Research consortium for wood in mid-rise buildings

A research consortium on wood-based buildings will focus on structural integrity, fire safety, acoustics, and building envelope performance.

Designers and developers in Canada and around the world are becoming increasingly interested in expanding the use of wood as a structural material for buildings. Applications include wood-based structural elements in higher buildings, such as mid-rise structures (5-6 storey), and those encompassing larger areas.

Before wood can be used more extensively in these applications, research needs to be carried out to ensure that building code requirements can be met in key areas of performance. A consortium has been established to develop technical data pertinent to the use of wood-based structural products in mid-rise buildings. The focus will be on structural integrity, fire safety, acoustics, and building envelope performance.

The project is a collaborative study, with research being conducted by the NRC, Canadian Wood Council and FPInnovations with support from Natural Resources Canada and the Ontario and Quebec building authorities. It will coordinate with the Network for Engineered Wood-based Building Systems (NEWBuildS) (see Construction Innovation, December 2010) and other research initiatives in Canada to maximize the efficiency, effectiveness and impact of the work. It will also engage key stakeholders through a consultation group of regulators, technical experts, designers, and other construction industry representatives.

Data generated will enable committees of the Canadian Commission on Building and Fire Codes to evaluate related code change requests to permit and facilitate the use of wood-based structural materials in mid-rise buildings.

Specific objectives of the research are to develop:

• alternative solutions to facilitate the use of wood as structural load-bearing elements in mid-rise buildings;
• technical information for use in the code development process; and
• technical information for use in design standards and design guides.