Leading Hardwood Manufacturer of Timber Windows » Timba News

Timber Windows supports World Environment Day

Petrina — Wed, 16 May 2012 01:12:05 +0000

In association with the City of Moonee Valley, major sponsor Timber Windows will be supporting and contributing to an educational day at Afton Street Wetland on the banks of the Maribyrnong River in Moonee Valley. The event is on between 10am and 1pm and plays host to four local schools who will be taking part in a range of educational activities about the natural environment, bio diversity, wetland ecology, water quality, planting, dreamtime stories and sustainable building and forestry.

The Afton Street Conservation Park Wetland is a beautiful spot, tucked away at the end of The Boulevard as it turns into Afton Street. The site and surrounding Maribyrnong Valley Parklands are home to several species of birds and it features the occasional visits by swamp wallabies, dolphins and seals and importantly helps protect and improve the water quality of the Maribyrnong River. Timba Windows is proud to support educational activities about such an important environmental wetland, and it’s right here on our doorstep.

Timber windows and doors for Mt Macedon home

Petrina — Thu, 03 May 2012 00:02:40 +0000

Timber windows and doors for Mt Macedon home installed.

Recently we photographed a home being built in the small township of Mount Macedon, just west out of Melbourne. The property lies at the base of a mountain peak, famous in the area and known too as Mount Macedon.

The area has a number of historical grand Victorian homes with exquisite English gardens that are most attractive in autumn when the leaves of the many deciduous trees transform into bright and blazing colours. This too was the atmosphere on this property. Although the home is not complete, the surroundings boasted vast fields of green, uniformed patterns of trees lining the quiet inbound street and native grasses softening the many lines in the landscape.

The purpose built timber windows and doors take full advantage of the marvellous views from inside this this vast scale home. Made and supplied in our Keilor factory, the 40 or so windows (can’t say exactly how many but it was lots!), that adorn the home’s exterior are a mixture of double hung, fixed and awning styles and help add a sense of historical charm to to this home.

Timber as the preferred material choice

Petrina — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 07:36:54 +0000

Timber windows and doors have been used effectively in Australian building since the first colonial building and now sustainable design is changing perceptions of acceptable window and door performance. Timber units are now being recognised as the superior solution.

Driven by concerns over climate change and prompted by increasing government regulation, building design professionals are seeking to reduce the impacts of their design decisions on the broad environment. In their designs, they are increasingly using preferably renewable resources and materials in solutions that improve energy efficiency, conserve water and provide healthy indoor environments.

This change is having an impact on the selection and performance requirements for windows and doors. Demand is increasing for high performance windows and doors that contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and energy use in building. Careful window and door selection is seen as a means of limiting demand for artificial light and air-conditioning, providing building occupants with suitable daylight and accessible ventilation control. To reduce the materials impact on the environment, designers are choosing a renewable material that is predominately carbon neutral and preferably from sustainably managed and certified resources, timber.

There are six fundamental advantages to selecting timber windows and doors for residential, commercial and other building applications.

1. They are attractive. They look and feel right. Those encountering wood in a building understand its origins, its connection to the natural world, and its history of use.

2. They are available in a wide range of designs, colours and finishes. Timbers flexibility in design, allows innovation and creativity.

3. They are more thermally efficient. Timber acts as an insulator to reduce the thermal bridge that windows or doors inevitably create between the internal and external environment.

4. They are economic, have a long service life and can be refreshed or repaired efficiently.

5. They are made from sustainable and renewable materials. Wood can be regrown on a continual and sustainable basis.

6. They store atmospheric carbon. The growth of a tree absorbs carbon, which is stored in a timber throughout its service life. Emissions from using high-energy materials are avoided.

Article from the Window And Door Industry Council (WADIC) Timber windows and doors and design specification manual

Lift and Slide Doors

Petrina — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 05:48:10 +0000

At Timba Windows we are working closely with Lincoln Sentry to provide the best window and door solutions possible. We are very excited with our new line of energy efficient timber Lift and Slide doors.

Conventional sliding doors tend to drag across the seal causing friction and noise but the Lift and Slide door systems separate the sliding and sealing/locking actions from each other thus allowing the door panels to be lifted above the track and seals to slide (roll) easily when opening or closing the door. Such an easy smooth effortless action, it has to be seen to be believed. The ease in operation of even the largest, heaviest panels is the result of the perfect interplay of running carriages, gear and lever handle. In the locked position the sliding door drops down onto the sill providing a superior seal from water, draught, dust and noise.

Panel sizes of up to 2.8m high and 3.3m wide means that doors can be built to the size of an entire wall making them the ideal choice for maximising the view and bringing the outside in. The wide panels also have a reduced need for vertical panels so you get a big expanse of glass for that uninterrupted view. Our timber Lift and Slide system is the perfect energy efficient solution incorporating insulating double-glazed glass, superior weather seals, energy efficient thresholds at the base of the door and a natural timber finish.

Tilt and Turn Timber Windows

Noel — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 02:18:54 +0000

Timba Windows now supplies the efficient Tilt and Turn window system. We are working closely with leading trade distributor Lincoln Sentry who are, amongst other things, the sole importers of Gu Tilt&Turn hardware. Tilt and Turn windows can be custom made for any size space with an action that opens inwards and is operated with only one handle for an easy to use 3 position operation. Brilliant! The window fully opens inwards like a door or for ventilation, the window tilts at the top allowing for a more gentle air flow. When closed a modular central locking system provides fantastic security and an efficient climate control is a matter of course with the air tight triple weather strip system. Glass can be cleaned from inside with safety which is a bonus for those living in multi storey buildings. This beautifully designed and manufactured window performs perfectly every time.

Timba Windows Tilt and Turn Windows – utilising state-of-the-art GU hardware technology from Europe combined with the beautiful finish of Australian natural timber.

Function, form and design

Plenty of scope for design creativity due to floor-to-ceiling sash rebate heights up to 2800mm;
Vision not distracted by ugly hinges, just the handle is visible;
Barrier free balcony and patio door designs are possible;
Sound proof characteristics, improved window tightness, great energy saving measures;
Technically perfect hardware system, proven guaranteed quality and performance.

Windows, doors and door frames for RMIT University Swanston Academic Building

Noel — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 02:05:46 +0000

The Swanston Academic Building (SAB) is RMIT’s biggest investment in a teaching and learning facility to date and the largest construction project that RMIT has ever undertaken. Designed by Lyons Architects the building will cover a Gross Floor Area (GFA) of 35,000 square metres, will be 11 storeys and will form a significant part of RMIT University’s “Swanston Street precinct.” The Swanston Academic Building is aiming to achieve a Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) 5-star Green Star Education Rating that signifies “Australian Excellence” in environmentally sustainable design.

The Swanston Academic Building occupies the vacant Swanston Street car park next to the Oxford Hotel, on the corner of Swanston and A’Beckett Streets, and the former site of RMIT Building 48, at 449 Swanston Street, which was demolished in 2009. This new building is an impressive undertaking and Timba Windows are proud to be contracted to supply the internal windows, doors and door frames, glazing and wood paneling. Material specifications have strict design and environmental considerations, with all timber specified to be either re-used, post-consumer recycled or Forest Stewardship Council Certified timber. The certified timber we chose to use is Tasmanian Oak, made to order and painted in Japan Black and satin clear.

Building key features are:

35,000sqm of floor space and 11 levels (including basement)
12 lecture theatres, 64 teaching spaces and 10 specialist learning venues for the whole RMIT community
New home for College of Business students and staff
Two-storey cantilevered student portal that overhangs Swanston Street
Nine additional double-height student portals for study and recreation, with landscaped indoor gardens and curated spaces for public art
An innovative mix of teaching and office space on all levels of the building to encourage more interaction between staff and students
Retail outlets on Swanston, A’Beckett and Stewart Streets

High-performance facade

The high-performance facade includes external sun shading, internal blinds and double-glazed units.

Central Plant
Chilled water for the Swanston Academic Building will be sourced from a chilled water plant room that is located on the roof of RMIT’s Building 12, opposite SAB on Swanston Street on the City Campus. This option is more energy- efficient than the installation of a localised chilled water plant on the roof of SAB.

Water conservation
Rainwater and grey water collection and reuse for toilet flushing and irrigation. Greywater is non-industrial wastewater generated from domestic activities that include dish washing, laundry and bathing. This water collection will reduce the landscaping demand for potable water (water that is safe for drinking) by at least 90%.

Water efficient fittings and fixtures
The fixtures and flow rates for toilet flushing and hand wash basins have 6-Star Water Efficiency and Standard (WELS) ratings. WELS is an Australian Government labelling scheme that is designed to help Australian businesses and households save water.

Demand-based Control Ventilation (DCV)
DCV maintains proper ventilation and improves air quality while saving energy. DCV reduces the total outdoor air supply to an indoor space during peri- ods of less occupancy. Carbon Dioxide Gas (CO2) sensors control the amount of ventilation for the actual number of occupants.

Displacement ventilation in lecture theatres
Displacement ventilation systems supply air directly to the occupied area of a venue. This system is used for ventilation and cooling of large high spaces, such as lecture theatres, where energy can be saved if only the occupied zone is treated rather than trying to control the conditions in the entire space.

Active Chilled Beams
Active Chilled Beams will be installed in cellular and open-plan office spaces. Active Chilled Beam technology is a building conditioning system that uses convection and water that is transferred through a hydronic water loop system – to efficiently move energy throughout a building for the purposes of heating and cooling. The chilled beam units are linear in form, giving the appearance of a beam. Active Chilled Beams are known for energy- efficient, comfortable, quiet operation in a robust system and low maintenance requirements.

Energy efficiency lighting
Occupancy sensors – also known as ultrasonic switchers – activate lighting when movement is detected in a room. The lights remain turned on for as long as there is movement in the room. Lights automatically switch off when rooms are vacated.

Metering (water and electricity)
Building Management System integrated water metres will be installed throughout the Swanston Academic Building to allow remote monitoring of water consumption. Energy metres will also be installed throughout SAB to allow remote monitoring of electricity and gas consumption of electrical and mechanical services.

Low–Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) paints
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) refer to organic chemical compounds that have significant vapor pressures and can affect the environment and human health. Low VOC paints will be used throughout the Swanston Academic Building.

Carbon pollution and Wood as a building material

Noel — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 23:20:57 +0000

Going to air under the new Planet Ark Environmental Edge brand, a new television commercial highlights the fact that wood stores carbon and that this is an environmental positive. Australia’s native forests, timber plantations and wood products are net absorbers of greenhouse gases, sequestering 56.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide in 2005, reducing Australia’s total greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 10%.

Presented by award-winning architect and host of Grand Designs Australia, Peter Maddison, the commercial was shot in Kangaroo Ground outside Melbourne where a home under construction featured recycled bridge timbers, and in suburban Kew using a finished house designed by Vibe Design Group.

The spot was directed by Rebecca Gilling and produced by Image Control for Planet Ark.

Wood – a low carbon footprint solution

Noel — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 08:26:31 +0000

Article from Ecos Magazine, A CSIRO publication

With the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warning that at least 60 per cent reductions in greenhouse gas emissions will be needed to stabilise emissions at double pre-industrial levels, organisations across a range of industry sectors are now considering where such deep cuts can be achieved at a profit. There are some surprisingly simple and practical options already being successfully employed. How many consumers in Australia, for example, realise that using more sustainable plantation timber products significantly reduces your carbon footprint?

Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) studies show that plantation timber products have a far less harmful ‘footprint’ than many other materials in terms of greenhouse gas emissions and embodied energy. If sourced from sustainably managed plantations, timber products can significantly reduce the greenhouse gas emissions impact from activities such as building, and products such as furniture, entertainment units, flooring materials, window frames and playground and park seats, to name a few. In fact, LCA studies show that of all the materials considered, plantation timber has the lowest environmental impact compared to other options. Why is that? Let’s consider how plantation timber performs in terms of greenhouse gas emissions when compared to other materials in a few key consumer markets. Within the building sector, a comparison of three houses established by researchers1 calculated that a predominantly steel house contains 553 GJ of embodied energy, whilst a predominantly concrete house contains 396 GJ. A predominantly timber house contains just 232 GJ.

Similarly, recent research 2 made a comparative assessment of steel, concrete and wood building material and found that wood had the lowest embodied energy. Also, the higher the embodied energy of the building, the more air toxins (such as carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide, particulates, nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons) were released into the atmosphere. Steel and concrete buildings are therefore much worse in this respect.

Flooring is a significant market globally, and LCA studies of three different types of material for flooring (solid wood, linoleum and vinyl/PVC) have been assessed. 3 The functional unit was defined as 1 m2 of flooring and the considered lifetimes of each of the products were based on real world data of average lifetimes: 25 years for linoleum, 20 years for PVC and 40 years for wood. The wood flooring was found to consume the lowest amount of energy in manufacturing (electricity and fossil fuel), followed by linoleum and PVC.

By comparing global warming potentials of these flooring materials, this study showed that PVC had the highest global warming potential (GWP) of 4.2 kg/m2. This was 2.5 times greater than linoleum (1.6 kg/m2), while the GWP of wood was negligible (0.42 kg/m2). In other measures – such as acidification potential and photo- chemical ozone creation potential – wood was found again to be the best performer.

LCA studies of window frames again showed the same trend for wood, compared with aluminium and PVC, in terms of global warming potential, acidification potential, eutrophication potential and photochemical ozone creation potential. 4But does this footprint benefit extend to the use of wood components in particular products? Absolutely. LCA studies looking at the effect of including more wood in entertainment units for TVs and DVD players, for example, found that wood reduces the overall environmental load of the product. 5LCA studies of office furniture suggest there is great potential for timber furniture, or at least office furniture with higher timber content, to make a significant difference to greenhouse gas emissions. Furniture (particularly in the office environment) can contribute a surprising amount to the overall environmental impact of a building. A number of analyses of office and residential buildings show that the embodied energy in the structure of buildings is significant. 6 But a Forest and Wood Products Research and Development Corporation 2003 7 report highlights that ‘When the life span of the building is taken into account, the embodied energy from the office furniture, which is replaced many times over the life span of the building, actually becomes the most important item in the life cycle of the building. 8 In fact, McCoubrie demonstrates that office furniture, compared to other elements in the building, accounts for 31 per cent of the life cycle energy of a medium-rise Melbourne office building over a 40-year period. 9 Frequent replacement of the office furniture was found to be the cause of the high percentage of embodied energy.’

However, the report points out that McCoubrie’s model does not account for any reselling of used furniture for second- hand use, therefore re-using furniture in addition to increasing wood content would reduce the energy implications over the life span of the building even further.

But the conclusions of these LCA studies – and thinking on the beneficial effects of plantation forestry – recently appeared to have been dealt a blow by an article in the international science journal Nature. Frank Keppler and colleagues reported for the first time that plants can directly emit methane, a significant green- house gas that plays a central role in atmospheric oxidation chemistry and affects stratospheric ozone and water vapour levels. 10 An opinion piece by David Lowe in the same issue of Nature stated ‘we now have the spectre that new forests might increase global warming through methane emissions rather than decrease it by sequestering CO2’, which has sparked significant interest from the media.

The authors of the paper itself soon responded 11 to what they saw as misrepresentation and misreporting of their results by Nature’s opinion article and other media. In the clarification they said ‘these estimates show that methane emissions by plants may slightly diminish the effect of reforestation programs. However, the climatic benefits gained through carbon sequestration by reforestation far exceed the relatively small negative effect, which may reduce the carbon uptake effect by up to four per cent. Thus, the potential for reduction of global warming by planting trees is most definitely positive.’

In Australia, Ensis scientists have tested this assumption, using Keppler’s methodology as reported in Nature, by comparing estimates of methane emissions for radiata pine forests with the amounts of carbon stored, to determine the overall effect. 12 They found that the average amount of methane emitted would offset about five per cent of the carbon dioxide stored by trees in terms of its effect in contributing to global warming.

In further evidence of the benefits of plantation timber to greenhouse gas reduction, world-first studies by the Australian CRC for Greenhouse Accounting show that timber and paper products could be significantly better carbon stores than previously thought. Until recently it was assumed that it took about 10 years in landfill for timber and paper products to decompose and release their carbon emissions. But the research by the CRC showed that timber that had been in landfill for 46 years had only lost between 1.4 to 3.5 per cent of its carbon. Paper, likewise, had lost very little of its carbon over 20–50 year periods in landfill, significantly altering the thinking on carbon storage times.

Similarly, in the past, scientists have assumed that the rate of decomposition of leaf litter and the roots of felled trees was rapid, thus quickly releasing stored carbon. But, again the CRC for Greenhouse Accounting’s research shows that the actual rate of decomposition is orders of magnitude less than thought previously.

These outcomes underline that further research is now needed on this critical carbon accounting issue by other nations, in order to establish whether the same results occur under different local conditions. They also reinforce how timber products from plantations can help to appreciably reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Buchanan AH and Honey BG (1994) Energy and carbon dioxide implications of building construction. Energy and Building 20, 205–217.
Glover J (2001) Which is better? Steel, concrete or wood. A comparison of assessments on three building materials in the housing sector.Fourth year thesis, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Sydney. (In this work, the comparison of embodied energy was derived from data obtained by Lawson B (1996) Building Materials Energy and the Environment. Towards Ecologically Sustainable Development. The Royal Australian Institute of Architects, and The Canadian Wood Council (1994–2000) Life cycle analysis for residential buildings. Canadian Wood Council Technical Bulletin No. 5.)
Jo?nsson A, Tillman A and Svensson T (1997) Life cycle assessment of flooring materials – case study. Building and Environment 32(3), 245.
Findings of Glover J, (2001) and Jo?nsson A, et al (1997) summarized in this article are based on the research presented in Taylor J,Langenberg, K V, (2003) Review of the Environmental Impact of Wood Compared with Alternative Products Used in the Production ofFurniture. Forest and Wood Products Research and Development Corporation (FWPRDC).
Nedermark R (1998) Ecodesign at Bang & Olufsen. Product Innovation and Eco-efficiency. Twenty-three Industry Efforts to reach the Factor 4. (Eds J Klostermann and A Tukker). Kluwer Academic Publishers.
Goverse T, Hekkert M, Groenewegen P, Worrell E and Smits R (2001) Wood innovation in the residential construction sector; opportunities and constraints. Resources, Conservation and Recycling 34, 53. Harris D (1999) A quantitative approach to the assessment of the environmental impact of building materials. Building and Environment 34, 751. Cole R and Kernan P (1996) Life-cycle energy use in office buildings. Building and Environment 31, 307. Chen T, Burnett J and Chau C (2001) Analysis of embodied energy use in the residential building of Hong Kong. Energy 26 (4), 323. McCoubrie A and Treloar G (1998) Life-cycle embodied energy in office furniture. In Proceedings of embodied energy – The current state of play, pp. 113–118, Deakin University, Geelong.
Taylor J, Langenberg K V, (2003) Review of the Environmental Impact of Wood Compared with Alternative Products Used in the Production of Furniture. Forest and Wood Products Research and Development Corporation (FWPRDC).
Goverse T, Hekkert M, Groenewegen P, Worrell E and Smits R (2001) Wood innovation in the residential construction sector; opportunities and constraints. Resources, Conservation and Recycling 34, 53.
McCoubrie A and Treloar G (1998) Life-cycle embodied energy in office furniture. In Proceedings of embodied energy – The current state of play, pp. 113–118, Deakin University, Geelong.
Keppler F, Hamilton J, Brab M, Ro?ckmann, T (2006) Methane emissions from terrestrial plants under aerobic conditions. Nature 439, 187.
www.greenhouse.crc.org.au/crc/research/methane-from-plants/maxplanck.pdf
http://www.ensisjv.com/Default.aspx?PageContentID=736&tabid=318

Air seals for sliding and bi-fold timber doors

Noel — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 00:42:43 +0000

Air seal gaps in exterior timber sliding and bi-fold doors can be problematic, especially older type hardware systems that may be wearing. There can be a number of issues that cause air leaks, the most common being a gap between the end that should overlap the inside edge when shut. Warping of older hardwood over time can cause these gaps to open up and allow air to penetrate easily. A renewal or reinstatement of a foam type stick on seal will help, or if the gap is at the strike end it is also possible to plane straight the door edge so that a flat seal is obtained.

With Winter upon us and energy bills set to increase it is perhaps time look at the alternatives. Timba Windows manufacture doors made from kiln dried hardwood from Australian native plantation timbers ensuring superior air seal over the life of the joinery. Modern high quality hardware used also has better wear properties including top hung sliding mechanisms and brush type air seals on bifolds.

Our hardware is manufactured by Brio® Australia. Brio® is an innovative sliding and folding door hardware manufacturer – a leader in design and quality.

Custom reproduction double hung sash windows in American Ash

Noel — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 06:34:45 +0000

We produce many reproduction windows and doors and one of our jobs in production is a 90 year old set of double hung sash windows for a single fronted terrace house in Moonee Ponds that was built around 1920. Age has wearied these windows and they are beyond repair but the owners were keen to retain the original feel of the house so re-manufacturing was the best option. The individually matched timber profile ensures a perfect match to the original period style and they operate with a traditional pulley and sash mechanism. Specifically hand crafted and built by our master-joiner Rob, these windows are made from specially imported thermally modified timber known as American Ash and unlike the originals will have a perfect seal to keep extreme weather elements outside.

Scope of works
Remove existing window
Howard up existing openings
Return to factory for reproduction work
Manufacture new with double glazing
Return windows to site
Install on site
Supply and install new architraves and trims to match existing
Clean up and removal of rubbish