University of Auckland welcomes boost to timber research

The University of Auckland’s Faculty of Engineering is thrilled to form part of a trans-Tasman, multi-million dollar research consortium announced today to advance the use of timber in construction.

The Structural Timber Innovation Company, or STIC, will receive $10million including matching funds over the next five years from New Zealand government and industry. The funds will be used to run research programmes in Auckland’s Faculty of Engineering, the University of Canterbury, the University of Technology in Sydney and the Building Research Association of New Zealand.

The research programmes will develop innovative ways of using timber in large commercial and multi-unit residential structures, such as open-plan industrial buildings, and multi-rise buildings up to six stories high. The research will focus on improving the earthquake, fire and wind resistance, durability and flexibility of timber to compete with traditional materials like steel and concrete.

“We believe that developing multi-storey, earthquake resistant timber buildings is going to put New Zealand at the leading edge of international timber research,” says Professor Pierre Quenneville, the Chair in Timber Design at Auckland’s Faculty of Engineering.

“Timber has many advantages as a building material. It is light, easier to transport, reduces construction time, and it is sustainable,” Professor Quenneville says.

The Faculty of Engineering has been extending its capability in timber and, with the support of Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, recruited Professor Quenneville from Canada a year ago. His world recognised expertise in timber connections will play a major role in the initiative.

The University of Auckland research programme will concentrate on large-span timber roofs and timber connections. Researchers will use new methods to improve timber materials, fabrication methods and connections in engineered timber roof structures.

The STIC initiative has significant economic aims. It seeks to add value to New Zealand’s timber industry and export markets by using timber to develop new high-technology products. This is expected to have secondary environmental outcomes of encouraging more forest development and associated carbon off-setting.

STIC’s funding is from The Foundation for Research Science and Technology, Building Research and Forest and Wood Products Australia, and industry partners including Carter Holt Harvey, Nelson Pine Industries, Wesbeam (Australia) and the NZ Pine Manufacturer’s Association.