Sustainable Materials for Resistant Materials Lesson objective – to understand how to think of materials in terms of sustainability
Timber - Some Suggestions for a New Approach
to Timber Use: Think about whether you really need to use
new timber - Would a secondhand material suffice?
Use the lowest grade and smallest-sized pieces of timber appropriate for the job
- The common practice of ordering full lengths and then cutting them up into small pieces makes no environmental sense at all.
Do not throw out offcuts - Put them aside and use them on the next job.
Use standard and utility appearance-grade timber, rather than select-grade
- Particularly if the surface is going to be painted or otherwise hidden.
Do not ask for blemish-free timber (clear-grade) and do not insist on stringent colour-matching specifications
- This leads to increased wastage and downgrading of timber to lower-value applications.
Consider using furniture made from knotty, or 'feature-grade' timber
It will not only be just as effective, more individual and visually interesting, it will also be cheaper!
Use jointed timbers, whenever possible
- Timber can be joined on its ends by finger-joints and metal nail-plates, or on its width, by glue-laminating.
Be aware that composite beams are more often than not stronger than timber
- They also use less timber in acquiring their strength than clear grade timber beams.
Buy timber from (smaller) sawmillers who can demonstrate a commitment to optimising wood-recovery during milling
- ie, by radial sawing, band-sawing, laser sawing, portable milling, etc.
Ways to Make Your Home or Workplace More Energy-efficient
Construct an entry 'airlock'. Close off the staircase from downstairs rooms to avoid upward
heat loss. Create doorways between living/working areas, and
sleeping/washing areas, etc - so only the living space is heated. Use a fuel-efficient wood burner (make sure the chimney/flue is
sealed off from the room). Place a maximum number of windows on the north side of the
building - minimise glassed areas on other sides. Use double glazing, low-E glass, or drapes - with pelmet
designed to prevent convection movement adjacent to windows. Create passive heat storage - place thermal mass elements in
sunny spaces (eg, masonry or water). Use roof/wall/floor insulation.
www.design-technology.info/resistantmaterials/ This site has many helpful data sheets to help
you draw up your coursework PowerPointFlow diagram help notes
Planning sheet Task
Materials Job to be completed
H&S QC and QA Feedback and
modification
suggestions
