Timber construction in Europe

In contrast to steel and concrete construction, carpenters' and timber construction associations on the European market still lack a sufficiently powerful lobby. In the face of different national standards there was no common language, not to mention reliable regulations applicable for the entire timber construction industry in Europe. The "Comité Européen de Normalisation"/ CEN (European Committee for Standardisation) has been working on a common set of EU standards for forty years now. Its subgroups, so-called "technical committees" - eighteen concerning timber construction alone - often develop standards that do not sufficiently consider the specific characteristics of the various traditions in timber construction in Europe. Against this background, carpenters' and timber construction associations from Germany, Austria, Luxembourg and South Tyrol joined to form the "European Federation of Timber Construction" (EFTC) almost ten years ago. The non-profit association based in Luxembourg aims to pave a common way into the future of the European timber construction. France is the youngest member of the EFTC. Italy is connected to the association via South Tyrol and Great Britain enjoys observer status. In addition to a representing the interests of EFTC members in Brussels, the association has set itself further goals including fostering relations between the individual national and regional timber construction associations with the aim of exchanging experiences. Research and development as well as the quality as a concept shall be promoted. Within the basic vocational and further training, the EFTC wants to increase the exchange of apprentices; information and work events or professional competitions for carpenters are intended to supplement these efforts. Meanwhile a specialist team, which represents the core of the EFTC beside the general meeting and the committee, endeavours to design and implement the new EU standards. For this reason, there is a database containing essential innovations of the rule book and a technical dictionary, featuring about 10,000 carpenter- specific terms for translation into four languages (German, French, Italian and English). In addition, the technical terms are explained with a view to EU standardisation. The EFTC wants to promote the application of state-of-the-art communication technology in individual companies. In this matter the internet plays an important role. Companies that are present on the internet offering their range of products and services have definite competitive advantages. Detailed quotes may also be sent to prospective customers further away. This technical possibility goes along with the tendency to advertise public building plans all over Europe. In doing so the EFTC sees a great opportunity to promote timber as a building material as an alternative to steel and concrete so that it may gain greater recognition in Europe.

Besides having developed the technical dictionary and the database NORMDAT, which are an increasingly important tool for European carpenter and timber construction businesses, the EFTC was also successful in its other fields of. Thus it has become more and more known, which has led to an ever increasing interest, also in countries that are not yet members of the asssociation. At the International Timber Construction Fair in Klagenfurt/Austria it was decided to grant Switzerland observer status. Furthermore, Switzerland is going to organise the "European Professional Competition for Carpenters" in 2002. It was also decided to apply for admission into NORMAPME (European Office of Crafts and Small and Medium Sized Enterprises for Standardization), it is one of EFTC's goals to increase its influence on the European standardisation process. The next general meeting of the EFTC will be held within the framework of the "2nd European Timber Construction Day" in Leipzig, on 29th April 1999.