Andrew Frontini
As the mass timber building movement grows in Canada, so does the construction industry’s confidence in working with it. One reason is builders see the benefits of prefabrication, Jana Foit, architect at the Vancouver office of Perkins&Will, said at the Wood Wellness Summit 2021. “It’s a shorter construction schedule and products are built in a controlled environment,” Foit said. Hosted by the Canadian Wood Council, Foit and colleague Andrew Frontini presented views on the future of mass timber. …Foit said the construction industry has been “a huge proponent” of the shift to mass timber. She noted construction worker satisfaction is higher than on other construction sites because mass timber projects are quieter, cleaner and less congested with tradespeople. Site air quality is better as well because there is minimal welding …and less dust typical of concrete construction, Frontini, an architect based in the Toronto office of Perkins&Will, said.
Experts from across the country and the globe will be sharing their perspectives and project examples on how wood can transform the built environment into healthier low-carbon communities where people thrive. Topics will range from holistic approaches to the built environment (with Dr. Silke A. Krawietz), to the conscious and subconscious impacts of design and materiality (with Chris Corps, CEO of Pivotal IRM). The Summit is designed for professionals in the construction and design community, including architects, engineers, contractors, developers, urban planners, and interior designers. Continuing education certificates can be downloaded for self-reporting. Students are also encouraged to attend in order to learn about new, emerging products and resources. $150 + HST with access to the recordings for 30 days! 
Vancouver, BC — Canada’s
There is a prevailing sense among proponents of mass timber that building with wood is inherently good. This [is] premised on a key assumption that … mass timber must count as stored carbon. But if the source of that wood—a forest—is a source of carbon emissions, as is beginning to happen in Canada, …due to drastically changing climates, then material extracted cannot magically become a carbon sink. This is all the more true when a mass timber building component has been extracted, transported, processed, installed, maintained, and eventually demolished through carbon emission–intensive processes. Even if the timber …is extracted from a carbon-sink forest, the amount of stored carbon extracted from that forest can be quickly matched, and likely exceeded, by the amount emitted in subsequent production and transportation processes. …From the territorial to the molecular, architects, engineers, and foresters are—together—beginning to re-engage the fundamental terrestrial character of mass timber building.
Our third timber issue keeps readers abreast of the latest and greatest in mass timber design and construction. An interview with Harvard’s Jennifer Bonner and Hanif Kara probes the physical and conceptual possibilities of CLT, and our annual timber map takes stock of the industry across the United States and Canada. Those looking for design inspiration will find much to explore, including numerous case studies from across the country and a studio visit with Boston-based firm Leers Weinzapfel Associates, which has emerged as a regional leader in mass timber architecture. Thorough product listings supplementing the project profiles will be a helpful resource for any specifying architect.
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Elliott Wood and the Institution of Structural Engineers is launching a free open-source app aimed at tackling the climate crisis. The Structural Carbon Tool enables users to quickly estimate the embodied carbon in their structure and allows comparison of up to six options at once. It can be used to locate embodied carbon hotspots in a design, allowing a focused approach to reducing it. …Institution of Structural Engineers head of climate action Will Arnold added: “Structural engineers are responsible for around 10% of all global greenhouse gas emissions. We will leave a lasting impact on the next generation, and it is up to us to decide what our legacy will look like. The Structural Carbon Tool will help engineers to make positive choices in their work.”
