AFTER WORKING FROM HOME FOR MORE THAN A YEAR, THE QUESTION OF RETURNING TO THE OFFICE PROVOKES A MIXED RESPONSE.
As more people have the choice of whether they commute to the office or not, the question of how the building itself performs, both as a flexible, social and collaborative workspace and as a safe, healthy environment, becomes paramount.
Moreover, with the climate crisis firmly on business owners’ minds, the need to reduce carbon emissions, through material choices, energy sources and construction methods, is climbing up the agenda.
A growing number of developers, structural engineers and architects are focusing on creating low carbon, healthy buildings that use structural timber at their core.
One such example is 6 Orsman Road in Hackney. Designed by Waugh Thistleton for Storey with sustainability and low carbon emissions in mind, the building was constructed with a prefabricated cross laminated timber (CLT) and steel frame that can be fully dismantled and re-used at the end of its life.
By using pre-cut CLT panels for the core and floor slabs rather than a concrete build of the same design, the embodied carbon for the build was reduced by more than 80%.
Every element of the building was designed to improve occupant wellbeing, encompassing the principles of biophilic design and using natural materials, daylight and plants to create a calm environment which also boosts wellbeing and productivity.
A multi-functional space breathes new life into old buildings
With the aim of creating a low carbon workspace, developer General Projects combined old and new to create Technique from the extension and refurbishment of two historic buildings. Using CLT to add additional floors, the proportions are designed to be generous and light-filled throughout.
Moreover, the ground floor space is multi-functional and will be used for performances and events by the wider creative community, breathing more life into the building out of office hours. Calculations show that by choosing CLT over steel or concrete for the additional structure resulted in a reduction of 43% in carbon emissions in the building’s construction.
Inviting the office worker back
A recent refurbishment of Republic at East India Dock delivered a duo of attractive and inviting buildings set within a calming outside space complete with water features, planting and timber pavilions. Studio RHE and Heyne Tillett Steel opted for CLT for the structure for its lightweight, low-carbon benefits, leaving it exposed to provide the warm and calming effects of natural wood. The ground floors include active retail and hospitality spaces and with the pedestrian-friendly outside space, the area is enjoyed by local residents and tenants alike.
For those who have the choice of whether to return to the office, or not, over the coming months, the availability of healthy spaces that enhance our physical and mental wellbeing will have a strong influence on whether we choose to continue working from home, or return to city and town centres across the country.
And for developers and architects charged with creating the next generation of workspaces, choosing timber means a positive impact, not only for our health and wellbeing, but also to help deliver on our carbon targets.
- For more information about the benefits of using timber for construction, visit Wood for Good.
Commissioned
by CEI-Bois, architects dRMM have designed a reusable timber pavilion for COP26
for the UN climate change talks to be held in Glasgow, Scotland, UK in November
2021.
'Timber
Beacon' is dRMM’s response to the collective brief of a unique global timber
industry collaboration. The 25+ strong alliance of innovators in engineered
mass timber and wood-based products, global forest growth and development, are
led CEI-Bois, the European Confederation of Woodworking Industries and the UK Timber
Trade Federation.
“As world
leaders discuss our global responsibilities and collective response to climate
change during COP26, our message for the future will be powerfully three
dimensional: in wood there is hope,” said dRMM founding director, Prof Alex de
Rijke.
The structure
is one part of a global presence being planned which includes a 6-week long
festival called 'World of Wood' in London, a virtual presence and other
activities that will call on global leaders to recognise the value of forestry and
timber in helping fight climate change.
