One of the characteristics of today's timber industry is the sheer breadth of technical expertise it contains. There are inspirational organisations that know how to maximise wood's performance and inevitably showcase the material each and every time they use it.

Look across the building industry however, and you may find busy architects and specifiers who aren't as experienced or confident when working with wood. The demands on their time mean getting their skills up to a level they would like can be difficult. The decision to use timber instead of more established materials isn't taken because, through lack of knowledge, it appears too risky.

wood for good, along with other industry partners, has addressed this problem by providing architects and specifiers with a flexible, online teaching tool that shows how to get the most out of timber - for free.

Launched in 2006 timberacademy.co.uk is a website providing users with a base level of information about timber. Developed with the Institute of Wood Science, TRADA and Napier University to ensure the information is up to date, peer reviewed and presented in a manner that is interesting and engaging for users.

The Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland recommends the site to its members. Furthermore, the Royal Institution of British Architects recognises that completion of all modules could equate to three quarters of an architect's annual required CPD time. This accreditation is an important acknowledgement of the site's quality and usefulness.

The site is the industry's first comprehensive online library and is free for members of the Institute of Chartered Foresters, the Forestry & Timber Association, architects, specifiers, engineers, wood for good member companies and members of the Timber Trade Federation and the British Woodworking Federation.

There are more than 12,000 pre-registered users and over 1,000 users working through modules at any time. Six new members request a place in the academy every day, demonstrating a healthy demand for information about how to use wood.

At a corporate level, the benefits of flexible learning are recognised by well-known building supplies companies like Jewson, Travis Perkins, Buildbase and Wolseley. They are using, or considering using, the resource to enhance their employees' knowledge of timber and some are integrating the resource with their own internal training and staff briefings.

The range of topics covered in the academy is increasing all the time. Currently thirteen module topics range from building sustainably with wood to deck design and installation, from MDF and OSB to certification, procurement and specification. In the coming months, new modules on windows, doors and a merchant's guide to timber will also become available.

Graham Blyth, from James Jones is impressed with the flexibility the site offers his employees:

"The site is extremely useful in augmenting our employee training. The 'remote' method of training, via the internet, when it suits the team, is particularly convenient for fitting in with daily responsibilities. We're keen to encourage each candidate to adopt a routine which is manageable for the individual."

With new technological elements planned for the site, including video, Wikipedia-style glossaries and more modules, the future looks bright for anyone interested in specifying and using the most sustainable of all building materials.