Course Overview

This presentation aims to help designers and construction companies/builders assess the potential for moisture related issues arising during the construction appropriate actions to mitigate such risk. Information on wetting and drying potential, and solutions and available resources related to onsite moisture management as well as design measures will be discussed.

Learning Objectives

1. Wood’s basic physical properties related to moisture management.
2. Categories of wood materials/built up assemblies.
3. Wetting and drying performance of different assemblies.
4. Different level of onsite moisture protection.
5. Design solutions to facilitate drying performance.

Course Video

Speaker Bio

Jieying Wang
Senior Scientist – Building Systems Department
FPInnovations

Jieying Wang is a senior scientist in the Building Systems department of FPInnovations.

Since she joined FPInnovations (then operating as “Forintek”) about 11 years ago, her research has primarily focused on wood durability, moisture management and thermal performance of wood‐based building envelopes.

Course Overview

This webinar will discuss the fire-related national building and fire code changes related to a new construction type called Encapsulated Mass Timber Construction (EMTC) to be used for wood buildings up to twelve storeys. As well, it will provide an overview of ongoing fire research at the National Research Council of Canada into various performance aspects of mass timber construction and tall wood buildings.

Learning Objectives

1. Proposed new construction type EMTC.
2. Proposed new ULC encapsulation rating test.
3. Proposed additions for EMTC in the 2020 NBC and NFC.
4. Mass timber fire testing.

Course Video

Speaker Bio

Marc Alam
Manager, Codes and Standards in the fire division Canadian Wood Council

Marc Alam is a member of the Canadian Wood Council. As Manager, Codes and Standards in the fire division, Marc assists through participation in CWC’s building code and standards fire‐related initiatives and the development of CWC’s fire design tools, as well as code‐related fire research projects.

Course Overview

Coming soon…

Learning Objectives

Coming Soon…

Course Video

Speaker Bio

John Paone
Director / Sr. Vice President
Alfred Horie Construction Co. Ltd., Burnaby, BC

Mark Porter, P.Eng.
Struct. Eng.
FIStructE, Associated Engineering, Burnaby, BC

Course Overview

The presentation will address common modes of fire spread in mid‐rise buildings of combustible construction and the measures implemented into building codes to limit fire spread. The presentation will look at several case studies and quantify the impact of key mitigation measures that have been implemented into building codes following these fires.

Learning Objectives

1. Knowledge of key fire spread modes and mechanisms in combustible mid‐rise buildings.
2. Knowledge of key building code requirements to limit fire spread.
3. The importance of fire stopping and blocking.
4. Methods to limit fire spread.

Course Video

Speaker Bio

Keith Calder, P.Eng.
Jensen Hughes

Keith Calder, P.Eng., has almost 20 years’ experience in fire engineering, fire modelling, building and fire code consulting and fire investigation. He has developed a vast knowledge of the application of current and historical building codes and has provided analysis and advice on the development of several wood initiatives.

Course Overview

Durability by design is all in the detail. It is the detail, an aspect of wood design which is sometimes overlooked, that determines the durability of a building’s exterior, especially when wood is exposed to the elements. Knowing what happens to the wood when exposed to moisture or the sun’s UV rays and applying that information, results in a design that stands the test of time. Bill Billups’ presentation will include illustrated examples of what happens when design principles of durability are ignored.

Learning Objectives

1. The participant will look at four design elements of wood structures: Canopies, Eave Lines, Siding and Caps & Bases.
2. Examples will show what does / does not work and through these examples the presenter will show how Durability by Design is in the details.
3. The participant will learn where the water goes and how nature teaches us how to handle the sun.
4. They will come away with a Durability check list they can apply to any design they are working on.

Course Video

Speaker Bio

Bill Billups, AScT
Technical Consultant
Wood WORKS! BC

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:

1. Basic CLT fire separation performance.
2. CLT‐penetration interface design principles.
3. Testing of a CLT wall with a fire door.
4. 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.

Course Overview

Melissa will discuss the role of the specialty structural engineer in glulam connection design for your project. Tips will be provided to help streamline the work of the project architect and engineer of record, and also highlight specific detailing situations to help construction run more smoothly. Glulam fabrication will be discussed: from chisels to CNC machines. Some examples will be given to see what is possible during this timber connection renaissance, made possible by 3D fabrication models and CNC machines.

Learning Objectives

1. Mass timber fabrication processes and the role of shop drawings.
2. Detailing to accommodate for differing tolerances of different trades on the construction site.
3. Tailoring timber specifications to meet architectural needs.
4. Information required in construction documents for delegated design of mass timber connections.
5. New timber connection possibilities through use of CNC Fabrication.
6. How to communicate scope delineation for multiple suppliers of structural systems on your project and where are the potential gaps / overlaps.
7. How involving your mass timber supplier early in the design process can create material and construction efficiencies.

Course Video

Speaker Bio

Melissa Kindratsky, P.Eng., LEED® AP BD+C
Structural Project Engineer
ISL Engineering and Land Services

Melissa Kindratsky, P.Eng., LEED® AP BD+C, is a structural project engineer for ISL Engineering and Land Services. With 400 people in 14 offices in western Canada, ISL established a Buildings Group in 2012 with the acquisition of Cascade Engineering Group, and Melissa joined the growing team in the Canmore office in 2015.

Melissa supports the successful delivery of building engineering to a range of clients, from independent homes owners to internationally renowned architects, timber framers, and mass timber fabricators. With over 15 years of experience in design engineering and construction, Melissa has experience in commercial, residential, and industrial developments of various shapes and sizes. Her material of choice is timber and she focuses most of her time on both concept and detailed design of timber structures. These range from modern developments to repairs of heritage structures and even playgrounds.

She passionately believes that to engineer a structure in wood, one must respect the unique properties of this natural material and even use them to enhance the design, both structurally and architecturally. Close attention is paid to the contribution of the structure to the sustainability features of a building project and these are even more easily achieved when the structure is timber.

Course Overview

Building a wood frame Car Dealership is a unique proposition to begin with. Making it a Certified Passivehouse building in cold windy Red Deer is an added level of complexity. Scottsville Autogroup, along with Cover Architectural Collaborative and Peel Passivehouse was up for the challenge. Now nearing completion, the project will set a new bar for energy efficient and sustainable construction in the industrial sector. The project shows that manufactured wood products are not only capable but preferable when designing sustainable buildings. The use of wood not only significantly reduces the embodied energy of the structure, but allows for thermal bridge free construction – a critical consideration when building a super-efficient envelope.

Learning Objectives

1. How to achieve tall, long span structures using dimensional and engineered wood products.
2. How to design thermal bridge free envelopes.
3. How to achieve Passivehouse certification in a cold climate with significant storefront glazing.
4. How to account for process loads in PHPP calculations.

Course Video

Speaker Bio

Lukas Armstrong
Architect and Principal
Cover Architectural Collborative

Lukas Armstrong, as an Architect and Principal at Cover Architectural Collborative in Nelson BC, has been responsible for some of Canada’s first Certified Passivehouse projects, including his own home in a multifamily residential building. Lukas has presented at the New York and Vancouver Passivehouse conferences and provides an engaging and informative window into wood frame Passivehouse design and construction.

Course Overview

This presentation defines Acoustic building code requirements and discusses important acoustic principles in mass timber construction.

Learning Objectives

1. Acoustic complaints & Law Suits.
2. Customer negative perception of your building (ex; wood frame vs concrete).
3. Code regulations (ex; need to reduce weight, acoustic requirements, etc.).
4. Abundance of possibilities and unclear information.

Course Video

Speaker Bio

André Rioux
Co-Owner/Business Development
AcoustiTECH

André has been working alongside building professionals for more than 15 years and is recognized for his passion for the field of acoustics and his expert knowledge.

Promoting wood construction across Canada and the US has been a great focus of his, participating in various organizations, giving conferences and joining innovation projects.

André’s experience with wood construction combined with over 20 years of research and development from AcoustiTECH has resulted in a group being able to bring invaluable expertise and knowhow.

Course Overview

This 2-hour technical webinar will begin with an overview of ongoing fire research at the National Research Council of Canada into various performance aspects of mass timber construction and tall wood buildings. From there, code experts from Morrison Hershfield will discuss the new building code provisions related to Encapsulated Mass Timber Construction (EMTC), which is a new construction type in the code, that permit mass timber structures up to twelve storeys in building height. Participants will receive a complimentary electronic copy of the CWC’s recently published “Guide to Encapsulated Mass Timber Construction in the Ontario Building Code” authored by Morrison Hershfield.

Learning Objectives

An overview of the Ottawa Mass Timber Demonstration Fire Tests:

1. The presentation will provide an overview of the Mass Timber Demonstration Fire Test Project which were conducted during the summer and fall of 2022. Past research on the fire performance of mass timber construction will be reviewed briefly to provide the background necessary to understand how the latest tests support the design of taller and larger mass timber buildings. Each of the five tests performed will be reviewed along with what it means for future mass timber building design.

Guide to Encapsulated Mass Timber Construction in the Ontario Building Code:

1. Encapsulated mass timber construction (EMTC) showcases recent advancements in fire safety engineering. These advancements are reflected in recent adoptions of EMTC as a new construction type across various jurisdictions and specifically in Ontario, through O.Reg. 451/22, which became applicable as of July 1, 2022. This presentation introduces designers and authorities to the “Guide to Encapsulated Mass Timber Construction in the Ontario Building Code.”
2. The purpose of the guide, and this presentation, is to introduce users to the new provisions governing EMTC in Ontario, so that readers are aware of the content, intent, and application of the new provisions. The guide introduces the new provisions and highlights where new EMTC features align with similar well-known provisions of the OBC for noncombustible construction and where the new provisions differ or are unique. Through highlighting these differences, this guide seeks to broaden awareness of OBC application to the design of this new building type.

Course Video

Speaker Bio

Marc Alam
Senior Manager, Codes & Standards – Fire & Acoustics
Canadian Wood Council

As Senior Manager of Codes and Standards in fire and acoustics, Marc participates in CWC’s building code and standards fire and acoustics related initiatives and the development of CWC’s fire design tools, as well as code‐related fire and acoustics research projects. He is finalising a PhD in Fire Engineering from Carleton and has a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering with a concentration in Management.

Dana Scherf, P.Eng.
Senior Code Consultant, Director of Code and Life Safety Group
Morrison Hershfield

Dana has been applying Building and Fire Codes across Canada since 1997 and has been with Morrison Hershfield since 2001. She has extensive experience in interpretation and application of the Codes to new and existing buildings, development and negotiation of Alternative Solutions, resolution of unusual fire protection construction issues, fire hazards analysis, and application of fire and smoke modelling to support design solutions. She started her career as a plans examiner with the City of Hamilton. Dana supports clients in applying the Building Code to achieve their project vision while providing the level of safety required by the Code.

Trisha Ashworth, P.Eng., M.Eng.
Senior Code Consultant, Department Manager of Code within the Code and Life Safety Group
Morrison Hershfield

Trisha has been working in the building consulting industry since 2007 and has been with Morrison Hershfield since 2017. Trisha actively applies her knowledge of Building and Fire Codes across various Canadian jurisdictions for both new building designs and existing building retrofits across a range of occupancy types. Trisha’s fundamental knowledge of fire dynamics and fire protection design, inherent in the formation of the Building Codes, allows her to apply judgment in the application of prescriptive requirements of the Codes and develop alternative solutions to meet the areas of performance required by the Codes.

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

1. Understand the design and construction advantages of using mass timber in tall building projects like Tallwood 1 – structural benefits, aesthetic possibilities, and environmental impact.
2. Analyze the engineering challenges and solutions involved in the project, focusing on mass timber integration with other construction materials.
3. 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.
4. 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.