If timber engineering events are ceremonies of wood’s ability to meet all construction challenges, then Kevin Ezard is the Master of Ceremonies.
No doubt about it.
After 23 years as helmsman of the Timber Offsite Construction Conference and Exhibition (formerly FRAME Australia), Kevin ‘leaves the bridge’ confident the event will remain on a true course under new flagship, the Timber Development Association.
Kevin has expressed unwavering confidence in CEO Andrew Dunn and his team at TDA.
“Leveraging their extensive expertise and a solid standing in the industry, they are poised to drive the event forward, capitalising on expanding markets and advanced technologies developing in mass wood construction,” Kevin says.
The event this year, again to be staged at the Crown Promenade Melbourne, is scheduled for September 11 and 12.
Kevin’s offsite timber and mass wood event has been in the right place at the right time. The momentum around the building of mid-rise and even taller wooden buildings continues.
Australia is now only second to Canada for the number of tall wooden structures, either already built or on the drawing board.
Many ‘first generation’ wooden buildings were constructed using glulam and mass timber panels such as CLT as the primary construction element. The scenario is now more diverse.
CLT is still, and likely to remain, a central element of tall wooden buildings.
However, new systems based on lightweight framing and other materials, plus prefabricated complex components, are now all part of that mix.
Thousands of visitors over 23 years have gathered at each event to focus on productivity, faster build times and lower costs.
Certainly, new products, building systems, construction technologies and software support have all been canvassed.
But Kevin Ezard notes global efforts to address these issues, and the expansion in material supply and trend, including the much-improved utilisation of wood, have been the singular message.
Continuing the tradition of previous conferences, this year’s event offers a diverse range of session topics featuring world-class speakers.
Attendees can expect in-depth case studies exploring the intricacies of design and construction processes across low-rise, medium, and high-rise building projects.
Moreover, the sessions will explore emerging hybrid and composite building systems trends, integrating timber, concrete, and steel to achieve innovative design solutions.
“By embracing these cutting-edge approaches, the conference aims to progress knowledge and pave the way for future developments in the industry,” said Andrew Dunn, who recently returned from World Conference on Timber Engineering in Oslo, Norway, covered exclusively by Wood Central.
Dunn notes that the growing acceptance of timber and wood buildings again highlights that building design and construction professionals comprised more than half of all attendees at last year’s Melbourne conference.
“With this trend expected to continue, we anticipate an even larger turnout, inviting industry leaders and professionals to further explore the potential of timber building construction,” he said.
Although the lure of the sea tempts this former chair of Boating Victoria and long-time member of the Royal Melbourne Yacht Squadron, we are sure Kevin Ezard and his wife Kati, a valued conference crew member, will find it hard not to berth at the Crown Promenade in September.
For more information about the Timber Offsite Construction 2023 Conference & Exhibition, contact Clive McFarland at Small Talk Events.
