Plant a Seed Designing with Wood and Bio based Materials
Course Overview
Concrete, steel, and aluminum are responsible for 23% of the world’s total CO2 emissions. While a portion of those emissions come from other industries, the biggest sinner is without comparison construction. In this presentation, based on Henning Larsen’s recent publication, ‘Plant a Seed’, Fabia will present an alternative, sharing Henning Larsen cases studies and insights on designing with wood and biobased materials for significantly reduced carbon.
Fabia is a Structural Design Engineer and Timber Expert at Henning Larsen with both theoretical knowledge about timber from her engineering degree and practical experience from her work as a carpenter. She has a passion for timber construction and understands the potential of wood in developing unique, sustainable projects. Given her experiences, Fabia has extensive knowledge about incorporating wood in construction processes. She supports design teams by integrating wood into many projects like Henning Larsen’s World of Volvo experience center in Gothenburg, Sweden; Marmormolen, one of Denmark’s largest wooden structures; and Fælledby, Copenhagen’s first wooden district, and winner of Fast Company’s 2021 World Changing Ideas Awards. Having co-authored Henning Larsen’s Plant a Seed publication, innovative solutions are always in focus for Fabia, by which she strives to promote wood and biomass as essential materials for building a climate-neutral future.
Overview of the Canadian Mass Timber Technical Guide
Course Overview
Join us for an introduction to a new, comprehensive Canadian technical reference guide to mass timber. Canada’s inherent building-with-wood culture lays a solid foundation for the continued growth of mass timber construction. Learn more about why mass timber is right for your next project, the design process and building systems, code acceptance, our expertise and more.
Learning Objectives
How mass timber can be incorporated into a variety of structural projects that typically utilize other materials.
Design considerations for utilizing mass timber and how the Mass timber guide can provide them with the information to navigate mass timber design.
How to use the mass timber reference guide for cross laminated timber and glue laminated timber design and construction.
Overview of the economic and sustainable benefits of mass timber construction.
Course Video
Speaker Bio
Orlagh McHugh – BSc, M.Eng, EIT Mass Timber Specialist Structurlam Mass Timber Corporation Vancouver/Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
Orlagh McHugh is a Mass Timber Specialist at Structurlam Mass Timber Corporation, overseeing the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island. Before relocating to BC almost a decade ago, Orlagh earned her Degree in Structural Engineering and Architecture at University College Dublin, Ireland, and went on to complete a Masters of Structural Engineering at the same institution.
With over 7 years of experience working with top Vancouver firms as a design engineer, she has contributed to a diverse catalogue of projects across a number of sectors, with a particular focus on wood and mass timber construction. Orlagh is inspired by the innovative nature of mass timber construction and keen to promote creativity, technology and sustainability in our built environment.
Ron McDougall Mass Timber Specialist Structurlam Mass Timber Corporation Western/Eastern Canada
Ron brings 30 years of heavy timber experience to the mass timber industry that combines a unique perspective on the evolution of hand built timber construction to the technologically advanced practices utilized in Structurlam’s state of the art production process.
Ron’s expertise is the facilitation of incorporating BIM practices in pragmatic and meaningful ways to ensure efficient construction of complex mass timber structures.
Sound and Vibration in Mass Timber Buildings: A Practical Guide
Course Overview
Following an introductory overview of building acoustics, the presenter will explore both airborne and impact sound transmission in mass timber buildings. While direct sound transmission (i.e., through floor/ceiling assemblies) has been thoroughly tested, indirect sound transmission (i.e., around wall or floor/ceiling assemblies) remains more of a challenge. To address this, the presenter will share findings from recent R&D initiatives aimed at helping maximize exposed mass timber while still adhering to code requirements.
This webinar will also examine the sound absorptive properties of mass timber, which play a critical role in environments such as schools, offices, and event spaces. Finally, we’ll conclude with specific design strategies to help prevent late-stage acoustical issues, especially when projects have progressed to a point where certain solutions are no longer feasible.
Learning Objectives
Gain familiarity with basic acoustic terminology and principles.
Understand how sound and vibration can transmit directly and indirectly through the mass timber structure.
Discover approaches to addressing sound and vibration transmission through continuous mass timber (CLT) panels.
Gain an appreciation of various design considerations affecting the control of noise in mass timber buildings.
Course Video
Speaker Bio
Simon Edwards, M.Eng., P.Eng., ing. Senior Acoustical Engineer, Associate HGC NOISE VIBRATION ACOUSTICS
Simon is a member of HGC’s built environment division, with extensive experience in acoustical work across the permitting, design, construction, and post-occupancy phases of residential and commercial buildings. He has worked with poured concrete, hollow-core, wood-frame, and steel-deck structures and has particular expertise in mass timber projects, including Ontario’s first mass timber building, R-Town Vertical 6, and the acclaimed YW Supportive Housing project in Kitchener. Simon’s growing experience in designing and testing various CLT configurations has positioned him as a leader in mass timber acoustics.
Simon is also an expert on sound transmission, with a background in both theoretical calculations and experimental sound transmission testing (“Kij Testing”) to evaluate flanking transmission in line with ISO 12354 and ISO 10848. He is a member of both the ISO and ASTM Technical Committees on Building Acoustics and contributes to the development of standards for measurement and calculation methodologies across the industry.
Shearwall Connections and Lateral Systems for Wood Buildings
Course Overview
This comprehensive course delves into the latest advancements in wood shearwall systems and connections, featuring critical updates from the 2020 National Building Code of Canada (NBCC). This course will cover essential topics, including advancements in lateral systems and rod holdowns, and provide a step-by-step approach to accurately calculating deflection for rod holdowns. Dive into key details on relevant connections and fasteners that enhance performance and resilience. The session will culminate with a overview of the outcomes of a groundbreaking 10-storey mass timber seismic test conducted in San Diego as part of the NHERI Tall Wood Project, showcasing how these innovations perform under real-world conditions. This webinar is designed for engineers, architects, and construction professionals looking to stay current with advancements in seismic design for wood structures.
Learning Objectives
Gain insights into the latest advancements in seismic and lateral force-resisting systems for timber construction.
Learn effective methods for calculating deflection in rod hold-down systems, ensuring compliance with structural performance standards.
Explore best practices and expert recommendations for specifying connections in shearwalls to optimize strength and resilience.
Understand key findings from the NHERI TallWood test, highlighting lessons from the tallest mass timber building ever tested on a shake table.
Course Video
Speaker Bio
Tim Wagner, P.Eng., MBA Field Engineer Simpson Strong-Tie
Tim joined Simpson Strong-Tie in 2014 as an EIT, and earned his Professional Engineering designation in 2018. His primary role is building relationships with specifiers in western Canada, with major focuses on connections, lateral systems fasteners and anchors.
Mass Timber Construction at Canadian Nuclear Laboratories
Course Overview
Canadian Nuclear Labs’ Chalk River Laboratories comprise the largest single complex in Canada’s science and technology community. The site contains more than 50 unique facilities and laboratories including a three new buildings constructed with mass timber.
These three buildings are the focus of a detailed environmental impact study. This webinar will offer a case study of the three buildings and share the results of the environmental impact study. Topics covered by the presentation include: -Why Wood? (drivers that led CNL to chose mass timber) -Carbon Impact (operational, embodied, sequestered, avoided, and a life cycle assessment) -Procurement (Integrated Project Delivery Method) -Building Performance (construction elements, energy performance, envelope performance, fire performance, durability, resiliency, and potential for adaptive reuse) -Code Requirements (regulatory approvals, permit process)
The projects are considered successful examples of sustainable procurement aligning with the ‘greening government’ strategy which supports the Government’s commitment to net-zero emissions by 2050, and includes a 40% reduction by 2025 for federal facilities.
Learning Objectives
Understand the strategic importance of using mass timber construction at CNL and its alignment with sustainability goals, including carbon reduction and the promotion of sustainable building practices.
Analyze the logistical and engineering challenges associated with implementing mass timber in a large-scale infrastructure project.
Evaluate the benefits of mass timber in the context of operational efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and environmental impact.
Discuss the implications of mass timber construction for future building projects in terms of regulatory compliance, market trends, and technological advancements.
Course Video
Speaker Bio
Donald Chong, OAA, MRAIC, B.Arch Design Principal, Associate Vice President HDR
Don has firmly established himself in Toronto’s architecture culture through his inventiveness and investment in placemaking. His project skills volley between the strategic planning of urban and institutional work through to the detailing of finely crafted furniture, as well as research-based design. Don has held numerous design conference speaking engagements, from the Wood at Work Conference to the Architectural League of New York, and has been featured in print publications, such as Design Lines, related to mass timber design.
Susan Croswell, OAA, MRAIC Project Delivery Principal HDR
Susan is a project architect with over 27 years of diversified experience. Her expertise in both architectural design and technology allows her to excel in the profession from concept design through to contract administration. Susan’s ability to deliver complex projects and documentation on time is a hallmark of her work and is achieved through effective leadership and teamwork. She has developed a reputation as a highly competent, efficient, effective and approachable project architect who loves the challenges that each and every project brings to the team. Some of her recent, award-winning projects include the CNL Chalk River Laboratories “New Builds,” Queen’s University John Deutsch University Centre, and Kingston Frontenac Public Library.
Ryan Zizzo, PEng, MASc, LEED AP ND Founder & CEO Mantle Developments
Ryan Zizzo is a professional engineer and Founder & CEO at Mantle Developments, a consultancy focused on climate-smart infrastructure and buildings, based in Toronto. Mantle helps projects go beyond energy efficiency, incorporating resilience, embodied carbon emissions, and life cycle approaches to make projects future-proof and net-zero carbon ready. Ryan is a recognized leader in helping large organizations and governments transition to a low-carbon future. He has directly supported the Government of Canada, several provincial Ministries, the City of Toronto, the YMCA of Greater Toronto, and numerous developers, property managers, and real estate investors.
Joining Tradition and Innovation with Mass timber Connections
Course Overview
An overview of traditional, state of the art and innovative wood fasteners and connectors. This course is of particular interest to structural engineers and design professionals interested in structural engineering.
Learning Objectives
Wood Properties and their influence on timber connection design.
Overview of traditional, state-of-the-art and innovative fasteners and connectors.
Ductility and durability aspects in connection with dowel type fasteners.
Modern carpentry – a resurrection of traditional framing through CNC.
Best practices for the design of mass timber connections.
Course Video
Speaker Bio
Patrick Geers Senior Structural Designer, Head of Quality Control Western Archrib
As the company’s senior engineering designer Patrick is in charge of the design of structural wood systems including fabricated steel connections and hardware He is involved in the development and presentation of building proposals to support sales efforts and cooperates with the production team to develop manufacturing solutions In addition, he is responsible for the supervision of quality control department Patrick has over 17 years experience in the glulam industry an currently sits on CSA 086 Sub-committee.
Gestimat Toward Low Carbon Construction
Course Overview
Gestimat facilitates the assessment of the carbon footprint of buildings. Developed in Quebec for the Wood Charter and financed by the Fonds vert, Gestimat is also available in English since April 2020. This new web-based tool estimates the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions related to structural materials used in different building scenarios. Scenario modelling can be done during preliminary design using estimation from typical buildings or, further in the design, by entering quantities of materials specific to a given project.
Learning Objectives
Learn about the possibilities of the GESTIMAT tool.
Understand principles behind the calculations in GESTIMAT.
Evaluate the applicability of GESTIMAT for your projects.
Learn how to create a GESTIMAT analysis for a preliminary project.
Learn how to modify a GESTIMAT analysis to adapt the quantities of materials to a specific project.
Course Video
Speaker Bio
Caroline Frenette, Eng., Ph. D. Technical Advisor Cecobois
Over the past 30 years, Caroline Frenette has developed expertise in timber structures and sustainable construction. After her bachelor’s degree in civil engineering at the Université de Sherbrooke, her interest in wood construction led her to undertake a master’s degree on the seismic behaviour of timber structures at the University of British Columbia. She worked for several years in France and Austria designing timber and hybrid structures in a specialized engineering firm. She was also involved in the construction of an experimental bioclimatic house, a personal project using biobased materials and innovative building technologies. She pursued her interest for sustainable construction during her doctoral thesis on multicriteria analysis of wood-framed walls, studying several aspects of building performance, including environmental impact based on Life Cycle Assessment. Technical advisor with Cecobois since 2009, Caroline is also adjunct professor in the Department of Wood and Forest Sciences and teaching at the Centre de formation en développement durable (CFDD) at Université Laval, and a member of the Centre de recherche sur les matériaux renouvelables (CRMR).
Global Lessons from Local Forests
Course Overview
Through the example of the Biomass Power Plant at Hotchkiss School this presentation highlights distinctive and sustainable infrastructure. This Biomass Power Plant was designed to do double duty as a living classroom. It exposes ecologically friendly technologies and sustainable construction materials to students and community groups through public tours. Attendees will see how an industrial building can also be beautiful and how sustainable and local materials can be incorporated into local infrastructure in ways that include and invite the community into the building and the operations of a Biomass facility.
Learning Objectives
How wood structure can complement sustainable design.
Appropriate uses for Glulam in the design of industrial and institutional construction.
Conservation features under LEED that include: a renewable, laminated wood structural system; water-conserving plumbing fixtures; use of local materials with a high recycled content; an abundance of daylight inside; and highly efficient mechanical systems, lighting, and exterior skin.
Infrastructure that connects and informs the local community and visitors, how the facility has become an integral part of the school’s commitment to becoming a carbon neutral campus by 2020.
Course Video
Speaker Bio
Alan D Paradis, RA, Leed AP Associate Centerbrook Architects and Planners, LLP. – Connecticut, USA
Dowel Laminated Timber A new mass timber product in North America
Course Overview
Dowel‐laminated timber is a next generation mass timber product commonly used in Europe, where it is also known as brettstapel. Panels are made from softwood lumber boards stacked like the boards of NLT, friction‐fit together with hardwood beech dowels instead of nails. DLT is the only mass timber product which is 100 per cent wood – it involves no glue or nails. Unique to DLT as a mass timber product, acoustic profiles can be integrated directly into the bottom surface of a panel. DLT panels processed using CNC machinery create a high tolerance panel which can also contain pre‐integrated electrical conduit and other service runs. StructureCraft will be the first manufacturer of DLT in North America, with a new automated manufacturing line and plant beginning production in 2017. This presentation will discuss how DLT differs from other mass timber products in its use and specification. Topics will include potential applications, introduction to the design and construction process and costs.
Learning Objectives
What is Dowel Laminated Timber?
Potential applications of DLT.
Introduction to design and construction detailing.
Product availability and cost.
Course Video
Speaker Bio
Lucas Epp Head of Engineering StructureCraft
Lucas Epp is a structural engineer with 10 years of experience working throughout Canada, the UK, and New Zealand. While in London he designed a range of projects with world class architects and developed an expertise in complex geometry and challenging structures. Lucas leads the engineering department at StructureCraft where he has been involved in large-scale timber structures including the 2012 Vancouver Olympics Oval and more recently as lead engineer for the T3 Minneapolis office building.
Efficient Tall Wall Framing using Engineered Wood Products
Course Overview
This webinar will explore the basic design principles and best practices for efficient tall wall design using engineered wood products. Discussion will include material selection, design for climate conditions, and a complete design example using freely available software tools.
Learning Objectives
Understand the design principles and inputs required to size tall wall framing members.
Recognize some of the pitfalls of inadequate tall wall design.
Learn about easy-to-use tools and software available to simplify this process.
Course Video
Speaker Bio
Steve McManus Senior Engineer Weyerhaeuser
Steve McManus, a professional engineer based in Langley, BC, supports Weyerhaeuser’s Trus Joist® Engineered Lumber Products in residential and light commercial construction. He provides technical support, training, and field issue resolution for suppliers, architects, engineers, and building officials across Canada.
Steve’s 27 years of experience in the forest industry includes structural design and engineering, forest management, and wood products manufacturing.
Diversify Your Structural Portfolio: Wood in Low-Rise Commercial Construction
Course Overview
This course will explore the use cases for incorporating more wood into a sector that is typically dominated by structural steel construction. We will look at Light Wood Framing (LWF), Structural Composite Lumber (SCL), Mass Timber (MT), and Hybrid Systems that may incorporate any or all of these materials, as well as structural steel. What is important is using the right material in the right application. Several examples from the CWC Publication “Low-Rise Commercial Construction in Wood: A guide for Architects and Engineers”, as well as real project examples from the presenter.
Learning Objectives
Identify strengths and weaknesses of various wood products.
Learn to select the right wood material/system for the most efficient and cost effective structure.
Highlight critical details and identify potential red flags to ensure a successful project.
Provide useful examples, resources and tools for the practitioner to add to their “tool belt”.
Course Video
Speaker Bio
Alex Nowakowksi Engineer, Senior Associate, and Barrie Team Lead Tacoma Engineers
Alex is a Professional Engineer, Senior Associate, and Barrie Team Lead for Tacoma Engineers. Alex has been with Tacoma Engineers since 2012. As a Senior Structural Engineer and Project Manager, Alex has been the Primary Structural Engineer and Specialty Structural Engineer on a wide variety of wood projects in the Commercial, Institutional, Multi-Family, Agricultural and Residential Sectors.
Design Options for Three and Four Storey Wood School Buildings in British Columbia
Course Overview
There are currently a number of planned new school projects throughout British Columbia that require either three ‐ or four‐storey buildings, and this demand is increasing as land values continue to rise. Though timber construction offers a viable option for these buildings, code constraints have limited timber schools to a maximum of two storeys while also imposing overall floor area limitations. Consequently, the development of viable structural options for larger timber school buildings has lagged. This session will explore the range of possible timber construction approaches for school buildings up to four storeys in height within a seismic region.
Learning Objectives
21st century school planning principles and their impact on timber building construction.
Timber vertical load‐bearing systems with a focus on the technical considerations and architectural implications related to school buildings.
Timber lateral force‐resisting systems with a focus on the technical considerations and architectural implications related to school buildings.
Comparison of a few possible design concepts for four‐storey timber school buildings.
Course Video
Speaker Bio
Nick Bevilacqua Associate Principal Fast + Epp
With 15 years of industry experience, Nick has a broad experience base that enables him to be fluent in all building types and primary structural materials. Nick has considerable experience in the education sector, and is currently working on a number of schools throughout the province that feature various configurations and degrees of timber construction.
Ray Wolfe Partner Thinkspace Architecture Planning and Interior Design
Ray is an architect and partner at Thinkspace Architecture Planning and Interior Design. He is an award‐winning architect with a focus on institutional and specifically education projects. As a practicing architect, Ray has been involved in advancing the knowledge of topics such as modular construction, school area standards and a variety of studies involving the use of wood in schools with the Ministry of Education, FII and Wood WORKS!. Ray believes passive sustainable strategies and the use of wood play an important role in the next generation of education buildings in Canada.
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Wood is the only major building material that grows naturally and is renewable. With growing pressure to reduce the carbon footprint of the built environment, building...
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Concerns about climate change are encouraging decarbonization of the building sector, including the use of construction materials responsible for fewer greenhouse gas (GHG)...
Construction products and the building sector as a whole have significant impacts on the environment. Policy instruments and market forces are increasingly pushing...
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Wood is composed of many small cellular tubes that are predominantly filled with air. The natural composition of the material allows for wood to act as an effective...
The provision of fire safety in a building is a complex matter; far more complex than the relative combustibility of the main structural materials used in a building. To...
In addition to combustible, heavy timber and noncombustible construction, a new construction type is presently being considered for inclusion into the National Building Code...
The National Building Code of Canada (NBC) defines fire safety under Objective OS1: “an objective of this code is to limit the probability that as a result of the design or...
Flame spread is primarily a surface burning characteristic of materials, and a flame-spread rating is a way to compare how rapid flame spreads on the surface of one material...
In the National Building Code of Canada (NBC) “fire-resistance rating” is defined in part as: “the time in minutes or hours that a material or assembly of materials...
