TIME: 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM
This course will discuss the challenges and successes of designing and building in an exciting experimental material – mass timber. Mass timber describes a category of composite materials that are derived from timber and strengthened to give them greater structural capabilities to build taller than timber frame construction normally allows. Mass timber is also a strategy to limit the carbon footprint of building activities. There are also biophilic benefits to living with wood rather than industrial materials such as glass, steel and concrete. Mass timber is dominated by cross-laminated timber panels (CLT) and glue-laminated timber beams (glu-lam). The last decade has been a long road for its advocates, manufacturers and architects but has seen impressive successes such as its inclusion in the International Building Code in 2021 (for buildings up to 18 stories or 270 feet) and more and more completed buildings around the country.
This webinar will tell the story of the transformation of this innovative material into a medium for architectural expression. This panel includes three of the most experienced practitioners in the field of mass timber today. The purpose of this panel discussion is to illustrate how the use of mass timber has expanded around the world. It will demonstrate that the choice of using wood for a building’s structure can lead the environmental design features of a building and positively impact its carbon impact.