Meadows Community Recreation Centre and Library
Located in a fast-growing area of south-east Edmonton, the new Meadows Community Recreation Centre, and associated Meadows Branch Edmonton Public Library, provides year round recreational and cultural opportunities for the surrounding neighbourhoods. Design began in February 2010 and the facility was opened to the public in November 2014. Planning focused on creating relationships between indoor and outdoor programs. Transparency between indoors and outdoors maximizes natural light and materials to create a warm and inviting atmosphere. Wood is used throughout as both a structural and finish material. Because wood is a renewable resource with low embodied energy, its use supports the project’s sustainability goals. Different kinds of wood are used for different purposes, from glulam roof beams to maple slat finishing for the walls. Using wood allows the structure of the building to be expressed and celebrated. The programs and activities are united by the undulating roof. The warmth of the wood and its rich colour and texture provide a welcoming ambiance. In keeping with Province of Alberta’s legislation for public buildings, the Centre is seeking LEED Silver certification. The use of locally-sourced glulam and other wood products contribute to meeting this sustainable design standard.
Brock Commons Tallwood House – University of British Columbia Vancouver Campus
A stunning coastal forest in Vancouver, BC is the gateway to the University of British Columbia (UBC) which has provided inspiration for the institution’s long-standing relationship with wood. The result is an enviable inventory of wood buildings interspersed throughout the campus which showcases ground-breaking technologies and sustainable design. UBC’s commitment to promoting locally sourced, environmentally responsible, leading-edge engineered wood products and building technologies has culminated in the most recent addition to the UBC Vancouver Campus: the Brock Commons Tallwood House. The newest of the UBC’s student residence buildings, Brock Commons Tallwood House currently stands as the tallest contemporary hybrid mass timber building in the world. Over the years, with an ever-increasing demand for student housing, UBC developed a preferred typology for its student residences, creating mixed-use residential hubs to enhance campus life. For this latest project, the University was determined to demonstrate the applicability of an advanced systems solution to BC’s development and construction industries while advancing its reputation as a hub of sustainable and innovative design. Wood use from the 18th to the early 20th centuries frequently included seven-storey wood buildings; taller wood structures such as church towers and pagodas were built worldwide earlier still. Today, pushing the envelope of wood use comes with challenges. Authorities having jurisdiction and oversight of the approval process for a new generation of tall wood building designs require comprehensive scientific data to evaluate their safety since there are no prescriptive provisions in the Canadian building codes to permit them. Until such a time as building codes establish provisions for tall wood buildings, performance aspects of their design must be proven on a design-by-design basis. Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), in recognition of the technical challenges inherent in the design and construction of modern tall wood structures, has provided targeted funding to support demonstration projects that use innovative engineered wood products and construction systems.
Origine – Pointe-Aux-Lièvres Ecocondos – Quebec City
Over the last couple of years Quebec City has witnessed significant population growth and there has been a construction boom to meet the ever-growing demand for housing. In 2003, Quebec City became interested in the land of the Pointe-aux-Lièvres area for new real estate development. This vacant land on the banks of the Saint Charles River and just North of « Nouvo St-Roch » was deemed an ideal location for building a new neighbourhood. Poised between nature and the city, the spot was coveted by many who wanted to create a dynamic living environment. The Quebec City council saw the opportunity to create a new neighbourhood that would showcase sustainable development. The land developers selected by the city were tasked with developing the area sustainably and offering eco-responsible solutions. Therefore, using wood in the structures was natural. Development has begun. Three projects were launched in the eco-district, in which Origine is the signature building of this new neighbourhood. This 13-storey, 92-unit building stands out thanks to its architecture, as well as its engineering prowess. The NEB Group, which consists of Nordic Structures, EBC, and Synchro Immobilier, wanted to push the boundaries of wood materials. Origine’s great innovation resides in its lateral resistance system made entirely of wood. It is actually thanks to this innovation that the 41-meter high building can boast about being the highest modern building with a 100% solid wood structure. The NEB Group hopes Origine will pave the way for other similar structures. Forest resources are abundant in Quebec, and design professionals’ expertise in wood construction is developing to use them in large-scale structures. Origine has proven the feasibility and safety of using wood in this type of building.
Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum – Wembley, AB
The Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum is one of the world’s foremost museums of paleontology and natural history. It tells the story of the Pipestone Creek Bonebed, its discovery, and subsequent excavation. The narrative of the museum parallels the discovery of the bonebed, the paleontological process of reconstructing dinosaurs, and the experience of this prehistoric time. The re-erected skeleton of the native Pachyrhinosaurus lakustai dinosaur, the bonebed’s major discovery, is prominently featured at the museum entrance. Located on a 10-acre site in northern Alberta, between Wembley and Grand Prairie, the museum attracts dinosaur enthusiasts and travellers alike with its dynamic form and unique architectural experience that traces the narratives of Alberta’s paleontological and geological history. The Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum is a highly interactive and sophisticated institute for experiential learning that celebrates Alberta’s paleontological heritage through research, collection, preservation, exhibition, public programming, publications, and innovative outreach. The striking displays of fossil materials and casts are richly complemented with state-of-the-art digital media and augmented reality to give visitors exclusive glimpses into the world of science and ancient Alberta. Visitors are able to see dinosaurs in action, bring fossils to life, and explore the real work of scientists in the field.
Templar Flats – Hamilton, ON
Templar Flats in Hamilton, Ontario, has the distinction of being the first occupied, modern wood-frame mid-rise building completed in Ontario. It was constructed under provisions (O. Reg. 191.14) added to the province’s Building Code (2012 OBC) that permit wood-frame construction up to 6 storeys, an increase of two storeys over the previous iteration of the code. The 6-storey, mixed-use project offers 25 modern residential units above three street-level restaurants in the city’s downtown core. The City of Hamilton is committed to revitalizing the downtown and developments on King William Street, including Templar Flats, have benefited from infrastructure improvements in the area. Templar Flats brings together the best of the old and new in an innovative, hybrid solution that puts a modern 6-storey building with glass penthouses between two thoughtfully restored heritage buildings that were adapted into a single, unified development.
Seismic Design with Wood: Solutions for British Columbia Schools
Although seismic events occur all over the world, the areas most susceptible to large earthquakes are those that lie along active fault lines. These fault lines are found at the boundaries of the Earth’s tectonic plates, including the so-called ‘Ring of Fire’ (Figure 1.1) that encircles the Pacific Ocean. The Ring passes through British Columbia, as well as other active earthquake zones such as Japan, New Zealand, Chile, California and Alaska. More sophisticated approaches to the seismic design of buildings have been developed as our understanding of earthquake behaviour has evolved. The experience gained from a succession of major earthquake events has confirmed that well-designed, ductile wood buildings performed well, especially from the standpoint of life safety.
Celebrating Edmonton’s Wood Architecture
It is significant that wood played such a large role in this type of complex, which is usually done in other materials. The wood structure is a unifying element between the spaces of the centre. The design is coherent, consistent, elegant and expresses wood beautifully.
The Mosaic Centre for Conscious Community and Commerce – Edmonton, Alberta
Located in Edmonton, Alberta, the Mosaic Centre for Conscious Community and Commerce was designed to be the province’s first “net-zero energy” commercial building and demonstrate the feasibility of low-energy-use buildings in cold climates. The owners challenged the design team to deliver a net-zero energy building capable of gaining certification by the Living Building Institute and LEED® Platinum. In addition, feasibility analysis favoured wood construction to meet all building science challenges and also provide an enhanced interior work environment. Construction started in mid-March 2014 and was completed in the fall of 2015 — three months ahead of schedule and on budget. The 2,790 m2 (30,000 ft.2) building is located in the emerging southwest Edmonton community of Summerside.
Edmonton Transit System – LRT Stations
Edmonton, the capital of Alberta, is a fast-growing city with a population of 1,200,000 people in the overall metropolitan area. It boasts comprehensive bus and light-rail transit (LRT) transportation provided by the Edmonton Transit System (ETS). The North LRT line is a 3.3 km extension of the light rail transit system from the Churchill LRT Station in downtown Edmonton to the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) (Figure 1). It’s the first segment of a planned LRT expansion to the northwest Edmonton city limits. Light rail service on this line will commence in July 2014 and bring two new LRT stations and one bus transfer station into service. The NAIT LRT Station will have modular, temporary shelters until land use planning for the City Centre Airport lands has been completed. The North LRT line to NAIT is expected to serve 13,200 weekday passengers, with many more expected as the new line is eventually extended to the city limit near St. Albert. Wood was used for both structural and architectural elements for the MacEwan and Kingsway/Royal Alex LRT Stations, and for the Kingsway/Royal Alex Bus Transit Station. Glulam decking and beams were used for the platform and building roofs. In addition, the MacEwan LRT Station has a decorative wood ceiling in the main heated waiting area. The roof structures for both LRT stations are cantilevered from pairs of columns located at the centre of the platforms so that the edges of the platforms are not obstructed.
Mid-Rise 2.0 – Innovative Approaches to Mid-Rise Wood Frame Construction
Since the 2009 change to the British Columbia Building Code (BCBC) that increased the permissible height for wood frame residential buildings from four storeys to six, more than 300 of these structures have been completed or are underway around the province. Most are located in the core of smaller municipalities and in the inner suburbs of larger ones, offering a more sustainable and cost-effective option for densification than concrete or steel equivalents. Most of these buildings have employed wood frame from the ground up, with a five- or six-storey building being constructed on a concrete slab-on-grade, or on top of a concrete basement parking garage; others have been constructed above one or two storeys of commercial accommodation, currently still required to be built in noncombustible construction. This requirement will change when British Columbia adopts the 2015 National Building Code of Canada (NBC), which will allow light wood frame assemblies, mass timber slab elements and wood beams and columns to be used in place of concrete or steel. Over the past eight years, architects, engineers, municipal authorities and local fire departments have become familiar with the basic parameters of this new building type. Over the same period, market conditions have continued to evolve. Beyond the energy conservation standards referenced by LEED and mandated by municipalities, there is an increasing interest in ultra-low energy buildings that comply with the Passive House standard, now formally administered in Canada by Passive House Canada. There is also a growing need to explore new approaches to project delivery, particularly when building on infill lots that have little or no space for vehicles, materials storage and staging, and where the inconvenience to neighbours from the traffic, noise and dust generated by traditional site construction is increasingly disruptive. Further revisions to the 2015 NBC to be introduced in British Columbia in 2017 will expand the permissible use of six-storey wood construction from multi-family residential (Group C) occupancies to business and personal services occupancies in Group D. Prior to “modern” building codes, such buildings were often constructed using heavy timber post-and-beam systems, with solid timber floors. However, with the advent of new mass timber panel products, the opportunity has arisen for developers and design teams to explore new forms of wood construction, including hybrid mass timber/light wood frame construction. In response to these new market conditions, traditional wood frame construction techniques and project delivery methods have been modified or adapted to achieve greater efficiency, economy and performance. This case study looks at three different projects in the Vancouver area, similar in having a predominantly multi-family residential program, but differing considerably in their approach to design, construction details and project delivery
Fire Safety and Insurance In Commercial Buildings
Throughout history, protecting commercial structures from fire has been important. Fire poses risk in terms of safety to occupants, building integrity, business interruption and the economic health of a community. Consequently, reduction in the risk of fire for commercial buildings has been a significant goal for society, achieved through a better understanding of all the factors that contribute to fire risk. Designing and building structures in compliance with building and fire code requirements, and insurance industry guidelines, contributes to the reduction of fire losses. Wood has had a long history of use in commercial construction. Some of the reasons for this are: high strength-to-weight ratio, ease of use and constructability, known performance characteristics, resource abundance and renewability, economy in construction, and architectural aesthetics. Wood construction that makes use of good design and appropriate fire protection measures provides a level of fire safety that is comparable to other types of construction. This document discusses some of the basic factors that affect fire risk and property insurance rates, as well as some common misconceptions regarding what conditions make commercial buildings fire-safe.
Terminus
Located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, Langford is the third largest municipality in British Columbia’s Capital Regional District. It is rapidly transitioning from a suburban community to a major urban centre and, according to the latest national census data, Langford is one of the fastest growing communities in the country (Figures 1.3, 1.4 and 1.5). The benefits of growth have been numerous; with the increased tax revenues from new development reinvested into beautification initiatives, public amenities and new facili – ties. New development has also brought new jobs, services, affordable housing, and greater housing diversity. Despite the tangible benefits of development, climate protection and sustainability remain at the forefront of the city’s Official Community Plan. At the urban scale, increased density and the juxtaposition of commercial, residential and other uses, reduces the environmental impacts of transportation; while higher performance standards for new construction lower the greenhouse gas emissions from the operation of the buildings themselves. In addition, the City of Langford has taken a progressive position on reducing the embodied carbon of buildings, encouraging the use of mass timber to help address this increasingly important component in the overall greenhouse gas emissions equation. The City of Langford has emerged as a leading advocate for mass timber construction, with Terminus at District 56 being one of several projects to benefit from the building departments proactive approach and openness to innovation. Together with the other phases of the District 56 development, it provides a template for future development and densification of the downtown core.
