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Searching for: Wood

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Popular Topics: Mass Timber Fire Tests Sustainability Events

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  • Partner Content, Structural Engineering

Vertical Movement in Wood Platform Structures: Design and Detailing Solutions

Most buildings are designed to accommodate a certain range of movement. In design, it is important for designers to identify locations where potential differential movement could affect structural integrity and serviceability, predict the amount of differential movement and develop proper detailing to accommodate it. To allow non-structural materials to be appropriately constructed, estimate of anticipated differential movement should be provided in the design drawings.

Simply specifying wood materials with lower MC at time of delivery does not guarantee that the wood will not get wet on construction sites and will deliver lower shrinkage amounts as anticipated. It is therefore important to ensure that wood does not experience unexpected wetting during storage, transportation and construction. Good construction sequencing also plays an important role in reducing wetting, the consequent wood shrinkage and other moisture-related issues.

Existing documents such as the APEGBC Technical and Practice Bulletin on 5- and 6-Storey Wood Frame Residential Building Projects, the Best Practice Guide published by the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), the Building Enclosure Design Guide – Wood Frame Multi-Unit Residential Buildings published by the BC Housing- Homeowner Protection Office (HPO) provide general design guidance on how to reduce and accommodate differential movement in platform frame construction.

  • Partner Content, Structural Engineering

Vertical Movement in Wood Platform Structures: Movement Prediction

It is not possible or practical to precisely predict the vertical movement of wood structures due to the many factors involved in construction. It is, however, possible to obtain a good estimate of the vertical movement to avoid structural, serviceability, and building envelope problems over the life of the structure.

Typically “S-Dry” and “S-Grn” lumber will continue to lose moisture during storage, transportation and construction as the wood is kept away from liquid water sources and adapts to different atmospheric conditions. For the purpose of shrinkage prediction, it is usually customary to assume an initial moisture content (MC) of 28% for “S-Green” lumber and 19% for “S-Dry” lumber. “KD” lumber is assumed to have an initial MC of 15% in this series of fact sheets.

Different from solid sawn wood products, Engineered Wood Products (EWP) are usually manufactured with MC levels close to or even lower than the equilibrium moisture content (EMC) in service. Plywood, Oriented Strand Board (OSB), Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL), Laminated Strand Lumber (LSL), and Parallel Strand Lumber (PSL) are usually manufactured at MC levels ranging from 6% to 12%. Engineered wood I-joists are made using kiln dried lumber (usually with moisture content below 15%) or structural composite lumber (such as LVL) flanges and plywood or OSB webs, therefore they are usually drier and have lower shrinkage than typical “S-Dry” lumber floor joists. Glued-laminated timbers (Glulam) are manufactured at MC levels from 11% to 15%, so are the recently-developed Cross-laminated Timbers (CLT). For all these products, low shrinkage can be achieved and sometimes small amounts of swelling can be expected in service if their MC at manufacturing is lower than the service EMC. In order to fully benefit from using these dried products including “S-Dry” lumber and EWP products, care must be taken to prevent them from wetting such as by rain during shipment, storage and construction. EWPs may also have lower shrinkage coefficients than solid wood due to the adhesives used during manufacturing and the more mixed grain orientations in the products, including the use of cross-lamination of veneers (plywood) or lumber (CLT). The APEGBC Technical and Practice Bulletin emphasizes the use of EWP and dimension lumber with 12% moisture content for the critical horizontal members to reduce differential movement in 5 and 6-storey wood frame buildings.

WPC Specification Guide for Non Residential Pressure Treated Wood Products Web

Close-up view of stacked wooden logs with visible growth rings and natural cracks, showcasing raw timber texture.

Canada’s Blueprint for Mass Timber Success Unveiled at Parliament Hill

June 13, 2024 (Ottawa)– Earlier today, The Transition Accelerator unveiled The Mass Timber Roadmap at the Press Conference Room in the West Block on Parliament Hill. The comprehensive report outlines an ambitious and strategic vision for the future of mass timber in Canada and its potential to transform green construction and drive economic growth across the country.

Developed in partnership with Canadian Wood Council (CWC), Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC), and Energy Futures Lab (EFL), The Mass Timber Roadmap comes after more than a decade of collaborative efforts to unlock and demonstrate potential of mass timber and lays out a visionary plan to increase the mass timber market – both domestic and exports – to $1.2 billion by 2030 and to $2.4 billion by 2035.

This ambitious growth aligns with increasing market demand in North America and around the world. By leveraging the power of mass timber solutions, Canada has a unique opportunity to enable the construction of residential and commercial structures at greater speeds, with lower costs, and with a lighter carbon footprint; all while capturing a share of the rapidly growing global market.

Achieving targets laid out in The Mass Timber Roadmap requires coordinated efforts across three critical action areas and the report provides actionable next steps, including: 

  1. Public-Private Collaboration: The Mass Timber Roadmap calls for a partnership between public and private sectors to develop and advance a comprehensive policy package that will enhance the value of Canada’s forest resources while building domestic capacity along the supply chain.
  2. Standardization: There is a need to standardize building archetypes, wood specifications, and connectors throughout the supply chain to streamline processes and reduce costs.
  3. Skills Development: Implementing a robust skills development plan that encompasses all aspects of the supply chain is essential to support the sector’s growth. 

Today’s event on Parliament Hill featured the following speakers who highlighted the roadmap’s goals and the promising future for mass timber in Canada, followed by an engaging Q&A session with journalists:

  • Derek Eaton, Director of Future Economy, The Transition Accelerator
  • Derek Nighbor, President and CEO, Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC)
  • Kate Lindsay, Senior Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer, Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC)
  • Rick Jeffery, President and CEO, Canadian Wood Council (CWC)
https://player.vimeo.com/video/957955728?badge=0&autopause=0&player_id=0&app_id=58479

Key Quotes: 

“The mass timber sector provides a perfect example of how Canada can add value to its primary resources through innovative technologies and advanced skills. If we act strategically and quickly, we have the opportunity to build an industry that reduces emissions, addresses urgent needs, and positions Canada to win in emerging global value chains.” – Derek Eaton, The Transition Accelerator

“To build a world-class mass timber sector, Canada must adopt a strategic approach to ensure we can compete and win globally. This is about smart policy here at home and bringing more Canadian wood to our cities and to the world. By enabling faster, cost-effective, and environmentally-friendly construction with mass timber we can grow jobs, help address the affordable housing crunch, and reduce emissions.” – Kate Lindsay, Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC)

“The potential for Canadian wood products to reduce the carbon footprint of the built environment and drive the growth of a sustainable and prosperous wood industry is immense; however, global competition to capitalize on the significant economic opportunities mass timber presents in the transition to a lower-carbon world will require us to act swiftly to stay competitive and meet rapidly emerging domestic demand.” – Rick Jeffery, Canadian Wood Council (CWC)

WoodWorks @ BuildEx

Wood Design & Building Awards Winning Projects Announced

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Wood Council is pleased to announce the winning projects of the 40th annual Wood Design & Building Awards program. This prestigious awards program recognizes and celebrates the outstanding work of architectural professionals from around the world who achieve excellence in wood design and construction.

“We’re proud to recognize leading innovators in wood design through our awards program,” says Martin Richard, Vice President of Communications and Market Development at the Canadian Wood Council. “This year’s submissions were remarkable in their scope, quality, and variety. They reflect a rising interest in biomaterials and highlight the importance of wood as a versatile, low-carbon, high-performance material, driving the next generation of sustainable buildings.”

The jurors for the Wood Design & Building Awards were:

  • Marlon Blackwell, Principal at Marlon Blackwell Architects
  • Veronica Madonna, Director and Principal at Studio VMA
  • Alfred Waugh, Principal at Formline Architecture + Urbanism

A total of 19 winning projects from a diverse group of creators were selected from the impressive field of entries.

New this year, the regional WoodWorks program awards from Ontario, British Columbia, and Alberta were integrated with the Wood Design & Building Awards.

The jurors for the WoodWorks awards were:

  • Duncan Bourke, Vice President of Development at Cityflats
  • Melissa Higgs, Principal at hcma
  • Steve Oosterhof, Partner and Structural Engineer at Dialog

Fifteen winning projects were selected, with five from each regional program. The creativity and talent of these winning teams, as well as the beauty and diversity of their wood projects, are transforming the built environment.

In total, 33 award winners from around the globe were celebrated for excellence in wood design at the Wood Design and Building Awards celebration hosted at the WoodWorks Summit on October 22, 2024.

COMPLETE LIST OF AWARD-WINNING PROJECTS FOLLOWS:

Honor

  • Arbour House (Victoria, BC) | Patkau Architects
  • Hilltop Cottage (NB) | MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects Ltd.
  • Mohegan Trail (Block Island, RI, USA) | Bates Masi + Architects
  • The Nest (Bayfield County, WI, USA) | SALA Architects, Inc.
  • Prepared Rehmannia Root Crafts Exhibition Hall (Houyanmen Village, , Henan Province, China | Luo Studio
  • Wisdome Stockholm (Stockholm, Sweden) | Elding Oscarson Architects 

Merit

  • Covered ice rink in Saint-Apollinaire (Saint-Apollinaire, QC) | ABCP architecture et urbanisme
  • Cheko’nien House (Victoria, BC) | Perkins&Will
  • House In A Garden (Coconut Grove, , FL, USA) | Atelier Mey Architects
  • Quantum Institute (Sherbrooke, QC) | Saucier + Perrotte

Citation

  • Cunard Street Live / Work / Grow (Halifax, NS) | FBM
  • Des Cerisiers Elementary School (Maskinongé, QC) | Lucie Paquet architecte, Paulette Taillefer architecte, Leclerc architectes
  • LP Hotel with a View (Lodeynoe Pole, Russian Federation) | RHIZOME

Sansin Sponsored Awards

  • Galien River Retreat (New Buffalo, MI, USA) | Wheeler Kearns Architects
  • Arbour House (Victoria, BC) | Patkau Architects

Sustainable Forestry Initiative Sponsored Award

  • 619 Ponce (Atlanta, GA) | Handel Architects

Western Red Cedar Sponsored Award

  • Bunkie on the Hill (Muskoka, ON | Dubbeldam Architecture + Design

Wood Preservation Sponsored Award

  • #Ferndale_Flightdeck (Ottawa, ON) | 25:8 Architecture + Urban Design

WoodWorks Ontario Category

  • Bunkie on the Hill (Muskoka, ON | Dubbeldam Architecture + Design
  • Centennial College A-Building Expansion (Toronto, ON) | DIALOG in collaboration with Smoke Architecture
  • New Tecumseth Municipal Offices Adaptive Re-Use (Alliston, ON) | +VG Architects
  • Queen’s University Indigenous Gathering Space (Kingston, ON) | Smoke Architecture
  • Science Collaboration Centre at Chalk River (Chalk River, ON) | HDR

WoodWorks BC Category

  • Arbour House (Victoria, BC) | Patkau Architects
  • Nuxalk Mask, song and dance (Bella Coola, BC) | Mackin Architects Ltd.
  • Pyrrha (Vancouver, BC) | Birmingham & Wood Architects Planners LLP
  • Rosemary Brown Recreation Centre (Burnaby, BC) | hcma architecture + design
  • təməsew̓txʷ Aquatic and Community Centre (New Westminster, BC) | hcma architecture + design

WoodWorks Alberta, Prairie Category

    • Canopy (Edmonton, AB) | Jonathan Monfries
    • Olds College, Werklund Agriculture and Technology Centre (Olds, AB) | GGA-Architecture
    • Saddle Lake Onchaminahos Elementary School (Saddle Lake Cree Nation, AB) | Reimagine Architects
    • The Station at Cochrane Crossing (Cochrane, AB) | GEC Architecture
    • V Residence (Winnipeg, MB) | 1×1 architecture inc.

 

Watch our Awards Videos

 

 

The University of Toronto Academic Tower at the Goldring Centre, featuring a modern architectural design with a glass facade and a brown sloped roof, overlooking a sports field.

The Goldring Centre – University of Toronto Academic Tower

Province: Ontario
City: Toronto
Project Category: Institutional
Major Classification: D  – Offices
Height: 14 Storeys
Building Area: 176,549 ft2

Description:

The University of Toronto’s new academic tower is a14 storey mass timber building, currently under construction, built with GLT components. Realizing an innovative building of this size and complexity that goes beyond prescriptive height limit of the Ontario Building Code required extensive support and a capable, timber experienced project team. Technical project interactions with WoodWorks staff date back to 2016 and we have tracked 21 direct interactions related to this project. A deeper look at our project data reveals that the project team had an additional 23 indirect interactions with the WoodWorks team (attending events, requesting technical documents, etc.). The project team has 28 projects in their combined experience portfolio, indicating an experienced, supported design team was able to push forward an alternative solutions success storey and one of North America’s tallest wood buildings.

 

BUILDEX and Canadian Wood Council Bring Cutting Edge Wood-Based Design and Construction to All Professionals of the Built Environment

Vancouver, BC, September 19, 2024 – Informa Connect and the Canadian Wood Council announce their collaboration, WoodWorks at BUILDEX, integrating WoodWorks’ technical expertise and wood products industry representation into BUILDEX Vancouver, February 26 – 27, 2025. This initiative builds on a shared commitment to advancing Canada’s built environment and expands BUILDEX’s focus on innovative materials, design, and construction practices.

WoodWorks at BUILDEX offers an exceptional opportunity for all professionals of the built environment to immerse themselves in the latest innovations in wood-based design and construction through:

  • 14 hours of accredited educational seminars solely dedicated to wood product construction
  • Direct access to technical expertise from suppliers, manufacturers, and wood engineering consultants
  • A new expo pavilion experience dedicated to structural and finishing wood products at the heart of Western Canada’s largest building and construction event

Rick Jeffery, President and CEO, Canadian Wood Council, emphasized the importance of this collaboration: “Working with Informa Connect to bring WoodWorks to BUILDEX Vancouver in 2025 allows us to concentrate on one of our core strengths—delivering industry-leading educational content, technical support, and access to leading wood product providers—at Canada’s most progressive design, construction and real estate event.”

Sherida Sessa, SVP for North America at Informa Connect, added “British Columbia is recognized as a global leader in wood-based design and construction, and this partnership solidifies BUILDEX as a key destination for technical expertise, innovation and leadership in the wood products industry.”

WoodWorks at BUILDEX amplifies BUILDEX Vancouver’s core offering to Canadian and North America’s design and construction leaders: timely market insights, respected technical knowledge, transformative networking, and exposure to the materials and technologies at the forefront of Canada’s built environment.

BUILDEX Vancouver will take place February 26 – 27, 2025, at the Vancouver Convention Centre West, attracting over 8,500 developers, architects, engineers, builders, designers, suppliers, and real estate professionals. Register now at www.BUILDEXVancouver.com to secure your place and witness the latest in progressive design and construction trends.

  • Structural Engineering, Wood Design

Alternative Solutions Guide

While alternative solutions have been an important feature of the National Building Code of Canada since 2005, there remains a lack of understanding among building professionals on how to approach their use. As the construction industry evolves, with increasing innovation in design and construction capabilities, new ways of building that may not be well addressed by building codes will emerge. At the same time, tools for performance testing and simulation are becoming more widespread. In light of the diverse and evolving building industry, alternative solutions that enable new ways of building are likely to become more commonplace. A critical area where alternative solutions may be employed is in the use of mass timber construction. The introduction of mass timber construction techniques, enabled by a range of engineered wood products, associated connection technologies, and fabrication methods, has resulted in a wide range of possible building solutions that may not have been considered by building codes.

Canadian Wood Council and George Brown College’s Brookfield Sustainability Institute to co-host WoodWorks Summit in Toronto

Ottawa, Toronto | 27 March 2024] – The Canadian Wood Council (CWC) and George Brown College’s Brookfield Sustainability Institute (BSI) are thrilled to announce a strategic partnership aimed at fostering education in sustainable construction practices.


Under this partnership, the CWC and BSI will join forces on various initiatives dedicated to accelerating the adoption of sustainable wood construction. Central to this effort is the WoodWorks Summit, which the organizations will co-host in Toronto October 21-25, 2024.


The Summit promises to be a dynamic collection of events that will bring together industry leaders, practitioners, academics, and policymakers to explore the latest advancements, challenges, and opportunities in wood construction and sustainability.


“We are excited to embark on this collaborative journey with the Brookfield Sustainability Institute,” said Martin Richard, VP of Market Development and Communications at the Canadian Wood Council. “Together, we aim to drive innovation, share knowledge, and accelerate the adoption of sustainable wood construction.”


The WoodWorks Summit will feature an engaging lineup of events, including keynote speeches, panel discussions, tours, and networking sessions. Attendees can expect to engage with cutting-edge research, best practices, and real-world case studies, all aimed at demonstrating the use of wood as an innovative, high-performance, sustainable building material.


“Our partnership with the Canadian Wood Council underscores our commitment to advancing sustainability in the built environment,” remarked Jacob Kessler, Director of Business Development & Account Management at the Brookfield Sustainability Institute. “By combining our expertise and resources, we can make significant strides to empower the design and construction community with the practical knowledge and technical resources needed to create healthier, more resilient communities with a reduced carbon footprint.”


Through this collaboration, the CWC and BSI aim to catalyze positive change within the construction industry. For more information about the WoodWorks Summit, please visit www.woodworkssummit.ca.

  • Bridges, CWC, Infrastructure, Premium

Timber Bridge Inspection, Maintenance, Restoration and Design Detailing Guide

This 3-volume guide on timber bridge inspection, maintenance, restoration, and detailing covers everything you need to know about detailing durable wood bridges, starting with a thorough description of wood’s unique and often advantageous properties, and concluding with advanced topics that will be of interest to engineers world-wide.

  • Wood Design, Wood Design Awards

Wood Design Awards, 2023

Wood Design & Building Magazine, vol 25, issue 102
Building Canada’s Future With Wood
Scaling Affordable Rental Housing with Tall Mass Timber
Unlocking Affordable Timber Innovations in Structure, Prefabrication, and Code
Webinar – Online Tools for Wood Construction: CodeCHEK, FRR & STC & EMTC Calculator
Guide to Mid-Rise Wood Construction in the Ontario Building Code
Exposed Mass Timber Calculator
WoodWorks Building Tour – Pictou County Mass Timber Buildings
Federal Call for Proposals Opens Under $500M Forest Sector Transformation Investment
Wood Design & Building Magazine – Sign Up
Wood Design & Building Magazine, vol 25, issue 101
FRAMEWORK for Success: Prefabricated Wood Systems and Design Innovation

Wood Design & Building Magazine, vol 25, issue 102

This issue of Wood Design & Building explores how intentional design can carry culture, support community, and foster connection. The projects featured here demonstrate...

Building Canada’s Future With Wood

Course Overview This session will feature thought leaders in a podcast-style conversation exploring the evolving role of wood in Canadian construction. Through a series of...

Scaling Affordable Rental Housing with Tall Mass Timber

Course Overview As cities face growing pressures around affordability, climate resilience and livability, innovative projects like Catalyst's 18-storey CLT rental development...

Unlocking Affordable Timber Innovations in Structure, Prefabrication, and Code

Course Overview Bond Tower is a 7-storey mixed-use prototype that asks a critical question: how can mass timber be made cost-effective in the Prairies, where supply chains...

Webinar – Online Tools for Wood Construction: CodeCHEK, FRR & STC & EMTC Calculator

Guide to Mid-Rise Wood Construction in the Ontario Building Code

Second Edition Applicable to the 2024 OBC (O. Reg. 163/24) – In Effect January 1, 2025 Overview The Guide to Mid-Rise Wood Construction in the Ontario Building Code (Second...

Exposed Mass Timber Calculator

The Canadian Wood Council is pleased to introduce a new design tool: the Exposed Mass Timber Calculator. Developed to support practitioners working with encapsulated mass...

WoodWorks Building Tour – Pictou County Mass Timber Buildings

Federal Call for Proposals Opens Under $500M Forest Sector Transformation Investment

February 25, 2026 (Ottawa, ON) — The Canadian Wood Council (CWC) welcomes today’s launch of a national Call for Proposals by the Honourable Tim Hodgson, Minister of...

Wood Design & Building Magazine – Sign Up

  Stay connected to the ideas, projects, and technical insights shaping wood design and construction across Canada and beyond. Wood Design & Building magazine is...

Wood Design & Building Magazine, vol 25, issue 101

Every issue of Wood Design & Building tells a different story about how wood is shaping contemporary construction. Some editions revolve around a clear theme such as our...

FRAMEWORK for Success: Prefabricated Wood Systems and Design Innovation

Course Overview This presentation explores the transformative impact of prefabricated light wood frame construction systems in multi-residential development, focusing on...

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