ForestValue - CLICK DESIGN delivering fingertip knowledge to enable service life performance specification of wood

A team of researchers and industry wored together in the CLICKdesign project to develop a performance based specification web based tool for architects, specifiers and the public to embed service life performance specification for wood. This tool will enable performance based specification for wood in construction for the first time; the lack of which disadvantages wood and presents a barrier to users beyond the "wood aware" design community. The project has provided a scientific understanding of how a wood material's inherent properties are combined with an exposure dose. The web based CLICKdesign tool (https://jklewski.github.io/ClickDesignD/) has four modules: 1) fungal decay, 2) aesthetics, 3) termites, 4) structural integrety. Real-case studies (timber buildings and structures) and field trials from across Europe has been used for validation. The project takes significant steps beyond the state-of-the-art, and will inspire innovative wood-based design solutions by supporting a new generation of "timber savvy" designers whilst taking an important step towards digitalization of knowledge and specification. The new CLICKdesign tool will help to stimulate transition of the forest based industries to performance based specification and therefore facilitate new business opportunities. This will increase market confidence with users for selecting wood as a reliable product and enhance an optimized performance of timber in the built environment.

The increased use of sustainably sourced wood as a low carbon building material is one strategy for mitigating climate change. Standards refer to ineffectual terms to describe wood performance such as “a reasonable working life”. This creates doubt for the user in terms of longevity of the wood products to store carbon. Hence, there is an immediate need to increase users’ confidence when it comes to selecting wood as a reliable product on the market. Furthermore, we need proper legislation to support and adopt low carbon construction options. One solution openly available and easy to use are performance-based specification software tools such as the one provided by the ForestValue CLICKdesign project. Performance based specification will both strengthen consumers’ confidence in the specification of wood and support long term reliable carbon storage in wood products in construction. The project also provides input to standardisation. The goal is that performance-based specification will inspire novel strategies, methods and products for the use of forest-based industries ensuring a confident movement towards a bio-based economy.

A team of researchers and industry come together in CLICK DESIGN to develop a performance based specification protocol and software tool for architects and specifiers. This will enable performance based specification for wood in construction for the first time; the lack of which disadvantages wood and presents a barrier to users beyond the "wood aware" design community. The project will provide the scientific understanding of how a wood material’s inherent properties are combined with an exposure dose. It brings together into a unique single software tool diverse models and performance databases associated with decay and integrity, aesthetic function and termite performance. Real-case studies (timber buildings and structures) from across Europe will be used for validation. The project takes significant steps beyond the state-of-the-art, and will inspire innovative wood-based design solutions by supporting a new generation of "timber savvy" designers whilst taking an important step towards digitalization of knowledge and specification. Delivery of the software tool into pilot usage will follow open source standards (IFS, ISC), being BIM ready. New software will stimulate transition of the forest based industries to performance based specification and therefore facilitate new business opportunities. This will increase market confidence with users for selecting wood as a reliable product and enhance an optimized performance of timber in the built environment.