The benefits of ‘Green’ building

Climate change is no longer a speculation but a reality in our lives. “The construction and operation of modern buildings, those in which we will live and work, are responsible for the consumption of many of our natural resources, and the generation of carbon and other gases that cause global warming,” says Larry Feinberg, Executive…

Why is legal compliance regarding roof maintenance so important?

The roof is a structurally important and very costly component of a building and the average cost of a roof as a portion of the final building can easily exceed 25%. The costs associated with repair or replacement of the same roof structure will be even more than this due to the additional work required…

Your roof: Getting it right

Your roof is a structurally important and very costly component in any construction project. The average cost of a roof as a component of the final building cost can easily exceed 25% of the total cost. The cost of repair or replacement will be more than this quoted percentage due to the additional work that…

Life cycle analysis of timber

Life cycle analysis (LCA) is a method of measuring the environmental impacts of building products over their whole life. The aim of a life cycle analysis is to identify, quantify and assess the impact of the energy and materials used and wastes released to the environment throughout the life of a building product. There are…

Timber construction benefits

Timber framing is the most common form of construction in many countries around the world and is rapidly gaining popularity in South Africa. This is due to it being lightweight and strong, very durable, suited to all climatic conditions, environmentally friendly and thermally efficient. More and more architects and designers are turning to timber construction…