More than 40 UQ architectural students turned up for one of many lectures the EWPAA has scheduled for both masters and second-year classes at universities in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne this year.
Mr Gover was introduced by Dr Paola Leardini, senior lecturer and technology stream leader at the UQ School of Architecture. The students were asked what they knew about engineered wood, and their knowledge was surprisingly deep considering their early introduction to wood’s capabilities in modern architecture. Durability, versatility, whole life analysis of timber, codes and standards, product availability, construction time, variety of products available, cost comparisons, emissions, design applications – were among points brought up by the students.
“You’re likely already familiar with engineered wood without even realising it,” Dave Gover told the students. “Materials such as plywood, laminated veneer lumber, wood paneling, oriented strandboard and MDF are commonly found in kitchen cabinets or shelves.”
He produced samples of engineered wood including I-beams and mass timber products such as CLT, which were readily inspected by students. Another message for the young audience: “The good news is, if you’ve got a good contractor who knows how to properly use the engineered wood you have designed for a building, you can actually save some money. EWPs take less material time and labour to install, making it able to offset that extra cost.”
Dave said young architects would deal with many of the critical future issues in today’s society. “They will be the ones to push the boundaries when it comes to the living environment, investigating new technologies and materials, and helping ensure that what we build is environmentally sustainable,” he said. “Importantly, they design not just for today, but for future generations.”
The UQ’s School of Architecture is a national leader in architectural education and research. It is a research-intensive university and aspires to share its expertise and design intelligence with colleagues in other disciplines, strongly contributing to UQ’s international profile and research standing. Paola Leardini said what was clear from university projects was that many schools of architecture, technical teaching and learning needed a strong advocate – particularly for Australia’s undergraduate architecture students who faced unprecedented competition and rivalling concerns both within and outside the profession. “Students thirsty for knowledge about new, green building products that meet Australian standards for safety and freedom from emissions have such an advocate in the EWPAA’s Dave Gover,” she said.
Dave also presented to Masters of Architecture students after an inspection of the School of Architecture’s workshop co-lab.
