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One of the first questions asked about massive timber building systems (cross laminated timber etc.) is "are they more expensive than concrete and steel?". This article discusses a US report that concludes there is a small saving using timber, although costs are expected to fall as usage rises. WoodSolutions will soon be publishing an Australian cost comparison research report.

If the proliferation of articles in the mainstream media about tall timber buildings is any guide, we'll soon be seeing a wooden skyline in many cities - this article from the UK Guardian, featuring WoodSolutions Seminar speaker, Michael Green, is an example.

Now in their 15th year, the Australian Timber Deign Awards are Australia's preeminent awards for timber design and construction.

Angelina Lu Zhang is a postgraduate student in the Department of Civil Engineering at Melbourne's Monash University. Here she shares her impressions of WCTE 2014.

Hartmut Hering, the author of this blog entry, is a German wood construction engineer living in France and specialising in construction methods and technologies. A full case study of this project will be published on WoodSolutions.

The increasing use of cross laminated timber (CLT) in areas such as education, healthcare and public/community buildings is changing the way architects, building designers and engineers look at thedse projects.

The World Conference on Timber Engineering (WCTE) is a biennial event that this year was held in Quebec, Canada. WoodSolutions sponsored a group of engineering students and recent graduates, this is a report from one of them, Elliot Panizza

timber+DESIGN International is a free online Australian-based publication that features the best in innovative and excellent timber projects from local and international designers.

The Centre for Sustainable Architecture with Wood (CSAW) at University of Tasmania's Launceston campus provides industry-leading undergraduate and postgraduate short and long courses.

Murray Grove, a ten storey CLT apartment building and many schools, other apartments and more lead the UK's foray into tall timber, but does this Glulam structure rise above them all?

Spanning 30 categories and including architects in over 40 countries the WAF awards are the only global architectural awards where all of the shortlisted entrants talk about their projects. Festival attendees can watch presentations from every single shortlisted architect and also find out what the judges think of each project.

A press release from New Zealand Institute of Architects announced that the Auckland firm S3 Architects’ proposal for an innovative timber building has won the competition to design an apartment building on a brownfield site in Mt Eden.

Adelaide's Kent Town in a trendy inner suburb, a stroll across the parklands from the East End precinct of the CBD.

Hartmut Hering, the author of this blog entry, is a German wood construction engineer living in France and specialising in construction methods and technologies.

A Canadian who recently completed his Master’s degree in Switzerland, Nicholas provides insight into current market conditions and provides optimisation solutions for innovative design scenarios. for more details on existing modern multi-story heavy timber buildings and upcoming projects, Nicholas can be contacted through WoodSolutions.

A young Australian architect travelling after studying wood design in Finland, Nicolas Pratt gives us a fascinating insight into the use of wood in Europe.

Australand's The Green in Melbourne's Parkville (co-developed with the Citta Property Group) is Australia's first five storey timber framed residential building.

Structural insulated panels (SIPS) are used in the prefabricated system chosen for North West Bicester, one of four eco-towns planned by the British government.

A survey of some of the most prominent tall timber buildings completed in the last few years.

WoodSolutions Technical Design Guide 21 - Domestic Timber Deck Design provides a comprehensive resource to enable both professional and DIY users to design and construct decks that conform to the National Construction Code.

Now you can simply and quickly calculate the bushfire attack level (BAL) for any site. The WoodSolutions calculator allows you to see the effect of changing variables, such as the distance to vegetation, and quickly compare results. Useful for people designing, building and occupying metropolitan fringe and country properties.

A young Australian architect travelling and studying wood design in Finland, Nicolas Pratt gives us a fascinating insight into designing and working with wood in that part of the world.

The Library at The Dock at Victoria Harbour in Melbourne's Docklands precinct opened on Saturday May 31. WoodSolutions will feature the building in a case study, but in the meantime here are some images from the launch, apologies for the phone quality. Architects: Clare Design and Hayball. Major partners: Lend Lease, Places Victoria and the City of Melbourne. Materials: cross laminated timber (CLT), Glulam, recycled wharf timbers

WoodSolutions Technical Design Guides are a series of publications - approximately 20 titles in all - created for design, engineering and building professionals. Titles contain essential information regarding material specification, detailing and codes and compliance. This is the story behind one of them.