E.J. GIBSON and W.T. CURRY
EJ. GIBSON and W.T. CURRY are with the Forest Products Research Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire, England.
ALL COUNTRIES HAVE a housing problem of one sort or another which they never completely solve because construction is unable to keep pace with changes in sociological standards. Requirements for heating, ventilation, sanitation, space and general amenities change rapidly, and houses built now will become inadequate in the future so that there is always a residue of substandard constructions which have to be replaced. At any particular time the minimum standard required in one country may not be acceptable in another. Problems which will arise in promoting the use of a particular material will to some extent depend on this standard, and it is clearly necessary to define what is required in relation to the needs of individual countries or regions.
In countries with an advanced building technology the promotion of wood products in house construction, where the minimum standard required will be high, may well depend on marginal improvements in the efficiency of use. In these countries, however, resources will normally be available to develop such improvements. Establishing a liaison between advanced research centres, therefore, should be only a secondary objective. Such a liaison is highly desirable but there are various associations already concerned with this, most notably the International Union of Forestry Research Associations (IUFRO) where many aspects of structural utilization are covered in the activities of its Division 5. If it is considered that the liaison should be strengthened and more detailed attention given to problems arising in house construction, then IUFRO would provide an appropriate body and the scope of activities of its working parties might be suitably extended to deal with such problems.
At the other end of the scale, where the achievement of high sociological standards is of less immediate concern than the creation of housing units, the problem may simply be to make wood products usable. There will, of course, be areas where requirements lie between these two extremes, and future developments and what is required from research will depend on the area under consideration. As the main objective of the Consultation is to consider how wood and wood products can most effectively contribute to the solution of housing problems in developing countries this section is more concerned with the second situation and with formulating recommendations as to how the more advanced countries can assist developing countries to make use of their timber resources and to facilitate the proper use of wood and wood products in house construction.
In November 1969, a Study Group was convened by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) on "production techniques for the use of wood in housing under conditions prevailing in the developing countries." Its terms of reference were:
To analyse the existing practice in building techniques and to select the most appropriate methods for industrial production and construction of wooden houses in developing countries.To present the role of wood in housing as compared with other building materials and to prepare recommendations which will contribute to the increased use of wood in housing in developing countries.
The Study Group adopted a number of recommendations addressed to international organizations, to governments and public administrations in the developing countries, and to industrialists. These were concerned with the needs for standardization of design, training schemes and fellowships, and the collection and dissemination of existing information. 1
(1UNITED NATIONS INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION. Production techniques for the use of wood in housing under conditions prevailing in developing countries: report of Study Group, Vienna, 17-21 November 1969. New York, United Nations.)
In the developing countries it is undoubtedly true that the full potential of wood and wood products for house construction is not being realized. Economic factors which cannot easily be changed may be contributing to this but improvement should be possible through increased knowledge, training and experience, and by breaking down prejudices against the use of wood. Experience suggests that the problems which stand in the way of the fuller use of wood in housing in these countries are varied and their solution does not always require research in the sense of provision of new information. In some cases the interpretation of existing information and experience to meet local conditions, the conversion of technical data into design or data sheets, or the training of local staff in construction technology with wood may be what is required.
Considerable effort may have to be devoted to identifying these needs in particular regions and countries, and the factors which are actually limiting development will have to be identified. Where these factors are largely technical forest products research laboratories can make a large contribution to their solution. In many cases limiting factors will not be technical but financial or commercial (for example, how large does a wood-processing plant need to be to be viable) and these should also be regarded as relevant to the present discussion.
While other sections may indicate subjects on which further work is desirable, the purpose in this section is to consider the question:" How best to achieve the coordination necessary to harness the knowledge and expertise available in or through research and development organizations. in effective support of desired future developments."
Attempts have been made in the past to coordinate research in subjects allied to building at international level, but these have not been notably successful. The main reason is that national research is determined by national interests and it is unrealistic to expect it to be substantially changed to take account of alien conditions and needs. Nevertheless, the considerable scope of worldwide research on wood must mean that as a result of work already done-even within national constraints- much information of value to developing countries is available. A number of countries are at present operating technical aid programmes, and various projects have been or are being carried out under these which could have a wider interest. How, then, can available expertise be harnessed and information collected, codified or presented in a useful way, and disseminated?
The usual approach is to try and prepare a catalogue or inventory of current projects and resources at the major research centres, and advanced systems of keyword indexing and computer storage are now available for this. Just how valuable this approach would be in the scope of this Consultation must be questioned. First, it is a task which demands active cooperation from the research centres on a continuing basis; second, it is almost impossible to be sufficiently brief and yet adequately descriptive. It is also likely that any one country would be interested in only isolated items in such a catalogue. and there are considerable difficulties in keeping a catalogue up to date.
A "PROBLEMS" APPROACH
An alternative would be to identify specific problems and establish a procedure for finding out if work already done or in hand could contribute to their solution, and organize such further work as might be necessary. A catalogue could then be built up in relation to problems rather than research projects. This approach is likely to be effective if it operates through a unit intermediate between the research centres and builders where builders could apply for guidance or assistance.
There are three main sources, in addition to this Consultation, from which specific problems are likely to emerge and be identified. The most important is obviously from experiences gained in building projects in the developing countries, not only during actual building operations but, equally important, during the planning stage of any new projects. If wood and wood products are to make a growing contribution it is at this latter stage that most information and advice will be required. A retrospective study of the experience gained on selected projects should provide a guide to future requirements, and the work necessary to meet them.
The second source is the research centres themselves' where work on specific projects could identify problems of relevance to areas where the technology of building in wood is not so advanced.
A third source is forest departments, as they will be concerned with the effective utilization of wood from national forests, and countries with large forest resources are most likely to be concerned with developing the use of wood in housing and with the solution of the particular problems involved. Utilization officers in forest departments should be especially well placed to identify what information is required to ensure that wood and wood products are considered in the early stages of planning.
Having identified a problem, the first action would be to consult research centres to find out if the same problem, or a closely allied one, has been or was being investigated. If the problem has been investigated, there may well be a need to produce the information available in a form directly useful to the people who now have to use it. It may be necessary to initiate further work to deal with any outstanding factors or, if no useful information is immediately available, to design a separate project to deal with each problem.
If the skills and resources of established research centres are to be mobilized for this work it will be necessary to have adequate finances available to sponsor it.
TYPES OF PROBLEM
It can be anticipated that the problems which arise will fall into two main categories: materials and building technology.
Under the heading of materials it will obviously be important to pay attention to indigenous species, their availability, conversion, physical and mechanical properties, durability and preservation characteristics, and to their suitability for particular uses. In selected cases it might be worthwhile to explore their suitability for remanufacture into wood products such as plywood, particle board, hardboard and insulating board.
Over the years a large amount of this sort of information has been collected by the major research laboratories and a number of attempts are currently in progress to pool and collate this information, particularly on the properties of timbers from the tropical areas. However, in the present context there are two difficulties: one is the difference in the standard methods adopted by laboratories in different countries which often makes it hard to compare information; the second is that most data will be reported in terms of the intrinsic properties of the timber species themselves and not interpreted in the form in which the building designer needs them. The Timber Technology Group, which existed under the auspices of FAO a few years ago, provided a useful contribution by attempting to formulate standard procedures for evaluating many of the properties mentioned above. There is perhaps a need for this work to be continued and, more importantly, extended to cover the analysis of results and the derivation of design data.
In his background paper to Section 5 (35), L.G. Booth pointed out that an engineer designing a structure in wood requires design stresses, and not the ultimate strength of the wood. This is only one example, and the interpretation of basic data within the framework of local design requirements, or regulations and codes of practice where these exist, will often be required. This leads to the second category, building technology, and here the problems that arise will be much more varied and highly dependent upon the region or country concerned. If the particular problem is to promote very simple low-cost houses, a good deal of data on basic designs can be used efficiently and construction techniques, including information on the quantity and type of labour needed, are already available. Similarly, much information is available on ways of avoiding maintenance and ensuring long life through preservation treatment. In some regions there will be special local hazards due to the incidence of hurricanes, floods or termites; again, experience has produced data in other countries but this will probably need interpreting to relate it directly to local timber supplies and labour availability. Many of these subjects have been considered in some detail in other sections.
Problems concerning houses of a higher standard may be different. Timber engineering may be more important, design stresses for the materials, properly graded timber, and proof testing of structure design may all be necessary. The quality of material processing and aesthetic effects may also be important, and further work from some of the more advanced laboratories might then be required.
Experience suggests that the shortage of skilled men is often a limiting factor and so the provision of training and direct technical assistance may on occasion be necessary. Undoubtedly pilot projects are of considerable importance in this respect. They provide ideal media for training local personnel but, because they are inevitably limited, other means of extending technical assistance by supervision and instruction may be desirable. Cooperation with local colleges and institutions, and the setting up of training centres dealing specifically with the preparation and use of wood in house construction might be considered. Technical assistance at a higher level might also be required in some cases, for example in the preparation of national building regulations, codes of practice and standards, particularly as they relate to wood and wood products.
POSSIBLE ORGANIZATIONAL SOLUTIONS
It is not intended in this paper to suggest how individual problems might be tackled but rather to consider what type of organization is needed to provide continuing assistance. Facilities are being increasingly established in the developing countries, either independently or with assistance, for research in materials science and this should obviously be encouraged. Also, technical and planning advice is available to many areas on a bilateral basis. The present proposals are not meant to interfere with or supplant existing arrangements.
It is recommended that the principle to be followed should be that of identifying and solving specific problems. As discussed above, the type of problem can be expected to vary widely, depending on the information already available and the level of industrial development.
The Consultation must consider whether the methods currently available, fragmentary as they are, are adequate or whether a more organized procedure should be set up which would be available to all.
The first requirement must be an effective channel of communication. The lines of communication required are outlined in a background note prepared by the United Nations Centre for Housing, Building and Planning, presented at the end of this section. Briefly, provision must be made for a two-way exchange of information, and coordination between building research and building application. This could be achieved through a central unit and, eventually, a supporting regional structure. Although the central unit could act simply as a post office to direct problems to the most likely place for assistance, and research results to places where they are most likely to be applied with advantage, this alone would not be sufficient. Personnel in the central unit should also be capable of contributing by planning the work necessary, by knowing where to obtain specialist assistance or advice, by coordinating with research when additional research is needed, and by interpreting and disseminating the results. Another important function would be the exchange of information on pilot projects, particularly the communication of experience gained and problems encountered to research centres, and the transmission of new developments or techniques from the re search centres for inclusion in pilot projects on a trial basis. In addition, the unit should be capable of such tasks as the preparation of information bulletins and data sheets in relation to the specific problems put to them. The importance of this latter activity cannot be overemphasized, as to enable an impact to be made at the planning stage of any building project it will be necessary to have at short notice data which facilitate the comparison of efficient construction in wood with other materials.
The success of a central unit will depend on the resources of manpower and money which can be made available for its work. Since its primary concern is to facilitate the use of wood and wood products, personnel with an intimate knowledge of forest products research in its broadest sense will be needed.
The location of the unit could also affect its operation and there would be obvious advantages in working in close association with a recognized international organization to which all the developing countries have automatic and ready access.
A number of international organizations are at the moment contributing in various ways to resolving the housing problems in developing countries, and it is worth considering the scope of their possible contributions as set out by their stated objectives, terms of reference, and finances.
INTERNATIONAL UNION OF FORESTRY RESEARCH ORGANIZATIONS (IUFRO)
This organization has no secretariat or central finances. It is organized in a number of divisions, one of which, Division 5, is concerned with forest products. Each division is organized in a number of working groups dealing with specific subjects, for example Division 5 contains, among others, groups on wood preservation, mechanical conversion and structural utilization. The purpose of IUFRO, as stated in the vice-president's address in 1963, is: "To develop science through international cooperation in research and through helpful exchange of information and ideas among research workers and organizations." Its main contribution in the forest products field has been to provide a forum in which research workers can discuss results and programmes; on occasion. papers presented at the meetings are published.
It is possible that project groups could be set up within the forest products division to consider and make recommendations upon specific problems relating to the use of wood in housing once these have been identified. However, because the organization has no funds or secretariat, it would probably not be easy to get the necessary work carried out speedily through IUFRO.
UNITED NATIONS INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION (UNIDO)
The purpose of UNIDO is to promote and accelerate the industrialization of the developing countries, with particular emphasis on the manufacturing sector. Its activities include:
1. Carrying out surveys of industrial development possibilities, formulation of industrial development plans and programmes, preinvestment and feasibility studies.2. Assistance to existing industries to overcome their production and technical problems.
3. Assistance in the training of technical and other appropriate categories of personnel, including such forms of training as management workshops and in-plant training.
4. Assistance in the dissemination of information on technological innovations and knowledge, the development of systems of patents and industrial property, and the adaptation and application of existing technology to the needs of developing countries.
5. Assistance in promoting domestic financing and in obtaining external financing for specific industrial projects.
6. Assistance in establishing or strengthening institutions to deal with various aspects of industrial development, including planning and programming, project formulation and evaluation, engineering and design, training and management. applied research, standardization and quality control, marketing, small-scale industry. investment promotion and pilot plants.
Its programme is financed from various sources within the United Nations and through voluntary government contributions.
It is organized in a number of divisions, one of which, the Industrial Technology Division. is concerned among other things with construction and building materials and with light industries, which includes wood processing. In its Industrial Services and Institutions Division, for example, it is concerned with the organization and integration in the developing countries of manufacturing enterprises in specific branches of industry. with the development of consulting services, with the support of institutes for industrial research and technological investigations and with the coordination of investigations or exchanges of information on raw materials, end products and process improvement.
UNITED NATIONS CENTRE FOR HOUSING, BUILDING AND PLANNING (UNCHBP)
This is part of the United Nations Secretariat. Its activities include:
1. Technical assistance to governments on housing, building and planning matters, such as:(a) financial, social and administrative problems related to urban housing, housing policies and programming;(b) establishment and development of building research centres, production of building materials not requiring the setting up of large industrial complexes, organization of the building industry, industrialization of building, architectural and structural design (including conditions applied to natural disasters), building techniques in general;
(c) town and regional physical planning, tourism and overall problems affecting human settlements.2. Preparation of special reports and technical studies on the above-mentioned fields.
3. Organization of interregional and regional meetings and study tours on selected subjects of housing, building and planning; organization of ad hoc expert group meetings.
4. Organization of experimental and demonstration pilot projects in the fields of housing, building and planning in cooperation with other international and national institutions.
The activities of UNCHBP are regulated by the United Nations Committee on Housing, Building and Planning, which is one of the intergovernmental bodies of the Economic and Social Council.
FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS (FAO)
This organization, which is one of the specialized agencies of the United Nations, has a Forestry Department comprising two technical divisions-one on Forest Resources and the other on Forest Industries and Trade-and an Operations Service which is responsible for servicing all field projects. The functions of the Forestry Department are as follows:
1. To provide direct advice and assistance to member governments, particularly through UNDP, in the establishment, improvement or expansion of forest industries with a view to valorizing forest resource potentials for overall economic growth; to analyse and evaluate requests of member governments to UNDP, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), and other international financing agencies for forestry and forest industries development projects; to operate UNDP forest and forest industries projects for which FAO is the executing agency, and participate or cooperate in the operation of other field projects of bilateral or multilateral aid programmes where forestry and forest industries aspects are involved; to assign experts and assist in the award of fellowships in selected fields of forestry and forest industries; to operate projects under trust funds, the World Food Programme, and the Freedom from Hunger Campaign, in forestry and forest industries, and assist in the coordination of bilateral and multilateral forest and forest industries aid programmes.2. To review the current economic situation with regard to supply, requirements and prices of forest products, and indicate possibilities for expanding forestry and forest industries development. To promote action to avoid short-term imbalance between supply and demand and to remove trade obstacles; to encourage the improvement of national statistics in forestry and forest industries and advise and assist governments in increasing the accuracy and international comparability of these statistics.
3. To establish and maintain liaison and working relations with government officials, the United Nations and other specialized agencies, and other government and nongovernment technical agencies.
4. To collect, analyse and disseminate information on all subjects related to forestry and forestry products.
5. To promote regional and worldwide cooperation in these fields and assist in the implementation of the resulting recommendations; to prepare and publish technical, economic and statistical reports on various aspects of forestry and forest industry development.
Thus, the FAO Forestry Department is responsible not only for the production of wood raw materials, and for all aspects of their industrial processing, but also for the development of trade and application of end uses in order to ensure the most efficient utilization. In this respect housing is recognized as the most important end use for many wood products, and collaboration is maintained with UNCHBP, such collaboration having resulted in the present Consultation.
INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL FOR BUILDING RESEARCH STUDIES AND DOCUMENTATION (CIB)
This is an international, nongovernmental organization which has as its primary purpose:
1. To encourage, facilitate and develop international cooperation in housing, building and planning research, studies and documentation, covering not only the technical, but also the economic and social aspects of building.2. To encourage, facilitate and coordinate, within the limits of its competence, the exchange of documentation and information between different countries and between the international organizations concerned.
3. To coordinate the activities of national centres or committees for building documentation, promote their establishment where they do not as yet exist, and help establish common principles in respect of terminology, classification and methods of arranging and presenting building documentation.
4. CIB seeks to develop its contacts with the United Nations, particularly those organs of the United Nations that are concerned with intergovernmental collaboration in the fields of housing, building and planning
5. CIB endeavours to bring, at an intermediate level, results of research to the notice of those who apply and use them in daily building practice.
Its funds are derived from membership fees, from the sale of publications, and from fees for sponsored work.
Membership is open to public or industrial organizations engaged in work on a substantial scale in the field of interest. Those working in the field on a smaller scale can become associate members.
Thus, in general terms:
FAO is concerned with the production and use of the raw material (wood) and the promotion of forest industries.CIB is concerned with research on the properties and uses of wood.
CIB IS concerned with research, and exchange and application of information in building generally.
UNIDO IS concerned with promoting industrial development, particularly manufacturing, which could include production of wood products for housing.
UNCAP IS concerned with planning and execution of projects in the fields of housing, building and physical planning, and research related to those areas, including finance for housing and urbanization.
Clearly, the three agencies of the United Nations considered here have between them the range of activities which it is suggested should be appropriate to a central unit.
However, only UNCHBP seems to have the scope to embrace all these activities, and it could be considered whether this organization should be asked to provide the recognized channel of communication for those who have problems in this field.
Wood is the most widely distributed natural building material available, and can be an ideal material for use in house construction; it could make a larger contribution to housing that it does at present, and its promotion for this use should be given greater attention. To effectively assist developing countries to resolve their housing problems, the necessary action and an acceptable order of priority should be defined.
The properties of wood must be known and the necessary facilities and skill be available to allow its production in an acceptable form.
A tremendous amount of information and expertise is already available on wood properties and processing technology. and it is a first essential that this should be interpreted and applied to the situations and problems in specific countries.
This Consultation could simply draw the attention of the authorities in developing countries, or of other interested governments and industrialists, to the potentials of wood and wood products. More effectively it could recommend, as has been suggested in this paper, the setting up of a central unit as part of one of the United Nations agencies already concerned with this field, to deal with specific problems and facilitate the use of wood in housing.
This central unit should command a wide knowledge of forest products research generally and its functions would be:
1. To act as a recognized channel of communication through which those with problems can be put in touch with those with knowledge and experience.2. To take action to provide information specifically required to facilitate and improve the use of wood and wood products in housing at a level and in a form appropriate to different regions and countries.
3. To arrange for work to be carried out if necessary for the solution of specific problems.
4. To cooperate with other national and international organizations concerned with housing, wood and wood products and with technical assistance to developing countries.
COORDINATION OF RESEARCH1
(1This background note and the graph were prepared by the United Nations Centre for Housing, Building and Planning.)
The following graph shows the main relationships that require adequate coordination between research activities (Research) and building practice (Application)2
(2 Coordination and exchange of information among research organizations themselves and among housing and building institutions are not shown in the graph.)
Arrows point the direction of communication and also indicate the origin and activity responsible for taking the initiative. Dark squares show that both information and coordination are necessary between two related activities. White squares show that a regular flow of information should be established between two activities.
A. COORDINATION
1. A basic and general coordination should be established between Research and Application at the preparation stage of research and housing and building programmes.2. Coordination between Research and Application should be established on a worldwide basis for the preparation of data sheets or other standard form of technical information.
3. Prototype and pilot projects require in turn a very specific and direct coordination between Research and Application. National and subregional coordination between the two institutions are recommended for pilot projects.
B. INFORMATION
1. General coordination (A.1) requires a regular exchange of information. It must be pointed out, however, that not all information issued by Application is of interest to Research, and vice versa. It is therefore necessary that the information exchanged, issued and/ or selected be specifically for this purpose.2. Research results should also continue to be disseminated regularly as is normal practice. In some cases, however, research reports require adaptation to the levels of interest and comprehension of practitioners.
3. The adoption of data sheets or other standard form of dissemination of information on research results, as currently practiced by many developed countries, may constitute a very specific worldwide activity.
4. Problems identified with Application should have a channel established to reach Research for investigation.
5. Exchange of information on pilot projects under way, and dissemination of results of pilot projects require information to be prepared by both Research and Application together.
1. The Consultation recognized that:
(a) many of the problems affecting the greater use of wood in housing can be resolved from existing knowledge and experience;(b) a more effective communication of this available knowledge to those having to deal with these problems is essential; particularly important is the translation of this knowledge to local conditions;
(c) the fuller use of wood in housing depends in many cases on the drawing up of soundly-based codes and regulations, the development of good building design and an efficient wood-processing industry and an adequate supply of trained manpower within the countries concerned;
(d) international and national organizations are making a valuable contribution but concern was expressed at the difficulty developing countries may have in obtaining information on the range of organizations, the scope of their activities and the assistance they can give;
(e) the establishment of technical and research centres in developing countries is an essential step toward achieving a better use of wood in housing. At the same time, research centres in the more advanced countries could make a greater contribution to facilitating the use of wood in housing in developing countries.
2. To achieve more rapid progress in the application of present knowledge, and to ensure a continuing advance in technology at a rate which can be properly assimilated, the Consultation recommended that governments of developing countries give attention to:
(a) the introduction of wood technology and wood processing as a subject in association with building science, engineering, architecture and planning at university level, and at technical or craft training level:(b) the effective employment of personnel trained abroad in wood technology, building science, engineering and architecture to ensure that they can continue to contribute to the fuller use of wood in their own countries;
(c) the setting up of centres to provide a focal point for the collection of information and its translation to local conditions, and to undertake research and development as appropriate;
(d) sending potential or experienced research or development personnel to established laboratories for the express purpose of undertaking research on national problems relating to the use of wood in building, especially when resources are not available to set up national technical research centres. The Consultation considered that the alternative of setting up regional research centres supported by a number of developing countries would be less attractive in many cases.
3. The Consultation further recommended that governments in the more advanced countries be prepared to assist the developing countries in attaining their own expertise by making available skilled manpower and offering financial and such other assistance as may prove necessary, either in their own establishments or in the developing countries.
4. In considering the contribution of international organizations, the Consultation recommended:
(a) the preparation and maintenance by the United Nations or a specialized agency of a directory of organizations with research and development facilities concerned with wood in housing at all levels of technology, indicating the scope of their interest and the procedures to be followed to engage their assistance;(b) provision for the training of personnel who would be capable of leading and administering research and development programmes;
(c) the extension of fellowships tenable in the developing countries to include experts in wood technology, processing and construction to undertake teaching and training activities at university and intermediate levels of technology;
(d) the development by CIB of arrangements for the improved dissemination of information relating specifically to the problems of the developing countries in the use of wood in housing.
5. The Consultation requested IUFRO through its Division V to initiate the preparation of recommended methods for such testing and evaluation of wood and wood-based products (including the lesser known species) as is relevant to their use in housing; the methods should be readily usable in developing countries. taking into account their existing levels of expertise.
6. The Consultation expressed particular concern that the work of translating existing technology in house construction with wood to the conditions prevailing in the different regions and countries of the developing world needed to be accelerated. Therefore the Consultation recommended that the United Nations, in consultation with its specialized agencies, examine ways to set up a central unit to deal with specific problems and facilitate the use of wood in housing This central unit should command a wide knowledge of forest products research as related to housing and have the following functions:
(a) to act as a recognized channel of communication;(b) to take action to provide information specifically required to facilitate and improve the use of wood and wood products in housing at a level and in a form appropriate to different regions and countries;
(c) to arrange where necessary for work for the solution of specific problems to be carried out in an existing establishment;
(d) to secure liaison and cooperation with all other national and international organizations concerned with housing, with wood and wood products and with programmes of technical assistance to developing countries.
7. Although its terms of reference were concerned directly with promoting the use of wood in housing, the Consultation expressed the view that many of its findings and proposals applied, nevertheless, equally to building in other materials and decided that this point must be made quite clear in its final report.
