Material: Pinus Radiata
List the main
manufacturing brands of this material in the New Zealand construction sector:
A comprehensive list
can be found here: http://www.pine.net.nz/members-topmenu-21
The timber can often
be felled,sized and treated by a series of companies, however some of the major
parties include:
•
McAlpines (Largest
privately owned)
•
Tenco
(Major Exporter)
•
Lumberlink
(Timber networking 'middleman')
•
Arbor
Resources Ltd
•
Niagara
•
Northland
Timber Co. Ltd
•
Pine
Sawmills NZ Ltd
List the main
uses/forms of this material in building construction:
•
Timber
framing (Including walls, roofs, and window and door frames).
•
Decks,
floors, and other in home surfaces.
Of what and/or how
is it made in it's general use/form?
1.
Pinus
Radiata trees are grown for the purpose of being used for timber.
2.
Trees
felled and stripped of branches etc on site. (More trees are then planted.)
3.
After
being transported to a sawmill the trunks are rough sawn and graded.
4.
Timber
is cut to an appropriate size and stacked so it can effectively dry.
5.
Timber
is placed within a kiln to dry.
6.
Once
dry the timber is finished (sawn smooth and put through thicknesser) cutting it
down again to it's 'final' size.
7.
At
this stage the timber may be dressed and/or treated.
8.
Distribution
to building sites, hardware stores etc.
Where does it come
from?
Within New Zealand
Pinus Radiata is typically sourced from regional forests. A lot of our timber
is also exported internationally.
What is it ‘good’
for?
Wood is one of
the most renewable and sustainable building materials. The cycle
of planting and harvesting of plantation forests results in the
removal and storage of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. This helps make
timber an environmentally friendly choice for anyone concerned about his
or her carbon footprint.
Additionally because
of how easily Pinus Radiata can be worked, it's form can be constantly changed
or it can be reused. This is important in the framing of houses, allowing
modifications and extensions a viable and efficient option. When used in
construction 'soft' timbers also allow the building to flex, which is
advantageous in earthquakes.
What is it ‘bad’
for?
•
Does
not last as long as other framing materials, susceptible to rot.
•
Not
weather proof unless treated.
•
Prone
to termites and bora.
•
Warps
with heat or moisture.
Diagram the ‘normal’
lifecycle of 3 uses of this material:
When used for house
framing:
1.
Pinus Radiata tree.
2.
Processed into timber.
3.
Built into house as framing. (Walls, ceiling, and window and
door frames.)
4.
House demolished/dissasembled
5.
Window and door frames reused, along with unbroken framing. Any
broken timber is either dumped or recycled into woodchip. (Sometimes this
woodchip is further processed into products such as MDF, woodfire pallets, or
mulch)
6.
Timber that has been recycled reused restarts cycle.
When used for wood
pallets:
1.
Pinus Radiata tree.
2.
Processed into timber.
3.
Built into wood pallets.
4.
Pallets used for purpose.
5. Once the pallets are needed they are often used for firewood,
however many are recycled into woodchip. ( Though pallets can sometimes
be upcycled into furniture and temporary outdoor structures like every second
bar in Christchurch.)
6.
Carbon dioxide created by burning the timber removed from the
atmosphere by Pinus Radiata trees.
When used for MDF
furniture:
1.
Pinus Radiata trees.
2.
Smaller pieces of wood that cannot be made into timber are
turned into woodchip.
3.
Processed into MDF.
4.
Used to make poor quality furniture. (Such as the cubes found at
the 'House of Ware')
5.
Broken within a week.
6.
Dumped.
What could be used
as an alternative in these 3 instances?
•
Steel could be used for house framing.
•
Pallets can also be made of plastic or cardboard (Though
cardboard is still a product of wood.)
•
Furniture can be made from almost anything, including plastics
metals and alternative wood products.
Discuss recent
innovations to improve the environmental rating of this material?
The environmental
rating of Pinus Radiata is almost entirely dependant on the processing of the
wood as, on it's own, it is environmentally friendly. The ill effects are seen
in its treatment and the 'carbon-miles' required in transporting it. Reducing
the 'carbon-miles' is simply a matter of sourcing locally grown and processed
timber. The problem occurs in determining the chemicals needed in order to
treat the wood so it is suitable for the required conditions. Woods have a good
environmental rating as they are reusable, however this is not always realised.
Growing awareness of this fact needs to be raised so that houses and other
products can be recycled. However the timber should be recycled in a way that
reduces additional required energy and added chemical such as in the case of
MDF.
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