The International Code Council is looking into potential code changes to accommodate taller cross-laminated timber (CLT) structures.
Most building codes limit a CLT structure's height. CLT is being promoted by the timber industry and gaining interest among architects and engineers. The material could provide an economic boost to some struggling communities that have been impacted by a decline in the domestic timber industry.
CLT has also been touted by some as helping to reduce the carbon footprint of urban construction through the use of a renewable building material. Trees as small as 5 inches in diameter at the top, and those damaged by pests and wildfire, can be used in the inner layers of CLT products.
Researchers are still investigating how CLT buildings withstand fire and earthquakes in high-seismic regions. Building codes in some areas including Oregon allow designs using new technology like CLT in some cases, but only after rigorous testing and an intensive approval process.
Related Stories
Sustainability | Nov 1, 2023
Tool identifies financial incentives for decarbonizing heavy industry, transportation projects
Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) has released a tool to identify financial incentives to help developers, industrial companies, and investors find financial incentives for heavy industry and transport projects.
Mass Timber | Oct 27, 2023
Five winners selected for $2 million Mass Timber Competition
Five winners were selected to share a $2 million prize in the 2023 Mass Timber Competition: Building to Net-Zero Carbon. The competition was co-sponsored by the Softwood Lumber Board and USDA Forest Service (USDA) with the intent “to demonstrate mass timber’s applications in architectural design and highlight its significant role in reducing the carbon footprint of the built environment.”
Resiliency | Oct 19, 2023
Jacksonville unveils 50-year strategy for resiliency to flooding, extreme heat, wildfires
The City of Jacksonville, Fla., recently released plans for Resilient Jacksonville, a 50-year resiliency strategy to reduce the risks from flooding, hurricanes, excessive heat, and wildfires, and to respond better to those events. The plan includes ways to stop the St. Johns River from flooding vulnerable neighborhoods, including those prone to flooding during heavy rain or hurricanes.
Building Materials | Oct 19, 2023
New white papers offer best choices in drywall, flooring, and insulation for embodied carbon and health impacts
“Embodied Carbon and Material Health in Insulation” and “Embodied Carbon and Material Health in Gypsum Drywall and Flooring,” by architecture and design firm Perkins&Will in partnership with the Healthy Building Network, advise on how to select the best low-carbon products with the least impact on human health.
Contractors | Oct 19, 2023
Crane Index indicates slowing private-sector construction
Private-sector construction in major North American cities is slowing, according to the latest RLB Crane Index. The number of tower cranes in use declined 10% since the first quarter of 2023. The index, compiled by consulting firm Rider Levett Bucknall (RLB), found that only two of 14 cities—Boston and Toronto—saw increased crane counts.
Office Buildings | Oct 19, 2023
Proportion of workforce based at home drops to lowest level since pandemic began
The proportion of the U.S. workforce working remotely has dropped considerably since the start of the Covid 19 pandemic, but office vacancy rates continue to rise. Fewer than 26% of households have someone who worked remotely at least one day a week, down sharply from 39% in early 2021, according to the latest Census Bureau Household Pulse Surveys.
Contractors | Oct 19, 2023
Poor productivity cost U.S contractors as much as $40 billion last year
U.S. contractors lost between $30 billion and $40 billion in 2022 due to poor labor productivity, according to a new report from FMI Corp. The survey focused on self-performing contractors, those typically engaged as a trade partner to a general contractor.
Products and Materials | Oct 10, 2023
‘Works with WELL’ product licensing program launched by International WELL Building Institute
The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) recently launched the Works with WELL product licensing program. Works with Well certification allows manufacturers to demonstrate that their products align with WELL strategies.
Mass Timber | Oct 10, 2023
New York City launches Mass Timber Studio to spur more wood construction
New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) recently launched New York City Mass Timber Studio, “a technical assistance program to support active mass timber development projects in the early phases of project planning and design.”
Codes and Standards | Oct 10, 2023
Green Seal will not certify any paints, coatings, floor care products containing PFAS
Green Seal will no longer certify any paints and coatings, floor care products, adhesives, and degreasers containing any per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), commonly called “forever chemicals.”
