Sugar House Island in east London, designed by Waugh Thistleton Architects, uses cross-laminated timber
Proponents of structural timber have told CM that including the material in the government’s ban on combustibles for buildings over 18m is wrong.
Anthony Thistleton, founding partner of Waugh Thistleton Architects, which has used cross-laminated timber (CLT) widely on projects (including Sugar House Island in east London, pictured), said: “The inclusion of CLT within this ban is not merited by the evidence. We are now working closely with the industry to try to get a ban that is more reflective of the risk.”
However, Tim Carey, national product director at Willmott Dixon, warned that it was becoming “difficult” to get insurance for engineered timber. He told CM the contractor was recently unable to get cover to build a 15-storey CLT tower block. As the material was a requirement for the customer’s architect, Willmott Dixon had to decline the opportunity.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if we start to see exclusion clauses relating to CLT appearing in insurance documents,” Carey added.
