Timber, Sustainable & Renewable Material (FRST90031)

This subject introduces students to various concepts of sustainable and renewable timber products including timber engineering, design durability, manufactured wood products, biomass waste utilization and recycling, environmental considerations in timber use and more. A major focus will be placed on environmental aspects of the use of timber as a building material and the role of timber in ecologically sustainable design. Students will be introduced to concepts in:

• Environmental properties of timber and the role of forest products in climate change
• Utilisation of young plantation timber resources
• Timber engineering, including physical and mechanical properties of wood, visual and machine stress grading, fasteners and connectors
• Design durability, including wood permeability, wood preservation and termite control
• Surface coatings, gluing properties and adhesion
• Engineered wood products
• The use of timber in internal and external applications
• Principles of design, the role of industrial design, 3R design concept (design for Reduce, Reuse and Recycle)
• Biomass waste utilisation and recycling
• Forest industries and their role in developing economies.