Foreword
IT GIVES ME great pleasure to have been given the opportunity
and there is an increased interest in using wood and displaying
its decorative qualities in the ‘raw’ state.
for writing the Foreword for this book. The use of timber in
construction is undergoing a renaissance, with the increasing
use of laminated timber products and offsite modular timber
buildings. The recent report for the UK Climate Change Committee, highlighted the important role that the use of timber in
construction has to play as a climate change mitigation strategy.
In the housing sector, many new buildings have the structural
elements made from timber, or timber-based products, but
very often the external skin of the building is clad with inorganic
materials. This can be for many reasons, including cultural and
concerns about durability. In the UK, for example, timber cladding is not a major part of the vernacular building culture, in
marked contrast to the Scandinavian countries.
The buildings shown in this book illustrate some excellent examples of the use of timber as a cladding material; which has
not only a functional purpose but adds immensely to the decorative appearance of the building. An aesthetically pleasing
more natural built environment is essential to all of us for our
physical and emotional well-being. Looking to the future the
use of timber as a construction material has a very important
role to play not only as a long-term carbon store, but also as a
beautiful pleasing material that enhances our daily lives.
Ed Suttie, BRE
There is a growing appreciation of the benefits of using timber
as a cladding material, with many excellent examples of the use
in buildings, as this book amply illustrates. However, there are
still a great many houses built where timber cladding is not used
and some of the reasons are connected to the perceived higher
maintenance requirements, or need for replacement. Some of
this reticence is connected to the appearance of poorly detailed
timber clad buildings, especially where there is unsightly uneven
weathering. Exposed faces form a grey patina, whereas, sheltered parts of the building remain un-weathered. This problem
can be dealt with by painting the wood, or by applying stains,
but many architects like the weathered silvery/grey appearance
Photo: Alan Coultas
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