Sustainable materials for Resistant Materials

Statements you could make in your coursework PowerPoint

Timber - • Some Suggestions for a New

Approach to Timber Use:• Think about whether you really need to

use new timber – - Would a secondhand material suffice?

• Use the lowest grade and smallest-sized pieces of timber appropriate for the job

– - The common practice of ordering full lengths and then cutting them up into small pieces makes no environmental sense at all.

• Do not throw out offcuts – - Put them aside and use them on the next

job. • Use standard and utility appearance-

grade timber, rather than select-grade – - Particularly if the surface is going to be

painted or otherwise hidden. • Do not ask for blemish-free timber (clear-

grade) and do not insist on stringent colour-matching specifications

– - This leads to increased wastage and downgrading of timber to lower-value applications.

• Consider using furniture made from knotty, or 'feature-grade' timber

It will not only be just as effective, more individual and visually interesting, it will also be cheaper!

Use jointed timbers, whenever possible

- Timber can be joined on its ends by finger-joints and metal nail-plates, or on its width, by glue-laminating.

Be aware that composite beams are more often than not stronger than timber

- They also use less timber in acquiring their strength than clear grade timber beams.

Buy timber from (smaller) sawmillers who can demonstrate a commitment to optimising wood-recovery during milling

- ie, by radial sawing, band-sawing, laser sawing, portable milling, etc.

Ways to Make Your Home or Workplace More Energy-efficient

• Construct an entry 'airlock'. • Close off the staircase from downstairs rooms to avoid

upward heat loss. • Create doorways between living/working areas, and

sleeping/washing areas, etc - so only the living space is heated.

• Use a fuel-efficient wood burner (make sure the chimney/flue is sealed off from the room).

• Place a maximum number of windows on the north side of the building - minimise glassed areas on other sides.

• Use double glazing, low-E glass, or drapes - with pelmet designed to prevent convection movement adjacent to windows.

• Create passive heat storage - place thermal mass elements in sunny spaces (eg, masonry or water).

• Use roof/wall/floor insulation.

www.design-technology.info/resistantmaterials

/• This site has many helpful data sheets to help you draw up your coursework PowerPoint

Flow diagram help notes

Planning sheet

Task

Materials Job to be completed

H&S QC and QA Feedback and

modification

suggestions