ELEMENT:
Kennedy's Classic Aged Structural Timber Members
Carter Holt Harvey Hybeam Floor Joists
AIM:
Using recycled hardwood timber bearers on the lower floors and timber
'I' joists for the lower and upper floor supports reduces the use of native
forest timbers in the house.
STRATEGY:
Minimise the Use of New Resources
A combination of recycled hardwood bearers and engineered wood 'I' joists
were used for the lower floor support.
The engineered wood 'I' joists are installed in line with the horizontal
portal frame members on the upper level which reduces the floor to floor
height and the overall building height. The proportion of space required
for the house support structures is reduced, but the size of the internal
spaces remains the same.
Engineered timber products have defined structural properties that do
more with less. The 'I' beams provide a consistent load bearing capacity.
Holes can be cut in the beams to allow plumbing and electrical services
to be installed within the floor cavity.
The beams are available in lengths up to 12 meters, while remaining straight
and uniform.
The members are lightweight (half the weight of equivalent conventional
softwood joists) making the floor system quick and easy to install. The
members are constructed from a combination of Laminated Veneer Lumber
(LVL) and structural plywood.
The timber 'I' beams use 44% less wood than equivalent solid wood floor
joists. This means that by using recycled timber and 'I' section timber
for the structural support for the floors there is a reduction in the
demand for native forest timbers.
Minimise Embodied Energy
De-nailed stress graded recycled structural hardwood timber was used
to reduce the embodied energy (initial energy) of the house. Timber performs
well under environmental criteria involving the amount of energy required
for the production and transport, and the pollution that arises from the
production and installation of the material.
REFERENCE:
Carter Holt Harvey Wood Products Australia Technical Detail. 1997.
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