The ARC Advance Timber Hub is proud to celebrate the contribution of Chief Investigator Dr Lisa Ottenhaus from The University of Queensland to the recently published book Holistic Design of Timber Buildings (Springer, 2025). This milestone publication brings together leading international researchers and practitioners to explore new approaches to designing timber buildings that are innovative, sustainable, and future-ready.

Lisa’s expertise in design for disassembly, reuse, and circular construction is showcased in three chapters:

• Disassembly and Reuse in Tall Timber Buildings: Advancing Circular Construction Practices
• Evaluating the Disassembly Potential of Timber Buildings: Development of Calculation Tool and Proof of Concept
• Circulation of Structural Timber: A Review of Opportunities and Challenges

These works highlight the growing importance of designing for adaptability and reuse, providing tools and frameworks that support the circular economy and reduce the environmental footprint of construction.

Reflecting on the journey, Lisa has expressed gratitude to the international network of collaborators who made this work possible, including colleagues across Europe, Australia, and beyond, stating that the project was the result of “many late-night meetings, interesting discussions and ongoing collaborations.”

This achievement aligns strongly with the Advance Timber Hub’s mission to support world-leading research that accelerates timber adoption in the built environment, driving innovative solutions that meet the challenges of climate change and resource efficiency.

The book is freely available online via Springer: Holistic Design of Timber Buildings