1.5 AIA LU/HSW (and 0.15 ICC credits)

Sponsored by Sansin

Mass timber use in single family homes has always been something of an enigma. The vast majority of product development and production is focused on much larger scale projects. This panel will showcase a few examples of current efforts to utilize mass timber in single family home design and construction and explore both the future opportunities and current challenges to increasing the applications of mass timber in this market.

Moderator:

Jennifer Bonner · Director, MALL / Associate Professor of Architecture, Harvard University Graduate School of Design

Presentations:

After the Dixie Fire: Building Hardened Homes for a Hardened Community Using CLT

What to do after a town burns in a wildfire? Build fire hardened homes using cross laminated timber. This presentation discusses the pathway Sierra Institute for Community and Environment is pursuing to help rebuild the town of Greenville and get people back into homes and businesses after the devastating Dixie Fire. Fifteen months after the Dixie Fire, Sierra Institute has worked with partners including Mass Timber Strategy, altelierjones, Harriott Valentine Engineers, DR Johnson Wood Innovations, Lights Creek Construction, Plumas County, among others, and has erected one- two- and three-bedroom mass timber homes. A fourth model is being developed and all plans are available for residents to use for rebuilding. More mass timber homes will be built in 2023. We’re also using mass timber to rebuild the Roundhouse Indian Education Center. Building fire hardened structures is an essential part of rebuilding in high hazard forested areas and a key part of building hardened communities.

Jonathan Kusel · Executive Director · Sierra Institute for Community and Environment
Jonathan Kusel is founder and executive director of the Sierra Institute for Community and Environment. He received a Ph.D. in Natural Resource Sociology and Policy from U.C. Berkeley, where he taught before launching the Sierra Institute in northern California. He holds a Masters in Forest Science from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. Dr. Kusel helped lead a team evaluating community and social implications of climate change in the Sierra as part of California’s 4th Climate Assessment. In 2018, Dr. Kusel led a team that built a small biomass-powered energy facility for rural Plumas County’s Health and Human Services Center. The facility is housed in the first full cross laminated timber building constructed in California. The 2021 Dixie Fire burned through the Sierra Institute’s home community, destroying much of the town of Greenville. Working with partners, Sierra Institute is now building single-family CLT homes to help residents who lost homes in the Dixie Fire and pilot home and community hardening using mass timber. Launching in 2023, Sierra Institute is a convener for California’s Community Economic Resilience Fund planning in the ten-county North State region of California.

Burj Zanzibar and the Implementation of Timber Construction in East Africa

Burj Zanzibar will become the tallest hybrid timber building in Africa. The groundwork to make this project possible has started many years ago with the construction of a new urban center south of Zanzibar City. This new settlement envisions a sustainable way of living starting with the construction of the buildings themselves. Over the past years through the implementation of various buildings, different forms of timber technologies have been explored in both design and construction. With the experience gather through these projects and the exchange between international and local parties, we have gradually created the local knowledge and craftsmanship to evolve from simple wood stud constructions, used for the equitable Moyoni homes, to more complex engineered timber solutions implemented for the middle-market Vizazi houses. The combination of local resources and the strategic import from engineered timber components overseas have allowed for a cost-effective delivery of timber buildings in the East-African context. The Burj Zanzibar aims, as a new iconic building for Zanzibar, to highlight this development to promote the further development of a local production framework for engineered timber products making use of the vast timber resources available on the East African highlands.

Leander Moons · Architect · OMT architects
Leander Moons founded his design studio Leander Moons Inc in 2019 in New York. With to the fast growth of the project portfolio he established, together with Andreas Trampe-Kieslich, OMT architects GmbH in Berlin in 2021. Both companies work seamlessly together from the concept design phase through the project delivery on site. They aim to create and im¬plement sustainable, equitable and empowering design solutions and build projects. The integration of locally resourced and sus-tainable building materials, with a special focus on timber, are the focal point in the most recent projects. Before establishing his own businesses, Leander worked for leading architectural offices in Europe (Baumschlager Eberle Architects), Africa (Bowman Architects Associates) and North America (nbbj design). Leander supervised the Berlin office of Baumschlager Eberle Architects and the Nairobi office of Bowman Architects and has been leading international consultant teams for complex projects around the globe. He contributed to the realization of numerous projects worldwide and his works have received multiple architectural awards. Leander Moons Inc and OMT architects GmbH are creating innovative solutions based on local practices and recourses. In addition to their sustainable character, flexibility in use and implementation is a key contributor to the success of the projects.

Building Your Dream Home With Mass Timber

For this presentation I’ll discuss some of the pros and cons of building a residential home with mass timber. I am proud to say that Vaagen Timbers has been a part of numerous mass timber home projects. From tiny to large we have been able to lock elbows with design teams and get these projects across the finish line. There are some hurdles that everyone will encounter along the way. Things like finding the right design team, to finding the right builder, to making sure that you are using mass timber where it makes sense. Lots of pitfalls come up and it’s just a matter of preplanning and looking at the project from a holistic view. Thankfully, we have found success in the residential market and I’m looking forward to discussing that during this presentation.

Tom Baun · Regional Business Development Manager · Vaagen Timbers
Tom Baun is the Regional Business Development Manager at Vaagen Timbers. He has been with the company since the doors opened in March of 2019. He has been a part of over 90 mass timber projects ranging from commercial (office, multi-family, and hotels) to residential and specialty boutique projects. Tom grew up on a Farm just outside of Colville enjoying all the things that the forests of northeast Washington have to offer. He, along with longtime friend Russ Vaagen, were Colville High School graduates. After college, Tom and his wife (Lori) returned home to Colville to raise their three boys. When Russ offered Tom the opportunity to be able to be the part of the Vaagen Timbers Team, Tom never looked back. Recently, Tom and Lori were able to build their mass timber forever home. Tom says: “I will drink the Kool-Aid that I’m selling. I wanted to experience what it was like to be a customer and I needed to make sure that I saw things from that perspective. Tom is deeply rooted in the Community and is also involved with groups like Montana Mass Timber Rising, AIA functions, and the International Mass Timber Conference produced by Forest Business Network.

 
1.5 AIA LU/HSW (and 0.15 ICC credits)

Sponsored by Seagate Mass Timber

Moderator:

Sandra Lupien · Director, [email protected] · Michigan State University
After working in the non-profit and public sectors for nearly two decades, Sandra Lupien caught the mass timber bug while pursuing a mid-career climate-solutions-focused Master of Public Policy at University of California, Berkeley. Her thesis, which explored ways California could remove the barriers to the manufacture and adoption of mass timber in order to create climate-smart markets and end-uses for “low-value” dead and green trees from over-dense California forests, ultimately led Sandra to her position as Director, [email protected] Immediately before joining Michigan State University in July of 2021, Sandra served as Deputy Director, External Affairs and Communications, in the California Governor’s Office of Planning and Research/California Strategic Growth Council (appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom). Through [email protected], Sandra collaborates with MSU faculty; stakeholders in government, the AEC, real estate development, and forest products industries; and anyone else who is game to harness research, education, outreach and engagement, and policy to advance sustainable mass timber construction and manufacture in Michigan and the surrounding Great Lakes Region. She is always happy to talk about the mass timber momentum building in Michigan. Sandra is proud to serve on the 2023 International Mass Timber Conference Committee.

Presentations:

An Overview of the Financing Environment for Mass Timber

Eric will discuss IFG’s view on the financing environment for mass timber with a focus on strategies to finance early-stage growth through plant construction, plant expansion, and multi-plant rollouts, as well as the importance of the larger mass timber supply chain. Eric will address the importance of the mass timber ESG-story as it relates to sustainable forest management, fire mitigation, carbon sequestration, and the emerging state of carbon credits. Eric will cover the current state of mass timber projects across North America leveraging data from Woodworks and other industry groups to highlight the accelerating demand for mass timber construction that is increasing the need for mass timber manufacturing capacity and driving demand from a more diverse landscape of capital providers with an increased appetite to participate in financing the expansion of the North American mass timber industry.

Eric Edwards · Managing Partner · IFG Asset Management
IFG Asset Management is a boutique Investment Banking Advisory, Merchant Banking, and Asset Management platform with a focus on the private Real Assets sector and has been actively engaged in advising the Mass Timber industry since 2016. IFG pursues a unique strategy where it serves as a trusted advisor in a variety of transactions, including debt & equity capital raises and mergers & acquisitions, while also looking for opportunities to co-invest in our clients for long-term value-add and alignment of interests. IFG is proud to serve as exclusive financial advisor to Colville, Washington-based Vaagen Timbers. Eric Edwards is a Managing Partner of IFG and leads the Firm’s Investment Banking Advisory and Merchant Banking activities where his primary responsibilities include due diligence, underwriting, structuring, and originating transactions. Eric also has responsibility for the Firm’s existing portfolio investments which require routine interactions with portfolio company management, board of directors, co-investors, and other stakeholders.

Linking Climate-Smart Forestry and Mass Timber Construction: A Win for Forests & Cities

A focus on sustainability is driving interest in mass timber and putting questions about sustainable sourcing front and center. We can accelerate adoption of mass timber construction and the ensuing climate benefits by linking it with climate-friendly forestry practices and building a community around the common goal of climate action through forestry and tall wood construction. This presentation will describe New England Forestry Foundation’s approach, as a model for how we can advance these goals by engaging a broad array of stakeholders from different segments of the value chain—from those that grow and harvest the trees (landowners, loggers, foresters, conservation groups) and build the materials and buildings (manufacturers, architects, engineers) to those who are shaping the future of how we will live in the built environment. In addition to developing sourcing tools and guidelines, this work includes strategic communications and outreach to increase awareness about the benefits of mass timber and the value of moving to a more sustainable bioeconomy that uses forest products and other renewable materials. Cross-sector collaboration is the key to success and inspiring a positive message of common ground between rural and urban communities.

Jennifer Shakun · Forest Bioeconomy Initiative Director · New England Forestry Foundation
Jennifer leads New England Forestry Foundation’s work to develop the forest-based bioeconomy in New England—promoting wood-based materials as a lower carbon, ecologically sound alternative, sourced from climate-beneficial forestry practices. She advances this work through science, program implementation, outreach and strategic partnerships along the forest products supply chain. Before joining NEFF in fall 2019, she was an Applied Forest Scientist at Manomet working with large landowners to reduce climate-related risk in North American forests. Prior to that, she was a Project Manager at INRS, LLC, working on wood energy, resource sustainability, and landowner outreach. Jennifer has a B.S. in Biology from Saint Michael’s College and dual master’s degrees in Forestry and Environmental Management from Duke’s Nicholas School of the Environment. She is also a Certified Forester.

From Niche to Mainstream: BC’s Mass Timber Action Plan

Launched in April 2022, British Columbia’s Mass Timber Action Plan will leverage this new construction technology to maximize benefits for people, the economy, and the climate. This Plan builds on BC’s reputation as an early mover and innovator in wood-based building construction. What role can a government play to accelerate the transition of mass timber building construction from the niche activity it is today to a mainstream one? How can actions be mobilized across departments to ensure the whole of all actions is greater than the sum of individual parts? How does good governance impact this emerging sector’s growth through a combination of leading, following and sometimes just getting out of the way? Jarrett Hutchinson is the Executive Director of BC’s newly created Office of Mass Timber Implementation. This Office has been established as a leadership hub to coordinate and leverage authorities and responsibilities across BC’s provincial government to advance the Plan. He will describe the impacts the Plan is having and what work is still needed as BC continues to position itself as a leading mass timber friendly jurisdiction.

Jarrett Hutchinson · Executive Director · Office of Mass Timber Implementation, Province of British Columbia
Jarrett Hutchinson is the Executive Director of the Office of Mass Timber Implementation with the Province of British Columbia on the west coast of Canada. He has been instrumental in advancing the use of mass timber. Highlights include creating the Building Code that allowed the 18-storey Brock Commons student residence at the University of British Columbia in 2015, and more recently, developing B.C.’s Mass Timber Action Plan which was released in 2022. Throughout his career, Jarrett has held leadership roles in the development, application and enforcement of codes, standards and built environment policies locally, provincially, nationally and internationally.

Financing Mass Timber Projects Through Insured Carbon Offsets

This presentation will illustrate how AEC firms and builders can help finance mass timber projects by utilizing insured carbon offsets. Aureus Earth is dedicated to monetizing the built environment’s ability to combat climate change. In September 2022 Aureus Earth and the University of Washington complete the first carbon offset transaction based on mass timber construction. Utilizing a technical steering committee of embodied carbon experts in the built environment, Aureus Earth developed the world’s first Mass Timber Building Carbon Offset Methodology, which was then piloted in partnership with the University of Washington’s new Founder’s Hall. The presentation will highlight this ground-breaking transaction, explain the benefits of mass timber-based offsets, and outline program eligibility requirements for new building projects.

Sal Barnes · CEO and Co-Founder · Aureus Earth
Salmeron (Sal) Barnes is Cofounder and CEO of Aureus Earth (AE). Aureus Earth is accelerating decarbonization in the construction industry by reducing the existing green premium between the cost of traditional building materials and low-carbon and carbon-storing alternatives. The company offers a groundbreaking portfolio of financial instruments that incentivizes the use of climate-positive building materials in large-scale commercial, institutional, and residential construction. Together with our industry partners, Aureus Earth creates and monetizes building-based carbon offsets for use in carbon offsetting or carbon insetting programs. Based in Boulder, Colorado, Aureus Earth is led by a multidisciplinary team of experts in engineering, materials science, resource development, and corporate strategy consulting.

 
1.5 AIA LU/HSW (and 0.15 ICC credits)

Sponsored by Nordic Structures

Moderator:

Mark Wishnie · Chief Sustainability Officer · BTG Pactual Timberland Investment Group
Mark Wishnie is Chief Sustainability Officer at the BTG Pactual Timberland Investment Group (TIG). Mark is responsible for sustainability across the firm’s global timberland portfolio and leads the firm’s climate-focused investment practice. Mark joined BTG from global non-profit The Nature Conservancy, where he led the organization’s Global Forestry & Wood Products program. Previously, Mark served as head of portfolio management, analytics, and research at TIG, co-founded and served as Managing Director of Equator, LLC, a timberland and environmental commodity investment company, directed a joint research program of the Smithsonian Institution and Yale University focused on tropical forest restoration, and served as Program Director of the Yale Tropical Resources Institute. Mark’s research has been published in journals such as Sustainability, Forest Ecology and Management, Conservation Biology, and The Annual Review of Anthropology. Mark holds a BS in Forest Management from the University of Washington and a Master of Forest Science from Yale University.

Strategic Monitoring of the Nation’s Forest Resources

Did you know that the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program of the USDA Forest Service has been monitoring the status and trends of the nation’s forests since the 1930s? This information is collected across all ownerships on an annual basis, and the results are regularly distributed to land managers and policy makers. Published documents and online reports interpret the rich database, and online tools are available for the general public to explore their own interests in detail. This session will review recent insights from this strategic inventory with a focus on trends relevant to the mass timber community.

Hobie Perry · Research Program Manager · USDA Forest Service
Hobie Perry is a program manager for Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program in the USDA Forest Service. Hobie collaborates with peers, users, partners, and stakeholders to guide the development, implementation, and delivery of the nation’s “forest census.” This inventory monitors the status and trends of the nation’s forest resources through an extensive field campaign and surveys of forest landowners and mill operators. Hobie previously served as National Program Leader for Monitoring, Remote Sensing and Geospatial Analysis Research, led his unit’s Analytical Science Group, and conducted the program’s soil indicator. His passion for maps led to an assignment as the lead for the program’s Digital Engagement Portfolio, an effort to transform how FIA stores, analyzes, and shares information and knowledge. These responsibilities included the privilege of serving as an adviser to governments, corporations, and nongovernmental organizations on inventory and analytical visualization. Hobie has Ph.D. and M.S. degrees in forestry from the University of Minnesota and a B.A. in philosophy from the University of Michigan. Does a tree falling in the woods make a sound? Let’s discuss it! Prior to joining the Forest Service, Hobie spent five years on the faculty of Humboldt State University (Arcata, CA) teaching wildland watershed management.

Yakama Forest Management: Building Partnerships, Reaching Common Goals

Yakama Reservation, located in southcentral Washington State, is home to the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation. The estimated 1.4-million-acre Reservation consists of 650,000 acres of forest that historically provided and continues to provide economic, ecological, and cultural resources for the Yakama people. This presentation will highlight Yakama Nation Forest Management and the Tribe’s effort in building partnerships with other forest land management agencies to achieve common goals.

Tia Beavert · Tribal Forest Manager · Yakama Nation Tribal Forestry
Tia Beavert is a member of the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation. She worked as a Presale Planner for Yakama Nation Branch of Forestry for seven years and became the Tribal Forest Manager in 2019. She currently oversees Yakama Nation Tribal Forestry which consists of Fire Management, Fuels, Forest Development, Fee Land Forestry, Off-Reservation Collaborations, and Mount Adams Tract-D Recreation. Tia has a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Environmental Science (Heritage University), studied Forestry as a post-baccalaureate student (Oregon State University), has a Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Natural Resources (Oregon State University), and is member of the Advisory Council for the Women’s Forest Congress.

Wildfire Crisis: Mass Timber can Help!

Wildfires have been growing in size and severity in the past 20 years, impacting our forests and communities. The USDA Forest Service, with other agencies, Tribes, states, communities and landowners are focusing efforts on reducing wildfire risk. Wood products and their markets play an important role in supporting fire-resilient forests, and the Forest Service has strategically invested in over 150 mass timber projects since 2015. This presentation will focus on the real options for the supply chain — from developers to mass timber producers — to engage and support forest resilience and reduced wildfire risk. Mass timber innovations and markets can support our forest health, while also sequestering large quantities of carbon. Join us to discuss your role in supporting forest management.

Brian Brashaw · Assistant Director · USDA Forest Service
Brian Brashaw is the Assistant Director for the USDA Forest Service, State & Private Forestry, Wood Innovations Program. The Wood Innovations Program supports the development of wood products and wood energy markets to reduce wildfire risk and enhance long-term, sustainable management of America’s forests. Wood Innovations has helped the entire mass timber sector grow and expand through 150+ federal grant investments in manufacturing and buildings, education and building project assistance, special communication initiatives, and technical assistance. Wood Innovations focuses on building markets for wood products, working collaboratively and strategically to advance forest products markets to support sustainable forest management, carbon-storing building materials, and economic development. For over 30 years, Brian has focused on supporting the connection between forestry and forest products, helping support and advance wood products through research, market development and outreach. Brian earned a BS degree in Forestry from the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point, a MS degree in Wood Materials Engineering from Washington State University, and a PhD in Forest Resources from Mississippi State University.

 
1.5 AIA LU (and 0.15 ICC credits). NOTE: This session is eligible for AIA LU credits only, not HSW credits.

Sponsored by TallWood Design Institute

Moderator:

Heather Strong · Senior Director · WoodWorks
Heather is a licensed Professional Engineer in the State of California, and received her BS in Civil Engineering from California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo. Prior to joining WoodWorks, she spent 13 years working in the wood industry with a focus on the use of wood in commercial applications. She has led teams in both the areas of design and technical support. She has a strong background in team mentoring, leadership and reporting. Before that, Heather spent five years in the United States Navy followed by four years in the California Air National Guard.

Roundtable Discussion

Have you ever wondered what makes an efficient, constructible connection for mass timber projects? Is there an ideal grid size to limit cost? Is it better to have two narrow girders or one that’s wider? At what phase of design is it best to bring the manufacturer on-board? In this roundtable discussion, three manufacturers reveal their design and detailing secrets to achieve the most economical structure possible, as well as their tips and lessons-learned to optimize and improve the resulting cost per square foot.

Michaela Harms · Senior Director of Mass Timber · Sterling Structural
Michaela Harms has co-written and managed nearly $3M in USDA grant funded research focused on mass timber construction and small-diameter utilization. She specializes in business development, strategy, standards compliance and engineering within the forest products and sustainable construction sectors. Her prior experience includes leading the R&D/Strategy department for a structural round and heavy timber manufacturer, serving as the engineered wood products and sustainable forestry expert for an international certification body and managing algorithm and business development for construction life cycle assessment software. Her work has been published in Structures Magazine and in 2021 she presented to Wisconsin State Government officials, making the case for mass timber building code updates to support Wisconsin’s woodland economies. She currently serves as Senior Director of Mass Timber at Sterling Structural, a division of North America’s largest CLT manufacturer. Michaela holds a degree in Civil Engineering focused on Sustainable Building from Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, Helsinki, Finland.

Andre Lema · Manager of Business Development · Western Archrib
Andre Lema is the Business Development Manager at Western Archrib. He has spent his career in the wood industry starting as a carpenter before attending NAIT in Construction Engineering. He spent 10 years in the wood truss business before joining Western Archrib in 1995. Current duties as Manager of Business Development requires working in the early project stages with builders, developers, architects, and engineers. He enjoys a wide variety of outdoor activities particularly in the mountains and usually has a woodworking project on the go.

Lee Scott · Sales Manager · Element5
Lee Scott has a degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Manitoba and an MBA from the Saundermoen School of Business. Lee has worked as a legal and construction surveyor, a civil engineer, and now applies his extensive background in construction and design to his current role, managing sales for Element5 in Canada and the United States. Throughout Lee’s four years with Element5, he has worked on projects ranging from 500 to 300,000 sq ft across all industry segments. Lee has an intimate knowledge of mass timber design for the manufacturing and assembly process and is someone clients can turn to for feedback, pricing, and technical support on projects.

 
1.5 AIA LU/HSW (and 0.15 ICC credits)

Sponsored by Sansin

Moderator:

Iain Macdonald · Director · TallWood Design Institute
Iain Macdonald is the founding Director of the TallWood Design Institute, a position he has held since 2016. He has worked in business development, training and research management roles in the forest products industry for 23 years, prior to which he was involved in export marketing of building products to Asia Pacific markets. Macdonald led the Centre for Advanced Wood Processing (CAWP) at University of British Columbia, Canada (UBC) for nine years, during which time he was involved in pioneering efforts by the Province of British Columbia to stimulate and support mass timber industry development. Iain holds degrees in marketing and professional education. He has significant experience globally in the design and delivery of technical and business education to workplace and professional learners, and in creating programs to stimulate innovation, entrepreneurship and business development. He is a director and past chair of Canada’s Wood Manufacturing Council.

Presentations:

Roundtable Discussion | Heartwood Type IV-C Middle Income Housing in Seattle, Washington

Heartwood is the first mass timber middle income housing project to be constructed in the United States. At completion, (May, 2023) it will have 126 units of housing in 8 stories of Type IV-C construction (67,000 SF). Project feasibility was established through a USFS Wood Innovations Grant that allowed the team to perform preliminary design and initial pricing. The project is being built for a non-profit owner, Community Roots Housing, but is financed without public funding (commercial construction loan and Opportunity Zone equity). The design-build project team included people who already had deep relationships and who remained committed to mutual success through the challenges of COVID and remote work. The project has substantially advanced the development of details and construction strategies that can be replicated on other projects.

Susan Jones · Founding Architect · atelierjones
Susan Jones, FAIA is an architect with over 30 years of experience and is the lead architect of Heartwood. Founder of the award-winning architectural Seattle firm, atelierjones focuses primarily on designing and building lower-carbon, mass timber buildings. With eight completed mass timber projects, atelierjones is a national leader. atelierjones, a solely woman-owned architectural firm, designs tall and mid-rise, multi-family mass timber housing, as well as mass timber institutional buildings and single-family houses. Susan regularly partakes in national and international leadership-level collaborations to create change at scale and ensure rigor on multiple levels, from forest health to LCA studies, to fire testing, including a multi-year commitment to write and pass new national 2021/2024 ICC Tall Wood Building Codes.

William Silva · Director of Preconstruction · Swinerton
William Silva is a seasoned construction veteran who manages all aspects of design and preconstruction management for Swinerton Builders in Portland, Oregon. A graduate of Oregon State University with a B.S. in Construction Management, William has over 30 years of well-rounded experience throughout the West Coast markets, having worked both in project development and self-perform heavy civil, concrete, and mass timber operations. William joined Swinerton in 2004 and returned to the Pacific Northwest in 2014. He is a passionate advocate for mass timber buildings with a knack for finding efficient and eloquent solutions to project challenges, having applied those skills to successfully deliver numerous projects.

A-P Hurd · President · Skipstone
A-P Hurd’s 25-year career spans real estate, finance, and technology. She is the former President of Touchstone, one of the largest private development firms in Seattle. Under her leadership, Touchstone successfully delivered 2M SF of real estate (10 projects) with institutional capital partners such as Principal Real Estate Investors, USAA, and AIG. During her tenure, Touchstone also won the national Developer of the Year award. Since founding SkipStone in 2017, A-P has supported clients such as the City of San Jose — helping them negotiate a development agreement with Google and Lendlease for 7M SF of office and 6,000 units of housing and has worked on other TOD developments on the West Coast. A-P serves on several corporate boards in Seattle and Vancouver, Canada.

Using Mass Timber to Build Zero-Carbon Workforce Housing

With their most recent development project — “Star Lofts” in Des Moines, Iowa — Scott and Molly set out to bring Iowa its first Zero Carbon building (as certified by the International Living Future Institute). True to their business mission, the Cutlers wanted the building to be both Zero Carbon and offer 100% of units at affordable/workforce housing rental rates, as a blueprint to prove that sustainable housing and affordable housing don’t have to be mutually exclusive. No strangers to mass timber, Scott and Molly again used the material to achieve their embodied carbon reduction targets on the project. Join them for this presentation about why they are using mass timber in workforce housing across the Greater Des Moines Metro and how they are changing the local private and public perspective on achieving sustainable goals through commercial real estate development.

Scott & Molly Cutler · Managers · Cutler Development
Scott and Molly Cutler run Cutler Development, a commercial real estate company in Des Moines, Iowa. Their company’s mission is “to develop projects that better neighborhoods, society, and the environment.” They have completed several mixed-use new construction and historic renovation projects across the state of Iowa, including most recently Iowa’s first mass timber building to feature residential housing. At the beginning of 2023 they broke ground now on their second mass timber building, the details of which will be discussed further in their presentation. Scott has over 15 years of industry experience with commercial development including specific experience with historic renovation, affordable housing, and environmental design. He started Cutler Development in March 2016. Molly is a chemical engineer by degree and joined Cutler Development in March 2021, after almost 10 years in various leadership roles across manufacturing, business development, data analytics, and market development at ExxonMobil. Scott and Molly enjoy working together on projects and continue to push the boundaries of environmental design on both new construction and renovation projects. They live in Des Moines where they enjoy volunteering, attending art exhibitions, cycling, and traveling.

Sonrisa Downtown – On the Forefront of CLT

Sonrisa is the first project under Governor Newsom’s Executive Order N-06-19 for Affordable Housing Development, which directs the development of affordable housing on excess State-owned sites and the pursuit of sustainable, innovative, and cost-effective construction methods. Sonrisa is a five-story Type IIIB building with 58 LIHTC-regulated affordable apartments, majority of which are 270 SF microunits. A key goal with Sonrisa was creating a high quality, affordable, compact living environment. Sonrisa used CLT for the horizontal components (i.e. 1st fl. ceiling/2nd fl. floor, and so forth). Part of the design aesthetic has been taking advantage of the single layer of CLT floor/ceiling and going with a “guts out” approach of showing the organized conduits and pipes. While there were many cost increases for implementing the novel CLT system, the immeasurable benefits of environmental sustainability paired with the exposed warm wood and significantly higher ceiling height made it a no brainer. Sonrisa is the first ground-up CLT project in Sacramento, and was developed through a public-private partnership between the Capitol Area Community Development Corporation (CACDC) and CFY Development. CACDC is the nonprofit arm of the Capitol Area Development Authority (CADA), a joint powers authority between the City of Sacramento and State of California.

Renee Funston · Development Manager · Capitol Area Development Authority
Renee Funston is a project manager with CADA in Downtown Sacramento. In addition to managing affordable housing developments, Renee oversees the disposition and development of other State-owned sites and manages streetscape projects in the central city. CADA is a unique public agency created in 1978 to foster and maintain housing that is accessible for a wide range of income levels and bolster the vitality of the urban 24-hour community around the State Capitol. Renee has been working in responsible land use since 2015. She holds a MS in Urban Land Development, and was an urban planner in her past life.

 
1.5 AIA LU/HSW (and 0.15 ICC credits)

Sponsored by Seagate Mass Timber

Moderator:

Brandon Brooks · Mass Timber Construction Management Program Manager · WoodWorks
Brandon is an experienced project and program manager. He has previous experience in government test and evaluation efforts for acquisition projects with congressional oversight, created an education and training roadmap for several technical skills programs, and was fortunate enough to lead and work alongside some of our country’s greatest people in the Marine Corps. He obtained a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a focus on finance from the University of Florida, completed his MBA at Virginia Tech, and is a Project Management Professional. He is based in Anchorage, Alaska.

Presentations:

Mass Timber Builder Essentials

This presentation will focus on the “5 Mass Timber Essentials” that we have developed over our many years of mass timber construction:

• Manage pre-construction time
• Model everything
• Optimize details
• Integrate MEP systems early
• Execute a moisture management plan

I will provide specific examples and key lessons learned associated with each of these 5 key topics.

Brad Nile · Project Executive · Andersen Construction
As an Architect, lifelong builder and student of construction systems, Brad Nile has made timber construction the focus of his academic studies as well as world travels. In his 28 years with Andersen Construction, Brad has managed the construction of many landmark buildings in Portland, Oregon, and well as the seismic upgrading of dozens of occupied facilities. His work as a mass timber builder includes high-profile projects at Oregon State University, the University of Washington, Portland Community College, and downtown Portland.

Successful Moisture Management

Water, especially as precipitated during construction phase, is enemy #1 for the long term success of not only individual mass timber building projects, but the entire industry. Schedule savings and even carbon calculations go out the window without managing bulk water well. A consensus among some has been: “budget for remediation.” Not only do I think the mass timber industry can do better, with numerous design, industry, and academic partners, we have proven it is possible to avoid costly moisture damage. With gravel and orphaned fasteners caked in our boots, this visually engaging presentation will bring you along for the ride. Through project success stories, R&D failures and refinements, we will share the latest technology, techniques, and details which have been effective for avoiding construction delays due to often gambled, punted, or overlooked moisture management strategies. North America’s wet and varying climates provide a set of challenges unique and different than that of much of the European continent and other maturing markets. Effective solutions for successful moisture management are a collaborative effort. They require project-appropriate, clear plans, specifications (we will touch on divisions 1, 6, and 7) and contracts which employ constructible, durable, safe, cost-effective, and dryable systems.

Aaron Gould · Head of Sustainability · VaproShield
Aaron Gould has over 20 years of international experience in design and construction, with a focus on health and durability. After several seasons of guiding climbing, whitewater, and mountaineering, while gaining proficiency as a carpenter/tradesman, he went on to lead and found design, construction, and consulting businesses. He is currently enjoying his 10th year with VaproShield, of Gig Harbor, Wash., heading up sustainability globally. Examples from his project CV, include experience on: mass timber, hospitals, hotels, high rises, mixed use, net zero developments, government facilities, art museums, historic restorations, schools/universities, and the occasional tree house. Recent speaking engagements include: University of Miami School of Architecture, Auburn University CLT Symposium, RDH’s New England Mass Timber, AIA Regenerative Design Summit, and more. He currently lives outside of Chattanooga, Tenn., with his wife and children. Aaron’s professional focus centers on fostering a spirit of collaboration with amazing people to achieve resilient, regenerative buildings. “If a building leaks, it is not sustainable.” Aaron is a member of: Clemson University WU+D, WMF, IIBEC, NIBS/BEC, ABAA, RAiNA, TVOS, Build ReUse, and Green|Spaces.

Leveraging Virtual Construction for Complex, Passive House, Prefabricated Mass Timber Structures: ON5 and 1 Lonsdale Case Studies

Joe Geluch and Robert Malczyk will bring the perspective of the Builder, Structural Engineer, and owner while presenting the tools, approaches, and execution procedures used in their recent collaboration of two completed mass timber Office projects in Vancouver, British Columbia. Highlighting a collaborative, Virtual Construction process, with early contractor involvement, that has resulted in the progression of off-site construction prefabrication and an extremely fast structural and building enclosure. They will discuss the lessons learned on two completed projects and highlight the many innovations applied to mass timber construction including:

• TS3 Structural Gluing innovation allowing for flat slab CLT construction with no columns or beams
• Execution of Fully Clad CLT Envelope Facade Panels built off-site and to Passive House standards
• Tectonus self-centering seismic structural hold downs
• Passive house challenges and successes in mixed-use, mass timber projects
• Innovative use of VDC integrated with a unique contract delivery model

Joe Geluch · President · Naikoon Contracting
Joe Geluch, RSE, P.GSC is the President and CEO of Naikoon Contracting Ltd. an award-winning, vertically integrated Construction Manager that specializes in digital project delivery and execution of complex mass timber projects. Over the past 13 years as President of Naikoon, he has gained expertise in many different aspects of both commercial and residential construction and led his teams through almost 100 projects and to over 40 industry awards, locally, provincially, and nationally. He is a Red Seal Carpenter, a Gold Seal Project Manager, and a Certified Housing Professional who has spent over 22 years in the industry. He is a founding member of Canada’s Net Zero Energy Housing Council, past CHBA BC Executive Board of Directors, Technical Research Committee (past chair), and current chair of the BCIT Carpentry Advisory Committee.

Robert Malczyk · Principal · Timber Engineering
Robert Malczyk, MaSc, P.Eng., Struct.Eng, MIStructE, MBA, Principal of Timber Engineering Inc., has over 25 years of experience. Robert is a long-standing member of the O86 “Engineering Design in Wood” code committee, and an original member of the recently formed ANSI/APA PRG 320: Standard for Performance Rated Cross-Laminated Timber code committee and NRC’s Task Force in Mid-Rise Design. Robert has designed numerous award-winning, architecturally oriented building structures in all major building material, with a particular expertise in timber engineering. These include many with high sustainability requirements. They include the Renewable Energy Demonstration Project (Biomass Gasification Plant) at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, the Centre of Excellence for Clean Energy Technology (CECET) and WindMill Training Tower at the Northern Lights College in Dawson Creek, BC, and two trade training centers for the College of New Caledonia, in Prince George and Quesnel, BC. Robert also has completed numerous post-secondary and institutional buildings including the University of Massachusetts Integrated Design Centre in Amherst, and the University of Arkansas Adohi Hall.

 
1.5 AIA LU/HSW (and 0.15 ICC credits)

Sponsored by Nordic Structures

Moderator:

Brian Brashaw · Assistant Director, Wood Innovations · USDA Forest Service
Brian Brashaw is the Assistant Director for the USDA Forest Service, State & Private Forestry, Wood Innovations Program. The Wood Innovations Program supports the development of wood products and wood energy markets to reduce wildfire risk and enhance long-term, sustainable management of National Forests and other forest lands. Wood Innovations has focused on mass timber, innovative wood products and renewable wood energy through grants to support education and building project assistance, special communication initiatives, and technical assistance. This team works collaboratively and strategically to advance forest products markets to support sustainable forest management, carbon-storing building materials, and economic development. For over 30 years, Brian has focused on supporting the connection between forestry and forest products, helping support and advance wood products through research, market development and outreach. Brian earned a BS degree in Forestry from the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point, a MS degree in Wood Materials Engineering from Washington State University, and a PhD in Forest Resources from Mississippi State University.

Presentations:

Resource Utilization and Optimization in Mass Timber Manufacture

This presentation will provide a historical overview of the layup configurations used in Glued-Laminated Timber (Glulam) and Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) – as they related to the visual and mechanically-graded lumber used to manufacture the structural elements. The author will provide a clear description and better understanding of the grading methods used in Glulam and CLT, and will discuss the pathways necessary to (1) pursue improved or innovative new layups, (2) to utilize locally-harvested species of structural lumber, or (3) implement modern Lumber Grading Methods that will improve production capacity and maximize resource yields.

Roland Hernandez · Vertical Market Manager – Mass Timber · Stiles Machinery – National
A 30+ year career in Mass Timber that has included Research Engineer/Wood Scientist at the USDA Forest Products Laboratory; Engineered Wood Specialist for APA – The Engineered Wood Association; Product Manager for Bell Structural Solutions, a division of the ALAMCO Wood Products Glulam Manufacturing Plant. Now assisting the Mass Timber Industry as Vertical Market Manager in Mass Timber for Stiles Machinery — introducing Mass Timber manufacturers to the Best-In-Class machinery solutions for increasing their production, improving their efficiency, and embracing innovation.

Seedlings to Solutions: Efficient Resource Use in Mass Timber Manufacturing

In this presentation Melissa Kindratsky and Mitch Warren will discuss the mass timber manufacturing process with a focus on efficient mass timber design to match the available products and resources. With over 80 years of experience as land managers and wood products manufacturers, Kalesnikoff’s integrated approach seeks to take care of the land and bring the most value to every log. During this presentation Melissa and Mitch will touch on forest management, log procurement, sawmilling, lumber recovery, mass timber manufacturing, early engineering and architectural decisions, connection design, fabrication, and tips for reducing scope gaps.

Melissa Kindratsky · Head of Engineering · Kalesnikoff
With almost 20 years of practicing as a structural engineer, Melissa leads Kalesnikoff Mass Timber’s Engineering Department. Her experience in structural consulting means she deeply understands the whole building design process but is happiest when focusing on Mass Timber. She thrives in design-assist roles, helping make Mass Timber structures efficient in material use, manufacturing, and during construction. She particularly enjoys the critical details that bring together a whole structure, specifically the connections. When she’s not working with forest products, she can be found playing in the forest either on her mountain bike or skis.

Mitch Warren · Mass Timber Sales Manager · Kalesnikoff Mass Timber
Mitch’s enthusiasm for mass timber grows out of his passion for stewardship. As one of the first team members to join Kalesnikoff Mass Timber, Mitch has been involved in various aspects of the company’s growth including forestry certification, product certification, business development, estimating, and project delivery. His breadth of experience ranging from the first truckload of glulam to hundreds of successful deliveries across North America makes Mitch a valuable resource to the team at Kalesnikoff and their partners.

BIM Modeling and Its Role in Efficient Manufacturing

Bernie Krey and Chelsea Olson will discuss the role of BIM modeling as a collaboration tool through all stages of a mass timber project, and how it can affect the efficiency of a project. This presentation will review ways in which BIM modeling can streamline a project from the perspective of different stakeholders, including the base building design team, construction team, fabricators and installers. Opportunities for a more efficient project workflow will be discussed as well as some common inefficiencies, scope gaps and project delays and how these can be overcome with modeling.

Bernie Krey · Senior Mass Timber Technologist · ISL
Bernie brings over 20 years’ experience in mass timber fabrication to ISL’s buildings team. His expertise includes BIM modeling, estimating and design for manufacturing and assembly (DfMA), 3D modeling, CAD/CAM drafting, project management and CNC beam processor programming and operation. He has experienced firsthand the evolution of the mass timber industry over the past two decades, and sees the benefits of improved coordination through BIM modeling, striving to incorporate new processes into each modeling project for efficient project delivery.

Chelsea Olson · Structural Engineer / Mass Timber Specialist · ISL
With over a decade of experience in structural engineering, building science and restoration, Chelsea’s primary role involves projects with a focus on mass timber construction. With a Master of Engineering in Integrated Wood Design and consulting engineering experience at design firms throughout Western Canada, her expertise includes both the design of base building structures as the Engineer-of-Record, and specialty engineering design of mass timber components and connections. At times, she has the opportunity to fulfill both roles on the same project, enabling her to create details that bring the building together in an efficient and architecturally expressive way. Working closely with ISL’s in-house modeling team, Chelsea gets to see the direct benefits of a coordinated project workflow through the use of BIM modeling.

 
1.5 AIA LU (and 0.15 ICC credits). NOTE: This session is eligible for AIA LU credits only, not HSW credits.

Sponsored by TallWood Design Institute

Moderator:

Ricky McLain · Senior Technical Director · WoodWorks – Wood Products Council
Ricky is WoodWorks’ in-house expert on tall mass timber buildings, providing analysis and guidance on architectural, fire and life safety, and structural design topics. He supports the AEC community both directly and collaboratively with WoodWorks Regional Directors, and guides the development of education and resources related to tall mass timber buildings in the U.S. Prior to this emphasis, Ricky’s role encompassed all building types and wood systems. He also has extensive experience in lead engineer roles related to structural design, project management and construction administration. Ricky is Executive Director of the Structural Engineers Association of Vermont, and a member of numerous committees and councils related to building design.

Roundtable Discussion

In order for a mass timber project to be successful — and in order to pave the way for future success and growth of the industry — key project stakeholders beyond just AECD must be engaged and brought on board. To date, challenges have persisted with securing insurance and financing for some mass timber projects. Is this entirely due to lack of experience, lack of data and testing, lack of risk appetite, lack of insurance capacity, some combination of the above, or due to yet-to-be explored topics? The number of mass timber projects in the US and throughout the world continues to grow at a steady rate; are these projects not facing the same challenges, or are they finding a way to move beyond them? How are these challenges being addressed internationally, and what can we learn from solutions emerging with global underwriters?

This interactive and engaging session brings six key stakeholders together with extensive mass timber experience to a joint discussion on the topics of insurance and financing. The unique perspectives of architect, developer, insurance broker, insurance underwriter and capital markets provider in this session will address common questions and explore new topics on how the industry can collectively advance on these fronts. Andrew Waugh will share how architects and insurers are working together in the London market to find commonly-agreed upon details and design concepts to ease the burden on future projects. Sheldon Opperman, Nate Helbach and Mike Brady will share their first hand experiences from securing insurance and financing from two of the tallest mass timber buildings in the world: Ascent in Milwaukee and Baker’s Place in Madison. Brian Burg and Mark Gadaire will share insights from the insurer perspective, addressing why challenges exist, how capacity limits factor in, what designers and contractors can do to proactively lessen hurdles, and what factors will influence the direction of the insurance industry on mass timber construction. With a mix of short presentations, structured panelist dialog and open audience Q&A, this panel will provide valuable insights for anyone who has encountered, is encountering, or will encounter insurance and financing challenges on mass timber projects.

Brian Burg · Senior Director – Real Estate & Hospitality Practice Leader · MWR Gallagher
Brian leads the Real Estate & Hospitality Practice for Gallagher’s Midwest Region. He has experience in placing insurance for large mass timber projects throughout the United States.

Mike Brady · Director · JLL Capital Markets
Mike Brady is a Director in JLL’s Chicago Capital Markets Group. A member of JLL’s Capital Markets ESG Council, Mike and his partners advised on the construction financing for both Ascent and Bakers Place. These two transformative projects brought tall mass timber multi-family construction to the State of Wisconsin.

Mark Gadaire · Senior Vice President · Chubb Group
Mark has more than 30 years experience as a loss control representative, underwriter and underwriting manager concentrating on construction exposures. Mark currently manages the New York/Philadelphia Major Accounts Inland Marine Region and serves as Major Accounts Builders Risk Product Practice Leader for the United States. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Lowell, MA and has completed the advanced training courses offered by Swiss and Munich Re.

Nate Helbach · Managing Partner · The Neutral Project
Nate Helbach is a Managing Partner at The Neutral Project, a sustainable real estate development company. The Neutral Project has a primary goal to redefine the conventional real estate development model that perpetuates endless growth and disregards environmental or societal impact. The Neutral Standard is an initiative to implement the company’s thesis to build carbon-neutral mixed-use and multi-family developments that eliminate embodied carbon emissions and minimize operational carbon emissions. The standard’s primary competitive advantage is its ability to portray the carbon story. This is done by performing multiple iterations of a project life cycle analysis (LCA) and energy model. The LCA indicates how much-embodied carbon the project will use during construction relative to a code-compliant building, and the energy model forecasts how much operational carbon will be used during the life of the building. Our company maxim is to leave this world a better place than we found it, and we believe that building to the Neutral Standard will facilitate our pursuit. The Neutral Project is actively developing two mass timber multi-family towers and has several mass timber multi-family developments in the pipeline.

 
1.5 AIA LU/HSW (and 0.15 ICC credits)

Sponsored by Sansin

Moderator:

Ilana Danzig · Associate Principal · Aspect Structural Engineers
Ilana is an Associate Principal with Aspect Structural Engineers. With 15 years of structural engineering experience, she has worked in all materials but has a particular passion for mass timber design and seismic engineering. She has worked on a wide range of iconic projects in Canada and the US including the Oregon State University College of Forestry, the UBC Aquatic Centre, the Audain Art Museum, and the innovative District 56 Tallwood 1 and Terminus mass timber buildings in Langford, BC. Ilana also has a wealth of experience in off-site prefabricated mass timber and light wood frame systems, as well as construction engineering for mass timber buildings. Ilana began her career in Vancouver, BC working mainly on institutional projects, recreational facilities, and seismic retrofits. She obtained a Master’s in Structural Engineering from the University of British Columbia studying dynamics, seismic design, and mass timber structures. Her research focused on mass timber engineering in high-seismic zones, particularly connections for CLT diaphragms and shearwalls. Ilana believes in a collaborative and creative approach to design and problem solving, and is an enthusiastic mentor to others.

Presentations:

Planks and Walls: Successful Use of Mass Timber in Multi-Family Construction

This presentation will review a multi-family housing project constructed in Los Angeles using cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels and light frame wood walls. Pros and cons of the system in high-seismic zones will be explained and future uses of the light-frame hybrid system will be evaluated.

Matt Timmers · Principal · John A. Martin and Associates
Matt Timmers has served as Principal-in-Charge for a variety of large-scale and complex projects. His experience spans a broad range of typologies and sizes including lab buildings, educational structures, residential facilities, mixed-use, hospitality, sports facilities, museums, specialized retail, office buildings, and civic centers. He is seasoned at proposing and evaluating optimal structural systems to meet budgets, schedules, and design goals, all informed by a commitment to sustainable approaches and systems. Matt served as Structural Work Group Chair for the ICC Ad Hoc Committee on Tall Wood Buildings that developed and passed the 2021 IBC Tall Timber Code Provisions.

Optimization of Mass Timber Framing for Residential High-Rise Projects

Josh will speak about the process of optimizing mass timber floor framing while considering strength, serviceability, fire, connections, and MEP coordination. With a combination of digital tools and field experience, it is important to consider all the project goals early and iterate them efficiently as project parameters evolve.

Josh Dortzbach · Principal / CEO · Forefront Structural Engineers
Josh Dortzbach is the CEO and co-founder of Forefront Structural Engineers, a structural engineering firm focused on creative technical solutions that are balanced in the science, art, and practical application of the built world. He is also Principal and co-founder of Interstice, LLC, an applied research company to fuel his work as EOR by focusing on filling the gaps between engineering, development and construction logistics by merging computational workflow and real-world application. His past background as a trade carpenter influences the way that he designs and communicates. Josh is the Structural Engineer of Record for various mass timber projects, including the Cleveland INTRO project which is the largest volumetric mass timber project in North America.

Point-Supported Mass Timber in High-Rise Multi-Family Developments to Address Housing Crisis in Densely Populated Regions

Housing continues to be a national crisis as demand exceeds supply, particularly in dense, urban city centers. Mid-to-high-rise multi-family developments are the best solution to provide housing to a large number of families while taking up the least amount of real estate. Traditionally, high-rise multi-family developments have defaulted to concrete construction due to code limitations for buildings of those heights and floor-to-floor height limitations requiring thin structural assemblies.

One promising alternative to flat-plate concrete construction is point-supported mass timber. The 2021 IBC introduced new provisions specifically for mass timber, among them being three new construction types permitting mass timber buildings up to 270-feet. Eliminating beams from the structural system allows for viable living spaces that do not compromise the floor-to-ceiling heights within the residential units.

Instead, the mass timber floor panels span in two directions, supported only at column locations. Because this structural system has previously only been used in Europe and Canada, testing must be done in the U.S. to validate the adequacy of this system.

This presentation will go into detail of the design and analysis approach used for point-supported mass timber structures, including how finite element models were used, connection details, and in-situ testing results.

Robin Landis · Senior Engineer · Holmes
Robin is a Senior Engineer based in San Francisco with international engineering firm Holmes. Her 10+ years of experience is spread across all market sectors and material types. In the last four years, she has been particularly involved and dedicated to the advancement of mass timber construction in the United States. Robin is pioneering structural applications of new wood systems in national and local markets focusing on the implementation of the premier point-supported CLT system. This effort is backed by her extensive research and testing in partnership with the REACTS Consortium and Oregon State University. Looking ahead, Robin sees far-reaching opportunities for point-supported systems as climate conscious framing within mid-to-high-rise multi-family residential structures. Robin’s approach to mass timber design invites creativity and collaboration across AEC trades. She works with teams to minimize a project’s impact on the built environment and celebrate structural materiality. Robin finds it incredibly rewarding to deliver completed mass timber solutions to communities most in need: it’s all about creating spaces that people thrive in.

 
1.5 AIA LU/HSW (and 0.15 ICC credits)

Sponsored by Seagate Mass Timber

Moderator:

Tanya Luthi · Vice President · Entuitive
Tanya Luthi is a structural engineer and Vice President at Entuitive, an international consulting engineering practice. Tanya started her engineering career in New York City specializing in large-scale institutional projects. After moving to Vancouver in 2011, she discovered a love for mass timber design and has made it a focus in her career. She is a member of the New York City structural code committee and serves on the Board of Directors of WoodWorks.

Presentations:

Coordinating Mass Timber Projects with Fire Marshals

Mass timber projects require a unique approach to design, construction and approvals. In this session, hear first-hand from a fire marshal with mass timber experience what fire marshals look for in new building designs and plans, what some of the common challenges tend to be, how architects and engineers can provide information at the outset to address some of these items, and what types of collaboration and coordination should be expected between design team and fire marshal on mass timber projects.

John Walser · Deputy Chief · Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department
John Walser is a Deputy Chief in the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department and currently works in the Office of the Fire Marshal. He has been in the fire service for over 30 years. In his role, he is responsible for the oversight of Life Safety Inspections, Engineering Plans Review, Fire Protection Systems, and Fire Investigations. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Lehigh University, and a Master of Science Degree in Fire Protection Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. He is a principal member of the technical committee for Fire Risk Assessment Methods and was a member of the ICC Ad Hoc Committee on Tall Wood Buildings. He lives in Centreville, Virginia, with his wife Kate and daughters, Abby and Suzanna.

Mass Timber Buildings: Make it Easy to Approve

We all want mass timber buildings to be permitted efficiently, to reduce risk, cost and stress, for everyone involved. Codes and standards are complicated and when building with mass timber, this can add another layer of difficulty, given each building is always unique. Authorities having jurisdiction have an important role to perform and a project team needs to work cooperatively with the AHJ team. We all want to get along and everyone wants to reach a positive resolution, as we all have a job to do. An important methodology for mass timber construction is to design a building that is easy to approve. It is the responsibility of the project team to communicate and document a design that works with the code, follows guidance on variances and alternatives, responds to early-stage feedback, and gets approved. This brief presentation provides an overview of what a successful mass timber project should look like, and what to avoid, based on project case studies and lessons learnt.

David Barber · Principal · Arup
David is a Principal with Arup, specializing in the fire safe design and approval of mass timber buildings. For over 25 years David has assisted clients with compliance fire testing, developing new timber technologies, authoring design guides, assisting with codes and standards and completing engineering design solutions for mid-rise and high-rise timber buildings. David leads a global team that works with developers, architects and researchers to enable mass timber structures. David’s mass timber experience is international, having delivered projects in eleven countries.

Getting Them on Your Team

Over several projects we have worked to include our building officials instead of excluding them. We know that they will be reviewing the documentation at some point, and they also want to be a part of positive change. A good example would be currently working with our local building department to adopt 2021 IBC, regardless if the State of Michigan does by the time we would be ready to break ground on a new mass timber project.

Sidney Filippis · Studio Director / Architect · Synecdoche
As a licensed architect, Sidney has the opportunity to actualize clients goals, working closely with them from the initial idea to the opening day. Delivering a space that exceeds their expectations brings her so much joy. Working on projects as small as furniture design and as large as 1 million square feet, Sidney is comfortable diving in to the fine details and simultaneously zooming out to the big picture. She believes architecture is more than the building shown on the drawings her company produces: it is also the branding, the furniture, the graphics, and the social impact. Within her work and personal life, Sidney values teamwork, and is motivated to bring the best people together. She loves learning new things especially on project types that she has never worked on before. Sidney is always open for a conversation about how architects can bring value to your life.

Mass Timber in Wisconsin: Thinking Bigger

Building codes control safety and evolve to allow for emerging materials and technology. Lagging codes can make innovation more challenging. Wisconsin recognizes the economic and environmental benefit of mass timber construction and wants to make sure that the commercial building code supports progress while maintaining safety. The result is a set of performance-based guidelines to help designers and owners replicate or expand current mass timber applications in Wisconsin.

Jennifer Garrett · Assistant Deputy Secretary · Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services
Jennifer Garrett is the assistant deputy secretary of the Wisconsin department that regulates the construction industry and promulgates the state building codes. She is responsible for external relations, including media, legislative, professional board, and stakeholder engagement. She helps establish agency policy initiatives and advances those through outreach, communication, and collaboration. Through her leadership, Wisconsin has developed a set of mass timber guidelines to help designers navigate the variance process with the end goal of facilitating mass timber adoption in the state. This work also influenced Governor Tony Evers’ Clean Energy Plan, which called for the establishment of an advisory council on building sustainability. The Wisconsin Advisory Council on Building Sustainability will advise state code councils on opportunities to enhance community resilience, encourage innovation, and incentivize use of clean energy in residential and commercial construction. Originally from Indiana, Jennifer has a bachelor’s degree in English from Purdue University and she earned her J.D. at Indiana University-Bloomington.

 
1.5 AIA LU/HSW (and 0.15 ICC credits)

Sponsored by Nordic Structures

Moderator:

Helena Murray · Wood & Biomass Utilization Specialist · US Forest Service
Helena works for the US Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region as a wood and biomass utilization specialist. She collaborates with partners on initiatives to improve markets for wood and biomass that can support forest ecosystem restoration across California, Hawaii and the US Affiliated Pacific Islands. Helena has a specific interest in how a robust wood products supply chain contributes to forest, community, and economic resilience. Helena has a Bachelor of Science in Forestry from University of Vermont and a Master of Science in Environmental Conservation from UMass Amherst.

Presentations:

Sustainability Due Diligence for Mass Timber Projects

Architects, developers, and building owner/occupants are increasingly taking sustainability considerations into account when deciding which building materials to use. Roy’s presentation will focus on key sustainability metrics to consider as part of due diligence in a assessing a building project’s sustainability in the context of mass timber. For example, the ability of forests to sustain timber production and the ability of the sawmill industry to produce lumber to meet the demand created by mass timber building construction. Attendees of this session will gain a better understanding of the current and projected scale of the mass timber building industry relative to the capacity of North America’s forests and sawmilling industry to provide the needed materials.

Roy Anderson · Vice President · The Beck Group
Roy has more than 30 years of forestry and forest products manufacturing industry experience. As Vice President at The Beck Group, a forest products planning and consulting firm based in Portland, Oregon, he has worked with clients to assess: the feasibility of mass timber manufacturing, mass timber market size, and glulam lumber supply and manufacturing feasibility. He has also been a speaker at past International Mass Timber Conferences in 2016 and 2022.

Delivering Sustainability at Scale, From the Forest to Manufacturing to the Market

How does sustainability in the forest translate to the acceptance of a mass timber as a sustainable building material? How do manufacturing efficiencies and improvements in lumber mills and engineered wood products facilities translate to the mass timber market? What opportunities do we have to connect the sustainability-related dots between the forest and mass timber buildings? This presentation will introduce a simple framework to consider the connection between sustainable forestry, sustainable manufacturing and sustainable buildings, leaving us with a path forward to make informed, effective decisions about sustainable material choices in this complex and fascinating supply chain.

Ara Erickson · Vice President, Corporate Sustainability · Weyerhaeuser
Ara Erickson is Vice-President of Corporate Sustainability at Weyerhaeuser, where she is accountable for the development and implementation of the company’s comprehensive sustainability strategy, including three areas where the company is in a unique position to participate: working forests contribution to climate change solutions, the role of sustainable products in ensuring housing for everyone, and support for thriving rural communities. She serves as a board member for American Forests, the oldest national nonprofit conservation organization in the United States, is a founding steering committee member for the Women’s Forest Congress, and uses her voice to be an advocate for sustainable, working forests. Ara is an authentic, compassionate, and driven leader, best known for building partnerships through collaboration, transparency and honest communication. Prior to Weyerhaeuser, she served as Director of the Green City Partnerships program with a regional conservation organization and as a forest-based researcher, environmental consultant and educator. She received her M.S. in Forest Resources from the University of Washington and her B.S. in Resource Management from the University of California, Berkeley.

Mass Timber and the Long-term Sustainability of Forestry in Georgia

Georgia loses 118,000 acres of timberland annually to conversion, primarily development. Increased adoption of mass timber in Georgia and the Southeast can help avoid future conversion of timberlands and ensure the long-term sustainability of working forests in Georgia. As the #1 forestry state in the country, there is a huge opportunity for mass timber in Georgia and across the southeast. From landowners to loggers, mills to developers, mass timber has the potential to ensure the long-term strength, sustainability, and growth of the forestry industry in Georgia. This presentation will discuss how mass timber can provide sustainable long-term growth in the forestry industry in Georgia and across the southeast while highlighting the 619 Ponce building, the first locally-grown mass timber building currently under construction in Atlanta, Georgia.

Nick DiLuzio · Vice President · Georgia Forestry Foundation
Nick DiLuzio is the Vice President of the Georgia Forestry Foundation. In this role, he is responsible for overseeing the operations and programs of the Foundation, which is focused on ensuring the longevity of Georgia’s 22 million acres of working forests by maximizing Georgia’s working forests as a solution to our nation’s greatest challenges. Nick’s role includes overseeing the Foundation’s three programmatic areas (Education and Leadership, Environmental Sustainability, and Economic Competitiveness), leading the Foundation’s fundraising and development efforts, and engaging with stakeholders and partners across the state and the country. Nick received a Bachelors of Science in Biology from Davidson College and Masters degrees in Forestry and Environmental Management from the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University. He is also a Certified Forester and holds a Certificate in Geospatial Analysis from Duke University.

 
1.5 AIA LU/HSW (and 0.15 ICC credits)

Sponsored by TallWood Design Institute

Moderator:

Rose Braden · President · Softwood Export Council
Rose Braden is the President of the Softwood Export Council (SEC), a non-profit trade association made up of U.S. forest products associations, state trade agencies, and public research centers who work together to increase the use of U.S. softwood products globally. She has over 20 years of experience developing international marketing strategies for the U.S. forest products and building materials industries and executing promotional programs. For ten years Braden directed international marketing and educational programs as the President of the Evergreen Building Products Association. Prior to her work with the EBPA, she was an analyst for the Center for International Trade in Forest Products at the University of Washington where her work included projects on Taiwan, China, Japan, Europe, and U.S. industry trends and manufacturing clusters.

Presentations:

A Systems-Based Approach to Mass Timber Multi-Family Housing

oWOW is a vertically integrated company whose mission is to build homes that people love at prices they can afford. Mass timber is an integral part of our approach to reducing construction timelines and costs in order to make housing more affordable. In this presentation we will review a number of the strategies we employ to make our projects more affordable, including:

• Using a unique point-supported structural system that reduces the overall number and size of components. It is incredibly materially efficient and incredibly fast to erect.
• Optimizing our structural layouts around the raw dimensions of our mass timber floor panels to reduce cutting and material waste.
• Using factory-built, prefabricated components wherever possible to reduce site labor costs and construction time. We use standardized systems and prefabrication for unitized facade systems, lateral systems and pre-engineered mass timber components.
• Using the same standard kit of parts across multiple projects. This reduces design and engineering time, cost and complexity, streamlines materials procurement and supply chain management, and helps us achieve consistent, high-quality construction across projects. We can then pass off these savings on to our customers in the form of reduced rents for a high quality product.

Andy Ball · President · oWOW
Andrew Ball is the President of oWOW, an Oakland, Cal. firm specializing in Real Estate Development services, with vertically integrated Project Design, Construction and Property Management Divisions. He was previously President and Partner at RAD Urban, a company specializing in high rise Modular housing projects with internal divisions providing Manufacturing, Design, and Construction. Prior leadership positions include President of Suffolk Construction West Region and President and CEO of Webcor Builders; both companies provided General Contracting services for Residential, Commercial, Hospitality, and High Technology Projects. Mr. Ball was a four time Governor appointed California Water Commissioner, a Board member of the Bay Area Council, and co-Chair of its Water Committee, and served as a Board member of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group heading up Water Policy. He has been involved in other industry organizations including the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, the San Francisco Center for Economic Development, SPUR, Stanford Center for Integrated Facility Engineering, and UC Berkeley’s Center for the Built Environment.

The Magic of Mass Timber in Public Projects: Working With Public Agencies To Establish Translatable Solutions That Are Economically Responsive, Locally Appropriate, and Sustainable Using Mass Timber

With 22 Mass Timber projects in design and completion, FFA has found success while navigating the complexities of public project types where budgets are fixed, in a process governed by a reluctance to seek unfamiliar methods and building materials. We’ll illustrate cost/budget tradeoffs to work with the owner early in the design process using a systems-analysis that demonstrates the pros and cons of different building construction systems, decision process, and cost savings results.

We can demonstrate how we used mass timber to provide customized solutions in a variety of projects utilizing CLT, Glulam, MPP, and hybrid systems from higher education to public safety and to other small and large civic building types within urban and rural areas.

Ian Gelbrich · Partner · FFA Architecture and Interiors
Ian’s 22-year career as a project architect, designer, and manager spans across many project types and scales, including civic, commercial, institutional, higher education, retail, entertainment, and housing. Early in his career, he developed an affinity for civic projects and the positive impact they have on communities. He a­­pplies his capabilities in conceptual and technical design to help clients dream big and create architecture that lasts. As the leader of FFA’s civic architecture market, Ian adds a rich layer of public outreach experience and dedication to designs rooted in their communities.

Putting Numbers to “It Depends”

With a decade of projects numbering over 1,500 in the US, and a growing community of designers and builders with multiple completed projects, are cost trends emerging? If we zoomed out from the many details that make a mass timber project successful, and just examined the numbers, would a pattern emerge? To investigate these questions, architects, engineers, and builders with a depth of experience with mass timber projects shared statistics from their portfolios. This presentation elaborates on where project cost successes and struggles occur by breaking buildings into three macro systems to explore the advantages, challenges, and potential in each.

Emily Dawson · Architecture | Mass Timber | Prefabrication · Single Widget
Emily implements mass-timber solutions, seeing projects through from feasibility to construction. In 2013, she designed the first cross laminated timber structure built in Oregon. Inspired by her studies of European mass-timber and prefabrication applications, Emily increasingly applies off-site fabrication approaches in her work. She is driven by a commitment to transforming the way we build toward a truly circular construction economy. Her portfolio of sustainably-focused projects spans 20 years. She received her degree in architecture from Cornell University.

 
1.5 AIA LU/HSW (and 0.15 ICC credits)

Sponsored by Sansin

Moderator:

Kate Carrigg · Regional Director – Oregon, Idaho-South, Hawaii · WoodWorks – Wood Products Council
Kate came to WoodWorks with a decade of construction industry experience in the Pacific Northwest. She holds a dual M.S. degree in Civil Engineering and Wood Science from Oregon State University with a focus in structural engineering. As a licensed Professional Engineer in Oregon and California, she was involved with the design of mass timber projects during the early stages of code development for CLT. In addition to engineering, she has field experience working as a project engineer for a general contractor and has been involved in both the design and construction of multi-family podium buildings. Kate’s diverse background allows her to approach projects and problem solving holistically, with constructability and non-structural building systems in mind.

Presentations:

Acoustic Flanking Demystified: New Testing Findings

Acoustic isolation is a fundamental challenge for mass timber construction, and solutions that work in the built-environment are critical for the success of the industry. While acoustic laboratory test data is readily available for a wide range of mass timber assemblies, field test data and flanking paths data is rare. This talk presents the findings from two recent projects where acoustic field data has been collected, including a modular mass timber prototype utilizing all dry trades, and a full-size mock-up that tested multiple variables, including the flanking path through continuous ceiling CLT panels spanning residential units.

The presentation will provide “watch-its” for mass timber projects, and effective solutions to address problematic flanking paths. The topic will also cover “best practice” for identifying and addressing inter-disciplinary design issues early in design.

Denis Blount · Acoustic Consultant | Associate Principal · Arup
Denis Blount is an Associate Principal and leads the Acoustic, Audiovisual and Theater Consulting team in Arup’s Seattle office. Denis is a leading advocate for mass timber research and construction. He has presented at numerous conferences on the topic and is currently active with the AIA-Seattle Mass Timber Working Group. Denis believes that a shift to building with more renewable resources, such as wood, is an essential shift in the construction industry to help reduce our carbon footprint in the world.

Minding the Gap: How to Really Make Mass Timber Housing Pencil

In high-density multi-family housing, the critical design question has always been: can we close the cost gap between concrete and mass timber construction types? If so, then mass timber’s path as the future of housing is clear. However, the answer is unproven and particularly challenging in affordable housing, where wood aesthetics cannot compensate with higher rents.

This presentation will outline the paths forged toward a solution to making mass timber pencil against concrete and steel systems in two Type IV-B housing projects. The first is an 8-story, mixed-use, affordable housing building in Santa Cruz, Cal. In this project, the design and contractor teams developed and priced an exhaustive set of structural options for the building to show that a point-supported timber system would best compete with Type I construction. A study of the lateral options reduced material costs further. Refinement of the point-supported system, including column sizing, structural-fire analysis of the connections, and diaphragm detailing was also required. Lastly, test results on the point supported system needed to be incorporated into the design. Lessons learned from this project were optimized in the second project that will be highlighted in this presentation — an 11-story market-rate housing building in Portland, Ore.

Megan Stringer · Associate Principal · Holmes
Megan Stringer is an Associate Principal with Holmes. Motivated by our impact on the built environment, Megan is at the forefront of reducing structural embodied carbon. Megan has overseen North America’s largest mass timber project at the Microsoft Silicon Valley Campus, utilized low-carbon concrete pours at Intuit, and performed many life cycle assessments. She also serves as President of the Structural Engineers Association of Northern California.

Joe Swain · Senior Associate, Architect · Mithun
Joe Swain is a Senior Associate and architect with Mithun. He specializes in modular and prefabricated systems, and has worked with mass timber for over eight years, from schools and offices to large-scale multi-family residential projects. He has worked on ICC Tall Wood code-related research, including most recently a pair of CLT exterior-wall fire tests, and he studies the relationship between carbon in mass timber and forest management as a member of the SDL Climate-Smart Wood Group.

Utilizing DLT Components in Vertical Mixed Use: A Case Study

The Garden District, which will be the tallest DLT mass timber residential structure in North America when complete, serves as a valuable case study for understanding the marketability of mass timber in the rental apartment space. The project is the first phase of an extensive 19 acre redevelopment located in Woodinville, Washington, and applied for building permit in September 2022.

With cost as a critical driver, there are several key challenges we would like to share:

• Acoustic assembly development: The team engaged in extensive 3rd party testing to achieve satisfactory acoustic values for the DLT residential floor system. The team calibrated the floor assemblies to utilize cost effective topping and finish systems that reduce labor and schedule impacts.
• Structural iterations: several structural iterations, including various combinations of bearing walls, post/beam and other hybrid configurations were explored. Computational design tools assisted the team in arriving at solutions.
• Fire ratings: DLT fire ratings were modified to be comparable to concrete assemblies.

The Garden District represents a scalable, repeatable housing paradigm that will offer key takeaways for other teams who engage in this project type.

Ted Panton · Principal · GGLO
As a Principal at GGLO, Ted is proficient at planning vertical mixed use programs in urban settings and has strong working relationships with a variety of local and national clients. His work as an Architect in this setting has made him a strong advocate of design solutions centered on livability and urbanism. He has championed the use of wood technology across a spectrum of infill housing typologies, including the integration of heavy timber and mass timber components. He developed a hybrid cross laminated timber multi-dwelling module that is being used in several projects and that has been presented in workshops and conferences across the US including the International Mass Timber Conference. Recent efforts include the Cadence 21 Multi-family development in Seattle, Wash (building permit received in 2021), and the Garden District Phase 1 DLT mixed use structure, submitted for building permit application in September 2022.

 
1.5 AIA LU/HSW (and 0.15 ICC credits)

Sponsored by Seagate Mass Timber

Moderator:

Craig Curtis · Director of Emerging Building Technologies · Mithun
Craig is a nationally recognized design leader with a focus on innovative, sustainable integrated design and the incorporation of emerging building technologies including mass timber and modular construction. He has extensive experience with mass timber projects including several projects currently in design at Mithun, including an 11-story mass timber condominium project, multiple buildings for the Binderholz company and commercial office structures. Craig also serves in a firmwide role, sharing knowledge across the practice and collaborating with teams on a wide range of project typologies for clients looking to explore the integration of new building technologies. He is a frequent presenter at conferences, design awards juror and architectural studio critic, supporting the advancement of mass timber and development of next generation talent. Craig spent five years at Katerra prior to joining Mithun, where he led the architecture and design division and was responsible for the development of several building platforms utilizing mass timber as the basis for design. While at Katerra, Craig was architect of record for the Catalyst building (designed to ILFI zero energy and zero carbon certification standards), and the development of the Katerra CLT factory in Spokane Valley, WA (now owned and operated by Mercer, Inc.).

Presentations:

Facts and Feelings: Comparing Post Occupancy Results with Initial Project Expectations

Convincing public agencies to choose mass timber over traditional materials requires the design team to clearly communicate cost, performance, and user experience. KPFF and FFA Architecture and Interiors have utilized mass timber on several public buildings on which we have also collected user experience data. We will share the design and construction considerations for each project and the outcome from the data collection and survey results, comparing the original project expectations with the post-occupancy results. Survey information includes floor vibrations, acoustics, aesthetics, control of moisture during construction, cost, schedule, and user experience. We hope this information and presentation are useful for communicating with building owners and clients about their concerns relating to adoption of mass timber. Let us share with you what we learned on this data collection journey.

Edward Running · Associate Partner · FFA Architecture and Interiors Inc.
Edward is an architect and designer with 23 years of experience in higher education, corporate, public, and residential projects. He helps clients create innovative places that serve with lasting character and durability. Passionate about designing sustainable, universally welcoming environments where academic and community partners can thrive, Edwards’s visionary approach guides project teams through a truly collaborative design process.

Katie Ritenour · Associate · KPFF Consulting Engineers
Katie is a licensed structural engineer with over 15 years of experience. She has worked with a wide range of materials and produced an array of successful systems. She is invested in meeting each project’s goals, aesthetic vision, and technical needs. Katie is passionate about designing mass timber buildings and has presented on mass timber structural systems across the country to clients and industry groups. She thrives on the collaborative process mass timber design requires.

Lessons Regarding Post-Occupancy Performance of Mass Timber

Craig will present data collected from research on biophilic classroom environments that supports how student performance and physiological health may be positively impacted when surrounded by natural materials, such as wood. This research has led to the development of a mass timber kit of parts platform for the design and construction of K6 schools.

Craig Curtis · Director of Emerging Building Technologies · Mithun
Craig is a nationally recognized design leader with a focus on innovative, sustainable integrated design and the incorporation of emerging building technologies including mass timber and modular construction. He has extensive experience with mass timber projects including several projects currently in design at Mithun, including an 11-story mass timber condominium project, multiple buildings for the Binderholz company and commercial office structures. Craig also serves in a firmwide role, sharing knowledge across the practice and collaborating with teams on a wide range of project typologies for clients looking to explore the integration of new building technologies. He is a frequent presenter at conferences, design awards juror and architectural studio critic, supporting the advancement of mass timber and development of next generation talent. Craig spent five years at Katerra prior to joining Mithun, where he led the architecture and design division and was responsible for the development of several building platforms utilizing mass timber as the basis for design. While at Katerra, Craig was architect of record for the Catalyst building (designed to ILFI zero energy and zero carbon certification standards), and the development of the Katerra CLT factory in Spokane Valley, WA (now owned and operated by Mercer, Inc.).

Weathering Wood: Achieving Long Term Durability and Maintenance of Exterior Architectural Mass Timber

Experience of mass timber is often reserved to the interior of a building or what is visible through exterior glazing. Did you ever wonder about the practicality of exposing part of the frame on the exterior? Could it last for 50 years or more exposed to precipitation and sunlight? How will it look after decades of exposure? Join us for a deep dive into the opportunities and challenges of exposing mass timber to the elements. The presentation is designed to give an engineering, architectural and builders perspective covering a wide range of topics including code, standards, species, preservative treatments, finishes, research, detail and specification considerations. Featured examples of longevity will show what you can expect over decades of exposure. All to help you make decisions that minimize maintenance and maximize mass timber’s beauty over the long term.

Hans-Erik Blomgren · Senior Engineering Manager · Timberlab
Hans-Erik is Senior Engineering Manager at Timberlab providing technical design services for mass timber building projects. Timberlab is a Portland, Oregon-based mass timber contractor that provides sourcing, design, fabrication, and install services on building projects across the United States. During his career, Hans-Erik has worked as a structural engineer consultant on many large scale commercial building projects and also in manufacturing as a cross-laminated timber product development manager. Hans-Erik currently represents Timberlab on the American Wood Council Wood Design Standards code development committee.

Scott Barton-Smith · Associate · Bora Architects
Scott is a registered architect in the State of Oregon with three decades of experience. He designed his first timber structure in 1997 and has served as architect, design lead, or mass timber expert on ten more. More recently as Preconstruction Manager for Timberlab, he worked directly with clients and design teams to disseminate information on the use of mass timber as a more sustainable alternative while providing project-specific assistance to support appropriate and optimal design. Scott’s project experience is augmented with research in mass timber sustainability, acoustics, sourcing, connections, finishes and housing.

 
1.5 AIA LU/HSW (and 0.15 ICC credits)

Sponsored by Nordic Structures

Moderator:

Rachael Jamison · VP, Markets & Sustainability · American Wood Council (AWC)
Rachael has over 20 years of experience in various aspects of emerging sustainability efforts. From writing organic food standards before there was a national program, to leading Washington State’s Green Building Program, to leading climate change and renewable energy policy efforts for Washington’s forest sector, Rachael recognizes both the imperative to act now to preserve our way of life and believes that there is a strong business case for leaning into sustainability initiatives. At AWC, Rachael leads the team responsible for collecting US EPD data for wood products manufacturers, for ensuring that standards treat wood products accurately and fairly, and for developing policy platforms that leverage the climate benefits of wood products at both the state and federal level.

Presentations:

Understanding What Makes Wood Different: A Deep Dive into Biogenic Carbon Accounting

Growing interest in wood products as a tool to reduce the embodied carbon footprint of the built environment means wood products are often compared to more traditional building materials. However, wood is unique from these other materials because it is a bio-based material with carbon storage benefits. The treatment of this stored, biogenic carbon is often a point of confusion for building designers and stakeholders due to lack of standardization within life cycle assessment (LCA) tools and inadequate guidance on proper accounting methods. This presentation will explain life cycle biogenic carbon accounting as outlined in the international standard ISO 21930, identify ways LCA tools align with or deviate from this standard, and address the biogenic carbon data presented in typical environmental product declarations.

Ashley Cagle · Technical Director · WoodWorks
Ashley is a licensed professional and structural engineer in the state of California, having worked as a structural consultant in both the San Francisco Bay Area and Spokane, Washington with an expertise in light wood-frame construction. In addition to providing technical support on a variety of light wood-frame and mass timber projects around the country, she leads WoodWorks’ efforts to educate architects and engineers on using life cycle assessment as a tool to measure the embodied carbon impact of wood products and buildings. Throughout her career, Ashley has been involved in various professional and code-development committees. She received a Bachelor of Science from Cornell University and a Master of Science from The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Tracking Carbon Though Design: From Early-Stage Carbon Accounting to Whole Building Life Cycle Assessment

With lower manufacturing energy demands and the added benefit of biogenic carbon storage, wood products are a proven solution for reducing the overall carbon impact of buildings. However, as structural engineers take the lead on embodied carbon reduction efforts, questions arise about how to accurately assess the benefits of wood compared to other structural materials. This presentation will address both early-stage carbon accounting used during conceptual design and Whole Building Life Cycle Assessment (WBLCA). The results of comparative carbon assessments performed on real mass timber buildings — along with their steel and concrete alternatives — will reveal the differences in global warming potential, illustrating the opportunity for use of mass timber as an embodied carbon reduction strategy.

Alexis Feitel · Structural Engineer, Team Carbon Unit Director · KL&A Engineers & Builders
Alexis is a licensed structural engineer with nearly 10 years of experience in custom high-end residential, high seismic residential, multi-family, concrete high rise, existing building renovation, construction engineering, material salvage, and sustainable design experience. She is the KL&A Team Carbon Unit Director, a team of inhouse expertise focused on embodied carbon quantification, reduction strategies, and implementation into the current design and (de)construction practice at KL&A.

 
1.5 AIA LU/HSW (and 0.15 ICC credits)

Sponsored by TallWood Design Institute

Moderator:

Andrea Newton · Executive Director · ULI Northwest
Andrea Newton joined the Urban Land Institute Northwest as the Executive Director in December of 2019. Ms. Newton’s experience spans developing and executing strategies for various companies as a consultant, serving as Executive Director for an international healthcare non-profit as well as various roles in commercial real estate. As a consultant, Ms. Newton led strategic planning, acquisition research and feasibility studies on urban markets for a national real estate investment company. Prior to this, she served as the Executive Director for Imaging the World, an international global health non-profit. Before this she held the position of Regional Vice President of the Western Region at Resource Real Estate in Philadelphia, where she directed a 17-state territory. In this position, she raised capital for real estate investment funds investing across the US. Additionally, Ms. Newton had numerous roles at a pension fund advisory firm (now Bentall GreenOak) in marketing, finance, and asset management, helping to raise and effectively invest institutional capital in commercial real estate.

Presentations:

The Business Case for Ascent, The World’s Tallest Timber Tower

At 25-stories and 284-ft tall, Ascent is the tallest timber tower in the world. Hear from developers at New Land Enterprises about their strategy for using mass timber as a differentiator for this 259-unit luxury residential building in Milwaukee, WI. Boris and Tim Gokhman will discuss the genesis, challenges, lessons learned, and successes they experienced taking timber innovations to a new height in the US. The 25-story tower consists of 19-stories of mass timber framing over a six-level podium. You’ll learn how this trailblazing example of exposed high-rise timber construction was realized at market-rate construction costs, achieved success in pre-leasing, and continues to perform in lease-up.

Boris Gokhman · Founding Partner · New Land Enterprises
Boris Gokhman co-founded New Land Enterprises in 1993, after coming over from Ukraine (former Soviet Union) in 1990. With a background in civil engineering, but without language or money, he started as a house painter. New Land began with the renovation of a duplex. In 1995, the company started doing ground up developments, and by late 1990s/early 2000s, was building 100+ unit developments. Boris brings incredible knowledge on the design and construction of buildings, giving New Land a rare DNA and ability to design buildings inside out. All projects prioritize function first, but never at the expense of form.

Tim Gokhman · Managing Director · New Land Enterprises
Tim Gokhman is the Managing Director at New Land Enterprises, a pioneering real estate development firm specializing in mixed-use residential and commercial real estate.

Making the Case for Mass Timber to Developers and Owners

Accelerating the expansion of mass timber in for-profit developments requires data for decision makers—developers and their capital partners. In these projects, a return on investment is expected; and to get a ‘thumbs up’ to proceed, mass timber needs to pencil in the pro forma. Written for the developer/investor audience, WoodWorks’ Business Case Studies analyze how mass timber contributes value to commercial and multi-family projects. Melissa will provide an overview of the case study series highlighting key takeaways. Architects, engineers, builders and other professionals hoping to influence decisions to use mass timber will learn how to use the business case study series.

Melissa Kroskey · Technical Director · WoodWorks
As both a licensed Architect and Structural Engineer in the state of California, Melissa has a broad perspective on the industry, as well as technical design expertise from seismic to hurricane regions. Over the past few years, she helped expand WoodWorks’ offerings to support real estate developers, and generated content related to wood’s light environmental footprint, biophilic design, circularity, and wildfire resilience. Melissa manages the development of WoodWorks’ Mass Timber Business Case Studies, which address the financial performance of US developments constructed with mass timber. She is actively involved in ULI and Vice-Chair of the Sustainable Development Council.

INTRO: Mixed-Use Deal Exceeds Pro Forma Expectations

Developer Dan Whalen will share Harbor Bay Ventures’ vision for introducing a contemporary urban living experience with best-in-market amenities to Ohio City, Cleveland’s most desirable neighborhood. Located adjacent to the landmark West Side market, INTRO is a mixed-use development with 297 market-rate apartments, a 700-person event space and ground floor retail and restaurants. Mass timber was chosen as a differentiator and contributed to INTRO’s bespoke brand. Dan will present details of a business case study featuring INTRO, which achieved unparalleled leasing velocity at significant premiums.

Dan Whalen · Chief Development Officer · Harbor Bay Ventures
Dan leads all aspects of real estate development for Harbor Bay, including acquisitions, underwriting, design, marketing, commercial leasing and everything related to mass timber. He also founded and oversees Harbor Bay’s brand-new hospitality arm, which operates two restaurants, an event venue, and a coffee company in the INTRO Cleveland project. Prior to joining Harbor Bay, he was a Director of Development at Starwood Retail Partners, where he led over $200 million in redevelopment projects across the United States. He also spent time as Director of Real Estate at MOD Pizza, overseeing their rapid growth across the Midwest. Dan is a Cleveland native and has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English from Case Western Reserve University. He also received first team All-America honors and still holds numerous records at Quarterback, and had a two-year professional career after college. He earned his MBA from Case’s Weatherhead School of Management with a focus on Finance and Design. He’s an obsessive golfer and plays acoustic guitar in his free time. He and his wife, Jillian reside in Cleveland’s Ohio City neighborhood with their catahoula leopard dog, Ash.