Sustainable Building with Timber

Free online course on edX

starts 14 February 2024

"The way and manner we build and materialize has to change. One of the most promising solutions is building with wood and other biobased materials from sustainably managed sources.”

Arjan van Timmeren, professor of Environmental Technology & Design at TU Delft

Registration open

After a successful first run, with close to 2000 learners from over 100 countries, registration for the rerun of the free online course 'Sustainable Building with Timber' is now open.  

Through this self-paced course, consisting of six modules, all stakeholders in the built environment - architects, developers, engineers, consultants and policy makers -, as well as students can gain knowledge and skills needed to exploit the enormous potential of timber construction. This course was developed by Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) in cooperation with Forest Stewardship Council and other parties. Learners can start any time after February 14th and progress at their own speed.

Photo: Lister Buildings

First run of the course great success

The first run of the course had high enrolment compared to other free online courses developed by TU Delft which shows the urgency of the subject. The learners also greatly contributed to the project library, with high quality examples of timber buildings from all over the world. Over all the course was very well received and favourably rated, with an average score of 8.

“I wanted to enroll because of the high-quality lecturers and it’s a topic that is relevant to my work area. After taking this course, I understand more fully the current and future potential of timber in the building sector. This gives me a clearer vision for my career. It was a great experience because, although I was traveling, I was still able to participate in this online course anywhere I wanted. My advice to anyone who is thinking of taking this course is: read all the book sources and watch every video recommended in the course.” - Efe Berberoglu, Structural Engineer from Turkey

“This course was highly informative, and it has motivated me to try to design almost exclusively with timber and biobased materials! As part of my traineeship with Dutch architects, this course was a great motivator to reflect on what kind of professional I wish to become either at the office I currently work at or in the future as an independent designer. I now feel more confident in pursuing the latter option at some point in the future along with other like-minded colleagues of mine. It was nice to learn from the comfort of my home and follow the course at my own pace. If you are interested in taking this course go for it! It’s easy but makes you think a lot when completing the assignments. Therefore such a course achieves its learning goals!” - Alex, Architect from the Netherlands

“I was interested in sustainable timber and I enrolled to learn more about the timber possibilities in the world. I got to know more about the material ability and joinery system. As a furniture maker, looking at the building perspective brought me from the tiny detail to the large-scale construction. The experience was great. You could take the course at your own pace to go through all the content, and get information from different countries, especially on the first assignment when we shared about wooden buildings from our own area. If you take this course make sure you have good time management because you will delve into a lot of side research if you are willing and eager to learn even more!” – Shyan, Woodworker from Malaysia

Building with timber as an answer to current climate, resource and housing challenges

More than 35% of global greenhouse gas emissions come from the built environment, a third of which are specifically related to the production of building materials such as concrete, metal and plastics. In addition to climate change, there are other challenges facing the construction industry, such as resource scarcity, health issues and the need to build enough housing. The Sustainable Building with Timber course offers a carefully crafted curriculum designed to give participants a holistic understanding of sustainable timber construction. Among other things, participants learn that sustainable forest management is an essential prerequisite for the use of timber in construction. Sustainable forest management allows us to use wood while preserving forests without harming their ecological, social and economic functions. Sustainably produced wood contributes to carbon sequestration, both in forests and in buildings.

HOME for the future

The course was developed as part of the HOME for the future project. This ambitious project, initiated by FSC® Netherlands and FSC® Denmark, aims to increase the amount of wood from sustainably managed forests used in social housing construction. The project includes several activities: improving the position of wood as a building material in legislation, increasing knowledge about building with wood in the construction industry and producing life cycle analyses (LCAs) and product maps (EPDs) to be added to the National Environmental Database. Furthermore, tools are being developed to better identify the cost and climate benefits of building with wood. HOME for the future is part of the EU LIFE program.

Course syllabus

  • We will explore the importance of shifting to a (more) timber and bio-based construction industry, within the larger societal context of circularity, sustainability and the move toward a ‘post-carbon’ building sector. You will learn how this includes the entire value chain from sustainable forestry to the socio-cultural and economic aspects of policies that hinder, or favor, timber construction and innovation.

  • We will explain the relevance of assessing the environmental impacts of building with timber vs. conventional materials, with a method called Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). You will learn the general framework of LCA, and compare results based on an illustrative case study assessing alternative materials. We will then focus on the comparison of carbon footprints, end-of-life scenarios, and the importance of prolonging product lifespans.

  • You will embark on a journey through the evolution of timber construction, starting with the history of timber products, from traditional sawn timber to modern CNC-milling. We will delve into the basic properties of wood, its structural capacity, fire safety and seismic resistance, and its impact on acoustics and well-being.

  • Journey through the intricacies of timber structures and components, traversing from basic log construction to advanced space module methodologies. We will define building heights and explore the diverse timber building typologies ranging from low-rise, mid-rise, refurbishments and topping-ups, to the ambitious high-rise and tall timber constructions. Concluding the module, you will encounter hybrid timber systems: both those combining varied wood species into harmonious structures and the innovative composite concrete floor systems setting the standard for multi-storey edifices.

  • You will delve into the historical evolution of joinery culture and the crucial role it plays in timber construction. You will explore timber façades and discover the products that shape their beauty. Water management strategies, the anatomy of skins and the thermal envelope will become your ally as you understand its impact on timber façades. Prefabrication of components and assembly with elements will unlock new possibilities for efficient construction, adaptability and values for change. And as we look to the future of timber construction, you will be inspired by innovations yet to come.

  • We will explore the prefabrication potential of building in mass timber. You will go on a short (virtual) tour through a conditioned manufacturing hall to understand how activities associated with construction can easily be moved away from building sites, and why they should be.

Instructors

  • Arjan van Timmeren

    Arjan van Timmeren is full professor at Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment, Department Urbanism, Environmental Technology & Design, Academical Portfolio Director ‘Sustainable Cities’ for TU Delft Extension School for continuing education and Principal Investigator at ‘AMS Institute’ (Institute for ‘Advanced Metropolitan Solutions’) in Amsterdam.

    His work focuses on sustainable development in the built environment, with emphasis on Environmental Technology, Urban Metabolism, Circular and Biobased Economy, Urban Climate and environmental behaviour.

    Arjan leads several (inter)national projects and has seats in (inter)national steering groups, quality teams and scientific boards

  • Gilbert Koskamp

    Gilbert Koskamp is a lecturer at Delft University of Technology (NL) in the Department of Architectural Engineering and Technology, a research tutor at the Academy of Architecture in Amsterdam, and a co-founder and partner at Ssse | OvO Associates Architects.

    He was raised in Switzerland where he studied technical engineering and architecture and worked as an architect in the Saint Gallen Area, he has been located in Amsterdam since 1995. He is focused on researching the design of timber construction and is a founder of TREE_TimberREengineered, as well as the initiator and coordinator of Touching Cellulose, a high-end timber lecture series.

  • Pierre Jennen

    Pierre Jennen is a staff member at Delft University of Technology in the Department of Architectural Engineering and Technology, and a co-founder and partner at Ssse | OvO Associates Architects. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment at Delft University of Technology where, in 2014, he initiated the wood studio in the Master 1 course.

    He is also a contributor to TREE_TimberREengineered and to the Touching Cellulose high-end timber lecture series.

  • Pablo van der Lugt

    Pablo van der Lugt is research fellow for biobased building at AMS Institute and Delft University of Technology in the Department of Urbanism, in addition to his role as senior consultant in the mass timber and engineered bamboo industry.

    He obtained his PhD from TU Delft on the environmental impact of building materials with a focus on biobased building materials. He is an expert on the biobased circular construction economy. He regularly gives keynote lectures on this topic and has written internationally acclaimed articles and books, including Tomorrow’s Timber and Booming Bamboo.

  • Elizabeth Migoni Alejandre

    Elizabeth Migoni Alejandre is a researcher at Delft University of Technology in the Department of Environmental Technology and Design. Her doctoral studies, conducted at Leiden University, have focused on environmental sciences, working on the connection of ecosystem services and life cycle assessment.

    Her current research explores the environmental implications of biomaterials in the built environment to support sustainable urban transitions.

The Sustainable Building with Timber course was developed by TU Delft's Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment and the TU Delft Circular Built Environment Hub, in collaboration with VIA University College Denmark, FSC® Netherlands, Ssse OvO associates architects, Lister Buildings, AMS Institute, Material District geWOONhout, Waechter Waechter and TU Darmstadt.