Uses of Scots pine
The project is commissioning a series of products to demonstrate possibilities for using Scots pine in construction. These include post and beam construction, laminated structural timber, and external cladding.
Loch Fleet bird hide
A bird hide on the shores of Loch Fleet, showcasing the use of Scots pine, is now open to the public. It was designed and built by Neil sutherland Architects LLP - watch a time-lapse film of the bird hide being built.
Lamination
The project has been working in partnership with Napier University’s Centre for Timber Engineering (CTE) and Nor-Build (a bespoke manufacturer based in Forres) on a project to investigate the feasibility of producing glulam to EU standards.
The results of the study show glulam, that conforms to EU standards, can be produced from Scottish Scots pine timber provided careful accoustic and visual grading of timber is carried out. Read a full report on the work.
As part of the project we commissioned North Woods Construction Ltd to design and build a footbridge at Beinn Eighe Nature Reserve showcasing the use of stress-laminated Scots pine timber. Stress-lamination is a technique where sections of timber are compressed together by high tensile steel rods forming a solid load-bearing timber deck. This technique is being widely used in large scale bridge projects in Norway.
Cladding
The project commissioned Edinburgh Napier University to produce Scots pine cladding using different treatment types. An exposure trial was then carried out at 2 sites in northern Scotland to assess performance - 72 samples were tested at each location. Read the full report
Glulam study tour
In April architects and specialists in timber engineering took part in a 3 day study tour to Trondheim organised by the Norwegian forest and Landscape Institute to learn about the use of engineered timber products in construction. There was a strong focus on the manufacture and use of laminated timber products including cross laminated timber in residential and commercial buildings, and stress laminated timber in bridges. Presentations from the trip are available below:
- Introduction - Peder Gjerdrum
- Masor stress laminated bridge- MJ Vandvik
- Glulam panels - O Broman
- Norsk Tretekinsk Institutt
- TreSenteret University of Trondheim
- Kjeldstad glulam manufactuer and sawmill
- Better trees from better seed - A Steffenrem
- North Woods Construction - Bernard Planterose
- Norbuild - Sven Skatun
- Neil Sutherland Architects - Neil Sutherland
- Mechanical properties of Scottish Scots pine - John Moore and Elspeth Macdonald
- Norsk Treteknisk Institutt - Per Lind
- Glued products in Norway - Per Lind
- Wood and indoor climate - Per Lind
- Pine timber with respect to structural glued products - Erkki Verkasalo
Innovation workshop
In 2009 North Karelia University of Applied Sciences organised a 5 day international innovation workshop to come up with new Scots pine product concepts. The event took place at Glenmore Lodge in the Cairngorms National Park and was attended by design, engineering and forestry students from Scotland, Sweden and Finland - see a presentation on the event.
Design with Pine
The Scots pine project ran ‘Design with Pine' a residential architectural competition at Glenmore Lodge in the Cairngorms National Park. It was led by staff from North Karelia University of Applied Sciences, Finland and was attended by architecture and design students from Scotland, Finland and Sweden. The competition theme was facilities for visitors to the National Park made from Scots pine timber such as viewing towers, small cabins for overnight stays, rest areas, and play areas for children.
Participants worked in small groups and developed ideas for using Scots pine. Over the course of the event guest speakers such as architects specializing in timber construction and representatives from the Cairngorm National Park Authority gave presentations to the students. Design entries were submitted by each of the groups these included; a woodland adventure trail; a cabin adaptable to different environments; a tree lodge; and an auditorium. The auditorium design was judged the competition winner. It showcases the use of Scots pine glulam in the supporting roof frame and is intended to be a place where local residents and visitors to the area are brought together.
