Low-carbon prefabricated modular construction systems, using prefabricated engineered solid wood
panel construction systems, such as load-bearing cross-laminated timber panels, and ‘design for disassembly’
principles will offer significant opportunities for greenhouse gas emission reduction and waste
avoidance, among other benefits. However, introducing such innovative and sustainable construction
systems to the Australian construction industries and housing markets has its challenges.
This paper explores the opportunities offered by an innovative low carbon construction system using
cross-laminated timber (CLT, also known as cross-lam) panels to improve the design and delivery of urban
infill housing of the Australian construction market. CLT construction has been developed around 1996
in Europe, mainly in Austria and Germany: thick layers of timber boards are glued crosswise in different
directions to increase loadbearing capacity. This article describes a multi-disciplinary research project
into engineered timber panels which aims to transform the Australian construction and development
industry, involving a range of key partners. This project aims to introduce CLT panels as a way to build
with a lightweight prefabricated low-carbon construction system that is advantageous for urban infill
and residential buildings in the range of 4–10 stories height. The challenges, research questions and
advantages of this new engineered timber system are explained, and a research methodology for further
research is presented.