Use wood as a building material to save time and money

Developers are finding that using wood as a building material not only saves time and costs in constructing high-performance buildings, but also offers design aesthetics, versatility, and superior performance. Wood building systems, combined with prefabricated wood frame components, can effectively manage construction schedules.

Recent sustainable innovations in Vancouver's wood-framed buildings are setting a new tone for the construction industry. They reduce energy costs and provide residents with a natural, wood-like feel. Both the Heights and King Edward Villas feature a concrete podium and a five-story lightweight wood structure.

The first six-story timber-framed apartment building in North America built to the Passive House standard in Vancouver

The Heights

By prefabricating all wooden components in the factory, a lot of time and costs can be saved

In the case of King Edward Villa, the high population density and the limited urban space did not provide sufficient construction space on site. In this case, prefabrication of wooden components in the factory was the only way to meet the stringent on-site construction requirements and significantly shorten the construction period.

Richard Wong, project leader for King Edward Villas, said: “Using prefabrication allowed us to complete the structural frame of this building in just two months.”

King Edward multi-story timber-structured apartment building in Vancouver

“The high-grade timber used, combined with the precision of the components, means we can create higher-quality homes at a competitive cost.”

According to estimates, factory-fabricated wood frame structures can save approximately 15% to 20% in costs compared to other materials.

In addition, StructureCraft, a manufacturer of heavy timber structural components, recently designed and built a factory building for its own factory, completing the structural construction in just five days. In the past, similar industrial buildings were generally built with precast concrete walls and steel roofs; however, StructureCraft's factory was designed entirely from wood. Its cost was similar to that of precast concrete walls, but the wood structure design significantly improved energy efficiency and had a more aesthetically pleasing appearance.

StructureCraft's new factory

Lucas Epp, Engineering Manager at StructureCraft, said, “Not only did we quickly and efficiently build a low-cost timber-framed industrial building, but we also demonstrated the potential of timber for industrial applications.”

Wood can help buildings meet and exceed energy efficiency standards

Because of wood's inherent insulating properties, designers can make buildings more energy efficient, while wood's low thermal conductivity also makes it an ideal material for passive house construction.

Upon completion, The Heights will become Canada's largest single-unit "Passive House" – an ultra-low energy building that will demonstrate that traditional wood frame design can be energy-efficient in new high-performance buildings.

The first six-story timber-framed apartment building in North America built to the Passive House standard in Vancouver

The Heights

Chris Higgins, Green Building Planner for the City of Vancouver, said: “With its use of highly insulated wood and an extremely airtight building envelope, The Heights is already one of the most energy-efficient new buildings in Canada.

Higgins explains that wood is a good natural insulator, minimizing thermal bridging or heat loss. It also lends itself to airtight construction, as structural plywood can be airtight to the wood frame, creating a natural air-insulating barrier. Furthermore, the building's heat recovery system and efficient ventilation system for fresh air circulation mean that the wood building will save an astonishing 90% in energy costs compared to conventional buildings.

The Heights project is a long-term investment for the developer, requiring strict control of operating costs. Once completed, the project will use 80% less energy than the minimum standard set by the code.

Reducing carbon emissions through sustainable construction

For developers, wood is the only renewable building material. British Columbia, Canada, not only boasts abundant forestry resources but is also a world leader in sustainable forest management. After logging, new trees are replanted. New trees absorb carbon dioxide, and old building materials can be fully degraded and recycled.

British Columbia has the world's strictest sustainable forest management standards.

The wood used in the King Edward condominium project stores the equivalent of 575 cars off the road for a year. Its exceptional low-carbon properties are driving some Vancouver developers to choose wood as a building material for their new projects.

Wood is warm and beautiful. Studies have shown that using wood in construction can have a certain positive impact on residents. Living in a wooden house can relieve stress and lower blood pressure and heart rate.

Due to the advantages of wood structure buildings such as low cost, good thermal insulation and short construction period, it is becoming a common phenomenon that more and more developers are using wood in new construction projects.