The Timber Offsite Construction (TOC) conference and exhibition is one of only three major global events focussed on the design and construction of engineered timber and mass wood buildings, with a background spanning 24 years. Registration for the 2023 event is now open. This year’s theme ‘Timber & Technology – The Zero Carbon Future’ will explore the exponential growth in the use of mass wood and engineered timber on a global basis, and delve into the benefits creating major improvements in building construction efficiency and significant reductions in carbon emissions. Looking ahead to the upcoming TOC 2023, scheduled for September 11-12 at Crown Promenade Melbourne, Andrew Dunn, CEO of the Timber Development Association, confirms that preparations are underway. The presentations are aimed directly at design professionals looking at the design and construction of timber buildings. The focus is on commercial-ready applications of timber technology.
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The Province is supporting several Vancouver-Island-based projects that will create jobs. …The Government of B.C. is contributing as much as $700,000 toward capital projects located in Cobble Hill and Mill Bay, and $50,000 for a planning project in Gold River through the Province’s $180-million BC Manufacturing Jobs Fund. In Mill Bay, Kinsol Timber Systems will receive as much as $500,000 to build a pre-fabrication facility at their operating site to increase capacity for mass-timber production. The facility will add a nail-laminated timber line, increase its sawn-timber and glue-laminated-timber fabrication and establish a new panelized wall line. In Cobble Hill, Nexus Modular Solutions will receive as much as $200,000 to expand and upgrade its existing facility and purchase new machinery. …Gold River Aquafarms has been awarded as much as $50,000 toward final stage planning to assess the viability of retrofitting a former pulp and paper mill warehouse for a salmon-processing facility and aquafarm.
Architects have always adapted their designs for the key building indicators of their time. After decades of focus on energy efficiency, embodied carbon is quickly becoming the key indicator for our next generation of buildings. Yet most of us are only beginning to understand the work of life cycle analysis (LCA), which is central to assessing the environmental impacts of building products both before, during, and after construction. …Embodied carbon refers to the total greenhouse gas emissions associated with the extraction, processing, manufacturing, transportation, construction, use, and end-of-life disposal of a building material. …Biogenic carbon refers to the carbon that was captured by the whole plant (tree) during growth; not only the sawlog portion above ground but the roots, branches, and leaves or needles. …
NORTHAMPTON, Mass. — Companies that invest in green buildings not only save money, improve efficiency, and lower carbon emissions, they also create healthier places for people. According to a 
Mass Timber-Built Affordable Housing Complex Takes Inspiration From Denver’s Once Industrial District Chicago-based architect John Ronan turned to prefabricated cross-laminated timber (CLT), combined with corrugated-metal panels, to design a new project that brings 173 affordable residential units and a 10,000-square-foot library to Denver’s emerging Globeville neighborhood.
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New Zealand’s concrete industry wants to lower greenhouse gas emissions by 44% by 2030 as part of a roadmap toward becoming net zero carbon by the middle of the century. The target, which is a reduction from 2020 levels, comprises curbing direct emissions from the chemical reaction when making cement and altering the fuel burned in the process, Concrete NZ said Thursday. The industry is trying to balance demand for concrete for building and infrastructure development against the need to reduce emissions as New Zealand makes progress toward its legislated 2050 net zero goal. The challenge for cement companies globally is that they contribute 7% of all carbon emissions because the manufacturing process requires intense energy and the chemical reaction produces so much carbon.
The highly successful Timber Offsite Construction Conference and Exhibition (TOC) scheduled for September 11-12 at Crown Promenade Melbourne has now finalised the extensive speaker lineup. Now in its 24th year, conference host Andrew Dunn confirmed the speaker sessions program is aimed directly at design professionals looking at the design and construction of timber buildings. The primary focus is on commercial-ready applications of timber technology. Speakers will cover a diverse range of topics such as why to consider timber, how to select appropriate timber systems, avoiding common problems, and innovative construction methods. The high level program includes Andrew Ball from OWoW presenting on the use of post and plate (point-supported) high-rise timber buildings he is developing in California, and Anders Carlsson from Derome, Sweden, who is talking on how he can build the superstructure of a six-storey timber framed building in three days.
6.4 percent of textiles are produced with wood-based feedstock, according to sustainability nonprofit Textile Exchange. With deforestation responsible for up to 10 percent of greenhouse gas emissions, pivoting to ‘forest-positive’ sourcing for man-made cellulosic fibers (MMCF) such as viscose, lyocell, modal and acetate, has never been more critical.” It’s always been more than just chopping down and replanting trees, since trees and forests support a complex network of biodiversity and life. The proposed solution is man-made cellulosic fibers (MMCF), which are “regenerated fibers usually made from the dissolved wood pulp or ‘cellulose’ of trees. For Julia Kozlik, textile program lead at the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC), this issue is at the forefront of her mind. According to Kozlik, “The market share of MMCFs verified by PEFC and the Forest Stewardship Council has been increasing.”