In March we explored Innovations in Mass Timber Building Design and Construction through an engaging panel discussion with a group of industry experts, in collaboration with the Mass Timber Institute and sponsored by DIALOG. From the latest updates in policy and programs to cutting-edge engineering techniques, this panel covered the advancements of mass timber influencing our industry.
Speakers
Aryan Rezaei Rad, Assistant Professor Department of Civil & Mineral Engineering
The overarching theme of professor rad’s activities is to advance sustainability, digitalization in building technology and structural engineering. Professor Rad’s research is located at the interface of multi-scale experimental and computational methods. With a particular focus on the structural engineering aspects, his research integrates advanced digital fabrication technologies and human-machine interactive design with eco-friendly construction materials such as timber, to embrace new design frameworks and principles for sustainable structural systems.
Craig Applegath. BSc | BArch | MArchUD | PPOAA | Architect AIBC | NSAA | AIA | FRAIC | LEED® AP BD+C
Craig is a founding partner of Dialog and launched it’s Toronto studio in 2003. Craig is a future-oriented thinker and passionate advocate developing thoughtful planning and design solutions that make sense in a world challenged by climate change. Since completing studies at the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University with a Master of Architecture in Urban Design, Craig has garnered a reputation for successfully leading complex, sustainably designed planning and design projects, and is internationally known for his advocacy and thought leadership in low carbon and regenerative design.
Hailey Quiquero, MASc, P.Eng., Technical Manager, WoodWorks ON - Canadian Wood Council
Hailey is a structural engineer and has focused her career specializing in sustainable architecture and the advancement of timber building systems. Hailey spent several years of her career in mass timber research, as a structural designer with Entuitive in Toronto. She has worked on the development of affordable housing products built of high-performance timber panels, contributing to the successful completion of several turnkey housing projects with Assembly Corp. Hailey currently works as a technical manager for the Canadian wood council, aiding project teams in delivering successful timber projects.
We’ve highlighted a thought provoking question on the panel and the expert’s answers.
How can mass timber be combined with approaches such as modular/pre-fab construction to improve its financial feasibility from a capital investment perspective?
One key challenge is in volumetric modular construction. Volumetric modular is when you build the suite as a complete unit including floor, wall and ceiling. The challenge is the cost of the extra floor/ceiling as units are stacked, there is inherent inefficiency. Another challenge is lack of competition in the industry. However, there is another kind of modular construction called elemental modular where you have walls, floors and possibly some key units such as kitchens and bathroom.This method seems to require less sophistication of the industry and is easy to ship to site as a flat pack.
Craig Applegath, DIALOG Design
More than what I believe in modularity, I believe in pre-fabrication. One example, a previously referenced arc structure, consists of 600 bespoke timber plates with approximately ten to fifteen thousand wood-wood connections. There is no modularity at all, everything was bespoke and uniquely defined. However, prefabrication allowed the project team to construct that structure in half a day. Modularity still requires the development of business models and workflows by companies and universities.
Aryan Rezaei Rad, University of Toronto
From my perspective, the key factor to making a successful mass timber project is getting everyone on board and aligned early. Different collaborative project delivery methods such as IDP become very important, however take investment upfront. Mass timber does lend itself to this type of design process well because of inherent collaboration, ability to coordinate in detail the panel production, and recoup the costs on site because it will speed up the construction and minimize change orders. There needs to be a shift where project teams invest upfront in one of these project delivery methods to find those efficiencies in any form of modularity.
Hailey Quiquero, Canadian Wood Council
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