When a forward-thinking sawmill and a renowned architect come together to build one of the Highlands’ biggest timber structures, who do they turn to?
Gaspard Meric and the team at Eco Frame: the north of Scotland’s premier eco builders.
Planning a Sustainable Sawmill
Expansion was always on the cards for Logie Timber, a sustainability-focused sawmill on the Logie Estate, near Forres. With demand rising and the production line unable to keep up, the firm needed to increase its capacity with the introduction of a new saw line.
Having engaged leading architects and design-for-manufacture-and-assembly consultants at MAKAR to design a structure to house it, Logie Timber co-founder Alec Laing said that the building was a statement of intent: “As a sawmill we are all about using sustainable materials. These trees grow around us, and we were keen to use them to show just what is possible with timber.
“Our new sawmill building is more than just a place for cutting wood – it is an expression of who we are, what we have achieved, and the possibilities that lie ahead for our business and our clients.”
As main contractor, MAKAR drew up plans and engineering specifications for the new building – managing the project from the ground up, and ensuring all consents and warrants were in place. Then it was time to hand over to the team at Eco Frame to handle fabrication and assembly – but with a short lead time, and the often-harsh Scottish winter fast approaching, it would prove to be a unique project.
Luckily, the team at Eco Frame relishes a challenge!
Enter Eco Frame
“The Logie Timber sawmill took a couple of years to develop,” said Neil Sutherland, director of MAKAR. “The entire thing is fabricated from Douglas fir, which has grown in Scotland for over 300 years. It’s one of the key species used for large buildings.”
By choosing to use timber framing as an alternative to steel, the building’s carbon footprint was significantly reduced – lessening the need for energy-intensive materials like concrete, steel and plastic. Approximately one tonne of CO2 is locked away in a cubic metre of timber – and with the Logie Timber sawmill structure requiring 110 cubic metres, it represents a significant saving for the environment.
Building a timber structure that’s 48m long and 17m wide is no mean feat, even for the most experienced post and beam fabrication and assembly experts. But Gaspard and his team of eight skilled construction professionals took on the project with great enthusiasm.
Neil continued: “Early on, we started working with Eco Frame to move the project along. Gaspard has the experience and skill required to take the engineering and model drawings we produced and develop them further – with little further input required from us or the structural engineer.
“Gaspard and his team did a fantastic job of fabricating and assembling the entire structure. Even in the depths of winter, they never slowed up on site to ensure the building was up and operationally ready as quickly as possible.”
Over the course of 1,200 hours in October and November, the team of eight prefabricated each element of the massive structure in an Invergordon workshop – crafting precisely measured components that would allow on-site construction to progress at speed.
With one of the construction professionals also a qualified yoga instructor, the team even engaged in daily group exercises – which Gaspard believes helped the team cope with the physical and mental demands of such a mammoth build.
On December 12, with six inches of snow on the ground, the timber structure began to take shape on Logie Estate. Despite the challenging weather conditions, Eco Frame had the new building erected in just three weeks – a testament to the hard work and craftsmanship of everyone on the team.
For the team on the ground at Logie Timber, the process couldn’t have gone more smoothly – giving them peace of mind that their new saw line, delivered ahead of schedule, would be protected from the elements.
Alec added: “Working with Eco Frame has been, and continues to be, an enjoyable experience.”
“Gaspard is easy to communicate with and his can-do attitude makes for a smooth project. The experience and attention to detail of the team is evident immediately, and we feel we have received great value for money.”
Legacy of the Logie Timber Sawmill
Eco Frame’s craftsmanship and skill was evident throughout the build – which is why it was fitting that the project was awarded the Frame of the Year Award by The Carpenter’s Fellowship.
Judges commented: “We loved this building as we feel it shows one of the roles of framing in the future of construction.
“So often we see buildings like this made from a steel frame – so this is a really inspirational building. The building is a really huge space, and the frame used Douglas fir – all stored carbon, rather than a steel frame with its huge embodied energy of production.”
And that’s not the project’s only legacy, as Eco Frame continues to collaborate closely with MAKAR and Logie Timber on further projects, spreading the message that timber frame fabrication is a viable solution for commercial buildings.
Neil said: “We do see there’s a market for large timber buildings. The default position in the UK is a steel portal-type approach – but this runs counter to the way things are done in Europe, where it’s not uncommon for large buildings to be made from timber.
“You can’t get to net zero using concrete, steel and plastic. We have to minimise the thoughtless default use of these materials in the delivery of large, non-domestic buildings and we need to make the switch fast.
”What we really need to do is popularise this 21st century post-oil-age solution to commercial buildings.
“Scotland needs to be moving into the area: we have the design, engineering, fabrication and assembly experience to make that happen – along with the natural resources.
“Collaboration is fundamental to great projects being successful. Despite one’s best efforts, there are always challenges that arise that need to be solved with a can-do attitude. This is the measure of a good collaboration
“It’s an attitude, and one that both the teams at Eco Frame and MAKAR exude – this is why and how extraordinary things, like Logie Timber’s sawmill, come about.”
Alec concluded: “I would wholeheartedly recommend working with Eco Frame to anyone that’s looking to build sustainably.
“Eco Frame’s passion for using sustainable materials and methods comes through in their work. It is considered from the outset and is an integral part of their design.”