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This Guide is designed to help educators increase wood content in their already crowded curricula, exposing students to the unique challenges and opportunities of designing with advanced wood systems, within the context of the program and student performance criteria established, maintained, and evaluated by the Canadian Architectural Certification Board.
The Guidebook of Design for deconstruction in Light Wood Frame presents a methodology for altering typical light wood frame assemblies so that they can be easily disassembled and the materials of the building can be reused. The province of BC and, more broadly, Canada, has relatively little infrastructure for recycling wood waste. In Vancouver alone, the construction, renovation, and demolition (CRD) sector produces about 1.7 million tonnes of waste per year.1 Of this, an estimated 30-60% is wood waste which is largely discarded in landfills. What little wood that is recycled is generally incinerated for waste-to-energy conversion or shredded for biomass. Deconstructing wood buildings and reusing the salvaged wood for new construction would extend the lifespan of the wood, add value and longevity to a valuable material, reduce GHG emissions and reduce the amount of new resources required for new construction projects. Despite the benefit of re-using wood, there are some barriers to deconstructing typical light wood frame buildings, including the use of irreversible fasteners, adhesives, spray foams, and liquid applied sealants. The presence of toxic materials such as asbestos and lead are also of concern when deconstructing a building. While use of toxic materials is now prohibited in new constructions the use of nails (particularly when applied with nail guns) and adhesives makes deconstruction very difficult if not impossible in some cases.2 This guidebook proposes a design for deconstruction system that addresses these remaining issues with simple modifications of typical light wood frame construction practices, allowing for both simple construction, solid performance, and easy deconstruction.
Buildings that stand the test of time aren’t just durable—they are cherished. When we invest in quality materials and good design, we can create buildings that people connect with. As you’ll discover in this issue, many heavy timber warehouses and factories constructed in the early 1900s remain a vital part of our cities today—not because they still serve their original purpose, but because people valued them enough to adapt, restore, and reuse them, giving them a new purpose.
Fast forward a hundred years and resilient structures include many new forms. Modular construction, for example, has seen significant growth in recent years as this form of construction has transformed from a building method once considered inferior, into a method relied upon to deliver high-performance durable buildings.
Alongside our features on historic timber buildings and modular construction, this issue also highlights notable projects and emerging trends shaping today’s built environment. From innovative mass timber structures to forward-thinking design solutions, we explore how thoughtful craftsmanship and smart engineering continue to define the spaces we build—and the ones we keep.
Some engineered wood panel products, such as plywood and laminated veneer lumber (LVL) are able to be treated after manufacture with preservative solutions, whereas thin strand based products (OSB, OSL) and small particulate and fibre-based panels (particleboard, MDF) are not. The preservatives must be added to the wood elements before they are bonded together, either as a spray on, mist or powder.
Products such as OSB are manufactured from small, thin strands of wood. Powdered preservatives can be mixed in with the strands and resins during the blending process just prior to mat forming and pressing. Zinc borate is commonly used in this application. By adding preservatives to the manufacturing process it’s possible to obtain uniform treatment throughout the thickness of the product.
In North America, plywood is normally protected against decay and termites by pressure treatment processes. However, in other parts of the world insecticides are often formulated with adhesives to protect plywood against termites.
The design values for visually graded and mechanically graded Hem-Fir (N) dimension lumber have been updated in response to the routine assessment of strength and stiffness to ensure reliable performance in structural applications.
These updates take effect on April 1, 2025, and are published in the NLGA Standard Grading Rules for Canadian Lumber, CSA O86 – Engineering Design in Wood, and the National Design Specification® (NDS®) Supplement for Wood Construction, developed by the American Wood Council (AWC). Within the NDS® Supplement, these updates specifically apply to Tables 4A and 4C, with additional impacts on Table 4G.
The following Frequently Asked Questions provide detailed information about the updated design values, their implementation, and practical implications. This content is provided as general information only and is not intended to be relied upon for design decisions. For actual use and design implications, users of Hem-Fir (N) should consult the applicable design guides or specifications (e.g., CSA O86 – Engineering design in wood or the National Design Specifications® (NDS).
Purpose:
This publication provides detailed guidance on the BC Building Code 2024 requirements for lateral bracing in Part 9 wood-frame houses. It explains the building material requirements and construction methods necessary to ensure houses are safe and resilient against seismic and wind loads.
Impact:
This illustrated guide aims to help designers and builders in British Columbia understand and implement the updated Code requirements for lateral bracing. By doing so, it enhances the structural integrity of houses, ensuring they are better protected against environmental hazards, especially earthquakes.
Partners:
Canadian Wood Council, National Research Council, The Province of B.C., University of Ottawa
This is a Canadian regionalized industry wide (average) business-to-business Type III environmental product declaration (EPD) for pre-fabricated wood trusses. This declaration has been prepared in accordance with ISO 21930 (1), ISO 14025 (2), ISO 14040 (3), ISO 14044 (4), the governing product category rules (5), and ASTM General Program Instructions for Type III EPDs (6). The intent of this document is to transparently disclose comprehensive environmental information related to the potential impacts associated with the cradle-to-gate life cycle stages of wood trusses manufactured in Canada.
This is a Canadian industry wide (average) business-to-business Type III environmental product declaration (EPD) for softwood plywood. This declaration has been prepared in accordance with ISO 21930 (1), ISO 14025 (2), ISO 14040 (3), ISO 14044 (4), the governing product category rules (5), and ASTM General Program Instructions for Type III EPDs (6). The intent of this document is to transparently disclose comprehensive environmental information related to the potential impacts associated with the cradle-to-gate life cycle stages of softwood plywood manufactured in Canada.
This is a Canadian regionalized industry wide (average) business-to-business Type III environmental product declaration (EPD) for softwood lumber. This declaration has been prepared in accordance with ISO 21930 (1), ISO 14025 (2), ISO 14040 (3), ISO 14044 (4), the governing product category rules (5), and ASTM General Program Instructions for Type III EPDs (6). The intent of this document is to transparently disclose comprehensive environmental information related to the potential impacts associated with the cradle-to-gate life cycle stages of softwood lumber manufactured in various Canadian provinces and regions.
This is a Canadian industry wide (average) business-to-business Type III environmental product declaration (EPD) for pre-fabricated wood I-joists. This declaration has been prepared in accordance with ISO 21930 (1), ISO 14025 (2), ISO 14040 (3), ISO 14044 (4), the governing product category rules (5), and ASTM General Program Instructions for Type III EPDs (6). The intent of this document is to transparently disclose comprehensive environmental information related to the potential impacts associated with the cradle-to-gate life cycle stages of wood I-joists manufactured in Canada.
The Guide to Encapsulated Mass Timber Construction in the Ontario Building Code – Second Edition is a comprehensive resource designed to help designers, code officials, and building professionals understand and apply the latest Ontario Building Code provisions for Encapsulated Mass Timber Construction (EMTC), effective January 1, 2025. Developed by the Canadian Wood Council / WoodWorks Ontario in collaboration with Morrison Hershfield (now Stantec), the guide explains the technical requirements, fire safety principles, and design considerations unique to EMTC, with clear references to relevant OBC articles. It covers everything from structural mass timber element specifications and encapsulation materials, to use and occupancy limits, mixed-use scenarios, and related provisions for structural design, environmental separation, and fire safety during construction. Intended to be read in conjunction with the Ontario Building Code, this is not a design guide, but rather a tool to distill complex regulations into practical, accessible information—equipping professionals to confidently design, review, and approve EMTC projects while ensuring compliance and optimizing performance.
Notice of Correction: A previous version of this document contained a small error on page 19. In this electronic version of the document (updated August 12, 2025) the 3rd major bullet of Section 5.1.1 has been corrected.
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