Optimising & Derisking For Project Success

This is the final episode of Timber Talks with Adam as host. And its a special final episode with Alastair Woodard who is an industry legend and early mentor of Adam's to bring him into the timber industry. We learn about the past & future of the initiatives that have driven the industry forward. People like Alastair are unsung heroes where when they finally decide to retire, we'll take for granted the tremendous amount of initiative that they bring for the industry. Adam is going all in on CLT Toolbox hence can't hedge his bets staying host of this.

Starting and scaling a mass timber factory is no small feat. For Timberlink and NeXTimber, Jeremy Church has been there from the beginning, driving their mission to reshape the construction industry with sustainable solutions. In this episode, Jeremy shares what it takes to make a timber project truly successful—from the nuances of design collaboration to the inner workings of a high-performance factory. It's been a long time coming, and we're thrilled to finally have Jeremy on Timber Talks to discuss the critical role suppliers play in transforming the face of construction globally. Don't miss this insightful conversation!

As EWPs in emerging mid-rise markets are maturing, standardised practices are developing. With every year, new learnings are accumulating in the industry. Robbie Svars has 10 years experience and was one of the earliest adopted in Australia. In this episode we talk about the levers to pull in search of cost neutrality & common sense to achieve project objectives. Sometimes a minor change can have a multiple change on cost. Hence understanding these levers can make all of the difference.

Over the last few decades there has been meaningful change in the design of timber buildings. There are always a few early adopters in each region who are major contributors to the change and Damian Hadley and his team at Cantilever are amongst them. In this episode we have a wide ranging conversation with Damian about the evolution of the industry, sustainability, optimisation & so much more! 

Nick Hewson has been involved for over a decade in mass timber projects. The challenges have evolved over the years and the industry has come along way. The focus now moves onto moisture during construction as one of the priorities for derisking projects. In this episode we learn from Nick from his decade of experience and how to make projects successful. 

Chris Wood is a GM at StandStruct and one of the most experienced influencer installers of timber buildings globally. In this episode we learn from the range of projects that he's been part of. We discuss the things that have made projects successful, but also the things that make a project the occasional disaster. Woody is an industry legend with a lot to learn from! 

In this episode, we're joined by Kevin Peachy to discuss the future direction of WoodSolutions and their strategic plan.  Kevin introduces himself and his role, then explains what WoodSolutions is and its vision. He outlines the major changes in the new strategic plan compared to previous directions, highlighting the goals and aspirations for the future.  We explore the biggest opportunities and megatrends in the timber industry, discussing how WoodSolutions plans to capitalize on them. Kevin elaborates on strategies to boost timber competency across the built environment, emphasizing how these efforts will reduce risk and drive market confidence.  Ensuring expert advice, skills, and education quality is another priority for WoodSolutions. Kevin discusses specific initiatives in place to support skilling and accreditation within the timber industry.  Finally, we discuss how WoodSolutions measures success, providing insights into the metrics and benchmarks used to evaluate the impact of their strategic initiatives. 

We're in a time of rapid innovation in urban development, driven by the need for sustainable use of space. Today, we're chatting with Kelly Harrison from Whitby Wood.  Kelly introduces herself and her role, then delves into the Optoppen Project's mission to transform urban spaces using rooftop extensions. She highlights the benefits of building extensions, such as space optimization and energy efficiency.  We discuss the untapped value on rooftops and address concerns about the structural integrity of existing buildings, examining the reliability of data and drawings. Kelly also shares insights into the growing appetite for mass timber in the UK and her vision for the future of timber construction, emphasizing innovations and challenges. 

In this episode, we're joined by Franco Piva to discuss advanced Building Information Modeling (BIM) and its importance in mass timber projects.  Franco introduces himself and his role in the timber industry. He explains advanced BIM management, highlighting the difference between effective and poor practices. Franco discusses who ensures proper BIM management and the roles of suppliers and engineers in the process.  Franco shares keys to successful mass timber projects from his experience and offers his vision for the future of the timber industry, including emerging trends and advancements.   

One of the key processes of designing safe & efficient timber buildings is the structural modelling process. However, this does require deep understanding & expertise in order to execute effectively. Timber is a material with very different characteristics to concrete and steel. And in this episode, we're speaking with a world leading expert on this topic Zhiyong Chen, Senior Scientist at FPInnovations about the structural modelling of timber buildings.