The Case for Mass Customisation of Structural Timber Design.

This paper reports on the potential of timber for structural applications in the international construction market, particularly in the light of its environmental credentials and the advances being made in engineered timber products. The UK market is examined with a specific emphasis on the residential sector, given the target of the UK Government to deliver three million new energy-efficient zero carbon and sustainably built homes by 2020, with a 33% reduction in combined initial and whole life cost of the constructed asset. The paper also reports on the work being undertaken to remove the barriers to timber specification for such applications, through the provision of structural design and detailing tools. These new tools allow a mass customised approach to be taken, facilitate research into practice and improve design efficiency through simplification.