Advances in timber engineering technology are leading to new design possibilities from long-spanning roof structures to tall timber towers. Improvements to wood products and prefabrication methods, and the suitability of mass timber as a low carbon material that can fit within fire regulations, has led to a re-branding of wood construction as a viable, economical alternative for the industrial development sector. Traditional wood construction has a proven track record of longevity and durability, and aesthetic appeal. But recent innovations in engineered wood products have broadened the application of mass timber so that it makes sense in an industrial environment, too. …prefabricated mass timber design builds upon a long history of wood industrial construction. …more recent examples that demonstrate why wood should again be the go-to material for industrial applications, says the Wood Industrial Buildings report, written by Equilibrium Consulting and Hemsworth Architecture for BC Wood and FPInnovations.

VANCOUVER, BC –– Progressive Planet Solutions announced the appointment of Dr. Greg Silverberg to its research team… to beef up our team of scientists working on projects relating to sequestering CO2 in concrete’ says CEO, Stephen Harpur. ‘Greg earned his PhD in Materials Science at Harvard Universityand. …and will help guide Progressive Planet as it takes on related product development initiatives to decarbonize the production of cement.’ This appointment is part-time in nature, and Greg remains in his existing role with his current employer. …Progressive Planet is an emerging leader in supplying solutions for a livable planet by developing low carbon, pozzolan-based, cementing products which replace equivalent amounts of Portland Cement and fly ash in concrete. The production of Portland Cement is the second largest global generator of CO2 emissions.

Joyce Murray

Seamus O’Reagan

VANCOUVER, BC — The Honourable Joyce Murray, on behalf of the Honourable Seamus O’Regan Jr., Minister of Natural Resources, announced $648,250 for Fast + Epp, a structural engineering firm from Vancouver, toward the construction of their head office, a four-storey, hybrid, mass timber and steel building. This project is a highly visible head office building that showcases innovative mass timber design and construction technologies and is highly replicable across the country. …Funding for this project is provided through NRCan’s Green Construction through Wood (GCWood) program, which encourages the use of wood in non-traditional construction projects. The program aims to position Canada as a world leader in innovative timber construction systems and technologies and in the low-carbon economy. Projects like this will help Canada achieve its 2030 climate change goals by finding effective ways of building sustainably using Canadian wood products while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

VANCOUVER, BC — The new head office for internationally-renowned structural engineering firm, Fast + Epp, is being recognized by the Canadian Wood Council and the BC forest industry for its innovation and ingenuity in wood design and building, and for being selected for funding support under Natural Resources Canada’s Green Construction through Wood (GC Wood) Program. The hybrid mass timber building is among the first office buildings in Vancouver to use mass timber as a structural material, and will showcase the same structural innovations and technologies that are at the forefront of their consulting practice. Paul Fast, partner at Fast + Epp… “The building will serve as living lab with ongoing thermal, moisture and vibration monitoring. It will also house Fast + Epp’s Concept Lab where physical testing of mass timber components and software development will take place”…[and] showcase how a mass timber building can be constructed quickly, efficiently and cost effectively.