INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Demand for mass timber on the rise in Ontario – can supply keep up ?
Adapted from an article by Paula Kehoe , Remsoft
Mass timber , the emerging new material in sustainable building , could be part of the climate change solution and the cornerstone of Ontario ’ s economic and environmental future . But can its supply keep up with the demand ? Researchers at the Daniels Faculty ’ s Mass Timber Institute ( MTI ) at the University of Toronto are about to find out .
The research , conducted by Vanessa Nhan , a Master of Forest Conservation student , with support from Glen Foley , forest modelling specialist at the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry and MTI ’ s project manager Emmett Snyder , will focus on recalculating existing wood volume on two Crown Forest management units to determine what wood , if any , is left over after wood supply commitments and shareholder allocations , and if it can be used for a new and sustainable mass timber industry in Ontario .
MTI aims to help Canada become an international leader in tall wood buildings and advanced wood products with its leading-edge research and development , coupled with specialised teaching and training for the next generation of architects , builders , foresters , and designers .
Developers and architects worldwide are rallying for mass timber as the eco-friendly building material of choice for good reason : it ’ s durable , modular , easier to assemble , fire resistant and aesthetically pleasing . The engineered-wood products — large structural panels , beams and posts — are made from dimensional lumber , veneer or wooden strands , and glued or nailed together in layers , with the wood grain arranged perpendicular for added strength .
“ Mass timber is hailed as an advanced building material , in many ways superior to traditional building materials like concrete and steel . Its products can also be preassembled at a factory and then easily shipped to a building site , where they can be assembled like a Lego kit , allowing builders to be more efficient with their resources ,” says Snyder . Perhaps the most exciting benefit is the age-old material coming into its own as a significant part of a climate change solution due to its renewable nature and potential negative carbon impact , he explains . It ’ s refreshing news considering the manufacturing of concrete and steel , the typical code-approved choice for tall buildings , accounts for about 15 % of the world ’ s carbon emissions each year .
“ There has been a lot of conversation around embodied carbon emissions in the supply chain and how both concrete and steel are more energy-intensive to produce and emit massive amounts of carbon . Mass timber is commonly seen as a viable , greener alternative to that ,” says Snyder .
“ We ’ re advocates for a hybrid approach where sometimes it makes sense to produce a foundation from concrete . But it ’ s really about sustainable development and combating climate change and the housing affordability crisis — all from this building material .”
COTTONBRO @ PEXELS
Mass timber products can be preassembled at a factory and then easily shipped to a building site , where they can be assembled like a Lego kit , allowing builders to be more efficient with their resources .
MASS TIMBER ’ S CANADIAN RENAISSANCE
Across Canada , mass timber is experiencing a renaissance of sorts , creating a world of design possibilities for large low-rise and mid-rise buildings , meeting consumer demand for green building materials , and generating future investment opportunities in the global construction sector , which is expected to reach CAD16.6 trillion by 2025 . In 2017 , the Canadian government pledged CAD39.8-million through a program called Green Construction Through Wood to support the use of timber in non-traditional construction projects , such as tall buildings , low-rise commercial buildings , and bridges .
The timber industry in Canada isn ’ t without major barriers . Most provinces must abide by the maximum height for most wood buildings allowed by building codes in Canada , which is six storeys .
www . timberiq . co . za // DECEMBER 2021 / JANUARY 2022 7