Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) as an Alternative Building Material in South Africa: Awareness and Perceptions

The construction industry continues to manufacture traditional construction materials such as bricks, concrete, and steel, resulting in large volumes of green-house gases (GHGs) which contribute to climate change through global warming. Consequently, the need for alternative and sustainable construction materials is amplified. Cross-laminated timber (CLT) constitutes one such alternative. CLT is a prefabricated solid engineered wood panel made of at least three orthogonally bonded layers of solid-sawn lumber or structural composite lumber (SCL) that are laminated by gluing of longitudinal and transverse layers with structural adhesives to form a solid rectangular-shaped, straight, and plane timber intended for roof, floor, or wall applications. The study reported on adopted the qualitative method, which entailed interviews with a range of built environment practitioners that have had exposure to CLT. The study aimed to determine the viability and feasibility of CLT as an alternative, sustainable building material to substitute traditional building materials. Findings include a range of barriers exist in terms of the adoption of CLT construction in South Africa, namely perceptions with respect to ‘timber’ construction, limited design and construction expertise, and the initial cost of CLT construction. Conclusions include: a low level of awareness and knowledge relative to CLT; negative perceptions of ‘timber’ construction needs to be countered, and CLT design and construction expertise need to be developed. Recommendations include: CLT design and construction should be embedded in all tertiary built environment education programmes; industry craft training should include CLT construction, and the built environment should consider ‘timber’ as an alternative to traditional masonry construction.