The eave of something big

The timber panel is raising the roof to the top of the housebuilding agenda. Look at the 4.4 million homes debate: it makes sense to squeeze the maximum square footage out of every plot, and timber panels are the easiest way to transform useless attic to useful living space. And where room in the roof used to be so expensive it only made sense on upmarket sites, panels will make the technology affordable. They will also suit the DETR’s push for prefabricated quality and efficiency: panels can be made off-site in factory conditions and put into place within a few hours.