Metsä Wood and its partners have developed a hybrid sandwich wall element that they believe will renew offsite construction. The innovation combines concrete with Kerto LVL (laminated veneer lumber). The lighter weight of the hybrid sandwich wall elements proved to be a valuable benefit.
News in offsite construction
Supply Chain Issues Open Door for Mass Timber Projects in Canada
According to Patrick Crabbe, who oversees everything from pre-construction to execution for all of Bird Construction’s mass timber projects in Canada, supply chain difficulties have led to extended lead times on commodities such as steel I-joist and pre-engineered building components. These difficulties are creating new opportunities for mass timber products in the construction of low-rise commercial buildings in Canada.
Australia’s La Trobe University Opens New Mass-Timber Student Accommodations
La Trobe University in Melbourne, Australia is now home to the mass timber student accommodation scheme created by Australian studio Jackson Clements Burrows. Two sweeping arcs providing accommodation for 642 students hug a central courtyard on the 18,000-square-metre site, which is the first to complete in a new masterplan for the university’s eastern residential precinct.
Mass Timber Metro Station Under Construction in Naples, Italy as Part of a Major Infrastructure Upgrade
EMBT, the Barcelona-based studio, has revealed images of a mass-timber metro station which is currently under construction in the Centro Direzionale area of Naples, Italy. The Naples Underground Central Station is being built in a neighborhood designed by Japanese architect Kenzo Tange as part of a major upgrade to the city’s infrastructure.
Lendlease Announces Partnership with Stora Enso to Develop Sustainable Building Materials
In a bid to slash the embedded carbon from its buildings, Lendlease, the international real estate group, announced last week at an event in Milan, Italy that it has launched a new partnership with a leading supplier of sustainable wood for construction, Stora Enso. The announced partnership follows 10 years of collaboration between the two companies on eight sustainable timber buildings.
The Number of Communities Participating in B.C.’s Tall Wood Initiative Continues to Grow
The City of New Westminster, British Columbia has joined 20 other B.C. communities — along with the City of Vancouver, which has its own similar initiative — in participating in the province’s Tall Wood Initiative.
Södra Expands into Denmark with a Complete Line of CLT Panels and Accessories
Södra, a forestry cooperative based in Växjö, Sweden, has announced that its complete offering of CLT panels for frame assembly with complementary products and services will now be available in the Danish market starting in September. This is the first step of Södra’s plan to expand their business into Europe.
Metsä Group Planning to Invest EUR 200 Million in the Construction of a Kerto® LVL mill in Äänekoski, Finland
Metsä Wood, part of Metsä Group, is planning to construct a new Kerto® LVL mill on its expanding mill area in Äänekoski, Finland. The investment of approximately EUR 200 million is pending the completion of a local detailed plan for the area.
Structurlam Ready to Lead Climate-Smart Construction with New Facility Ready to Open in Conway, Arkansas
Hardy Wentzel, a 40-year veteran of the timber sector and CEO of Structurlam, the Penticton, B.C.–based firm, reports that Structurlam is close to commissioning their first U.S. plant in Conway, Arkansas. The new 287,000-square-foot facility will produce glulam and CLT.
Apple’s Former Design Director BJ Segal Establishes Juno a Mass Timber Housing Company
BJ Segal, Apple’s former design director, has recently established a mass timber housing company named Juno. Architect Segal, who worked for 19 years designing Apple stores — most recently as senior design director of real estate and development — believes that Juno can create housing that dispels people’s preconception about modular buildings.