Weakened construction sector set for disruption

With key milestone projects now in progress and some nearing completion, more engineers are using new building information modelling technology for designing commercial buildings using engineered wood with cross laminated timber at their heart.

The construction industry at large is in a bad way, following several large recevierships, but the “BIM” revolution in wood building that you’ve probably never even heard about is quietly gaining momentum.

On 28 August, in Rotorua, a national conference on engineered wood for commercial and multi-residential building is set to attract hundreds of early adopters as New Zealand moves fast to catch up our Australian neighbours in sustainable commercial buildings.

The clear advantage over traditional design-bid-build is accuracy first and efficiency second. Engineered wood buildings are erected much faster than traditional poured concrete slabs and on-site welded steel columns. The key to wood’s speed and accuracy comes from using new design and manufacturing software known as “building information modelling” (BIM). Engineered wood structures are ripe for using these highly accurate systems and automated machining technologies.

“Wood and BIM are coming together more and more. It also involve the trades team from the outset communicating directly and to pin-point location accuracies with the design engineers and architects,” says John Stulen, conference director for the 3rd Annual “Changing Perceptions” engineered wood conference.

“This year we are delighted to have all 100% of our conference case studies outlining New Zealand wood projects,” he adds.

The conference will include case studies for both engineered wood and BIM:

> Leading architects, Jasmax, completed a stunning apartment building in CLT – called Merchant Quarter 2, in Grey Lynn, Auckland;

> Naylor Love is set to complete the new Nelson airport terminal and have more BIM work too;

> A multi-story office building for Sir Bob Jones, in downtown Wellington;

> Nelson-based CLT producer XLAM sup[lied Housing Corporation with emergency housing solutions in CLT in growing numbers;

This national conference has grown since 2016. It now attracts a wide audience of architects, engineers, developers, quantity surveyors and specifiers, as well as building officials and leading specialist trades, focused on commercial buildings; like electricians and plumbers and heating/ventilating/air conditioning specialist and leading practitioners.

The “Changing Perceptions” Conference has full one-day programme on 28 August at the Distinction Hotel in Rotorua.

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