Course Overview
Mass timber has garnered a lot of interest in Ontario in recent years and with the recent adoption of the encapsulated mass timber construction requirements into the Ontario Building Code, the path to approvals for these buildings has become less onerous. Building with mass timber has many benefits vs. conventional concrete or steel construction from sustainability to construction time to occupant health. However, cost is often a deterring factor, particularly for developers. There are many considerations that need to be made to make tall mass timber buildings a competitive option and we will share some with you in this presentation using the recently completed Tallwood 1 building in Langford, BC. Tallwood 1 is the first 12-story mass timber-steel hybrid building in Canada and located in one of the highest seismic zones in the country. In addition to sharing lessons learned from this project, we will also discuss how this building may be different if it were to be built in Ontario.
Learning Objectives
- Understand the design and construction advantages of using mass timber in tall building projects like Tallwood 1 – structural benefits, aesthetic possibilities, and environmental impact.
- Analyze the engineering challenges and solutions involved in the project, focusing on mass timber integration with other construction materials.
- Evaluate the implications of prefabrication and modular construction techniques used in the Tallwood 1 project – to enhance construction efficiency, reduce waste, and potentially lower project costs.
- Discuss the impact of innovative structural systems like point-supported CLT and hybrid seismic systems on the architectural design and functionality of tall buildings.
Course Video
Speaker Bio
Mehrdad Jahangri, P.Eng., Dipl. Ing.(Germany)
Principal
ASPECT Structural Engineers
Mehrdad is a principal at ASPECT and has more than three decades of international experience on notable, architecturally oriented commercial, educational, recreational, and residential projects. He is internationally recognized for his innovative approach and consulting with North American and international architects. He has a sound knowledge of building physics and sustainable design concepts that allow him to actively engage in sustainable design challenges and decisions. Mehrdad understands the challenge of creating carefully detailed yet efficient structural designs and provides an unparalleled level of service to all his clients.
Eva Chau, P.Eng., M.Eng.
Associate
ASPECT Structural Engineers
Eva is an Associate at ASPECT and holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Toronto and a master’s degree in Structural and Earthquake Engineering from the University of British Columbia. Over the course of her career, she has worked on a wide range of residential, institutional, civic, and transit projects. Eva is proficient with all major building materials but has been strongly focused on mass timber building for the past 4 years. Eva is passionate about structural engineering and always strives to help clients realize their unique visions and achieve their project goals.