Architectural Assemblies Simplified: Understanding Structural Grids, Acoustics and Envelopes in Wood Buildings
Course Overview This session will help you to formulate effective floor and wall assemblies when designing wood structures, both light wood frame and mass timber. Discussion will cover typical fire ratings and strategies, acoustic performance of different assemblies and effective strategies for weather-tight exterior envelopes. Background on typical structural assemblies for different grid sizes will help you understand how to effectively develop complete assemblies when designing timber buildings. Learning Objectives Participants will understand how to formulate effective floor and wall assemblies for wood structures, including both light wood frame and mass timber, to optimize performance and design efficiency. Participants will understand typical fire ratings and the acoustic performance of various assemblies and gain strategies to enhance the safety and comfort of wood buildings. Participants will learn how to design weather-tight, high-performance exterior envelopes for wood buildings. Participants will discover typical structural assemblies for different grid sizes and learn how to effectively develop complete assemblies when designing timber buildings. Course Video Speaker Bio Michael Wilkinson Principal and Senior Building Science Engineer RDH Michael Wilkinson is a Principal and Senior Building Science Engineer at RDH. He has provided consulting services across a range of building typologies with a focus on high performance and innovative building projects including those that are Passive House, mass timber, and volumetric modular. Michael has also been involved in numerous research projects including product development and performance monitoring and is the lead author of several guideline documents for government agencies and building enclosure product manufacturers. Additionally, Michael is a part-time instructor at the BC Institute of Technology where he teaches building science and construction technology classes. Derek Ratzlaff, P.Eng., Struct.Eng., PE Technical Director, WoodWorks BC Canadian Wood Council Derek began his career in the wood industry in high school working on single and multi-family light wood construction, after university and almost 20 years of structural consulting experience, Derek has worked in all types of wood construction and played key roles in the delivery of iconic BC wood structures, the Richmond Olympic Oval and Grandview Heights Aquatic Centre. He brings his experience in design and construction to support the industry as the Woodworks BC Technical Director.
Application of Cross-Laminated Timber in High‐end Custom Homes and Mixed‐use Residential Buildings
Course Overview Follow our journey of introducing CLT into high end‐custom homes and mixed‐use residential projects in the Greater Vancouver Area. We’ll explore the differences between light wood‐frame and CLT construction from the design and detailing phase right through to the end of construction. You’ll learn how the coordination, supply, and installation processes differ from conventional light wood‐frame projects and how our two examples were received by the design and construction teams. Learning Objectives Design and detailing considerations. Coordination process with design team. Supply consideration. Response of the industry. Course Video Speaker Bio Mehrdad Jahangiri, P.Eng., Dipl. Ing. (Germany) Founding Principal ASPECT Structural Engineers Mehrdad has over 25 years of international experience on notable, architecturally‐oriented projects. His experience enables him to integrate European codes and practices with the North American market, creating new ways for architects and owners to reach their project aspirations. Mehrdad understands the challenge to create carefully detailed, yet efficient structural designs and provides exceptional service to achieve them. Allison DenToom, P.Eng., P.E, LEED Green Associate ASPECT Structural Engineers Allison’s expertise is with the design of high‐end single‐family residences and multifamily residential buildings. From cozy cabins to 30,000+ sf estates, she is well‐versed in projects of all shapes, sizes, and materials. She is passionate about architecturally expressive structures and prides herself on providing the high level of attention that is required to create the finished project.
Advancing North American Mass Timber Projects: Harnessing the Strength of Local Expertise
Course Overview As global adoption of mass timber construction accelerates, a growing number of solutions are available in the marketplace that can contribute to the success of your project. This session, presented by Simpson Strong-Tie, will explore some of the unique challenges faced by North American projects and some of the domestically developed solutions available to meet those challenges. Learning Objectives Understand the need for greater tolerance on concealed beam hangers, the importance of ensuring connectors are easy to install, and the specific requirements for large elements in North American buildings. Understand the advantages domestic suppliers can bring to your project, including the rapid delivery of hardware to job sites. Learn about the necessity for effective installation tools and processes tailored to the scale of large North American projects. Learn about the need for effective moisture mitigation and the systems and strategies that can prevent unnecessary exposure of mass timber to the elements during construction. Course Video Speaker Bio Adrian Mitchell Chair of Simpson’s internal Mass Timber Focus Market Committee Simpson Strong-Tie Adrian is a mass timber and off-site business specialist with a principal focus on the rapidly expanding mass timber segment, for which he serves as Chair of Simpson’s internal Mass Timber Focus Market Committee. Adrian has spent the bulk of his 20-year career in the off-site, mass timber, and modular spaces, primarily as a business development leader and private consultant. With professional experiences ranging from heavy civil, oil and gas, high-end custom homes to large-scale mass timber missed-use projects and artificial intelligence in BIM, he has a unique and well-rounded background in wood and steel applications in off-site construction. Adrian is a native of Vancouver, Canada, and a graduate of the British Columbia Institute of Technology’s School of Business, he enjoys all the typical Canadian pastimes like playing hockey, building things from wood, and mountain biking.
A Zero Carbon Hybrid Wood Supertall Future
Course Overview With buildings generating 40% of global carbon emissions, we need to achieve net-zero by 2050 to meet the Paris Agreement target and limit global warming to 2°C. Timber sequesters an average of 1.9 metric tons of carbon-dioxide equivalent emissions per cubic meter (Sathre & O’Connor, 2010). While a purely mass timber tall building may not be the most cost-efficient solution, a hybrid structure can maximize the overall use of wood by volume in the most cost-efficient manner. Floor systems in buildings contribute as much as 73% of the environmental impact of a high-rise building’s structure (Lankhorst et al., 2019), making them an excellent target for reducing embodied carbon. DIALOG’s patent- pending Hybrid Timber Floor System (HTFS) takes advantage of the benefits of cross-laminated timber (CLT) combined with pre-stressed concrete to achieve a 12-metre column-free span. The HTFS is proposed as part of our Hybrid Timber Tower, a 105-storey mixed-use prototype that is being evaluated and tested by DIALOG and EllisDon. The prototype structure consists of the hybrid timber floor, combined with a concrete core and an external steel frame. Fire safety is achieved in the floor panels as the exposed wood chars to form a protective layer, while the non-combustible concrete and steel band continues to support the panel. The exposed CLT panels also provide a biophilic appeal, which has shown to support cognitive function as well as physical and psychological well-being (Vidovich, 2020). DIALOG, EllisDon, FPInnovations and other partners have completed the first phase of small-scale testing on over 40 panels. We are scheduled for fire testing of the panels in Ottawa with NRCan this fall with full scale testing of the 12-meter panels starting in late 2022. Learning Objectives Describe how hybrid mass timber systems—such as the Hybrid Timber Floor System (HTFS)—reduce embodied carbon and support zero‑carbon goals in high-rise, mixed-use developments. Explain the structural, fire safety, and performance characteristics of hybrid CLT–concrete floor assemblies, including how charring, concrete bands, and steel elements contribute to long-span capability and code compliance. Evaluate the role of multidisciplinary research, prototyping, and large-scale testing in validating hybrid timber technologies for supertall applications, including their impacts on sustainability, biophilia, and cost efficiency. Course Video Speaker Bio Craig Applegath, BSc, BArch, MArchUD, PPOAA, AIBC, NSAA, AIA, FRAIC, LEED® APBD+C Founding Partner & Architect DIALOG Craig Applegath is the founding principal of DIALOG’s Toronto Studio, and a passionate designer who believes in the power of built form to meaningfully improve the wellbeing of communities and the environment they are part of. Since graduating from the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University with a Master of Architecture in Urban Design Craig has focused his energies on leading innovative planning and design projects that address the complex challenges facing our communities, as well as on his advocacy of sustainable building design and urban regeneration and symbiosis. Craig’s area of practice includes the master planning and design of institutional projects, including post secondary education, healthcare facilities, as well as the design of innovative mixed-use- facilities. Craig was a founding Board Member of Sustainable Buildings Canada, a Past President of the Ontario Association of Architects, and the current moderator of SymbioticCities.net. Craig has lectured or taught at Harvard, the University of Toronto, the University of Waterloo, as well as at many professional and sector related conferences around the world. In 2001 Craig was made a Fellow of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada for his contributions to the profession of architecture. In 2017 he was presented with the OALA Honourary Membership Award for his contributions to the cause of landscape architecture in Ontario. Neel Bavishi, PEng, CEM Building Performance Analysis, Associate DIALOG Neel is passionate about applying the art and science of building performance simulation and data-driven design to produce positive outcomes for the built environment. He embraces holistic solutions that minimize the environmental impact of building assets while providing enhanced value to building owners, developers, policymakers, and designers through improved well-being and reduced total cost of ownership. Neel believes that an integrated and collaborative approach that incorporates diverse perspectives is essential for delivering high-performance buildings. A mechanical engineer by training, Neel is well-versed in whole-building energy modelling for both new and existing buildings and lifecycle cost analysis, design optimization, and data visualization. His experience includes developing energy models for green building certification programs, carbon-neutral retrofit studies and district energy strategies, and the development of net-zero energy and emissions policies and standards for municipal, provincial, and federal government bodies. His projects span various asset classes, including recreational facilities, commercial high-rise towers, multi-unit residential buildings, hospitals, data centres, and transit facilities. He is a licensed Professional Engineer in the province of Ontario and is a Certified Energy Manager. Cameron Ritchie, PEng, PE, PhD, BSE Structural Engineer, Associate DIALOG Cameron is an Associate on the Structural Engineering team in DIALOG’s Toronto studio. Since graduating with a PhD from the University of Toronto, Cameron has acted as a structural design engineer and project manager across a variety of sectors and project types, including healthcare, institutional, government, and retail. He has experience in all stages of a project delivery, from feasibility studies through construction administration and management. Cameron is DIALOG’s project manager for the hybrid timber floor system (HTFS) research program, working closely with industry partners EllisDon. He is passionate about exploring mass timber wherever possible as a sustainable solution to our building needs.
CLT Design Considerations
Course Overview Mass Timber has arrived in the world capital infrastructure marketplace while architects and structural engineers are trying to get educated about how to design with this new advanced engineered wood material. This paper discusses three important aspects of mass timber design in outdoor and indoor (wet and dry service) conditions as well as important design questions such as major and minor axis horizontal shear as it relates to column and wheel point loads. Other design considerations will be discussed as well. Learning Objectives Mass timber design details for outdoor and indoor environmental exposure. Point loads due to column loading in mass timber systems both post and beam and CLT and simple platform and column. Fire resistance ratings and advanced materials in mass timber buildings Minor and major axis shear characteristics of CLT and impacts on design considerations for civil infrastructure. Course Video Speaker Bio Dan Tingley, Ph.D., P.Eng., MIEust, CPEng., RPEQ, Senior Wood Technologist / Structural Engineer Wood Research and Development (WRD) Oregon, USA and Caboolture, QLD, Australia Dr. Dan Tingley graduated from University of New Brunswick with a B. Sc. F.E. and later a M.Sc.C.E. Following this in the 90’s Tingley finished his Ph.D. in wood technology and structural engineering at Oregon State University. He has worked in the wood products field for 40 years. He currently serves as senior engineer for Wood Research and Development and Advanced Research and Development and makes his base in Portland Oregon. He has won the Civil Engineering Research Foundation’s Charles Pankow Award for Structural Innovation as well as the Nova Award for all construction products issued by Construction Innovation Forum for his pioneer work in high strength fiber reinforcement of wood and wood composites. Tingley holds over 40 patents worldwide and has over 125 referred and non referred publications. He specializes in timber structures design and restoration with a significant interest in timber bridges. He is currently acting as senior engineer providing oversight on 20 timber bridge restoration projects world-wide.
CLT Firewalls
Course Overview Fire performances of CLT fire separations with closure (door) or service (pipe) penetrations will be discussed. Learning Objectives Beyond the introduction of a new, 18 storey limit, you will: Basic CLT fire separation performance. CLT‐penetration interface design principles. Testing of a CLT wall with a fire door. Testing of a CLT floor with pipe penetrations. Course Video Speaker Bio Conroy Lum Research Leader – Advanced Building Systems FPInnovations Conroy is a structural engineer by training and oversees the work of the research groups on structural performance, durability, and sustainability in the Advanced Building Systems department of FPInnovations. His research contributions have been in the areas of developing methods for evaluating wood products and structural adhesives, and implementing such methods in standards to support product development and manufacturing.
A Business Case for Tall Wood
Course Overview This session will present a vision and business case for innovation, sustainability, and affordability for the tallest residential wood tower in the world (proposed in Nova Scotia). Addressing rapid delivery to meet urgent residential needs supported by Bird Construction costing and scheduling. Learning Objectives Understand the business case for developing tall residential mass timber buildings, including how sustainability, affordability, and rapid delivery needs are addressed through advanced structural design and innovative project phasing strategies. Identify the key costing, scheduling, and manufacturing considerations that influence the feasibility of tall wood construction, including lessons learned from previous mass timber projects and the role of integrated project teams in mitigating bottlenecks. Evaluate how mass timber products such as glulam and CLT can support high‑rise residential development, including insights into supply‑chain innovation, local manufacturing capacity, and the broader economic and environmental impacts of tall wood construction in Atlantic Canada. Course Video Speaker Bio Patrick Crabbe Director of Mass Timber Bird Construction Patrick Crabbe is the Director of Mass Timber at Bird Construction – Bird is a publicly traded, commercial and industrial conglomerate, recognized as a top 5 General Contractor (GC) in Canada. Patrick is also the leader of a Mass Timber Manufacturing start-up, based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. MTC is a sawmill integrated, glulam focused entity, that is currently executing a $2.3M feasibility effort to code approve proprietary high performing mass timber products (made from undervalued-commodity maritime spruce, pine and fir) that will expand the needed capacity of North American mass timber products and positively impact sustainable forestry practises. Patrick’s professional career has been dedicated to developing markets for high-value structural wood products and working with industry to facilitate the. Through this experience, Patrick has a comprehensive understanding of construction contract methods supply chain solutions to set-up large, complex, mass timber build programs for success. Patrick is an active member of the Carbon Pricing Leadership Coalition (led by the World Bank) and a trusted advisor to Infrastructure British Columbia and the Canadian Wood Council. Joe Nickerson Vice President & Partner Sidewalk Real Estate Development Joe Nickerson is a leader with a proven history of success managing a variety of real estate portfolios for high-net-worth families in Toronto, Alberta, and British Columbia. Joe has worked at RBC Capital Markets and for both private and public real estate holding companies ranging from $100M to $11B in AUM. Joe holds an MBA with a specialization in Real Estate & Infrastructure from Schulich School of Business and studied Private Equity & Finance at SDA Bocconi University in Milan, Italy.
