Developer supporting Rotorua’s ‘Wood First’ initiative with new inner city building

Work has begun on Rotorua’s first inner city building to support Lakes Council’s new Wood First policy, by use of innovative new wood products.

The council policy is aimed at encouraging use of wood products and supporting the district’s vital wood industry. Local developer Ray Cook of R & B Consultants, is taking the lead with the Wood First concept through a new design build and lease back of premises for tenants ACC, on a site R & B owns in Pukaki Street.

The move follows an initiative by council controlled organisation, Grow Rotorua, to approach local developers, architects and engineers about utilising more timber in their buildings - specifically engineered wood products (EWP).

Mr Cook said he had been exploring the use of cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels and laminated veneer lumber (LVL) on the project because of the site’s geotechnical issues - so the timing was perfect for him.

He said CLT panels are essentially giant tilt slabs made out of cross-laminated wood, as opposed to concrete. They are then computer machined to create floor sections, doorways, windows, service channels and connections, to order.

The panels are erected by cranes and an office complex can be enclosed in a matter of days, as opposed to several weeks with other methods.

Rotorua deputy mayor and Economic Growth Portfolio lead, Dave Donaldson, congratulated Mr Cook on his use of wood and his company’s support for the timber and wood processing industry.

“Ray’s lead will give some real momentum to our Wood First Policy and help turn its goals into reality. His new project for ACC will provide an excellent practical showcase for what can be done with wood in significant construction projects.

“Hopefully it’s the first of many more to come,” he said.

Mr Cook said the combined use of cross-laminated timber and laminated veneer lumber were quite new to New Zealand.

“They’ve provided a good opportunity for our company to construct a building using these new techniques. In Rotorua, people have shown an interest, but someone needed to be first to take the initiative,” said Mr Cook.

“We like to think we’re quite an innovative company and we like to be doing things first, so it’s great for us to have something else to trial and get some experience in. If they’re as good as they’re meant to be it won’t be the last time we use these products. I can foresee them also having some application in the residential market.”

Grow Rotorua CEO, Francis Pauwels, said the new building will attract wide attention in the construction, development and design industry.

“We want to make a documentary about the technical issues and challenges so that the project can be a learning tool in its own right for the wider wood industry and for Waiariki Institute of Technology wood processing students.

“We’re also speaking with other building investors to look at this fantastic timber material.”

Work on the new ACC building on Pukaki Street is expected to be complete in November.

Panelised prefabrication building expert to speak in Rotorua

For anyone interested in panelised prefabrication of buildings, Offsite Design Ltd managing director Johann Betz, will be at Rotorua Lakes Council on Wednesday (20 May) from noon to 1pm, hosting a free Wood First presentation.

Mr Betz's background combines structural timber engineering and design experience with practical and theoretical expertise on how to prefabricate timber buildings off-site in a factory. To register for the event email Grow Rotorua commercial technology manager, Mark Smith, at mark.smith@rdc.govt.nz.

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