When it comes to timber frame construction, most people will probably picture country homes or stylish modern eco builds. However, timber frame manufacturers are increasingly supplying materials for commercial or public buildings such as schools, offices, hotels and healthcare centres.
Here’s a look at some of the advantages of using timber frame over traditional bricks and mortar construction.
A sustainable building choice
One of the biggest advantages of timber frame construction is its sustainability. The construction industry is under increasing pressure to lower its carbon footprint and meet net-zero emissions targets, and timber is a naturally renewable low-carbon resource.
When sourced from responsibly managed forests (such as FSC or PEFC-certified forests), timber actually stores carbon rather than emitting it. The construction process itself is also more environmentally friendly, with off-site prefabrication and shorter assembly times compared to bricks and mortar.
This leads to less pollution and waste, and requires fewer deliveries, which contribute further to lowering emissions and boosting sustainability.
The overall result is a building that helps the environment and also helps businesses and organisations to align with Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) targets, helping to boost transparency and accountability, and attracting a better quality of investor, client and employee.
Faster build times
Commercial build projects often have tight deadlines and overruns can burn money. Timber frame construction methods are often weeks or even months faster than traditional builds, as the frames are manufactured in a controlled environment off-site and delivered ready for assembly.
This reduces errors and the instance of reworks, and minimises delays caused by the weather, accidents or material and labour shortages. This helps to keep the project on target and within budget.
Customisable design options
Timber frame construction is no longer limited to the traditional A frame model: modern engineered timber products such as glulam beams, cross-laminated timber (CLT) and laminated veneer timber (LVL) are typically as strong as steel.
This brings greater architectural flexibility to create striking and ambitious designs without compromising structural integrity. For example, it’s possible to create large open spans, high ceilings, and exposed beam designs for beautiful light-filled buildings that are both modern and timeless.
Sector-specific examples
Education
Schools and nurseries are now often built with timber frame designs because of low embodied carbon, superior acoustic performance and traditional calm feel. Factory-produced frames and other pre-manufactured elements such as internal linings mean faster construction times, allowing the majority of the build to take place during summer holidays.
Healthcare
Timber is an increasingly common building material for medical clinics, dental surgeries and other wellness centres. It has a natural warmth and lends itself to biophilic design, which is often a priority to promote mental and physical wellbeing in healthcare settings.
Retail and office space
Retail and office design is becoming more people-centred and less clinical, as more effort is required to tempt people away from the comfort and convenience of remote working or online shopping. Timber frame buildings can create a less clinical and more warm and welcoming space that promotes ethical values and a more satisfying environment.
These are just a few examples of the use of timber in commercial architecture. The advantages, including lower carbon footprint, use of sustainable materials, faster construction times and more predictable costs, mean that the use of timber in the commercial and public sector is set to rise steeply in the future.