Strategy

Location

About the Centre

Welcome to CTE- we are an independent research unit within Edinburgh Napier University and a focus for excellence in education, research, consultancy and knowledge transfer in the constructional and engineering uses of timber. The University is named after John Napier, the inventor of logarithms and the decimal point, who was born in the medieval tower house which now forms the central feature of the University's Merchiston Campus.

CTE prides itself on close links with the UK timber industry. This originates from it being a body initiated by industry and subsequently supported with four years “start up” funding from Scottish Enterprise (http://www.scottish-enterprise.com) and industry (The Scottish Forest Industries Cluster). We continue to work with and support the timber industry in the UK and abroad across all of its different activities. Our main areas of operation are, therefore:

1. Education and knowledge transfer.
2. Applied research (e.g. optimal use of Sitka spruce & product development).
3. Strategic research – including wood & fibre science.
4. Innovative design, construction and performance of timber buildings and structures.
5. Logistics and optimisation of timber supply.

The time is right for timber; its global importance has never been higher and using timber as a construction material (especially as a substitute for another material) is a key issue.

“To help combat climate change there is an overarching, global need to promote the use of sustainably produced timber above other, more energy intensive materials used in construction".
(Forestry Commission Scotland, Climate Change Action Plan 2009-2011, 2009).

“Three tonnes of CO2 can be saved by using timber frame from the 20 tonne CO2 footprint of a typical three bedroom detached house". "Replacing one tonne of concrete or red brick with the same volume of timber can save around one tonne of CO2"
(Centre for Carbon Management, Report 196, Carbon Benefits of Timber in Construction, 2006)

Further environmental information can be found at http://www.woodforgood.com and http://www.forestry.gov.uk

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