An innovative approach to building codes garners recognition from the Province of BC.
Building the world’s tallest mass timber building proved to be a challenge for everyone involved in the Brock Common’s Tallwood House project. With BC’s Building Code designed to regulate the construction of tall buildings to be made of concrete and steel, the construction material and methods required an innovative approach.
Ed Lin, Campus and Community Planning’s Chief Building Official, was recently awarded the Premier’s Award for leading his team in “reaching new regulatory heights with the B.C. Building Code for the Tallest Wood Building in the World.” The award was presented by Jarrett Hutchinson, Executive Director for Building and Safety Standards Branch from the BC Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing.
Lin says that everyone involved in planning the 18-story Tallwood House knew they were entering uncharted territory with mass timber, a construction material which uses large prefabricated wood members for wall, floor and roof construction.
Campus and Community Planning’s Development Services team with the Premier’s Award. From left: Grant Miller - Director of Planning, Development Services; Joe Stott – retired Director of Planning, Development Services; Joe Gallagher – Plumbing Inspector; Ed Lin – Chief Building Official; Deborah MacDonald - Building Permit Clerk, Dave Tierney – Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services, Karen Russell – Manager, Development Services, Michael Twynstra – Inspector, and Ajay Prasad – Compliance Officer.
Lin and the team from Campus and Community Planning had to ask themselves “how do we address the safety objectives of the building code” with this new, sustainable and innovative material?
The solution was to develop a site-specific regulation with Building and Safety Standards Branch to set the safety standards for the building including enhanced fire and seismic standards that are appropriate for this innovative project.
The new regulation was developed through a collaborative process and included the design and construction teams, Campus and Community Planning, UBC Infrastructure Development, Vancouver Fire Department and the Building and Safety Standards Branch.
With the unique challenges of the project and the need to take an innovative approach, a series of expert panels were held to discuss fire safety and structural issues with the design and construction teams. Over a six-month period they two committees investigated the challenges related to fire safety and structure to learn more about the technology used in mass timber.
“This was a huge job for everyone involved to complete this project with new materials - on time and within the budget,” said Lin. “Everyone showed great flexibility in advancing the innovative technology of this project.”
Learn more
Watch a fascinating time lapse video of the construction of Tallwood House.