This study considers structural engineers' and architects' perceptions of structural timber in multi-story construction contexts. Qualitative approaches-interviews and focus groupswere used to investigate attitudes, perceived norms, and perceived factors that hamper or facilitate the prescription of wood use in construction. Wood was perceived as an appropriate building material. Architects', and even more so engineers', perceptions of negative aspects of wood focused on decay, instability and sound transmission. Although wood-based construction was seen as a required professional skill, it was not expected to improve one's professional status. Positive aspects of wood in construction included its strength, environmental friendliness, simple handling and appropriateness for use in conjunction with industrial methods, whereas knowledge gaps and weak support from the wood industry have reduced the use of wood among structural engineers and architects. Both professions perceived their influence on material selection to be weak. They sensed that most of the influence over material selection rested with developers and contractors. The paper contains suggestions on how to make these two professions more influential advocates for wood in construction.
To enhance competition in the construction industry, EU policies have created and harmonised functional building codes. Moreover, many actors advocate the construction industry moves towards a lean production, process-based way of working for quality and cost reasons. Here, TimberFramed Engineering approaches are considered to have a competitive and environmental advantage. There is however underlying concerns that conservatism in the construction industry, and lack of timber engineering skills, may be obstacles to change. This paper therefore assesses whether EU construction policy innovation contributed to innovation at the firm level.Timber framed innovators in six European countries were identified, and their sources of innovation assessed.
The market share of timber-frame construction has increased in many European countries after the revision of national building regulations and implementation of national development programmes as well as marketing efforts of the forest industry. Our research within COST E51 has looked at the timber construction industry and assessed the innovation process in eight European countries, the role and position of this industry in the construction process and the influence of policies as drivers of knowledge creation. Results indicate that innovative timber construction firms have acted on the changed regulations overcoming the lock-in effects of construction industry standards and culture, and have in some countries been at the forefront to adjust the traditional construction process. These firms have in most cases come from the forest industry sector, as they have had the most to gain. The innovation type and progress differ, indicating that construction is a local activity influenced by national traditions, in both industry behaviour and policy aim. It is recommended that policy makers support the establishment of local and regional timber-based competence centres. Also, public construction clients ought to have bigger leeway to support innovative construction products and processes, as a means to generating the new innovations and knowledge creation and transfer necessary to create a sustainable future society.
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