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The criterion was to design demountable timber housing for 370 refugees using no concrete at all and one which could be erected quickly and taken down within 10 years. Source: Timber Development UK A building that had to be erected quickly and which could also be taken down within ten years: these were the criteria for the Rigot Collective Dwelling Centre, a two-building complex providing housing for 370 refugees in Rigot Park in Geneva, Switzerland. The client was Hospice Général – the main public welfare office of the Republic and Canton of Geneva, who provide assistance to asylum seekers, among their many other functions. The solution, designed by Acau Architects, was two symmetrical five-storey buildings made from 230 prefabricated timber modules. Each module’s structure has a CLT floor with walls and ceilings made of glulam panels. There are two different types of modules, with different functions. One comprises an access balcony and an entrance with a seating area and a free-standing kitchen module inside. The other has a sleeping area and WC. The modules are arranged directly on top of each other, with the walls taking up the vertical loads, while the horizontal loads are channelled into the larch frame. The façades are clad in Swiss oak and the building’s entire design aesthetic seeks to express its wooden structure as honestly as possible. There was an urgent need for the building to be completed quickly. So, the prefabricated nature of the modules played a decisive role. Two different works could be conducted in parallel – the modules and the foundations being built simultaneously – with assembly and finishing following swiftly afterwards. The modules allow the allocation of space to be varied in each apartment from two to eight rooms allowing for a variety of different tenants. Given the temporary nature of the project, this flexibility leaves open the option of later accommodating students, for example, or using the buildings as a hotel. In addition, it is easy to reconfigure the buildings: they can be stacked in different formations to create two taller buildings or several smaller ones. The dwellings are accessed by an external gallery open to a public courtyard, which connects both to the park and to a local public transport stop. The foundations are a network of wooden footings and pilings made from durable larch, and they can be reused at a future new location after the two buildings’ deconstruction at the end of its 10-year tenure. This totally ‘dry’ construction avoiding concrete means no contamination of the surface water network during construction. The land can be fully reinstated once the buildings have been taken down. The use of local wood from Geneva’s forests for the foundations and the building envelope was part of the project’s brief from the very start, inviting tenders from local timber manufacturers. An estimated 3200 m³ of certified “Label Bois Suisse” wood (formerly COBS) was used for the buildings’ 1,848 m2 area, with the exception of the larch window frames on the façade.

In December 2023, more than 70 participants met in Tokyo for a full-day workshop Safer Biomass Handling and Silo Operations: Preventing Fires and Explosions. Participants included operators, engineers and maintenance personnel from electric power stations, trade association representatives, researchers, equipment manufacturers, and wood pellet producers from Japan and around the world. Source: Timberbiz Conducted in English and Japanese, the workshop was hosted by the Wood Pellet Association of Canada (WPAC), FutureMetrics, and media partner Canadian Biomass. The workshop was held in response to customer inquiries requesting best practices to reduce or prevent future incidents and restore trust. Silo fire prevention and suppression requires a unique approach. Risks include combustible dust, structural collapse, and smoulders that can result in fire and explosions. During the morning session, Kayleigh Rayner Brown, MASc, PEng., Director at Obex Risk, discussed biomass handling and storage considerations such as the generation of combustible dust and gas as well as off-gassing and emissions. The group explored self-heating and the factors that can initiate self-heating. The fundamentals of combustible dust and combustible were also described, as well as the conditions that can lead to fires and explosions. The second topic was effective approaches to fire suppression, presented by John Swaan, Operations and Project Development Expert, with FutureMetrics. Mr Swaan shared his experience, as well as other facilities that have successfully implemented nitrogen inerting systems, and the successes of those systems in addressing silo fire hazards. The afternoon session included a hands-on group activity, where participants went through a response plan to a fire situation. Ms Rayner Brown and Mr Swaan highlighted real-life silo fire examples, including responses, action plans, and preventative measures. The factors for reducing fire risk associated with biomass storage and the key actions of a silo fire response plan were also covered. Participants reviewed the key measures they can take in the event of a silo fire at their own operations and shared how they will use the workshop information to ensure safer silos. Safety is everyone’s responsibility and the strength of the industry’s ongoing collaboration to ensure safer biomass storage and workplaces. Due to overwhelming interest in the topic, the workshop will be held again in May. The presentations for the workshop in both English and Japanese can be found at www.pellet.org

One in three ships transporting Swedish goods that transits the Suez Canal carries forest products. Houthi rebel attacks on merchant ships in the Red Sea are deterring traffic through the canal, resulting in supply chain uncertainty and increased costs. Source: Timberbiz Sweden is one of the world’s largest producers of pulp, paper and sawn wood products. Around 80% Swedish forest industry products are sold to other countries. This means that the sector provides climate benefits all over the world, but that it is also dependent on resilient logistics. “We calculate that our industry is the single largest transport buyer of container freight from Sweden via the Suez Canal, where costs have now unexpectedly jumped by 100% to 200%, so we view the future with some concern. There is a risk of container shortages, delays and disruption. Going around the Cape of Good Hope instead of via the [Suez] Canal can take up to 30 extra days for a round trip,” said Christian Nielsen, Market Expert Wood Products at Swedish Forest Industries. “The current situation may continue for some time and result in cost increases, but above all increased uncertainty for the industry and for forest industry customers. However, since the autumn, there has been overcapacity of containers and vessels. Until now, shipping rates from Europe to Asia have been unusually low, which reduces near-term risk and helps calm the situation somewhat. “In many cases, suppliers, especially of wood products, have managed to agree to share the increased costs with their customers. But of course they are affected. We’re already facing deteriorating economic conditions with falling prices, while production costs remain generally high. Margins are under more pressure than normal, which can have a severe impact on individual deliveries during this period. But over time, for new contracts, we believe that in many cases these are costs that customers in Asia will have to bear.” There are few alternatives to sawnwood imports from Europe, which appears to affect finished product prices in the region. The outlook is less certain for pulp and paper in terms of the impacts of cost increases and longer delivery times. Competition from other global suppliers is fiercer in these segments. “This doesn’t necessarily mean that Swedish pulp producers will be hit harder than wood product producers. Competition is tougher in pulp and paper markets, but disruption to shipping will also affect imports of paper to Europe from low-cost producers in Asia. This could potentially increase demand in Europe,” Mr Nielsen said. Will this also result in increased costs for wood products, pulp and cardboard on the Swedish market? “No, I don’t think so. It’ll mainly affect our customers in Asia,” Mr Nielsen said. Of Sweden’s total forest industry exports, approximately 10%-15% were previously shipped via the Suez Canal and the Red Sea to customers in the Middle East and Asia. One third of Swedish exports (by volume) shipped via the Suez Canal are forest industry products. This is almost as much as Sweden’s total imports that transit the canal.

A consistent national approach towards infrastructure is needed from the Federal Government if the trucking industry is to move away from fossil fuels, according to PACCAR Australia Product Program Manager Jonathan Crellin. Source: Timberbiz “Diesel is going to be available for the foreseeable future, but there’s a push to get away from fossil fuels,” Mr Crellin said. Mr Crellin said that there is currently a challenge with range and mass when it comes to battery-powered trucking. “They’re probably the two biggest hurdles for them. Batteries are inherently heavy,” he said. “Certainly, the energy density of diesel has a huge advantage because you can put enough diesel in a Kenworth B-double to drive from Melbourne to Brisbane without refuelling, and these are the applications that carry so much of Australia’s road freight. “Log trucks as well. You can fill them with diesel, and they can go a long distance. But range on batteries is limited,” Mr Crellin said. Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia’s state governments have made announcements allowing additional axle mass to enable heavier trucks because of the battery. In Victoria an agreement has been reached with Volvo for some of its electric prime movers to operate on Department of Transport managed roads, but that doesn’t include all of the individual road managers such as local councils which manage their own roads. “With current technology it is fair to say that for long haul applications, BEV trucks may not be the best option for these applications in Australia due to mass and range,” he said. Mr Crellin said PACCAR believed that for long haul applications, hydrogen was probably the better option. “But even then, until there’s adequate refuelling infrastructure it’s a no-go at the moment. “The amount of hydrogen you need to replace all of the existing diesel trucks with hydrogen is massive. “So there’s a long road ahead before there can be a real transition to it.” Mr Crellin said PACCAR was “technology agnostic” on the whole issue. “We’re not picking a winner. That’s why we’re working on a variety of different technologies,” he said. “But I would say certainly in the Australian context that we see for heavy haul, heavy duty, interstate and intrastate applications that hydrogen is probably better.

Every year, thousands of tonnes of CCA-treated timber are sent to secure landfills in New Zealand. There are currently limited disposal options for the timber, which has been treated with a mix of copper, chromium and arsenic. Source: Timberbiz One of the most widely used wood preservatives worldwide, chromated copper arsenate (CCA) enhances the durability of wood, meaning timber products are more resilient to decay and insect attack. It is commonly used in construction, landscape gardening and horticulture with hundreds of CCA-treated posts per hectare in vineyards. But at the end of its life the wood has limited reuse value and, due to environmental challenges with the treatment components like arsenic, limited disposal options. Incineration or pyrolysis is technically challenging. Most of it goes to secure landfills. Exactly how much is sent to landfill is hard to quantify because CCA makes up a portion of demolition waste which is often unsorted. A 2021 New Zealand Ministry for the Environment report showed almost three million tonnes of class 2 to 5 waste is sent to landfill each year. Construction and demolition waste could be in classes 2-4 and contain CCA timber. Scientists at Scion have been researching removing CCA from treated timber at the end of its life and separating it into individual elements. Senior technologist Sean Taylor discovered there could be a way to remove CCA from the timber in 2015 and began research to find an efficient removal process. By 2017 he had figured out how to remove it from up to about 350 kilograms of hogged (shredded) timber at a time, achieving 95% removal at both bench and pilot scale. The early successes led to a NZ$163,000 Waste Minimisation Fund grant to continue investigating the feasibility of remediating treated timber. Taylor has made good progress removing CCA and recovering the copper and arsenic, but more work needs to be done recovering individual elements particularly isolating a high enough percentage of chromium. “The issue became how can we get the metal components out and how can we isolate them individually?” Mr Taylor said. While a future use for the remediated timber and recovered elements would need to be determined by users, once successfully isolated, the elements could then be reused in things like electronics or compound metals, keeping them in the circular bioeconomy. “If you’re just taking it out of the timber and putting it into a bucket, you’re just moving the problem around.” Mr Taylor says a solution to CCA timber is vital because putting it in the landfill or worse, burning it without suitable technology and infrastructure, is “not the wise or right thing to do long term”. Mr Taylor, and Distributed and Circular Manufacturing portfolio leader, Marc Gaugler, hope by showing industry that CCA removal is possible there will be interest in funding the solution to the problem. Mr Gaugler says we need to find solutions that align with circular bioeconomy goals, make the most of resources and recover materials. “Because it’s CCA-treated it’s not going to degrade in many, many decades – that is why we make it. However, it’s an organic material going into landfill,” he said. “Scion’s Circular Manufacturing programme aims to show wood materials can go into circularity beyond burning … We can use new technology to solve hard and old challenges.” Mr Gaugler says Scion has shown there are end-of-use options for CCA-treated timber, but it needs to happen on a large scale. The question is who pays for resource recovery and waste management addressing the issue and adding value by eliminating a problem. Taylor and Gaugler suggest selling recovered timber and chemicals could be a way to offset processing costs, and mobile technology would avoid the need to ship waste timber for processing. Around the world, other countries have already stopped or restricted the use of CCA or established viable disposal options. New Zealand’s Ministry for the Environment’s Waste and Resource Efficiency director Shaun Lewis says the ministry is focused on initiatives that enable the Emissions Reduction Plan 2023-2025 actions and the current Waste Strategy. For end-of-life wood products, this centres on reducing and diverting construction and demolition waste from landfill towards more beneficial uses. “The ministry is collaborating across government and with industry on reducing construction waste, recovering resources, and exploring more circular options for construction materials. “There is a particular focus on treated and non-treated timber and addressing the challenge of separating these processed wood products at the end of their life to enable more circular end-of-life options from a waste hierarchy lens.” He says Scion’s work, supported by the Waste Minimisation Fund, helped address some of these challenges.

Encouraging a wider variety of applicants to apply for government boards is the focus of a new online tool, launched by the Australian Government. The Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Portfolio Boards Register enables eligible applicants to register their interest to be on one of the boards. Source: Timberbiz Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Murray Watt said it was a chance for motivated and passionate applicants of all backgrounds that have an interest in the agriculture, fisheries and forestry sector to roll their sleeves up and have a go. “There are 18 different portfolio boards that fall under the Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry sector,” Minister Watt said. “They reflect the different needs of the portfolio – from primary producers, to research and development corporations, to examining drought preparedness across the food and fibre industry. “Given the broad cross-section of topics these boards look after, we’re hoping to see a wider range of Australians putting their hands up and get involved on these boards. “This includes more women, more young people and more indigenous Australians. Minister Watt said he hoped to see new and upcoming talent who have an interest to shape the future of agricultural work stepping forward. “Working on a portfolio board is a great opportunity to participate in setting strategic direction, engage with stakeholders and are to work with the Government on growing our agriculture, fisheries and forestry sectors. “Since taking up my role as Agriculture Minister, I’ve met people from all walks of life who work to create more sustainable, productive and profitable food and fibre industries. “These individuals have shared wonderful insights into topics such as promoting better resource management practices, innovation, sovereign capability, and improved access to international markets. “It would be great to see this breadth of the public and the industry reflected in the portfolio boards. If you’re involved in the sector, then you should embrace the opportunity to have a say in its future.” To register your interest, visit https://www.agriculture.gov.au/boards

Private Forests Tasmania’s new chair Jim Wilson is no stranger to Tasmania’s, or Australia’s, forestry industry. Mr Wilson is a respected and innovated forestry leader with a background in rural industries and specialises in plantation forestry. Source: Timberbiz Upon his appointment as Chair, Mr Wilson said Private Forests Tasmania was uniquely placed to lead a new era in the development of the state’s private forest estate. “The envy of national counterparts, Private Forests Tasmania is a partnership between private growers and Government with a legislated responsibility to facilitate and expand the sustainable development of the private forest estate,” he said. “And it’s a big opportunity. Already Tasmania’s private forest estate produces more than 70% of Tasmania’s wood supply, but the bigger opportunity is to more actively engage with private native forests, as part of the farm enterprise, and to sensibly integrate plantation forests on farm, such that farm enterprises and farm businesses are more resilient in our changing climate.” Mr Wilson recognised the efforts and dedication of PFT’s previous Chair, Evan Rolley. “Private Forests Tasmania has in recent years laid a foundation for success with the Tree Alliance, and I pay tribute to outgoing Chair Mr Evan Rolley who has championed great work at Private Forests Tasmania, leveraging experience from a lifelong career in Tasmania’s forest sector.” “Looking forward, I am delighted to be working alongside Non-Executive Directors Dr Jo Jones, Mr Robert O’Connor, Ms Alice Herbon, and most recently Mr Bob Rutherford. Together a great base of skills and perspectives to support the team led by newly appointed Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director Dr Elizabeth Pietrzykowski. “For these reasons, I am enthusiastic about the role Private Forests Tasmania has, and the value proposition the team of associated stakeholders has in making good things happen.” Mr Wilson joined the Board as a director on 1 August 2021 and has been named as Chair for the length of his term. He is a Registered Forestry Professional and graduated from the AICD and Australian Rural Leadership Program. In 2023, he was elected as vice president of Forestry Australia – the professional association for forest scientists, professionals, managers and growers.

Forestry Australia has appointed South Australia’s Monique Blason and Victoria’s Ruth Ryan as new board members. Source: Timberbiz Forestry Australia CEO Jacquie Martin said Ms Blason and Ms Ryan would bring exceptional experience in filling the casual vacancy positions. “Monique and Ruth’s experience in softwood plantations, fire management, stakeholder engagement, policy and regulation will make a valuable addition to the board’s skillset,” Ms Martin said. “Monique has a 30-year career covering policy and regulation development, focused on public land, fire and biodiversity management, community and stakeholder engagement as well as developing and coordinating whole of government emergency management, crisis resilience, public safety regulation in South Australia. “Ruth is a Forestry Australia Fellow and has more than 40 years’ experience in forestry and fire in Australia, with a focus on commercial softwood plantation management in Victoria and was appointed to the European Union funded FIRE-RES research project and The Commonwealth’s Wildfire Resilient Landscapes Network.” Ms Blason said she was honoured to have been asked to join the Forestry Australia Board. “I look forward to contributing to the collective knowledge and leadership of the Board to advocate for sustainable forest management and to support and develop our members,” she said. Ms Ryan said she had a long-time member of Forestry Australia and was proud to be amongst the early cohort of Registered Forestry Professionals. “I have always believed in the sense and purpose of the organisation to promote professionalism and dialogue to ensure wise management of our forests,” she said. “I am excited by the recent revitalisation of the organisation and look forward to growing Forestry Australia’s future.” Forestry Australia has also announced the appointment of Emily Post as an additional Board Observer. Ms Martin said the Board Observer position provides a broader point of view and diversity at Board meetings, as well as facilitating pathways for younger members with an interest gaining executive level experience and developing their leadership and governance skills. “We look forward to incorporating and capitalising on Monique, Ruth and Emily’s contribution as we work to increase recognition of the value of sustainable forestry in modern Australian society,” Ms Martin said. Ms Post said that Forestry Australia and the broader forestry community had shown her unwavering support throughout the formative years of her career. “I am humbled and delighted to have been offered an opportunity to contribute to the continued success of Forestry Australia and the professionals it represents,” she said.

The NSW Forestry Corporation will no longer be required to search for endangered greater gliders and their den trees in known habitat areas, under changes to NSW Environment Protection Authority protocols. Source: Timberbiz Instead, loggers will be compelled to protect 14 trees with hollows in them per hectare of forest, an increase from eight under previous rules, in a change the EPA chief executive Tony Chappel said would more effectively protect the animal. He said conducting surveys of the shy nocturnal animal in the past had proven difficult and unreliable. “We have found these surveys to be challenging to adequately capture the location and extent of these den trees,” Mr Chappel said. “So, informed by the scientific literature on gliders, we’ve made a move through this protocol change to protecting what are called hollow bearing trees, which are the most critical element of habitat for the glider.” Environment groups and the Greens have criticised the changes, saying they will lead to the deaths of more gliders, which were once common in Australia’s east coast forests but are now classified as endangered. Mr Chappel said the change was a significant step-forward in the long-term protection of gliders as well as other native animals reliant on hollow-bearing trees such as possums, owls and parrots. “This change means that instead of depending on unreliable point in time surveys to find the habitat of the gliders, we will assume the species is present and conserve their habitat,” Mr Chappel said. “This ensures the critical habitats of some of our most endangered and much-loved native animals are protected. “We have reviewed extensive research, sought expert views and believe this change strikes the right balance, resulting in significant ecological and regulatory improvement to the current arrangements. “We have also consulted FCNSW to ensure any potential timber supply impacts are known and managed. “If non-compliances with these new conditions are found, the EPA will not hesitate to take appropriate regulatory action to ensure greater gliders are being protected in forestry operations.” The new CIFOA requirements include: A 50-metre exclusion zone around known recorded locations of greater glider dens. Protection of extra greater glider trees in addition to existing hollow bearing and giant tree requirements: Six trees per hectare greater than 80cm in diameter in high greater glider density areas, in addition to the eight hollow bearing trees currently required to be protected. Four trees per hectare greater than 50cm in diameter in lower density areas, in addition to the eight hollow bearing trees currently required to be protected. The retention of additional hollows and future hollow-bearing trees in areas where greater gliders are less likely to occur. Greater glider trees must prioritise hollows (especially ones with evidence of use) where they exist. Undertaking of a monitoring program to ensure the ongoing effectiveness of these new rules for greater gliders.

Metcash’s move to buy three businesses for a combined $560 million is a long-term play aimed at bolstering the ASX-listed company’s operations across food distribution and hardware, chief executive Doug Jones said. Sources: Brisbane Times, Timberbiz The operator of retailers including IGA, Mitre 10 and Cellarbrations suspended trading in its shares on Monday to announce the acquisition of foodservice distribution business Superior Food Group, Bianco Construction Supplies and framing and truss operator Alpine Truss. The purchases will be funded through a $300 million capital raising and up to $278 million from existing cash and debt. The $82.2 million acquisition of Bianco Construction Supplies and the $64 million purchase of Alpine Truss will bolster Metcash’s hardware portfolio, which consists of Mitre 10, Home Timber & Hardware, and Total Tools. Making up 42% of total earnings, its hardware portfolio has become a growth and profit driver for Metcash. Bianco and Alpine “align completely” and are “highly complementary” to Metcash’s broader hardware strategy, the company stated in a presentation deck to investors, pointing to broader customer offerings, higher market share and greater network expansion. Acquisition rationale Supports IHG’s ‘Whole of House’ growth strategy Expanding Frame & Truss (F&T) operations into Victoria and in South Australia/Northern Territory adding a large trade operation with a strong focus on foundation stage of a house Accelerates IHG’s network expansion Increases market share in the attractive trade hardware category, through the addition of one Alpine Truss location and 10 Bianco locations. Alpine Frame & Truss is one of Australia’s largest Frame & Truss operations, operating since 2002 and located in Wangaratta, Victoria. It is a well-equipped, well-run operation with a long history of capital investment and services small to large volume builders across Victoria and Southern New South Wales. George Prothero will remain as managing director of Alpine Frame & Truss. Bunnings, which is owned by Wesfarmers, has more than 50% of the total market share of the Australian hardware and DIY market and has been active in gaining a better foothold in the frame and truss market.