Structurally sound sustainable solutions

OSB PERIMITER PERFORMANCE

With the national media continuing to investigate and report questionable material choices in public sector building projects, OSB offers a real tick-box answer for architects, specifiers and contractors who need to adhere to 'legal and sustainable' requirements, right down to the perimeter fencing. Construction projects for the 2012 Olympic Games in London are also likely to experience close scrutiny, particularly with the Olympic Delivery Authority's mandate to set new standards for sustainable development.

Oriented Strand Board, or OSB, is a versatile, innovative and environmentally-friendly woodbased panel product providing easy and cost effective solutions for a wide range of structural and non-structural, internal and external building applications. It is manufactured by compressing precisely engineered strands of wood with exterior resins at high temperature to create an incredibly strong and versatile engineered wood panel product.

The first and last thing visible on any building site is the site hoarding. This key element will inevitably be of particular focus as the construction for 2012 gains momentum, and this is an obvious job for OSB. A range of products are available specifically for use in combination with a timber framework to provide a secure barrier for construction and temporary works, preventing unauthorised access to the site and ensuring the quality appearance of the work in progress reflects the quality of the finished project.

Leading manufacturer of OSB, SmartPly, describes in more detail how its product meets the environmental and technical challenge for panel products

PERFORMANCE IN PRACTICE

In the City of London, SmartPly OSB hoarding was the product of choice to secure the site of a building owned by the Corporation of London, intended as redeveloped rental office space.

The specification of appropriate hoarding with proven performance and high standards of environmental responsibility was of the utmost importance to the Corporation of London, and their decision to use SmartPly OSB hoarding meant those requirements were met exactly.

Constructed in combination with a timber framework, OSB provides a secure barrier for construction and temporary works.

SmartPly OSB hoarding boards have superior strength and stiffness which provide a weather-proof, paintable, long lasting and robust barrier to any enclosure.

MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICES

SmartPly OSB is a brand which produces high quality OSB. It is incorporated within the Panel Products division of Coillte Teoranta (the Irish Forestry Board) - SmartPly's main wood supplier. It is FSC certified, made from sustainable, fast-growing timber and only uses forest thinnings of new-growth pine and spruce. Over 75% of the energy used in manufacture comes from wood residues and recovered wood, increasing the CO2 benefits still further and ensuring all the wood is used efficiently.

All the timber used to make SmartPly OSB is carefully harvested to preserve the forest's biodiversity, productivity and ecological processes. No long-distance transport is involved as all SmartPly OSB is manufactured near to its source in Waterford, Ireland, and as such is considered a valuable local source by contractors throughout the UK and Ireland.

Coillte Panel Products has just launched a new campaign called "Time To Choose" which encourages decision makers to be uncompromising in their choice of wood products. Geoff Rhodes, marketing and business development director says, "In both our personal and business lives, the traditional criteria we have long used to determine product choice is being challenged by growing concerns about the impact purchase decisions are having on the environment. Our 'Time To Choose' campaign will ensure specifiers are aware that our panel products match the environmental and performance expectations of today's demanding marketplace, and will encourage decision makers to be uncompromising in their choice of wood products."

TICKING YOUR BOXES

OSB doesn't delaminate. It has no knotholes, core voids or other structural defects. Bonded with waterproof resins for exterior use, it is ideal for flooring, roofing, wall sheathing, site hoarding and many other general building uses.

In particular, SmartPly OSB hoarding boards have superior strength and stiffness which provide a weather-proof, paintable and robust barrier to any enclosure for the short or long term. Panels can be nailed 10mm from the edge without splitting or breaking out; critical to structural applications.

SmartPly OSB also offers structural panel products which meet the criteria of today's tough construction standards. Manufactured to European Standard EN 300, they satisfy BS5268 (Structural use of Timber - Code of practice for permissible stress design, materials and workmanship). The SmartPly OSB structural panels are also fully approved by the British Board of Agreement (BBA) Certificate No. 98/3488/C, Local Authority Building Inspectors and the National House Building Council (NHBC).

TIME TO CHOOSE

Coillte Panel Products has made a commitment to market only quality certified products. Their brands, including SmartPly OSB and Medite MDF, are innovative, future-facing and fully FSC certified.

It's now time for you to decide what's best for your business, your projects, and your conscience.

With a project's environmental credentials being judged from the pavement outside, can you afford to use anything else?

1 May 2008