Specialist school chooses PEFC-certified timber

2 January 2015 Sustainable construction

Last year saw 150 children with profound and multiple learning difficulties welcomed into their new specialist school made from PEFC-certified cross-laminated timber (CLT). 

Originating in Austria, the spruce and pine CLT was sourced and manufactured by PEFC member Stora Enso Building and Living.

“In recent years we have seen a significant increase in the number of building projects using solid wood solutions such as cross laminated timber,” said Alun Watkins, National Secretary of PEFC UK. “This is fantastic news, not only because CLT is a great product to work with, but with the majority of CLT PEFC-certified, we know that the material comes from forests that have been managed in a responsible way.”

The three-story school located in the London Borough of Hackney was built by main contractor McLaren Construction and installed by specialist timber engineer Eurban, and is expected to achieve a BREEAM Very Good rating.

By building with CLT, the build time was reduced, enabling the project to be delivered 20% faster and providing a 2% saving on cost against the project value. In addition to CLT's speed and cost-saving benefits, its ability to span large distances made it an ideal solution for the bespoke nature of the specialist school.

Inside the school, each classroom space features exposed timber on its ceiling and one wall. Timber is also on view in the school's entrance and main hall.

"Stora Enso Building and Living CLT boards are bonded using formaldehyde-free and environmentally friendly adhesives, which are suitable for internal exposure," said Wayne Probert, the company's UK sales and marketing manager.

"It's very positive that the material is increasingly being recognized for its ability to create an internal environment which feels welcoming and calming, particularly in education and healthcare environments."