In a proposal, it's suggested that timber should receive automotive-like treatment instead of the current cabin-based approach, in Canada.

Headline: The Ascent of Mass Timber: Canada's Sustainable Building Revolution

In a bid to combat climate change and address housing shortages, Canada is spearheading a revolutionary shift towards mass timber construction. This innovative building material, which stores carbon for centuries, is at the heart of Canada's ambitious plans to become a global leader in sustainable development.

The Ascent Tower: A Testament to Mass Timber's Potential

The Ascent Tower, standing proudly in Milwaukee, is the world's tallest massive timber high-rise building. Developed by SWMUNICH Real Estate, this 25-story, 87-meter structure is a hybrid of glulam beams and mass timber panels, with a concrete podium and core. The building serves as a carbon sink, binding greenhouse gases in its wooden structure, and has reportedly locked away over 7,000 tons of carbon while saving months on construction time.

Carbon Storage and Industrial Competitiveness

A cubic meter of mass timber stores roughly a ton of CO2 from the atmosphere, making it a significant contributor to carbon sequestration. Conversely, producing mass timber emits about 120 kilograms of CO2, a figure that pales in comparison to the carbon storage potential. This cascading effect, which includes designing for disassembly and reuse, converting to biochar, or integrating carbon capture, further extends the storage of carbon in timber for centuries.

Addressing Housing Shortages and Embodied Carbon

Mass timber is Canada's fastest lever for tackling housing shortages, embodied carbon, and industrial competitiveness all at once. Full-scale burn tests have shown that timber buildings can withstand compartment fires and remain standing. This, coupled with the fact that replacing concrete and steel with mass timber in mid-rise apartments can cut embodied carbon by 15 to 40% depending on the design, makes mass timber an attractive option for housing development.

The Build Canada Homes Plan and the Transition Accelerator's Roadmap

The Build Canada Homes plan, proposed by Mark Carney, targets the production of 500,000 homes per year, backed by low-cost loans and equity for prefab builders. Meanwhile, the Transition Accelerator's roadmap sets production goals of one million cubic meters of mass timber by 2030 and double that by 2035.

Challenges Ahead

However, the adoption of mass timber is not without its challenges. Building codes are inconsistent across provinces in Canada, and insurance premiums for mass timber projects can be four to ten times higher than for concrete. To address these issues, national data trusts, pooled risk pilots for insurance, reciprocity agreements on certifications, and prescriptive code adoption are being proposed.

The Future of Mass Timber

As the electricity grid in Canada moves towards net zero by 2035, the demand for cement and steel is expected to peak earlier than mainstream models anticipate and then decline steadily for the rest of the century due to a shift in building materials. The future of mass timber looks promising, with the industry set to grow, driven by the need for sustainable, carbon-sequestering building materials and the desire to address housing shortages.

The Role of Technology and Skilled Labour

The mass timber industry requires a skilled workforce, including 3D modelers, CNC operators, and timber framers, not just general laborers. Innovations such as electric harvesters, battery trucks, biomass or heat pump kilns, and lignin-based adhesives are available or near commercial, further enhancing the efficiency and sustainability of mass timber production.

The Ascent Tower as a Test Case for American Adoption

The Ascent tower in Milwaukee is being treated as a test case for American adoption of tall timber buildings. With its nearly 260 apartments and its status as the tallest mass timber building in the world, it serves as a beacon of what is possible when we embrace sustainable building practices.

In conclusion, the shift towards mass timber construction in Canada represents a significant step forward in the fight against climate change and the pursuit of sustainable, affordable housing. The success of projects like the Ascent Tower serves as a blueprint for the future of sustainable building, not just in Canada, but around the world.

In a proposal, it's suggested that timber should receive automotive-like treatment instead of the current cabin-based approach, in Canada.