Brock Commons is an 18-storey hybrid mass timber residence at The University of British Columbia (UBC). The building is comprised of 17 storeys of mass timber construction above a concrete podium and two concrete stair cores. The floor structure consists of 5-ply cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels supported on glue-laminated timber (glulam) columns. The roof is made of prefabricated sections of steel beams and metal decking.
Brock Commons has the capacity for just over 400 students with floorplans ranging from single bed studios to 4-bed accommodations. Study and social spaces are located on the ground floor with a student lounge on the 18th floor, where the wood structure is left exposed for demonstration and educational purposes.
Wood, a renewable material, was chosen in part to reflect the university’s commitment to sustainability. The building was also designed to meet LEED Gold certification.
The estimated avoided and sequestered greenhouse gases from the wood used in the building is equivalent to removing 511 cars off the road for a year. The total carbon dioxide equivalent avoided by using wood products over other materials in the building is more than 2,432 metric tonnes. Learn more about tall wood buildings at naturallywood.com/topics/mass-timber.
**Estimated by the Wood Carbon Calculator for Buildings, based on research by Sathre, R. and J. O’Connor, 2010, A Synthesis of Research on Wood Products and Greenhouse Gas Impacts, FPInnovations (this relates to carbon stored and avoided GHG). **CO2 refers to CO2 equivalent.
Footage in this video is based on the documentation of the UBC CIRS research team: Erik A Poirer, PhD Thomas Tannert, PhD Azadeh Fallahi, BSc Manu Moudgil, BSc Sheryl Staub-French, PhD Thomas Froese, PhD
Brock Commons is an 18-storey hybrid mass timber residence at The University of British Columbia (UBC). The building is comprised of 17 storeys of mass timber construction above a concrete podium and two concrete stair cores. The floor structure consists of 5-ply cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels supported on glue-laminated timber (glulam) columns. The roof is made of prefabricated sections of steel beams and metal decking.
Brock Commons has the capacity for just over 400 students with floorplans ranging from single bed studios to 4-bed accommodations. Study and social spaces are located on the ground floor with a student lounge on the 18th floor, where the wood structure is left exposed for demonstration and educational purposes.
Wood, a renewable material, was chosen in part to reflect the university’s commitment to sustainability. The building was also designed to meet LEED Gold certification.
The estimated avoided and sequestered greenhouse gases from the wood used in the building is equivalent to removing 511 cars off the road for a year. The total carbon dioxide equivalent avoided by using wood products over other materials in the building is more than 2,432 metric tonnes. Learn more about tall wood buildings at naturallywood.com/topics/mass-timber.
**Estimated by the Wood Carbon Calculator for Buildings, based on research by Sathre, R. and J. O’Connor, 2010, A Synthesis of Research on Wood Products and Greenhouse Gas Impacts, FPInnovations (this relates to carbon stored and avoided GHG). **CO2 refers to CO2 equivalent.
Footage in this video is based on the documentation of the UBC CIRS research team: Erik A Poirer, PhD Thomas Tannert, PhD Azadeh Fallahi, BSc Manu Moudgil, BSc Sheryl Staub-French, PhD Thomas Froese, PhDKF Centre for Excellence - Okanagan Aerospace & Aviationnaturally:wood2023-07-29 | Technology meets tradition in this multipurpose aviation centre that draws inspiration from historic aircraft design and takes advantage of the latest in mass timber building systems. The KF Centre for Excellence is a magnificent example of what can be achieved by building with wood. This two-storey mass timber building features a "fuselage" central hub flanked by wing-shaped hangars and an incredibly unique doubly-curved CLT staircase. The team also drastically improved the overall construction timeline by using prefabrication. Read more about the project and the teams involved at naturally:wood: naturallywood.com/project/kf-aerospace-centre-for-excellence
Thumbnail Photo: KF Centre for Excellence | Credit: Shawn TalbotoN5 Buildingnaturally:wood2022-06-06 | This innovative four-storey project demonstrates what is possible with mass timber construction. Located in Vancouver, Canada, and built on a narrow mid-block site with only a 7.54-metre wide street frontage, this commercial project has an all-timber structure as the cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels form the floors, walls and roof. It also features new approaches to insulative cross-laminated timber (CLT) assemblies and damage-resistant seismic design. The CLT floor panels use an innovative adhesive system eliminating the need for beams. The structure was designed to Passive House principles, and its efficient design, along with wood’s natural insulating benefits, helps reduce the need for active heating and cooling systems by optimizing the building envelope. Visit https://www.naturallywood.com/project... to learn more about oN5 Building.Mass timber: the next chapter in BCs forest storynaturally:wood2021-04-06 | Mass timber construction is on the rise, and is transforming the manufacturing and construction industries all over the world while enabling a new generation of high-performance buildings to emerge.
To accelerate the adoption of mass timber systems, the Province is providing funding to numerous mass timber demonstration and research projects. This funding will help urban planners and builders adopt #masstimber building systems by supporting the incremental or first-time costs of design development, research, permitting and construction activities.
To learn more about mass timber, visit naturallywood.com/topics/mass-timberThe Story of B.C. Woodnaturally:wood2020-04-17 | There are few places on earth that can match the diversity of Canada’s vast forests. In particular, the province of British Columbia is home to 40 different tree species and biogeoclimatic zones.
From planting forests to manufacturing products, the forest sector in British Columbia is a sophisticated and interconnected network involving sustainable forest management, wood processing and hundreds of communities that live, work and play in these forests.
As North America’s largest producer of softwood, British Columbia’s wood products are used in a wide range of buildings and products, showcasing their structural, aesthetic and versatile qualities.
For more information, visit naturallywood.com.Samuel Brighouse Elementary School Virtual Tournaturally:wood2018-10-26 | Explore Samuel Brighouse Elementary School - an award-winning facility located in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada showcasing the beneficial use of wood in schools.
The school has a stunning design that was welcomed by students and staff alike. An undulating wood roof is the school’s signature architectural feature. Not only does it look fantastic, but it was prefabricated off-site so shop and field construction could proceed concurrently which allowed the project to be completed ahead of schedule. It also took half the time to cover the building than a roof built on site.
Visit naturallywood.com/SBE to navigate through the entire virtual tour, including interesting annotated facts about the building.Mountain Equipment Co-op Head Office Virtual Tournaturally:wood2018-10-26 | Explore Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC) Head Office - a 10,400 sq. m. (112,000 sq ft) LEED-certified facility in the False Creek Flats area, southeast of Vancouver's city centre in British Columbia, Canada.
Completed in 2014, the building continues MEC's commitment to a broad approach to sustainability, incorporating a number of environmentally-responsible, resource-conserving and socially-enlightened strategies, including the use of natural building materials such as mass timber as the primary structural element.
Visit naturallywood.com/MEC to navigate through the entire virtual tour, including interesting annotated facts about the building.Brock Commons Tallwood House Virtual Tournaturally:wood2018-10-26 | Explore the Brock Commons Tallwood House - an innovative tall wood student residence at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and one of the tallest contemporary mass timber hybrid structures of its kind in the world standing at 18 storeys (54 meters) in height.
UBC’s building requirements reflect the university’s commitment to sustainability. Wood, a renewable material, was chosen in part to reflect this commitment, and the building was also designed to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification. Construction demonstrated that the mass timber hybrid structural system is economically viable, repeatable and adaptable to other building types and uses. Using a crew of nine, the mass timber construction was completed less than 70 days after the prefabricated components arrived on site, approximately two months faster than a typical project of this size.
Visit naturallywood.com to navigate through the entire virtual tour, including interesting annotated facts about the building.How Technology is Transforming BCs Forest Sectornaturally:wood2018-10-17 | As a leader in sustainable forest management, British Columbia (BC) is using the latest technology to provide the best possible information for the management of BC’s forests. Rapid advancements in technology are enabling the forest sector to access data for monitoring and analyzing timberland health, tracking forest growth and maintaining databases of timberland inventory.
Applications such as LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) and drones have expanded the depth, breadth and knowledge of BC forests. These applications help forestry professionals to better generate, store, reference and analyze information.
For more information on BC’s sustainable forest management practices view youtu.be/PjiXq49ll20.
Visit naturallywood.com to learn more about BC’s forests.MEC Head Office Uses Innovative Mass Timber Productsnaturally:wood2018-06-14 | Mountain Equipment Co-op's (MEC) commitment to sustainability and the natural environment includes green building and selecting innovative mass timber products as the primary building material for its new head office. Glue laminated timber beams and columns, joined and braced with steel fittings, make up the building structure and the floor assemblies are made of prefabricated nail-laminated timber (NLT) panels. The avoided and sequestered greenhouse gases from the wood used in the building is equivalent to removing 1,030 cars off the road for a year. The total carbon dioxide equivalent avoided by using wood products over other materials in the building is more than 5,393 metric tonnes. The success of this project has demonstrated that solid wood systems and mass timber products can be used as the structural building material for non-residential and commercial buildings. To learn more about innovative wood buildings in British Columbia, visit the naturallywood.com project gallery.Tackle Climate Change, Use Woodnaturally:wood2017-10-30 | Today, more than ever before, we must find ways to reduce the pressure on our planet’s environment and finite resources. By choosing products with a light carbon footprint and by reducing waste by recycling or reusing, we can have a real impact on climate change now and into the future. We need urgent action on climate change, and using forest products is part of the answer. Together, we can make a difference when it comes to climate change by choosing wood.
Produced in partnership with the Forest Products Association of Canada.Sustainable Forest Management in B.C.naturally:wood2017-09-25 | BC is recognized as a global leader in sustainable forest management, meeting the environmental, social and economic needs of current and future generations. Stringent forest laws, skilled forestry professionals, and comprehensive monitoring and enforcement support our renewable resources. This is further reinforced by Canada being the international leader in forest certification, with BC contributing more than any other province. The forest sector plays an important role in the BC economy providing jobs for people and revenue for hospitals, schools and other public institutions. In BC there are over 5,300 skilled forest professionals ensuring BC. forests are here for generations to come.
To learn more about B.C.'s sustainable forests, visit naturallywood.com/topics/forest-management-in-british-columbiaBrock Commons Tallwood House - Chapter 3: Construction Processnaturally:wood2017-09-12 | Construction of the mass timber structure at the University of British Columbia’s Brock Commons Tallwood House took about nine weeks —two month ahead of schedule.
The average speed of the mass timber erection and envelope installation was two floors per week. This included the columns and CLT panels, encapsulation of the wood components with gypsum board, the pouring of a concrete topping, and installation of the envelope panels.
Having an integrated design team at the beginning of the project, as well as maximizing prefabricated wood components led to less traffic, reduced waste and a quieter, smaller site.
For more information on Brock Commons Tallwood House visit naturallywood.com/resource/introduction-to-brock-commons-tallwood-house-ubc-tall-wood-buildingBrock Commons Tallwood House - Chapter 2: Design Processnaturally:wood2017-09-09 | The integrated design process for Brock Commons Tallwood House, an 18 storey mass timber hybrid student resident at the University of British Columbia, emphasized the project as a whole. The design and construction teams were engaged at the very beginning of design, which led to efficiencies throughout the project.
A physical mock-up and 3D modelling software were used during the design phase. The mock-up allowed the team to test different types of connections, while the 3D modelling allowed the team to test different design solutions and sequence construction. This pre-planning ultimately cut down on construction time.
UBC and the design team chose mass timber due to its strength, safety and performance, not to mention wood’s lighter carbon footprint. The innovative structural system is economically viable, repeatable and adaptable to other building types and uses.
Brock Commons Tallwood House is an 18-storey mass timber hybrid residence at the University of British Columbia (UBC). The building is comprised of 17 storeys of mass timber construction above a concrete podium and two concrete stair cores. The floor structure consists of 5-ply cross laminated timber (CLT) panels supported on glue laminated timber (glulam) columns. The roof was made of prefabricated sections of steel beams and metal decking.
Brock Commons has a capacity for just over 400 students with floorplans ranging from single bed studios to 4-bed accommodations. Study and social spaces will be located on the ground floor with a student lounge on the 18th floor, where the wood structure will be left exposed for demonstration and educational purposes.
Wood, a renewable material, was chosen in part to reflect the university’s commitment to sustainability. The building was also designed to meet LEED Gold certification.
The estimated avoided and sequestered greenhouse gases from the wood used in the building is equivalent to removing 511 cars off the road for a year. The total carbon dioxide equivalent avoided by using wood products over other materials in the building is more than 2,432 metric tonnes. Learn more about tall wood buildings at naturallywood.com/resource/introduction-to-brock-commons-tallwood-house-ubc-tall-wood-building
***Estimated by the Wood Carbon Calculator for Buildings, based on research by Sathre, R. and J. O’Connor, 2010, A Synthesis of Research on Wood Products and Greenhouse Gas Impacts, FPInnovations (this relates to carbon stored and avoided GHG). ***CO2 refers to CO2 equivalent.中層木造建築とマスティンバー建築 – BC州の今後(5部シリーズ第5部)naturally:wood2015-04-29 | www.naturallywood.com
The Wood Innovation and Design Centre (WIDC) was the tallest wood building in Prince George at the time of completion. Completed in October 2014, the WIDC is a six-storey plus mechanical penthouse, 29.5 metre-high structure that showcases British Columbia’s growing expertise in the design and construction of large-scale wood buildings.
The building incorporates a structural system that uses a variety of locally manufactured solid engineered wood products and is targeting a LEED Gold rating.
The primary structure consists of an innovative combination of post and beam construction and built-up cross-laminated timber (CLT) floor panels. Glulam beams frame into glulam columns using proprietary aluminum dovetail connectors. This allows the columns to run continuously from the foundation to the roof, eliminating all cross-grain bearing and shrinkage.
Wood also played an important role in the building envelope. For the curtain wall system, LVL is used for all mullions instead of conventional aluminum mullions – a unique and innovative use of wood that is unprecedented at this scale. LVL was also used as the structure for the entrance canopy and ground floor feature stair.
The WIDC brought together the forest industry, UNBC and other stakeholders in related sectors under one roof to collaborate and explore new opportunities in large-scale wood buildings. As such, the WIDC is a meeting place for researchers, design professionals, product manufacturers, contractors and others to generate ideas for innovative uses of wood.British Columbia Wood Center Stage at TED 2014 Conferencenaturally:wood2014-07-07 | www.naturallywood.com
The community stage for the TED 2014 conference in Vancouver, British Columbia highlights the finest BC wood from Interfor mills, and the work of award-winning Vancouver architect Michael Green.
The backdrop for the community theatre is a five-metre (16-foot) high wall of 400 interlinking planter boxes made with BC Hem-Fir and Cedar lumber donated by Interfor. It was designed and built by 24 architectural students from the University of British Columbia, the BC Institute of Technology, Kwantlen Polytechnic University and Emily Carr University of Art + Design.
British Columbia (B.C.), Canada has a long history of using wood in construction. From the timber products used in the heritage buildings located in Gastown, to six-storey multi-family residential homes throughout the Province.
Even in the 1800's, B.C. was showcasing its expertise and building up to nine storey with wood. The historical buildings of Gastown showcase innovative connections and systems using timber products. The flexible floor plans and structural integrity of the buildings are a true testament to the craftsmanship of the time period.
The forestry industry in B.C. has long since been a strong contributor to the economy and the province continues be an international leader in sustainable forest management. B.C.'s forestlands are unique among worldwide producers in that 95% are publicly owned and subject to strict forest-management laws. This is backed by a comprehensive compliance and enforcement process that involves various provincial and federal agencies.
Mid-rise construction (four to six storeys) is becoming increasingly popular as a means of boosting densification, containing urban sprawl, and respecting infrastructure limits while maintaining neighbourhood charm and community appeal. Mid-rise wood frame construction is often faster, material costs can be lower, and construction is simpler.
In British Columbia, mid-rise wood frame construction of five and six storey buildings has proven popular with developers, architects and contractors. These projects vary in size, scope and style with new and creative ways of applying traditional wood products are continually being developed. In Kamloops, B.C., Library Square is one of the first mid-rise wood frame construction in the province.
Architect: Michael Green Architecture Structural Engineer: Equilibrium Consulting Inc.
The Wood Innovation and Design Centre (WIDC) in downtown Prince George, British Columbia is scheduled to be completed in the fall of 2014. The six-storey plus mechanical penthouse structure will include research facilities and classroom space for the University of Northern BC as well as office space for future tenants. When completed, the WIDC will be the tallest contemporary wood building in North America, building on B.C.'s expertise and global reputation as an innovative leader in wood construction, engineered wood products and design. This project incorporates a structural system that uses a variety of locally manufactured engineered wood products and is targeting a LEED Gold rating. The structure consists of an innovative combination of post and beam construction and built-up cross-laminated timber (CLT) floor panels. The WIDC will have exposed ceilings, providing a beautiful finish that speaks to the purpose and mission of the facility.
Innovative technologies and building systems have enabled longer wood spans, taller walls and higher buildings, contributing to a wider range of wood construction system solutions and building opportunities.
In this video, Leander Bathon discusses innovative elements of the Earth Sciences Building at the University of British Columbia which includes a composite floor, cross-laminated timber (CLT) roof panels and a composite floating staircase.
To see details on this topic presented at the 2013 Large Wood Structures Symposium in Vancouver, B.C., visit Wood WORKS! British Columbia -- www.wood-works.org.
The Centre for Interactive Research on Sustainability (CIRS), located in Vancouver, British Columbia, is an interdisciplinary academic centre; the building is home to multiple research projects and the subject of ongoing studies on the long-term effects of sustainable design, construction and operation.
The structure of CIRS is a hybrid system. Due to the size of the members and the bulk of the system, the wood frame and assembly combination are considered to be heavy timber construction under the British Columbia Building Code. This designation allows the structure to be exposed without the need for additional fireproofing materials.
The decision to use wood was in keeping with the regenerative concept of CIRS. Wood is one of the most sustainable building materials on the planet: trees grow using energy from the sun and provide valuable ecosystem services such as releasing oxygen into the atmosphere, removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, creating habitats, as well as providing shade and cooling. All of the wood used in CIRS was sourced from the sustainably managed forests of British Columbia.
Graham Finch shares the basic principles of wood construction in mid-rise buildings. Innovative new technologies and building systems have enabled longer wood spans, taller walls and higher buildings, and continue to expand the possibilities for wood use in construction. Wood is more than a building material; it's a renewable and responsible choice.
"Amber" is a design project started by two students at Emily Carr University of Art + Design that explores the emotional connections we have with wood and aims to express this in the form of furniture.
The inspiration for this project came from the transformation from a tree to finished furniture, and the stories contained within this process.
Today there is a new wave of advanced technology and innovation in wood processing. Designers and architects are capable of expressing their creativity through wood in ways that were unimaginable before, developing taller buildings and longer spans with wood.
The City of North Vancouver Civic Centre Renovation is a showcase for wood innovation, with state-of-the-art design fabrication behind the roof panel system, and an inventive new floor system.
Innovative new technologies and building systems have enabled longer wood spans, taller walls and higher buildings, and continue to expand the possibilities for wood use in construction. Wood is more than a building material; it's a renewable and responsible choice.
Architect: mgb architecture + design Engineer: Equilibrium Consulting Inc. Size: 770-square-metre (8288-square-feet) building
A cultural hub for the 3,000 residents of Elkford, the Elkford Community Conference Centre enables the community to deliver programs and host functions and events. Using structural wood construction to conserve energy and reduce the Centre's environmental footprint, it is truly a showcase for wood innovation.
The use of cross-laminated timber (CLT) wall panels in the Centre is the first commercial application in North America. CLT panels are used as the shear walls to resist the high wind load for the building, demonstrating CLT's strength and stiffness. This project also used glulam and laminated veneer lumber beams supported on the CLT walls or perimeter columns. SIP panels have been used on the roof and external wall cladding due to their highly efficient insulating property.
Wood is more than a building material; it's a renewable and responsible choice.
Architect: Douglas Sollows Architect Inc. Engineer: Associated Engineering Budget: $6 million Size: 1,538-square-metre (16,554-square-feet) building
To learn more about wood in public spaces, visit naturallywood.com/design-environment/building-types.The Warmth of Wood: A Natural Approach to Learningnaturally:wood2012-10-30 | LEED® Platinum BlueShore Environmental Learning Centre (named North Shore Credit Union Environmental Learning Centre when it first opened) is an addition to the North Vancouver Outdoor School (NVOS) located in Brackendale near Squamish, British Columbia.
The Centre is constructed with cross-laminated timber (CLT), which is a large multi-layer wooden panel made of lumber, and engineered for strength through laminations of different layers placed cross-wise to the adjacent layers. The Centre also features a glulam column and beam super-structure made from engineered timbers consisting of wood laminations that are bonded together with strong, waterproof adhesives, creating an ideal structural component.
Innovative new technologies and building systems have enabled longer wood spans, taller walls and higher buildings, and continue to expand the possibilities for wood use in construction. Wood is more than a building material; it's a renewable and responsible choice.
Architect: McFarland Marceau Architects Ltd. Engineer: Equilibrium Consulting Inc. Budget: $5.8 million Size: 850-square-metre (9,149-square-feet) building
People spend as much as 90 per cent of their time inside buildings, and for children, adolescents and an increasing number of young adults, most of this time is spent either at home or in school.
Wood construction can be used in many types of buildings, from single-family homes to multi-story and mid-rise condominiums and offices, schools, health facilities, recreational centers and public gathering areas. This video features three educational facilities that have chosen to incorporate wood into the structure:
Samuel Brighouse Elementary School King David High School The University of British Columbia's Sauder School of Business
Evidence-based design points to the use of wood construction, both as an interior and structural building material, to promote health and well-being in health care facilities.
This video features: Buchanan Lodge, New Westminster, British Columbia Gateway Lodge, Prince George, British Columbia Surrey Memorial Hospital, Surrey, British Columbia
"Airports are gateway to cities", says Eric Karsh, Principal of Equilibrium Consulting Inc.
The warmth, versatility and durability of wood led Michael Green, Principal of mgb Architecture & Design, to specify wood for the Prince George and Ottawa Airport outlined in this video.
The Raleigh-Durham International Airport, located in NC, USA, is the largest timber-hybrid roof in North America. Eric Karsh, from Equilibrium Consulting Inc., comments that by choosing wood, the fabrication time was reduced from 17 to 11 months. The timber component of the system proved to be the most fire resistant of the entire roof structure.
With the development of connections and new wood technologies, advances in wood science and building technology have expanded options for wood construction in airports.
This video outlines the design, fabrication and construction of the composite glulam beam arches and WoodWave structural panels. The WoodWave panels are designed to span between the primary wood-steel arches.
Interviews with the City of Richmond, Cannon Design (lead architect) and Fast + Epp (engineer) helps tell the story of the design and process of building the one-of-a-kind Richmond Olympic Oval for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics.
naturally:wood presents "All Things Wood", featuring the use of wood in everyday products. Did you know that bandages, cosmetics, milk cartons and flying origami swans are made from wood?
In this clever stop motion animation, Lei Zhang, a student from Emily Carr University of Art + Design, produces a video that is fun and filled with surprises.
naturally:wood presents structural design and transportation featuring the Brentwood Town Centre Station, Lansdowne Station and the Kingsway Pedestrian Bridge. Perkins+Will (architects) and Fast & Epp (engineers) take us through their journey of concept and design for these public spaces, to construction.
The use of wood construction in public spaces and transportation is a growing trend in British Columbia and across Canada.
The Hillcrest Aquatic Centre forms part of the new Riley Park Community Centre in Vancouver's Hillcrest Park. During the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, the Community Centre served as the venue for curling events, while the pool building was a marshalling area for athletes.
The Aquatic Centre features a solid wood roof supported on Douglas-fir glulam beams that span up to 130 ft (43 m) across the main pool area in keeping with the Vancouver Board of Parks' ongoing commitment to sustainability, this facility was built to high environmental standards, targeting Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Gold standard.
Hughes Condon Marler Architects Read Jones Christoffersen Consulting Engineers
The Vancouver Convention Centre (VCC) expansion is a project that achieved Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Platinum certification. As the broadcast centre for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, it was a showcase for the products and manufacturing capabilities of the British Columbia, Canada forest sector.
The use of innovative wood materials and construction combined with the forward-thinking design, makes the Convention Centre one of the most unique structures in North America. The architect and interior designer for the Centre gives us more background into the design of this truly beautiful building.
Wood can be used in many types of buildings, from single-family homes to multi-story condominiums and offices, schools, health facilities, recreational centers and public gathering areas. It is suitable not only as a finish material, bringing warmth and natural beauty to interior and exterior applications, but as a structural material.
'Sawdust' explores the endless potential and creativity of wood as a building material. Internationally acclaimed sand artist Alexandra Konofalskaya uses her remarkable technique to trace the journey of wood from forest to mill, to architect's office, to three examples of innovative use of wood in building design: the Richmond Olympic Oval, 6-storey mid-building in British Columbia, and the Arena Stage in Washington, DC.
During the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, the Richmond Oval hosted long track speed skating competitions and a variety of other events.
Meet the architects and engineers behind the development of the Oval and their inspiration for choosing wood as the building material for this project.
British Columbia (BC), Canada is an international leader in sustainable forest management. In BC, 200 million seedlings are planted per year. To date, B.C. has planted over 6 billion seedlings.
Guy Lacelle, a tree planter with more than two decades of experience in the trade, shares his personal story of why tree planting in B.C. was an important part of his life - he has since passed away.
With growing pressure to reduce the carbon footprint of the built environment, building designers are increasingly being called upon to balance functionality and cost objectives with reduced environmental impact. Wood is a cost-effective material and a renewable resource that can help to achieve that balance.
Responsibly-managed forests can maximize the amount of carbon stored over the long term, and manufacturing wood into products requires far less energy than other materials.