Webinar: A Guide to Using Timber in Commercial Buildings

A Guide to Timber in Commercial Buildings

The fourth session of the Tasmanian Timber webinar series saw Michael Lee walk viewers through the practical side of bringing timber into commercial builds – from specification through to application.

Commercial buildings offer endless benefits when built from timber – from meaningful carbon reduction to striking natural aesthetics, faster build times, and the flexibility to create warm, biophilic spaces that steel and concrete simply can’t match. For architects and developers balancing sustainability targets with design ambition, timber offers a rare win on both fronts.

The world builds the equivalent of a new city the size of Paris roughly every week, and the concrete and steel behind that growth are a major source of global emissions. But research suggests construction could become something it’s never been: a place where carbon is stored, not released. A landmark study from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research found that a five-storey timber building can hold up to 186kg of carbon per square metre – more than three times the carbon density of the world’s most carbon-rich natural forests. As co-author Hans Joachim Schellnhuber puts it, there’s no safer way to store carbon.

Mick guided viewers through the commercial considerations of building with timber, covering sustainable production, mass timber construction, and a wide range of applications. The session unpacked the differences, similarities and uses of mass timber GLT and CLT, giving attendees a clear picture of when and why to choose each. He also went into detail on Tasmanian timber veneers, outlining the key considerations when specifying them – species, cut, supplier, matching type, grain direction and polish – to ensure the veneer is fit for purpose.

The session showcased recent commercial projects using Tasmanian timber across a variety of applications – giving architects, builders, designers, engineers, developers and furniture makers alike a clear look at the results Tasmanian timber can deliver, backed by practical information from one of the timber industry’s most experienced voices.

Link to the Expert Helpline HERE

Further Readings:

Buildings as a Global Carbon Sink – read HERE

The greenest way to build is the one we keep trying to do without – read HERE

About the Tasmanian Timber webinar series

The webinar series is a must-attend for professionals in architecture, construction, and design. Hosted by Mick, an expert in the timber industry with over 30 years of experience. This year’s series dives deep into the species, specifications, and sustainable stories behind Tasmania’s world-class timber.

Across five sessions, attendees explore how to confidently specify Tasmanian timber in their projects. This will include availability, application suitability, products, suppliers, sustainability, certification and where to find the most up-to-date technical data.

If you’re an architect, builder, furniture maker or designer looking to make more informed, locally minded material choices this series will give you the knowledge to specify with confidence.

Grown locally and sustainably, Tasmanian timber is processed to the highest standards and backed by the technical support of Australia’s leading timber experts.

Register to our last webinar session HERE