Chris McQuillan

A study on the use of mass timber in the construction of a 200-plus bed acute hospital will help health care clients and others understand the benefits of integrating the timber medium without compromising performance, safety, regulatory compliance or adding significant cost. Christopher McQuillan, principal of KPMB Architects, who led the study in collaboration with B.C.’s Provincial Health Service Authority, said mass timber would add 4.1 to 4.5 per cent more than concrete/steel in construction costs, but that number represents a small portion of the life-cycle costs of the operation of a hospital. …While the typical space configuration for a large hospital does not usually align with mass timber dimensions, McQuillan’s team was able to modify a grid to 7.5-by-4.6-metres for the bedroom with bathroom modules to provide the flexibility and space required for plumbing and detailing.