British Columbia plans to change building code regulations allow for taller mass timber projects, largely viewed as a more sustainable form of construction.

Under the new proposed regulations announced Monday, mass timber buildings can be up to 18 storeys tall, up from 12, and more projects, including schools, shopping centres and industrial facilities, can use mass timber.

“Mass timber is a strong, clean building technology, and with these changes, we can create astonishing buildings that display our world-class mass timber sector,” Brenda Bailey, the province’s minister of jobs, economic development and innovation, said in a news release.

“Through our Mass Timber Action Plan, we are investing in mass timber training and finding new avenues to grow our economy while reducing our environmental impact.”

WHAT IS MASS TIMBER?

 

Mass timber refers to structural, load-bearing components of a building project made of wood.

The material is considered more sustainable than concrete and steel, but there are just 661 mass timber projects in Canada, as cost concerns, higher insurance premiums and specialized tools make it more challenging to get the projects started, according to a recent report from RBC.

There are reasons to consider a shift to more mass timber construction in Canada, however. RBC’s report, published in October, found Canada could cut emissions by 5.5 megatons if a third of large construction projects made the move to mass timber by 2030.

The report argued Canada could also become a world leader in the sector due to its vast forestry resources. A 25 per cent global market share would add $1.2 billion to the Canadian economy by 2030, RBC’s report found. 

WHAT’S NEXT?

B.C.’s changes are currently open for public comment. The province has set a goal of implementing them by the spring of 2024.