Mass Timber Today Mass Timber Institute

Episode Summary

In this episode, Craig Applegath and Ryan Going discuss various aspects of mass timber construction. They explore the longevity of mass timber buildings, highlighting the durability of various natural and engineered materials. Ryan speaks to his role and involvement in the construction of the University of Toronto's innovative Tall Academic Tower. They also delve into the economics of mass timber, addressing the need for more supply capacity and the challenges of permitting requirements. The conversation touches on the potential economic benefits of mass timber for rural and regional economies, as well as its impact on metropolitan cities. The role of mass timber in sustainable, affordable housing is also discussed, along with the potential of hybrid mass timber structures.



In This Episode

Ryan Going, P.Eng. is a construction manager with experience delivering large-scale buildings and civil projects across industrial, institutional, commercial and healthcare markets in Canada and the UK.

As a project manager with Pomerleau, Ryan is currently managing the delivery of the Academic Wood Tower for the University of Toronto, which at 14 storeys and 76m is the tallest wood structure under construction in Canada. Ryan is also a founding member of Pomerleau's National Wellbeing Committee which focuses on improving mental health supports for Pomerleau's 4000+ employees across the country. Ryan is a member of the Toronto Construction Association's Young Construction Leaders (YCL) Executive committee.

Ryan was named as one of Canada’s top 40 under 40 construction professionals in 2023 by OnSite magazine.



Connect with Ryan Going


LinkedIn
Pomerleau 
Academic Wood Tower



Resources Mentioned in this Episode


The CLT Handbook by FPInnovations: https://web.fpinnovations.ca/clt/
WoodWorks Canada: https://wood-works.ca/
RDH's Moisture Rist Management Strategies for Mass Timber Buildings: https://www.rdh.com/resource/moisture-risk-management-strategies-for-mass-timber-buildings-v2/

We wish to acknowledge this land on which the University of Toronto operates. For thousands of years it has been the traditional land of the Huron-Wendat, the Seneca, and the Mississaugas of the Credit. Today, this meeting place is still the home to many Indigenous people from across Turtle Island and we are grateful to have the opportunity to work on this land.

Episode Summary
Jeff Ranson, Director of Responsible Development at Northcrest Developments, discusses his interest in sustainability and how mass timber fits into sustainable building design. He highlights the beauty and form of mass timber as a compelling aspect and its potential for creating good urban density. Ranson describes mass timber in relation to the development goals of the Downsview Airport Lands master plan, touching on sustainability, economic viability, and procurement methods. He discusses areas for innovation in mass timber construction and the importance of considering the environmental impacts of different building materials as a system. Ranson emphasizes the role of mass timber in addressing the housing crisis and the potential for hybrid structures and low carbon materials in the future.

In This Episode 
Jeff joined Northcrest Developments to lead the Responsible Development strategy for the redevelopment of the 370-acre Downsview Airport Lands in Toronto. He brings two decades of experience with sustainability leadership positions at BOMA Toronto, the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC), Sustainable Buildings Canada, and Toronto 2030 District. He frequently advises on public policy including appointments to the City of Toronto Climate Advisory Group and the Waterfront Toronto Design Review Panel (2017-2023). 
He received his MDes and the President’s Award for Graduate Studies at OCADU for his work on developing market transformation roadmaps for low-carbon housing in Peru and holds an HBA from the Richard Ivey School of Business at Western University.   

Connect with Jeff

LinkedIn
Northcrest Development 


Resources Mentioned in this Episode

CWC Wood Design Awards - http://www.wooddesignandbuilding.com/publication/  
Michael Green TED talk: The Natural Building Blocks of Sustainable Architecture: https://www.ted.com/talks/michael_green_the_natural_building_blocks_of_sustainable_architecture   
The 14 Patterns of Biophilic Design by William Browning, Catherine Ryan, Joseph Clancy.: https://www.terrapinbrightgreen.com/reports/14-patterns/  

We wish to acknowledge this land on which the University of Toronto operates. For thousands of years it has been the traditional land of the Huron-Wendat, the Seneca, and the Mississaugas of the Credit. Today, this meeting place is still the home to many Indigenous people from across Turtle Island and we are grateful to have the opportunity to work on this land.

Episode Summary
In this episode, Anne has a conversation with Jean-Marc Dubois, the Director of Business Development at Nordic in the United States. We delve into the significance of a business perspective within the mass timber sector. Jean-Marc shares insights from his unique vantage point at Nordic, shedding light on the company's distinctive stance in the mass timber industry and the demand for value-added products. The discussion spans topics such as innovation in mass timber design and engineering, considerations of sustainability and wood sourcing. Jean-Marc also explores the potential advantages of mass timber for rural and Indigenous communities, examining both the opportunities and challenges in mass timber construction, particularly its viability for mid-rise housing. I trust you'll find this episode insightful and enjoyable.

In This Episode
Jean-Marc is the Director of Business Development for Nordic Structures, the building systems division of Canadian lumber manufacturer Chantiers Chibougamau.  His career spans 44 years in the building products industry with regional, national and international corporations, focusing on value-added, engineered wood and Mass Timber products. Jean-Marc's penchant for delivering customer solutions through value engineering and process optimization led him to join the structures division of Nordic Structures, collaborating with clients, architects, engineers, designers and builders to provide sustainable built Mass Timber solutions across North America.
Jean-Marc is passionate advocate for sustainability, serving on a number of industry councils; he is a founding member of Timber Edge, an advocacy group dedicated to increasing urban Mass Timber utilization, was a founding board member of the International Mass Timber Alliance, and also serves on the American Wood Council’s Green Building Committee and APA: the Engineered Wood Association’s MAC Committee. He has been a keynote speaker at Holzbau and Woodrise Congress, and a guest lecturer at universities as well as architectural, engineering, and sustainability conferences across North America, Scandinavia and Japan

Connect with Jean-Marc

LinkedIn
Nordic Structure


Resources Mentioned in this Episode

Alan Organschi - Carbon Positive City : https://www.hewv.com/knowledge/vdm-recap-alan-organschi/82
Larch Lab: Mike Eliason: https://www.larchlab.co

Episode Summary
Throughout this conversation, Eladia discusses her work in the mass timber sector and highlights the importance of Indigenous design principles. She shares her experience with mass timber projects and highlights how mass timber can tie in with traditional Indigenous building methods. Putting emphasis on the need to bring meaning and cultural awareness into buildings, she discusses the challenges and opportunities involved in teaching Indigenous architecture in universities. Eladia also discusses the potential for Indigenous leadership in forest stewardship and mass timber manufacturing.

In This Episode
KaaSheGaaBaaWeak | Eladia Smoke is Anishinaabekwe from Obishikokaang | Lac Seul First Nation, with family roots in Alderville First Nation, Winnipeg, and Toronto. Eladia has worked in architecture since 2002, and founded Smoke Architecture as principal architect in 2014. She is the first Anishinabekwe architect in Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec, as well as the third Indigenous woman licensed as an architect in Canada. She taught as a Master Lecturer at Laurentian’s McEwen School of Architecture from 2016 to 2022. She serves as a founding member of RAIC’s Indigenous Task Force. Eladia represented Canada at the 2018 Venice Biennale Unceded exhibition as part of an international team of Indigenous designers and architects. Current professional work includes community-based and institutional projects working alongside Indigenous stakeholders, collaborating with First Nation communities, and listening closely to our Elders.

Connect with Eladia

LinkedIn
Eladia at Smoke Architecture
Smoke Architecture


Resources Mentioned in this Episode
On the Topic of Relationships:

The Mishomis Book by Edward Benton-Banai: https://www.whetung.com/products/mishomi-by-edward-benton-banai-best-seller
And Grandma Said by Tom Sakokwenionkwas Porter: https://goodminds.com/products/9781436335652
Anishinaabe Ways of Knowing and Being by Dr. Lawrence W. Gross: https://www.routledge.com/Anishinaabe-Ways-of-Knowing-and-Being/Gross/p/book/9781138247482

Resources for Architects:

The Handbook of Contemporary Indigenous Architecture: https://search.worldcat.org/title/1085698142
Our Voices (both #1, and #2): https://oroeditions.com/product/our-voices


Land Acknowledgement
We wish to acknowledge this land on which the University of Toronto operates. For thousands of years it has been the traditional land of the Huron-Wendat, the Seneca, and the Mississaugas of the Credit. Today, this meeting place is still the home to many Indigenous people from across Turtle Island and we are grateful to have the opportunity to work on this land.

Episode Summary

In this episode, Craig Applegath speaks with Robert Schmitz, who is a partner at White Arkitekter based in Stockholm, Sweden. In this episode, they delve into the embodied carbon advantages of mass timber, exploring how the growing mass timber industry can contribute to reducing environmental impacts across different sectors. They also examine the crucial role timber-focused architects play in driving the adoption of mass timber and gain insights from Robert's Scandinavian perspective on the specific challenges and opportunities associated with building using this sustainable material.



In This Episode

Robert Schmitz (*1979, Stockholm) is an award-winning architect and one of White Architect’s leading partners. He has steered several of the company’s flagship projects from competition to completion with a special focus on designing public, civic and cultural buildings that encourage a sense of belonging. He is an award winning, modern-day pioneer of timber design and construction and the lead architect of the internationally awarded Sara Cultural Centre, the world’s largest, carbon negative timber building. Robert is director of the Stockholm competitions team, while providing strategic input into the management of the Stockholm studio. Furthermore, he takes part in international Architectural juries and is a highly appreciated keynote speaker worldwide.



Connect with Robert Schmitz:

• LinkedIn

• White Arkitekter



Resources Mentioned in the Podcast:


Timber and Architecture by Shigeru Ban: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/712536/shigeru-ban-timber-in-architecture-by-shigeru-ban/9780847872220


Solid Wood by Joseph Mayo: https://www.routledge.com/Solid-Wood-Case-Studies-in-Mass-Timber-Architecture-Technology-and-Design/Mayo/p/book/9780415725309


Detail's, Multistory Timber construction (Robert has a contribution.): https://issuu.com/detail-magazine/docs/978-3-95553-394-6_bk_multi-storey_t



The Mass Timber Institute

Website: https://academic.daniels.utoronto.ca/masstimberinstitute/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/masstimberinstitute/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/buildinginwood?lang=en

LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/company/masstimberinstitute



Land Acknowledgement



We wish to acknowledge this land on which the University of Toronto operates. For thousands of years it has been the traditional land of the Huron-Wendat, the Seneca, and the Mississaugas of the Credit. Today, this meeting place is still the home to many Indigenous people from across Turtle Island and we are grateful to have the opportunity to work on this land.

Episode Summary

In this episode, Anne Koven interviews Carol Phillips, who has extensive experience in designing with various construction materials, with a particular focus on mass timber. They explore the potential environmental impacts of increased mass timber adoption, including the effects on forests. Carol also shares insights from her work on the George Brown's Limberlost Place project, discussing its inspiration and the multifaceted role an architect plays in managing innovative projects like Limberlost Place. Additionally, they delve into the evolving landscape of the architectural profession, driven by shifting paradigms and emerging technologies. The conversation highlights the significance of sustainability in mass timber construction and the profound human connection to wood, along with the environmental benefits it offers. Last but certainly not least; the involvement of Indigenous communities in construction and resource utilization and management is also discussed.



In This Episode

Carol is a Partner with the renowned architecture firm Moriyama Teshima Architects (MTA) known for remarkable, innovative Canadian and international projects. Carol is Design Leader for MTA’s most ambitious low carbon projects. A Fellow of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, Carol’s inspired designs have received international awards and are distinguished by the spare but assertive use of materials that bring identity and grace to communities. Her practice is increasingly focused on low carbon and timber in the search for ways the construction industry can contribute better solutions to the climate crisis. Along with her built work, Carol provides service to the architectural community through teaching at the University of Toronto, lecturing internationally, acting as a juror for design awards, and sitting on various design review panels.

Connect with Carol Phillips:


LinkedIn
Carol at Moriyama Teshima

Resources Mentioned in this Episode:


FPAC Documentary: Capturing carbon:
https://www.fpac.ca/posts/canadian-forestry-documentary-capturing-carbon-to-be-featured-at-united-nations-cop27-conference
Constructing Health by Tye Farrow: https://www.fpac.ca/posts/canadian-forestry-documentary-capturing-carbon-to-be-featured-at-united-nations-cop27-conference - Coming Soon
Canadian Wood Council Primers: https://cwc.ca/
Eli Gould: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eli-gould-4b956935 from Offsite Wood (https://offsitewood.org/)
Moriyama Teshima Architects: https://mtarch.com/



Land Acknowledgement

We wish to acknowledge this land on which the University of Toronto operates. For thousands of years it has been the traditional land of the Huron-Wendat, the Seneca, and the Mississaugas of the Credit. Today, this meeting place is still the home to many Indigenous people from across Turtle Island and we are grateful to have the opportunity to work on this land.