A new study shows that timber buildings can be up to 10-15% cheaper to construct than traditional designs in several different building types. The study, “Commercial Building Costing Case Studies – Traditional Design versus Timber Project,” was led by Andrew Dunn, chief executive of the Timber Development Association (TDA) in Australia. Part of a seminar series touring Australia, the report contains detailed designs of four building types in both timber and conventional construction, with a quantity surveyor comparing cost estimates between them.
Compared to conventional methods, timber construction saved 12.4% for a commercial office building, 13.9% for an aged care facility, 2.2% for an apartment building and 9.4% for a portal-framed industrial shed.
The University of Technology Sydney co-developed the research method and collaborated on design, cost and site issues with Arup, AECOM, Studio 505 and Fitzpatrick + Partners. Building Cost Information System, part of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, provided costs for timber compared to concrete-framed or steel-framed building. For commercial and residential building designs, costs associated with heating, ventilation and air-conditioning, facade and acoustic considerations were also analyzed.
The research did not take into account savings that could be garnered from using timber as a solution to sites with poor ground conditions, or as an off-site modular and prefabricated solution for sites with restricted access. There was also a sole focus on construction savings, and not on the environmental benefits over a building’s lifetime, which could contribute to savings – not to mention that with greater demand for timber, there would have to be more trees planted.
From Arch Daily: http://www.archdaily.com/768975/study-shows-that-timber-buildings-cost-less-to-build