STRUCTURES + BUILDINGS
Cross-laminated timber panels simplified the edge details of the building, were incorporated as the structural diaphragm of the building for earthquake stability, and provided a lighter overall structural system. Photo: E. Van Rossen for Swinerton
during the entire life of the building. It also promotes sustainable forest management practices. The headquarters of the non-profit First Tech Federal Credit Union in Hillsboro is the latest groundbreaking project to join Oregon’s archi- tecturally renowned landscape. Weeks ago, the final cross-laminated timber (CLT) panel was placed, completing the building’s structure and marking a significant milestone in mass timber architecture. At 156,000 square feet, the First Tech headquarters will be the largest CLT structure in the country, adding to a growing list of commercial build- ings in Oregon to join the mass timber movement of recent years. The decision to build such a large structure out of timber was born out of First Tech’s “people first” ethic. When doors open this summer, the building will support and promote the health, happiness, and comfort of the employees located there. The research Swinerton Builders were brought onto the First Tech project by
Oregon rightfully earned its place as one of the greenest regions in the world years ago. A leader in architectural innovation and sustainability, Portland has the second highest number of LEED-accredited buildings in the United States and is recognized for its mix of groundbreaking and influential modern design and sustainable, eco-friendly architecture. Perhaps most of all, Portland and its neighboring cities are known more recently for their use of mass timber as an alternative to steel and concrete. Known for its lighter environmental footprint and as an environmentally responsible building material, mass timber sequesters carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by storing carbon in the structure Mass timber milestone Oregon’s First Tech Federal Credit Union headquarters becomes the country’s largest cross-laminated timber structure. By Erica Spiritos and William P. Silva
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csengineermag.com
march 2018
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