Sustainable Construction: Ideal Modular Homes on using CLT

Posted by Ideal Modular Homes on 22nd September 2020 -

To offset carbon emissions in construction, we responsibly source timber frames, or cross laminated timber (CLT), for our homes. CLT is a highly versatile structural timber panel used to form sustainable walls, roofs and floors within various structures or in our case, homes. 

The gluing of both longitudinal and traverse layers, which reduces the movement of the wood, means that CLT surpasses the standards required by modern building materials. It’s strong enough and safe enough to be used in a wide range of applications from two-storey homes and high-rise apartments to office spaces and schools. 

According to Building Construction Design, timber products store on average 0.678 total carbon dioxide (tCO2) per cubic meter of the material.* This is because trees absorb carbon dioxide (CO2) during the growing process through the process of photosynthesis. This CO2 is then trapped within the wood for the lifetime of the product. “Due to the wood’s sequestration of CO2, the overall carbon footprint for a (timber) building is lowered by up to 75%.”*

 

In a study conducted by ECCM comparing a two bed semi-detached, a three bed detached and a four storey blocks of flats built with typical materials against comparative builds with increased timber content, it was found that on average buildings with increased timber content produced 81% less CO2.** Traditionally built four storey blocks of flats would produce 128.3 tCO2, whereas with increased timber it would only produce 21.8 tCO2.

The materials used in our builds are environmentally friendly and all timber used comes from sustainable and managed sources and suppliers. Around 182.2 million m3 of wood is grown per year from 3.4 billion trees at our timber source. Based on these figures, it’s estimated that the timber used to build our latest unannounced project will have been replenished in just 10 minutes. For that project alone, 2356 tonnes of CO2 will have been sequestered.

When compared with materials used in traditional builds like concrete, CLT offers numerous benefits. Especially used in offsite construction, the builds are 90% complete when leaving the factory so that there is reduced time on site, reduced traffic and minimal disruption to neighbouring communities. Health and safety issues are also minimised due to the reduced weight and speed in which the modules can be put together. Being sustainable also doesn’t come at the cost of quality. CLT is tough with excellent soundproofing, air tightness and fire safety properties. 

Fire safety will always be a concern, however it has been built into the development of CLT from the very start. Unlike steel, CLT maintains its structural integrity when exposed to high levels of heat thus making it safer. This is down to the way the wood is layered. Our fire protection is proven to provide in excess of 90minutes REI without any charring of the CLT structure and our CLT can resist fire for up to 60 minutes. Whilst the outer layers of the CLT char, they form a natural protective layer of char, which continues to provide heat resistance to the internal layers. 

CLT stands out for its strength, appearance, versatility and sustainability, and reduced construction times and greater quality control also come with using CLT. The construction industry still heavily relies on non-renewable resources and with the total carbon emissions being around 40 per cent, something needs to change. CLT can be the sustainable solution to help the government meet their net zero targets a lot quicker.

 

* Building Construction Design, 2015

**ECCM, 2006, p.14, 25