Mass Timber Market Updates - Dec 2024 - Week Fiftyone

Could mass timber be the solution to Canada's housing crisis? Join me, Paul Ramblin, on the Mass Timber Construction Podcast as we unravel the latest innovations and trends redefining the sustainable building landscape. Discover how prefabrication and modular construction are setting new benchmarks for efficiency and eco-friendliness, paving the way for a revolution in the construction industry. Explore the rising demand for mass timber products like CLT as Canada ramps up its efforts to mitigate carbon emissions and optimize productivity. We'll also delve into Alberta's strategic trade mission to Japan, a masterstroke aiming to diversify export markets amidst escalating global demand for sustainable materials.

In this packed episode, we explore the game-changing findings from Sustainability Consultancy Metabolic, which forecasts a significant boost in engineered timber production necessary to meet Europe's bio-based construction targets by 2030. Hear about the remarkable transformation of Opal Build into Notch SB, a pioneer in mass timber design, now spearheading advancements in panelization and engineering solutions. This episode is a must-listen for enthusiasts and professionals eager to understand the future trajectory of sustainable construction, offering a comprehensive look at how these paradigm shifts are shaping the built environment for generations to come.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Ladies and gentlemen, we are live.
This is the moment you all havebeen waiting for.
It's time for the globalsensation, the one, the only the

(00:28):
undisputed heavyweight podcastin the world the Mass Timber
Construction Podcast.
And now here's Paul Ramblin,your host.
Good morning, good afternoon orgood evening wherever you are

(00:52):
in the world today.
Welcome to the Master of theConstruction Podcast.
I hope you're keeping warm inthe Northern Hemisphere and
we're trying to keep cool in theSouthern Hemisphere.
It's been a great time in thelead up to the holiday season.
I know I've certainly beenlooking forward to the break and
have taken time for myself.
I hope you do the same.
It is a busy time during theyear and thanks for all your

(01:14):
support in liking, commenting,sharing, reposting our LinkedIn
posts, our social media feed,thank you to people submitting
to the academic journal andthank you for subscribing to
this podcast.
Let's have a look at what'smaking news this week in Mass
Timber Construction land andfirst up, canada's housing
crisis is looking for innovativetechnology that can come into

(01:36):
play as part of its policyreform, using modern methods of
construction, includingprefabrication and modular
construction, to buildcomponents off-site and then
provide significant savings interms of time, productivity and
reduction in carbon emissions.
And, of course, they're lookingat the exploration of using
mass timber products, includingCLT and other renewable,

(01:59):
low-carbon substitute forconventional materials.
In one study that they lookedat from the, the Netherlands,
they looked at 3D concreteprinting, which can reduce
material waste by up to 90%,representing a significant
transformation in sustainabledesign.
If you'd like to have a look atmore at what Canada is doing,
you can head to our LinkedInfeed and have a look at the
approach that they're taking totry and understand how to build

(02:22):
better for the future and toCanada now.
And Alberta's forestry sectorstrengthens its ties with Japan
and the US.
Trade, based on tensions thatare currently looming amid the
global demand for sustainablematerials and the looming threat
of new tariffs to the US andAlberta brings a bold step in
strengthening global ties.

(02:42):
A recent forestry trade missionto Japan punctuates the
province's commitment todiversifying its export markets
by strengthening traderelationships with Japan.
The first of its kind, thisAlberta-led trade mission was
headed by the Minister and theDeputy Minister in the
Government for Alberta'sForestry and Parks Ministry.

(03:05):
The delegates are from CanadaWood and Alberta Forestry joined
the mission as well.
The Japanese market appreciatesthe use of wood as a building
material, and so there's aperfect fit.
If you'd like to read some moreabout this initiative that's
happening for people in Canadaas part of Alberta and Japan

(03:26):
trade mission, you can head toour LinkedIn feed and there are
always numbers coming out andit's always very difficult to
discern what specific numbersare credible and what are not.
But a report published last yearby Sustainability Consultancy,
metabolic, which forecast thatto meet the 50% bio-based

(03:47):
resident construction program inEurope by 2030, which is
corresponding to an 18% drop incarbon emissions the production
of engineered timber would haveto increase nearly fivefold and
roundwood by fourfold tocomplete the ensemble of
requirements for woodconsumption.
That is compatible with thestrategy in the region.

(04:10):
So if you'd like to read morearound this, you can go and have
a look at Metabolics Forecastand see where the pressure is
being laid.
But certainly there is a needto understand how wood and other
biobased industries are goingto support the supply and not be
outstripped by demand, which isthen going to put pressure on

(04:30):
net zero targets, and they maybe in jeopardy because of such
things.
Future planning is a reallyimportant thing.
We need to think about it now,get educated, go and read the
reports and Opal Build, a masstimber design building company
specializing in CLT and highperformance wood panels in
envelope construction typologies, is now going under the name

(04:54):
Notch SB.
The Belfast company said thenew name reflects a new era of
growth that builds on theexpertise in mass timber
panelisation, with the expansionof services to include advanced
mass timber engineering andfully integrated design to
construct systems.
It's great to see people inother locations, including in
Belfast, getting into the actand making sure that Notchby

(05:17):
Systems will be able to providethe built environment with
sustainable buildings, and thechange in the name of the
company reflects this.
And going back a few years, wereported the Zahra Hadid
Architects unveiling the ForestGreen Rovers Eco Park Stadium,
located in stroud in the uk, asthe first old timber football

(05:38):
stadium and the design for usesof sustainable source materials
for structural elements withinthat project.
Well, there's some more newscome out about it and the design
has a little bit more attentionto detail.
There's some more rendereddrawings that you can go and
have a look at and, using thesame material, it looks like the
project is still on track todeliver what it has set out to

(06:01):
do.
The stadium's roof will featurea transparent membrane that
supports grass growth andminimizes shadows, designed for
future scalability.
The stadium will initiallyaccommodate 5 000 spectators,
with the capacity to expand to10 000 without extensive
construction work.
If you'd like to see some morerenders of this project, please

(06:21):
head to our linkedin feed.
And in the us and the americanwood council has worked with the
international code council andwoodworks have joined together
to release an updated version oftheir free app to calculate
maximum allowable heights andareas for buildings of various
occupancy classifications andtypes of construction.

(06:43):
The heights and areascalculator is based on the
provisions of the 2021 code andit allows users to input the
proposed building height, thearea for occupancy and the app
will then provide you withconstruction that is permitted.
The basic version of thecalculator limits building input
to a single occupancy, equalfour areas to the entire

(07:07):
building, and advanced optionpermits multiple occupancies and
different four areas.
If you're in the US or Canadaand you're looking to acquire
some understanding about thearea and the heights that you
can build in with mass timber,please head to their LinkedIn
feed or their social media pagesor their website and you can go

(07:29):
and download the heights andareas calculator for free.
So that's it, folks for anotherweek.
Thank you for joining us.
We've got one more episode forthe year and then we start 2025
with a whole another year ofepisodes coming at you.
It'll be our fifth year inproduction.
We've got Arnie coming up fromthe Mass Timber Conference in

(07:52):
Portland, oregon, in March nextyear to talk about what's
happening at the event, to getyou excited for 2025.
And we've got more interviewsand guests coming along as they
trickle in the door.
We will bring them to you andthank you for subscribing,
liking, sharing, reposting,commenting on our social media

(08:13):
feed.
We really do appreciate theengagement, and good morning,
good afternoon or good evening,wherever you are in the world
today.
Have a great christmas break, agreat holiday season.
We'll see you on the other sideright before new year's.
This is paul kramer signing offon the mass timber construction
podcast.
Timmy Construction Podcast.

(08:54):
Thank you, bye.