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WoodSolutions Tours are designed to inform and inspire design and construction professionals by providing unique insights into timber projects and the people behind them. Conducted in small groups, the Tours are also excellent professional education and networking opportunities.

Around the world the 'largest', biggest', 'tallest' cross laminated timber (CLT) buildings and projects are leapfrogging each other as the use of this - and other engineered wood products - continues to increase - this is the latest and biggest, for a while, at least.

Now in his late 80's, Frank Gehry, one of the world's best-known architects combined with Argentinian naval architect German Frers to create this modern classic.

Here's a cautionary tale from Tony Nielson, formerly editor of timber+DESIGN magazine about his son's experience with timber decking suppliers.

Tony Neilson, publisher of timber+DESIGN magazine has a long history of involvement with the forest and wood products industry - and the people within it. Here, in this entertaining blog entry he discusses two remarkable characters.

While WoodSolutions focuses on design and build professionals, we are also interested in supporting those on the way there. So if you're involved in any student or related activity, let us know!

The Australian Timber Flooring Association (ATFA) represents over 550 of Australia’s leading timber flooring companies.

Based on a recent FWPA R&D report, this webinar discusses the cost savings or replacing traditional materials with timber in medium sized commercial and residential projects.

A recent cost comparison project, published by WoodSolutions' parent body, Forest and Wood Products Australia, showed wood could offer significant savings over traditional construction materials for a range of commercial and residential buildings. This new article reports similar savings for wind turbine towers.

Wood treatments of various kinds generally fall into two categories - those that are primarily aesthetic and those whose main function is preservative. This new LOSP adds a new choice for architects, designers and builders seeking enhanced service life.

Now in their 20th year, the Building Designers Association of Victoria (BDAV) Design Awards celebrate excellence in building design, as well as profiling the importance of the building design profession to both the building industry and to the broader community. The competition is open to all building designers who are Full Members of the BDAV and who are either Registered Building Practitioners or Registered Architects. The Timber Excellence Awards are sponsored by WoodSolutions.

An environmental product declaration (EPD) is a standardised and verified way of quantifying the environmental impacts of a product based on a consistent set of rules that have been developed through an extensive stakeholder consultation process.

In December 2014 Latrobe City Council adopted its Wood Encouragement Policy - in June 2015 it was endorsed by the Australian Local Government Association, representing all Australian councils.

The National Construction Code proscribes which materials can be used in certain situations. In these situations other materials can only be used through the process of Alternative Solutions - this can be expensive and time consuming.

WoodSolutions study tours are opportunities for design and construction professionals to broaden their knowledge of contemporary timber construction by visiting exemplar projects and meeting the people behind them.

The race to the top continues - and the top is ever higher when it comes to tall timber buildings. In this press release, Canadian architect Michael Green (who has visited Australia as a guest of WoodSolutions) announces an ambitious project in Paris.

In this, the first of a new series of personal profiles, Tony Nielson talks to New Zealand furniture and lighting designer, David Trubridge.

With the increasing globalisation of design trends, architects and designers are looking further afield for materials and imported American hardwoods, once an exotic choice, are now becoming more mainstream.

Frame Australia is Australia's leading trade show and seminar covering the timber framing and prefabrication sectors. The one day event is an opportunity for architects, building designers, engineers and others in the industry to stay in touch with local and international developments.

The Australian Timber Design Awards are open to architects, landscape architects, building and interior designers and engineers with an array of categories available to cover all types of timber projects and use of timber products. Entries close 26 June 2015. Winners will be announced in Melbourne at the Awards Presentation Night in mid-September.

Design examples are a quick and easy way to see how ideas can be put into practice. In this document, designed for the north American market, a 5 storey timber framed building over a masonry podium is examined.

Nicolas Pratt, an Australian architect living and working in Europe reports on innovative wood projects - this one's a new museum in Sweden

Internationally, as people seek more sustainable building processes, cost comparisons are producing some surprising results, as shown in this project report from Forest and Wood Products Australia.

The role of building materials in the user experience has often been discussed - in general terms. This new report from Planet Ark looks at the scientific evidence that demonstrates the positive influences of wood on the occupants of a building.