The National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association (NLBMDA) today announced its reiterated support for tall wood building construction. The support came after the approval of 14 tall wood building code change proposals at the International Code Council (ICC) public comment hearing in Richmond, Va., earlier this week.
"NLBMDA is pleased that support is growing for the construction of tall wood buildings," NLBMDA president and CEO Jonathan Paine said in a news release from the organization. "Research is proving that taller mass timber buildings are a safe, sustainable, and cost-effective method of construction."
The ICC established an ad hoc committee on Tall Wood Buildings in 2015 to study the science of tall wood buildings and take action to develop and submit code change proposals. The 14 recommended proposals came after the committee studyied the issue for two years and conducted fire prevention tests at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Fire Research Laboratory.
"Other nations have already seen the benefits of tall wood construction – from the low carbon footprint, ease of construction and reduced construction time," the American Wood Council (AWC) said in a statement issued after the public comment hearing. " The tremendous support of tall mass timber construction seen at the ICC public comment hearings, and the positive outcome, is one more important step toward advancement of tall wood in the United States.”
While tall wood building regulations are being discussed, the method of construction is gaining traction in the U.S. Earlier this year, Oregon became the first state to adopt language allowing for construction of tall wood buildings between eight and 18 stories. Concrete interest groups, however, pushed to oppose the proposed code changes, with concerns over fire safety and lost market share driving the efforts.
The proposed changes are now subjected to the ICC's Online Governmental Consensus Vote, scheduled to begin in November. The final outcome of the tall mass timber code change proposals are expected sometime in December. Should all wood building proposals be approved, the changes would be incorporated into the ICC's 2021 edition of the International Building Code (IBC).
