A novel mass timber system developed in New South Wales is pitching itself as an affordable, low‑carbon alternative to concrete and steel, a potential game‑changer for low-carbon construction in the Global South, where cities are now sinking under the weight of their own concrete.
Speaking exclusively to Wood Central’s Jason Ross, Pat Thornton, inventor and developer of the Loggo building system, said the new technology is designed to convert waste peeler cores and small‑diameter plantation thinnings into structural engineered wood products. “This will be an awakening, at least that there is a genuine low‑cost alternative to both concrete and steel as well as other burgeoning timber systems in ‘affordable accommodation,” Thornton said. “We are ‘new kids on the block’ capable of producing genuine lower‑cost ‘affordable accommodation buildings.”
“This is a very efficient way of using small diameter logs and engineering them into mid-rise to high-rise building systems,” Thornton said. “We make cassettes first and then lower them onto the connections. We take throw-away fibre, and then recycle it and rebirth it into the built environment.”
Loggo’s 20-to-1 scale exhibit was showcased at the World Conference on Timber Engineering in Brisbane earlier this year, where a new suite of engineered wood products — including I-Log beams, Lamilog bearers and also Lamicolumns and their connections — was demonstrated in an active housing‑scale module. Wood Central understands that the display used Lamicolumns built from 90 mm Pinus radiata peeler cores, forming a dismantlable 2.4m. x 2.4m structure. “It’s all the confined space we could have,” Thornton said.
“This was representative of possible Loggo cassettes from 2.4m wide and up to 6m long,” he said. “With an ideal off-site pre-fabbed size of 3m wide (the transport limit) and a 4.8m long column and cassette system that illustrated its rapid deployment onsite, all fit for purpose with earthquake and cyclone restraint detailing, and mid‑rise floor continuity.”
Thornton said the system is backed by extensive intellectual property. “Having amassed more than 70 worldwide patents, trademarks and know‑how over the last 15 years, Loggo has become the only ‘conceptual pioneer’ in establishing viable product and market solutions for hardwood plantation ‘thinnings’ and small diameter logs,” he said, before adding that the Loggo team is now actively seeking partnerships with vertically integrated manufacturers and supply‑chain partners who can scale production and capture downstream value. “Loggo is open for partnerships from any source,” he added.
The team behind the project includes engineering and research collaborators from the University of Queensland, whilst Peter Blair, project director at Structured Project Management, delivered a future-forward session on the second day of the conference. In addition, the project has also produced 3D modelling software intended to enable architects and builders to scale designs from desktop models to three-storey walk-ups, a response to concerns that overly conservative design is inflating material use in mass timber buildings.
Let the engineers do the maths!
Thornton made a stark comparison between Loggo and cross-laminated timber. “If we built the same 15-unit, 3-storey walk-up from CLT, we’d need to use more than 190 cubic metres of timber,” he said. “The 3D model suggests that we would use 41 cubic metres of Loggo timber. If that’s not food for thought, what is? We’ll let the engineers do the maths!”
Beyond the technical claims, Thornton said Loggo stacks up with a strong commercial case, projecting strong returns for manufacturers. “Just on manufacturing alone, our projected ROI is over 100%,” he said, urging prospective partners — particularly those with access to durable hardwoods and vertical value chains — to test and scale the system under controlled pilot programmes.
