Construction using mass timber remains a viable option and checks several boxes, including environmental, economic, and human resource factors. However, the unpredictable costs associated with mass timber construction, which includes supply chain and logistics issues, has made it a difficult scheme for many builders to embrace.
News in offsite construction
Cross-Laminated Timber and Local Forest Products Featured in Remodeling of Quebec’s Chibougamau-Chapais Airport
The terminal highlights its proximity to the boreal forest by using locally produced wood and high-performance products such as glulam and CLT structural slabs. Timber curtain walls surround the waiting area on three sides. Engineered wood and steel components make up the roof structure.
Updated Canadian Building Codes Allow for Mass Timber Construction up to 12 Stories
Canada released an updated set of model construction codes that will make Canadian homes and buildings “safer and more accessible while responding to climate change.” This is according to Kevin Griffiths, Chair of the Canadian Commission on Building and Fire Codes (CCBFC). The update includes allowing mass timber construction up to 12-stories tall.
Skelleftea, Sweden Tackling the Climate Crisis One New Building at a Time
Skelleftea, a city in Sweden, is tackling the climate crisis one newbuilding at a time by bucking the trend of the customarily carbon-heavy construction industry. One such example is the new Sara Culture Centre that opened its doors is September 2021. Those behind the Sara Cultural Centre—the second tallest wooden tower in the world—claim the skyscraper will capture nine million kilograms of carbon dioxide throughout its lifetime
New Mass Timber Showcase Located in Vancouver, B.C. Scheduled for Substantial Completion in May 2022
A pilot project, whose soft costs are supported in part by Forestry Innovation Investment and Natural Resources Canada, is set for substantial completion by May 2022. The one-of-a-kind light-industrial/commercial building in mid-town Vancouver, B.C. is a four-story, 840-square meter building intended to demonstrate high-performance mass timber construction and design.
Sustainable Green Team Ltd. Purchasing Dormant 45-Acre Interfor Sawmill Site in Beaver, Washington
Sustainable Green Team Ltd., a Florida-based, publicly traded company, announced on Thursday (3-17-22) that it is purchasing the dormant 45-acre Interfor USA Inc. sawmill site in Beaver, Washington. The purchase includes leasing land Interfor now rents from the City of Fork, Oregon for $1 million.
Potential Solution to UK’s Housing Shortage: Offsite Timber Construction With OSB Panels
Members of the UK’s House of Commons recently received a research briefing on ways to address the growing housing shortage in England. Members were told that an estimated 340,000 new homes would be needed each year to meet the growing demand. Offsite timber frame construction could be the solution for housebuilders.
Element5 at the Forefront of a Revolutionary New Way of Building
A feature article in the London Free Press on Monday (3-14-22) highlights a St. Thomas, Ontario manufacturer at the forefront of what is becoming a revolutionary new way of building. The company is Element5. Element5 manufactures wood beams and panels used in building construction.
LP Building Solutions Completes Sale of Stake in I-Joist Joint Venture to Resolute Forest Products
LP Building Solutions (LP) announced on Friday (3-4-22) that it has closed on the previously announced sale of its 50% equity interest in two joint ventures that produce I-joists to Resolute Forest Products Inc. The long-time partnership was established as an equity method investment in which both LP and Resolute Forest Products had a 50% interest in each entity.
Stora Enso Oyj Halts All Exports and Imports From Russia
On Tuesday (3-2-22), Stora Enso Oyj, the Helsinki Finland-based integrated paper, packaging, and forest products company, which operates three corrugated packaging plants and two wood products sawmills in Russia, said it will stop all exports and imports to and from Russia. The company also announced that a mitigation plan has been activated to secure availability of input materials from other sources.