WEBINAR: Why Trees Are Stronger than Wood

1 LU | HSW

Presented by Original Mass Timber Maine

Zoom Registration required

Course description:  Studies increasingly provide measurable data for what most know intrinsically, people are happier and healthier when exposed to nature, natural materials, and natural systems. Using biophilic design patterns and sustainably sourced natural materials, architects, engineers, and other AEC professionals can create built environments that improve the physical health and mental well-being while also providing positive environmental benefits. Sustainability, natural materials, regional sourcing, and carbon costs are increasingly important factors. Against this backdrop, small diameter round timber from sustainably managed forests is a viable structural material for commercial construction.

Learning Objectives:

• Participants will be able to name structures, systems, and building types built using small-diameter round timber and identify where round timber can bring biophilic advantages as a structural or decorative material.
• Participants will be able to identify a benefit to forest ecosystems and regional economies from building with small diameter round timber.
• Participants will be able to use the performance benefits a small-diameter round timber structural systems (including strength, carbon calculation, fire failure mode, and life cycle performance) in their projects to design hybrid systems with mixed materials.
• Participants will be able to cite advantages of building with small-diameter round timber based on research at the USDA Forest Products Lab.