The American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) has released the first-ever set of U.S. recommendations for hybrid steel frames with mass timber floors, according to a news release.
Design Guide 37: Hybrid Steel Frames with Wood Floors, written by Arup, encourages the use of mass timber floor systems in construction, “an underused yet important material to reduce the amount of carbon-intensive concrete in a structure,” the release says. The guide provides a comprehensive context for this new building typology, detailing strategies from the perspective of multiple disciplines.
By facilitating this new generation of sustainable buildings, the guide will help accelerate the use of hybrid timber and steel in multistory residential and commercial construction. Mass timber is lightweight, and steel provides strength to structures and may better meet buildings’ vibration and span requirements.
Hybrid steel-frame buildings with mass timber floor panels allow for longer beam spans and reduced column size than comparable mass-timber post and beam construction, making it an attractive option for market-driven spaces such as office buildings. Cross-laminated timber (CLT) flooring can take the place of carbon-intensive concrete slabs and may be left exposed in places, such as at soffits, eliminating the need for additional architectural finishes and allowing for the showcasing of the structural aesthetics of both steel and mass timber.
“Mass timber and steel hybrid systems have tremendous potential to advance the building industry’s sustainability goals and reduce global emissions,” said Michelle Roelofs, associate principal at Arup. “Illuminating pathways for this hybrid topology will help accelerate the use of timber in place of more carbon-intensive materials.”
Related Stories
| Nov 3, 2011
OSHA Publishes Information on Rights and Safety
OSHA recently published new and revised information that explains workers’ and employers’ rights, as well as how to protect workers from hazards in the construction industry.
| Nov 3, 2011
Sierra Club Critical of Albuquerque Mayor’s Push to Weaken Green Code
The mayor’s plan to move to a less environmentally friendly code would mean confusion for people in the construction industry and a loss of energy efficiency and money for consumers, said Shrayas Jatkar of the Sierra Club.
| Nov 3, 2011
Lax Code Enforcement Blamed for Deaths in Turkey’s Earthquake
Despite tough safety codes approved a decade ago after earthquakes killed 18,000 people, lax enforcement led to hundreds of deaths after a recent earthquake in Turkey.
| Nov 3, 2011
International Green Construction Code Will Provide Template for Local Codes
A uniform code for green construction is being readied for publication in March.
| Oct 31, 2011
NIST issues new code requirements
Buildings taller than 420 feet are now required to include an extra exit stairwell or a specially designed elevator that occupants can use for evacuations.
| Oct 28, 2011
Los Angeles County mulling building codes for improving health
An ordinance would amend county building codes to promote better walking environments, encourage more bicycling, improve access to healthy foods (farmers markets, community gardens), and enhance project review requirements to ensure that developers include healthy-lifestyle components in their building plans.
| Oct 28, 2011
Bipartisan opposition to federal 3% withholding for contractors
Both major political parties and the Obama Administration support repealing a law that would withhold 3% of all government contracts.
| Oct 28, 2011
OSHA requires training module on top causes of construction deaths
The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) now requires a training module on the top four causes of death for construction workers.
| Oct 28, 2011
New York City requiring building energy use to be posted online
Owners of every New York City commercial and residential building larger than 50,000 sf will have to post each building’s energy use online by 2013.
| Oct 28, 2011
New ISO standard for escalator safety
A new ISO standard specifies safety requirements for escalators and moving walks.
