Month: September 2025

We invite you to take part in a short survey exploring current practices, challenges, and opportunities in hybrid steel–timber construction—particularly steel-framed buildings with timber floors.

The survey takes less than 10 minutes to complete and can be accessed here: Survey Link

This survey is part of a Royal Society-funded collaboration (IES\R1\251042) between the University of Surrey (UK) and the University of British Columbia (Canada). The project aims to capture region-specific insights into design, detailing, and construction, while also developing a shared database of steel–timber floor tests and numerical models. This database will support the creation of future design guidelines for these innovative systems.

The University of British Columbia is a partner of the ARC Advance Timber Hub, contributing to research projects such as:

• Project 1.3: New Hybrid Load Bearing System as an Incremental Step Towards the Adoption of Timber in Buildings

• Project 1.4: Fire Safety Design of Open Plan Timber Compartments

All responses are anonymous. However, participants may choose to leave their email address to receive project updates and a complimentary copy of the recent 300-page state-of-the-art review on steel–timber–(concrete) structures.

If you could also please share this invitation with colleagues who may be interested. Thank you for your time and support in advancing sustainable construction practices.

The ARC Advance Timber Hub congratulates its partner Arup, recently appointed by the Queensland Government to lead the integrated masterplan for the Victoria Park Precinct, a flagship project for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The revitalised precinct will feature the future Brisbane Stadium, a new National Aquatic Centre and the Athletes’ Village, establishing a vibrant destination for sport, recreation and community life. During the Games, Victoria Park will host the opening and closing ceremonies, with the Athletes’ Village accommodating more than 10,000 athletes and officials during the Olympics and over 5,000 during the Paralympics.

Arup & Timber Innovation: From ARC Future Timber Hub to Advance Timber Hub

Beyond their role in sports and precinct infrastructure, Arup has long been engaged in timber research and innovation in Australia. Arup was a formal partner of the ARC Future Timber Hub from 2016 to 2021, contributing to collaborative research into the viability of substituting EWP for steel and concrete in mid-rise buildings to drive down construction costs, improve occupant satisfaction and deliver healthy, low-carbon buildings.

Today, Arup continues that tradition as a partner of the ARC Advance Timber Hub, and are currently involved in 5 projects that are underway at the hub. Their involvement underscores a commitment not just to iconic urban design, but to sustainable, material-led innovation for the built environment.

Image courtesy of the Queensland Government

The ARC Advance Timber Hub is proud to advise that the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services North Coast Regional Headquarters and Maryborough Fire and Rescue Station, which is an exemplar project by The University of Queensland Centre for Future Timber Structures, has been shortlisted for the Built by Nature Prize 2025, celebrating the projects and people driving a global transformation in timber and bio-based construction.

This prize celebrates responsible timber construction around the world, and is open to completed buildings predominantly made of timber and bio-based materials.  “We are honoured to be among the 28 shortlisted projects, selected from nearly 400 applications across 39 countries and jurisdictions”, said Kim Baber, who is the principal architect for the project from Baber Studio and Chief Investigator of the ARC Advance Timber Hub.

The 28 shortlisted projects were assessed against the Principles for Responsible Timber Construction—a common language and global framework to ensure that increased demand for wood is managed responsibly.

These principles are:

-Extending the life of existing buildings
-Accounting for Whole Life Cycle
-Ensuring Sustainable Forest Management
-Maximising the carbon storage potential of wood
-Promoting a timber building bioeconomy

The projects reflect a wide range of typologies—from housing, education, and workplaces to industrial facilities and public infrastructure—demonstrating the diversity and innovation in today’s timber construction sector.

From these projects, six winners and six commendations will be revealed at the Built by Nature Summit in London on 16 October.

Centre for Future Timber Structures

The Centre for Future Timber Structures (CFTS) was established in 2015 through a partnership between the Queensland Government Department of Agriculture & Fisheries (now known as the Queensland Government Department of Primary Industries) and The University of Queensland (UQ). This initiative grew into the Australian Research Council (ARC) Future Timber Hub (2016-2021) and now the ARC Advance Timber Hub (2023 to current).

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services North Coast Regional Headquarters and Maryborough Fire and Rescue Station

The Queensland Fire and Emergency Services North Coast Regional Headquarters and Maryborough Fire and Rescue Station is considered an exemplar project by UQ’s Centre for Future Timber Structures which carried out a full 3D scan of the existing structure bringing a range of intellectual property to the design team.

The principal architect for the project is Kim Baber of Baber Studio.  Mr Baber, was also involved in the project as a Chief Investigator (CI) of the CFTS / ARC Future Timber Hub (representing UQ), and is now a CI for the ARC Advance Timber Hub. As of July 2025 he is now a CI of the ARC Advance Timber Hub, representing Bond University.

Professor Carlo Prato, former Head of the UQ School of Civil Engineering, emphasised during the official opening of the site back in April 2021, how the project embodies the immense potential for success that the CFTS pursues, “I cannot think of a better example of the heights that industry and research institutions can achieve when they join forces to pursue their dreams of making sustainable buildings a reality. And similarly, I cannot think of a better symbol of the importance of having architects and engineers work together to the design of the future of sustainable built environment.”