The Danish architectural firm of Schmidt Hammer Lassen (SHL) has designed a 100-meter (more than 30-story) housing block in the city of Winterthur, near Zurich, Switzerland, that will be world’s tallest cross-laminated timber building when complete. The second tallest building is still under construction in Wisconsin.
News in offsite construction
Canadian Timberframes Purchases Canada’s First “Hundegger K2 Industry(i) 1300” Machine
Canadian Timberframes (CTF), located in Parson, British Columbia, is a premier design and manufacturer in the timber frame industry. CTF has announced that it has purchased Canada’s first Hundegger K2 Industry(i) 1300 machine. The machine will increase CTF’s timber size capacity by 500 percent.
Sterling Structural Providing Accessible CLT Solutions to the Construction Market
Sterling announced on Monday (4-11-22) that it is entering into the construction market. Sterling’s new business unit, Sterling Structural, will offer its TerraLam® CLT product lines as a scalable, sustainable, and affordable floor/roof solution for buildings that are compatible with a range of structural building materials.
British Columbia Announces Mass Timber Action Plan, Part of the StrongerBC Economic Plan
On Thursday (4-7-22), Ravi Kahlon, British Columbia’s Minster of Jobs, Economic Recovery, and Innovation, announced B.C.’s Mass Timber Action Plan. The plan comes with $1.2 million (CAD) in funding for four new mass-timber housing and infrastructure projects, as part of the StrongerBC Economic Plan.
B.C. Builders Reconsider the Use of Mass Timber in Construction as Prices Surge Higher
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.
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.