Despite a wide range of new developments in the global engineered wood market, Irish timber processors have largely stayed with the tried and trusted traditional sawn products. The Irish panel board sector is the exception as new, innovative, engineered board products reach the market on a regular basis.

These include SmartPly DryBacker and Medite Tricoya, produced by Coillte Panel Products in their Clonmel and Waterford Port plants. The SmartPly product takes heavy fixtures and fittings and is suitable for hospitals and healthcare buildings due to its zero-added formaldehyde resin technology.

Tricoya is a modified wood panel with extreme durability and dimensional stability, which can compete with tropical hardwoods. Both are made from wood chips and sawdust, or what is often termed ‘‘residue’’ – the poorest and lowest value wood from the forest – and over 90% of products are now exported.

In addition, wood chips and sawdust are converted into wood pellets by two sawmills for the bioenergy market.

However, there have been few advances in engineered wood in construction. Other countries continue to develop I-Beams and various laminated products for small and large-scale buildings. For example, cross-laminated timber (CLT) is now a major construction material, especially in countries such as Austria and Norway, where it is used increasingly in multi-storey buildings.

These new developments have not gone unnoticed by third-level students of architecture, engineering and design in Ireland.

The versatility and structural potential of wood was demonstrated by students throughout the island at the recent Third Level Student Wood Awards, organised by the Wood Marketing Federation (WMF) and presented by Tom Hayes, Minister of State with responsibility for forestry.

Wood construction

A number of students researched wood as a sustainable large-scale building material in winning architecture and engineering projects.

UCD student Liam Farrelly, winner of the architecture award, explored the use of timber in construction as a more sustainable alternative to concrete and steel.

“Based in the Dublin Docklands, my project consists of a multi-storey flexible framework incorporating numerous types of accommodation,” he told the jury chaired by Duncan Stewart, architect and television presenter.

“Constructed almost entirely from timber, and designed for the parameters of natural daylight and ventilation, my project acts as a more sustainable option to the typical modern-day office block,” he said.

However, he said that achieving a wood culture in construction would require a change of thinking and attitude in Ireland. “My thesis is about showing what could be built in Ireland if we had the correct mentality and legislation, and if the construction industry was willing to embrace a more sustainable approach to buildings,” he claimed.

James Ward, Dublin Institute of Technology, received a commendation in the architecture category for his proposed use of CLT as the main structure with the skin of the building in hardwood timber panels and vertical timber columns.

Graham Watson, winner of the engineering award, also developed the theme of wood as an alternative to concrete. The Queen’s University Belfast student completed a research project to create “a lightweight, low-cost timber floor cassette that could compete structurally with precast concrete floor units”.

Once again, Letterfrack College students were in the running for a number of awards. Sean Burns, winner of the innovation category, dispelled any preconceptions that wood might be too rigid for flexible applications when he designed a process that would produce curved forms. He achieved this by utilising modern technology such as advanced CAD software “to unfold curved and organic 3D computer models” as he put it “so that wood can be used in a variety of bowed and rounded applications in design”.

His fellow student Paul Sweeney received a special merit award for his project ‘‘WoodBows’’. This is a collection of wooden bow ties designed and manufactured in Co Galway.

They are sourced from a range of hardwoods – homegrown and imported – complemented by textile design details. He has already formed the company WoodBows, which incorporates the use of the newest CNC technologies to cut out the ties to the highest standards and specifications.

Recycled wood

However, Paul just missed out on the design award to Stuart Hayes, Dublin Institute of Technology, who produced a table created from a variety of timber offcuts – homegrown and exotic. Entitled ‘‘Incognito’’, the table is functional but it also works as a design object – style and substance. It has hidden and movable panels that present a Rubik’s Cube-type puzzle to the viewer.

Hayes demonstrated what could be achieved by using small cuts and waste wood, while Barry Flanagan, Bray Institute of Further Education, took this concept to another level. He won the new craft/fabrication category award for his project ‘‘Scaffold Furniture’’ by demonstrating that there is no waste in wood. He completed his furniture design project from waste scaffolding boards, which otherwise would have been burned or ended up in a landfill site.

The awards were judged by Duncan Stewart, director, Earth Horizon; Simon O’Driscoll, O’Driscoll Furniture; and Des O’Toole, business development manager, Coillte. “These are top professionals in the fields of architecture, engineering and design and provide excellent feedback to all students,” said Paul Harvey, chair of the WMF.

The awards are supported by Coillte – the main sponsors – as well as COFORD, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the Society of Irish Foresters.

Support

Paul Harvey and Duncan Stewart sounded a word of caution at the awards about the future of wood courses in third-level colleges. Harvey said that the closure of the wood technology department at the University of Limerick last year was a setback to the industry and needed to be replaced at one of the other third-level colleges.

While Duncan Stewart praised the innovative work of the students, he called for much greater support from their colleges. “I ask colleges to make timber mainstream in courses because of its renewable, sustainable and functional benefits,” he said. “Too many colleges treat timber as a marginal medium, instead of placing it at the heart of architecture, engineering and design courses.”

Minister Hayes acknowledged the wide range of projects after he toured the exhibition prior to the presentations and gave a commitment to continue to support the awards. “It is fitting that the work of students is recognised by the forest industry because of its quality and because it represents an investment in the future of the sector,” he told the attendance at the awards ceremony in the National Botanic Gardens, Dublin.