Building Technology of the Future
Driven by innovation, SmartWood® is our way of building homes for the future. As steel was the preferred material of the 1800s, concrete the 1900s, SmartWood® is the health-conscious material of the 21st century. As industry leaders through our use of cross-laminated timber (CLT), our approach to SmartWood® was created from our unwavering commitment to innovation and a better way of home building.
The use of SmartWood® in our buildings creates healthier superior quality infrastructures designed to surpass alternative building materials. SmartWood® has a cleaner carbon footprint with air components to sequester carbon, for stronger healthier homes. Cross Laminated Mass Timber (CLT), a multi-layer mass timber product that matches the strength and durability of concrete and steel at a fraction of the weight. In addition to being a sustainable resource, CLT is carbon negative and uses wood exclusively from sustainably managed forests. CLT opens the door to a new, ecological way to construct mass timber buildings.
The ability to prefabricate CLT for projects creates efficiency in time, money and the installation process, while also producing fewer greenhouse gas emissions. CLT is now part of the Supplement to the National Building Code of Canada (NBC). Other benefits of the use of SmartWood® in your home include the reduction of heat loss and off-gas emissions, increased fire safety rating and seismic resilience. Adera’s innovations might not be something you think of or see every day but the peace of mind and serenity it gives you won’t go unnoticed. It’s comforting to know your home is something you’ll be able to enjoy forever, a home that is built with the latest technology available.
Cross-laminated timber panels weigh somewhere between 4,000 and 5,000 lbs. — more than two tons of solid, prefabricated material. Using cranes, Adera’s panels were easily transported to their predetermined spots, where two construction crew members gently guided them into their slots, ready to be anchored into the building frame.
Prefabricated panels arrive on site ready to install, producing less on-site waste. Each floor at Virtuoso consists of approximately 160 CLT panels, which were lifted at a rate of one every 12 minutes. Seagate Structures, Adera’s partner for the framing of the building, worked at quite a high speed – installing 4,500 sq. ft. of flooring in less than three hours.
Quick construction is a highlight of CLT. Brock Commons, the world’s tallest CLT building at 18 stories, was erected in nine weeks, at an average rate of two floors per week.
“One of CLT’s primary benefits is the way it influences design and scheduling,” explains Ron McDougall, mass timber specialist. Unlike conventional construction, where you build the sheer walls and then frame with plywood, CLT panels are tilted up and connect directly to the steel columns — a ‘click and play’ method that’s simple, fast and very accurate.”
It’s also virtually silent — a definite bonus for the neighbors. “If you compare the noise level on the Virtuoso site to the site right next door, there’s a significant difference,” McDougall says.
Looking ahead, Andreasen and McDougall both predict CLT construction will continue to make inroads as a viable, environmentally superior alternative to traditional “stick-on-stick” construction or concrete and steel design in the multi-family and high-rise market. “Virtuoso is shining a light on CLT,” McDougall says. “As the market becomes more educated about the benefits of this product, demand will only continue to increase.”
“I always like to see our glulam replaces steel, our CLT replaces concrete, and I think you’re seeing what we can do with all this technology coming together. I don’t think there’s a building we can’t make anymore.”
“There are so many benefits to using these materials for construction. It offers superior acoustic, fiber, seismic and thermal performance, not to mention a reduced carbon footprint.”
For more information about Virtuoso at UBC, visit adera.com. For information about CLT, visit structurlam.com
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