INDUSTRY EDUCATION ECHNICAL RESEARCH
INDUSTRY EDUCATION
Technical Guide for the Design and Construction of Tall Wood Buildings in Canada
Description To support the Tall Wood Building initiative in Canada, FPInnovations published the 2014 Edition of the Technical Guide for the Design and Construction of Tall Wood Buildings in Canada (TWBG). More than 80 professionals were involved in developing this widely-recognized guide, which helped introduce the terms Mass Timber Construction and Hybrid Tall Wood Buildings. Since then, a number of tall wood buildings have been constructed, and the six-storey height limitation for a mass timber system will likely be raised to 12-storey in the 2020 Edition of the National Building Code in Canada (NBCC). The Government of B.C. also invited municipalities to adopt provisions in the 2020 NBCC for 12-storey mass timber buildings before these provisions are formally adopted in the BC Building Code. The 2021 Edition of the TWBG will build on the fact that a 12-storey mass timber gravity systemwill likely be an acceptable solution in the revised National Building Code in Canada. Drawing information from buildings constructed to date, the guide will continue to support alternative solutions to go beyond 12-storeys, such as the Brock Commons building at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. Impact The updated Technical Guide for the Design and Construction of Tall Wood Buildings in Canada, combined with the Government of B.C.’s decision to allow municipalities to adopt the NBCC 2020 provisions, will create an environment in B.C. that supports the development of design and construction expertise in mass timber construction. This will also help to develop the B.C. supply chain for mass timber products.
Status: Project underway Partners: Natural Resources Canada, Forest Innovation Investment,
Canadian Wood Council, National Research Council Canada, FPInnovations
Audience: Architects, engineers,
technologists, contractors, and industry professionals
64 HOUSING RESEARCH & EDUCATION PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS | JULY 2021
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