Con-Ed Opportunities Detail

Time: 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM

Wood is a low-cost, efficient, and renewable structural material. Today, light wood frame is commonplace in construction up to six storeys tall, but code restrictions have not allowed taller wood buildings—until recently. With building code updates and increasingly available modern materials and connectors, the doors are opening for tall wood buildings around the world. In Canada’s 2020 National Building Code, a new construction type called Encapsulated Mass Timber Construction (EMTC) is being introduced, permitting mass timber to be used for buildings up to 12 storeys. This presentation discusses the key schematic design considerations and code implications of designing tall wood buildings through examination of several case studies.

This webinar will be available with live closed captioning.

Learning Objectives

1) Improve understanding of the state of mass timber through relevant case studies

2) Learn schematic design considerations for tall wood buildings

3) Understand code considerations for tall wood buildings.

4) Look ahead at what is coming for mass timber and tall wood.

Speaker(s)

Adam Gerber, P.Eng, MASc, CHPC

Adam Gerber has a breadth of hands-on and technical experience that is largely unique in the field of structural engineering. Prior to, and throughout, his formal engineering training, Adam gained experience in the design and construction of timber structures as a carpenter, estimator, and designer. This comprehensive experience allows him to view projects from various angles (i.e. those of designers and builders), leading to cost-effective, constructible, and efficient solutions. Adam’s technical interests revolve around structures that push the limits of design, finding new and efficient ways to combine traditional materials and technologies. Extending his master’s research, Adam has focused on the development of timber-concrete composite technology and vibration performance of floors, and has translated this research into several realized projects as he continues to explore ways to expand and enhance the technology.

Jack Keays, Professional Engineer - BC, Ontario, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and New Brunswick
Jack Keays is the owner and leader of Vortex Fire in Canada. Since starting Vortex Fire, Jack has overseen the growth of the company and has been the principal building code consultant for many of the tall mass timber buildings in Canada including the 77 Wade Avenue (eight storeys), T3 Bayside (11 storeys) on Queens Quay, and T3 Sterling Road (eight storeys).