Timber Preservation and sustainable construction in Australia

Abstract

Sustainable development has been described as meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meeting their own needs. (Bruntland 1987) To achieve the sustainable development goal therefore, the maximum performance has to be obtained from existing resources (timber) so that the remaining resource is protected from over-exploitation. Clearly, wood preservation has an important role to play in achieving the longest life from timber and timber products currently going in to service. Australia has a large number of naturally durable timbers and wood preservation systems have evolved to mimic and complement the natural durability of the heartwood of the material being treated. Whilst Australian wood preservative specifications have targeted the biological hazard and not the commodity, recent innovations with organic solvent preservatives have seen new products entering the market for very specific commodities. Consumer and specifier education remain a major issue for the wood preservation industry, even though specification and identification systems have been simplified as much as possible.