VANCOUVER, October 29, 2019 – The latest technologies, innovations and solutions in wood design and building, with a focus on a new generation of taller buildings globally, will be presented in Vancouver next week at the 2019 Wood Solutions Conference. Distinguished speakers from Canada and beyond, including the UK, Norway and the US, will inform and inspire BC’s architects, engineers and other building professionals with the latest information and expertise on wood design and building on Tuesday, November 5 at the Vancouver Convention Centre – East.

The annual one-day conference is presented by Wood WORKS! BC and the Canadian Wood Council with support from Natural Resources Canada and Forestry Innovation Investment. Along with an exceptional lineup of national and international speakers, there will be an interactive trade show and many engagement opportunities with industry leaders, design innovators, product experts and project teams.

“This conference will provide a level of collaboration and education which is imperative for addressing our building needs for the future,” explained Lynn Embury-Williams, Executive Director, Wood WORKS! BC. “Wood is playing the leading role in a new generation of taller buildings in BC and around the world, and our goal is to support design and building professionals by enabling them to expand their technical knowledge and proficiency using wood products and building systems.” Recognized for its role in reducing carbon impacts in the built environment, builders and designers are increasingly embracing technologically advanced wood products and building systems for the many advantages, including accelerated speed of construction and enhanced building performance.

Attendees will learn about new technologies, innovations and solutions for wood in both architectural and structural applications through technical sessions on mass timber solutions, transformative building technologies, prefabrication, sustainability, acoustic and fire performance. “This is a particularly important learning opportunity for building and design professionals with the recent and upcoming changing BC building codes,” added Ms. Embury-Williams.

A key topic to be discussed at the conference will be BC’s early adoption of the 2020 National Building Code of Canada (NBC), allowing wood buildings up to 12 storeys, giving rise to new opportunities and possibilities for wood in design and construction.  In a seminar titled – Will the building code change how we build? – Dr. Guido Wimmers, Associate Professor, Chair of the Master of Engineering Program, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, BC, will explore new methods of wood construction, as well as prefabrication and optimization potential for wood construction.

Among the 2019 Wood Solutions Conference international speakers will be the lunch-time keynote speaker, Øystein Elgsaas, Architect, Partner – Voll Arkitekter, Norway, who will present his firm’s project Mjøstårnet – the world tallest timber building.

 

 

Mjøstårnet is a symbol of a “green shift” in our built environment, and proof that tall buildings can be built using local resources, local suppliers and sustainable wood products and building systems.

“This is a dynamic learning conference, where building and design professionals can gather ideas, information and inspiration. We look forward to the collaboration and sharing between global leaders in mass timber construction at the 2019 Wood Solutions Conference, as we build transformative innovation and ingenuity to move us toward a more sustainable built environment for tomorrow – today,” concluded Ms. Embury-Williams.

The full program and registration can be viewed here: www.woodsolutionsconference.com

 

Wood WORKS! is a national industry-led program of the Canadian Wood Council, with a goal to support innovation and provide leadership on the use of wood products and systems. Through workshops, seminars, conferences and case studies, Wood WORKS! provides education, training and technical expertise to building and design professionals and local governments involved with commercial, institutional and industrial construction projects throughout BC.

www.wood-works.ca/bc