TMB

Introduction

Over the last 2 months, RSE have been excited to take delivery of the first m-Eco Building? Timber Modular Build (TMB) kiosks to our Dalgety Bay chemical dosing facility for offsite fit-out. Both kiosks will be installed on Scottish Water sites later in 2024.

The RSE TMB are eco-friendly enclosures made from sustainably grown and sourced timber within the UK, designed as a replacement for traditional materials like steel and GRP. By utilizing this innovative and sustainable material, the TMB significantly reduces embodied carbon whilst maintaining the highest quality standards.

Design

The TMB has a hybrid cross laminated timber and glue-laminated timber core structure, which possesses an embodied carbon value of 0.45 kgCO2e/kg. The TMB combines innovative engineering solutions with fabrication, with an emphasis on modular and offsite build methods. The TMB sizes available are from 3m x 3m x 3m to 4.3m (w) x 14.4m (l) x 4.3m (h).

Designing Out Carbon

To develop and design the TMB, carbon footprints have been assessed using Life Cycle Analyses in accordance with ISO14040:2006. The TMB enables even more reductions in embodied carbon in the associated civil & groundworks because it only requires a reinforced concrete plinth in exceptional circumstances.

Key Features & Benefits

Modular Build Solution

Supports off-site modular build and modern methods of construction.

Precision cutting and assembly reducing material use and minimising waste

Modular construction minimises on-site activity

Large CO2 reduction compared to traditional build methods

Substitutes traditional build materials such as plastic with engineered timber

Reduction in embodied CO2 exceeds 80% compared to traditional kiosks – the TMB exceeds net zero in some configurations if sequestered carbon is offset

TMB provides excellent insulation with a U-value (in W/m2K) always less than 1.1

Fire Resistant

Complies with fire safety legislation and guidance

Surpasses fire performance standards for similar steel framed and GRP structures

TMB panels exceed fire building regulations for 60-minute fire integrity tests and certified fire resistance performance of 78 minutes to BS 476-20

Structural Longevity

TMB longevity meets and exceeds industry standards

Exceeds 25-year design life of traditional enclosures, with assurance built in

Short Lead Times

Current lead times for the TMB are in the region of 12 - 16 weeks following drawing approval, which is a significant improvement of alternative materials of construction.

Conclusion

All things considered, the TMB is a truly market-disrupting product that RSE have developed which will serve to complement our offsite-built, modular product range, especially on technologies such as chemical dosing.

Particularly as water companies seek to realise cost efficiency going into AMP8, whilst at the same time maintaining high productivity and project completion to conform with regulatory expectations, it is only through carbon-lean, offsite built, standardised products that these challenges will be met.

RSE is challenging its clients to consider a modern, factory-led productisation over a traditional construction approach to dealing with such challenges - for example, with P removal programmes.