Timber has long been recognized as an adaptable construction material. Thanks to innovations like CLT, glulam, and dowel-laminated timber products, new techniques allow engineers to construct taller structures than ever.
Timber buildings tend to have lower operating costs due to faster construction times and energy savings, making them an economical option over time. In this series, we will investigate what constitutes high-quality timber buildings.
Versatility
Timber is an adaptable building material suitable for projects of all shapes and sizes. Recent innovations in engineered timber production have lead to an abundance of high-quality, long-term wood products used in residential and commercial structures across the U.S. This variety makes timber an attractive and environmentally sustainable solution when considering how best to meet design goals on projects of all shapes and sizes.
Mass timber buildings are being built across the country and often attract premium rents or sales prices due to their visual appeal and environmental credentials. Timber acts as a natural insulator, keeping interior temperatures comfortable while helping reduce energy use; additionally it’s easier for dismantle/reuse at end-of-life than concrete/steel buildings.
Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT), Glue Laminated Timber (Glulam), and Dowel-Laminated Timber (DLT). Each has unique benefits to contribute to overall sustainability of structures; CLT components are usually prefabricated off site using an efficient manufacturing process, cutting time and labor costs at the construction site, while also helping reduce shrinkage and warping that contributes to moisture issues over time.
Mass timber’s versatility transcends residential applications, expanding to public and commercial settings as well. Its flexibility enables architects to use it to shape non-standard forms that inspire creativity in schools, libraries, and community centers; similarly retail architecture benefits from having wood as it adds warmth and aesthetic appeal that encourages customers to stay longer during shopping experiences.
Wood’s natural fire resistance also plays an essential role in energy efficiency and safety. While other materials, like concrete and steel, can release volatile organic compounds during a fire, wood emits less of these harmful chemicals which reduces the risk of interior structures failing due to heat overload.
Garden Life uses Nordic timber in their projects because it has been slow-grown over longer periods, creating denser and stronger timber than its fast-growing counterparts from warmer climates. Furthermore, this quality helps prevent structural failure due to temperature and humidity fluctuations.
Sustainability
Timber is a low-carbon construction material that offers both structural integrity and an immersive connection to nature, two attributes valued by many building occupants. When compared with concrete and steel structures, timber structures use 26% less energy during construction while emitting lower emissions throughout their lifetimes. Plus, timber’s superior insulation properties mean less heating/cooling bills can be expected – saving on operational costs!
Mass timber stands out as a valuable solution in two key respects. First, its carbon emissions-cutting potential by replacing carbon-intensive materials like cement and steel; secondly, by driving demand for sustainable, well-managed forests for wood production, increasing sustainable forest management practices that resist fire threats more effectively; finally by driving demand from mass-timber production directly towards local economies that support sustainability practices more resistant to wildfire threats than those made available through trade or free markets.
Environmental benefits of high-quality timber construction are evident, yet some challenges must still be met. One such challenge involves fire safety of mass timber. Builders and architects may worry that large timber walls might catch fire without an effective cladding system in place; however, manufacturers have come up with innovative solutions such as intumescent coatings that turn black when exposed to fire; this technology may be applied across an entire wall surface or just specific locations where risks are greater such as stairs and elevators.
Moisture management is another challenge. While all buildings must control moisture to protect against rot, maintaining timber health, this is particularly crucial with mass timber buildings. Moisture in wood can lead to fungus infestation, insect infestation and even rot, so builders should carefully manage humidity at their sites to minimize exposure while creating an effective moisture management plan that protects it against rain and other weather elements.
As more developers and owners recognize the sustainability of timber buildings, mass timber projects have become more prevalent. But some challenges must still be met, including:
Energy Efficiency
Mass timber and hybrid systems offer tremendous energy savings over traditional concrete and steel buildings, using less energy at every stage in their construction — harvesting, manufacturing and assembling. This reduces overall embodied carbon in buildings as a whole; combined with wood’s ability to sequester carbon dioxide naturally sequestering this makes mass timber an effective climate resilient solution.
Timber buildings also benefit from these advantages, as it’s highly insulating. When combined with dense cladding and cavity insulation, timber buildings can meet Passive House standards or other energy efficiency benchmarks. Furthermore, mass timber or hybrid systems’ thermal properties can be particularly advantageous in urban settings where airtightness requirements may be higher.
Mass timber’s versatility enables architects to craft dynamic forms that serve their communities well, from schools and libraries to libraries, community centers and more. Glulam is ideal for creating dramatic spaces like dramatic staircases in libraries or community centers – not to mention hybrid structures incorporating mass timber with concrete or masonry for increased energy efficiency of building projects.
With an emphasis on sustainable architecture and greater responsibility, mass timber projects are increasing in both commercial and public applications. Their natural beauty contributes to biophilic principles which promote wellbeing by creating spaces people enjoy spending their time. This is especially valuable in offices or hospitals where many spend most of their time there.
Mass timber can be an indispensable resource when designing and building high-rise structures with more than 18 stories, thanks to industry advocacy. Accordingly, updates to building codes have begun reflecting more favorably upon wood structures that reach such heights.
Additionally, connections between timber elements are becoming more refined and efficient; nails and screws may be swapped out for dowels which create stronger connections while decreasing waste material during construction. Such innovations enable architects and builders to construct taller, larger timber buildings while remaining as sustainable as possible.
Aesthetics
As architects strive to push the limits of architectural innovation, more designers are turning to natural timber as an essential design component. Timber brings warmth and elegance to modern buildings while helping create spaces that are inviting yet long-term enduring – whether designing an office building, commercial space or apartment complex, its beauty and sustainability can transform your project.
Timber construction reduces energy use through its use of renewable resources and can significantly improve indoor air quality, as well as promote biophilic design principles to create an affinity for nature within buildings.
Timber architecture has grown increasingly popular, particularly in North America. Architects are increasingly employing cross-laminated timber and glulam – stronger and more durable materials than traditional wood – to construct skyscrapers, offices, and other large structures which would not have been possible with conventional materials alone. Their popularity can be attributed to sustainable and eco-friendly building techniques coupled with their distinctive appearance and appeal.
Treet, a four-story mixed-use timber structure in Bergen, Norway was constructed using CLT for its frame and load bearing elements as it offered greater aesthetic appeal than concrete construction methods and reduced CO2 emissions by over 40%.
Recent 2022 Angus Reid survey results demonstrated that Canadians overwhelmingly support aesthetic appeal as a top priority when developing new communities, which explains why more builders are turning to mass timber construction projects for building beautiful spaces that enhance livability in communities.
Mass timber structures offer endless design options for homeowners. Ranging from interior walls to exposed beams, their warm aesthetic makes timber frames perfect for interior and exterior applications alike. Wood’s natural texture, grain and color variations also make it incredibly adaptable in homebuilding applications.
Builders are increasingly employing innovative connection details for mass timber structures to reduce wood-to-wood contact that could cause deterioration or mold growth, such as dowel laminated timber (PLT) systems that enable nails and screws to be substituted with dowels that increase longevity.