Wood you like some wood?

[Just Jeepin']

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/stronger-than-steel-able-to-stop-a-speeding-bullet-mdash-it-rsquo-s-super-wood/

Looking forward to true woody wagons. Maybe even wooden windshields?!

[Peter_Black]

doubt

[facw]

@just-jeepin There was a bunch of news this spring about a cross laminated timber building going up here in Boston: https://news.mit.edu/2020/mass-timber-sustainable-building-boston-0305

Of course, it's only a 5-story building which is within the limits of normal wood construction, so I'm not sure how special it is. And having lived in both wood and concrete buildings, my sense is that the concrete is preferable (though perhaps better noise insulation would help).

[ClassicDatsunDebate]

@just-jeepin
This gives me the heebiejeebies. Would not live.

https://www.reminetwork.com/articles/construction-milestone-for-ubc-brock-commons/

Obligatory:

[ranwhenparked]

@facw Yeah, I'm not sure how I feel about multifamily wood construction like that. I know its probably fine, but, it seems like a bit of backsliding when it comes to building in dense urban areas.

William Penn instituted strict building codes in Philadelphia in the 17th century, because he witnessed the burning of the largely wood framed London as a young man and didn't want that repeated in his capital, and Philly remains an almost entirely brick and stone city to this day. And, of course, Chicago went from dense wood buildings to stone and brick in the 1870s after their incident. Obviously, modern fire retardant technologies are much better, and we don't have a lot of open flames all over the place for light, heat, and cooking, but, still.

[facw]

@classicdatsundebate If the engineers say it's strong enough, and fire resistant enough, then I'm ok with it. Though of course the fact the fire escapes are still concrete makes me not trust the wood that much (possibly that building still has concrete floors, which would seem to keep it on par with a concrete structure, at least until the wood burned enough for the concrete floors to collapse, though it still seems like you'd have a lot more fuel around regardless).

[ClassicDatsunDebate]

@facw The push for changing the building code to allow wood structures above 5 stories comes from the Wood Manufaturing association so, although I’m sure the engineering is considered sound, there are many downsides I could see; noise, fire, rot, maintenance....all the typical things a wood frame homeowner needs to consider.
Maybe I’m too risk averse, or maybe my experience with the business of engineering colours my view...but I would probably not purchase in a wood frame high rise. But that’s just me.

[ClassicDatsunDebate]

@ranwhenparked there has been a lot of advances in materials but yeah, i can’t wrap my head around the logic to use wood for high rises.

[kiltedpadre]

They call it Super Wood? I may need to contact my lawyers for them stealing my porn name.
If I can’t use that name it’ll just seem silly that I tie a cape down there before scenes.

[LooseonExit]

It’s certainly different to make large wood structures but I would trust the engineering. But perhaps it comes down to safety and maintenance more than anything. I think it’s an interesting way going forward.

@facw Norway has an 18 story tall one - Mjosa Tower. I believe it’s still the tallest wooden structure.

[Shop-Teacher]

@just-jeepin That's pretty neat.

[sn4cktimes]

I figure when they’re done with the building they can just chip it and then turn it into paper.... which we don’t use as much as so we could burn it.... but it’s full of glue and CO2.... so I have no idea what to do with it at the end of its lifespan.

[DipodomysDeserti]

@just-jeepin I’d be interesting to see how much wood it takes to make different products using this method. We need more trees, not less.

[krustywantout]

@just-jeepin I remember reading this. I don't remember seeing an energy analysis to determine the difference in carbon emissions between this construction compared to conventional concrete/ steel buildings. I would also be concerned with warping in humid environments and in climates with extreme temperature changes.

[MasterMario]

@facw there's a 25 story wood building going up in Milwaukee. https://www.wuwm.com/post/worlds-tallest-timber-tower-rising-milwaukee#stream/0

[MasterMario]

@looseonexit that one is going to lose it's record soon. There's a 25 story building going up in Milwaukee. https://www.wuwm.com/post/worlds-tallest-timber-tower-rising-milwaukee#stream/0

[MasterMario]

@dipodomysdeserti yes, but in a round about way building with wood does lead to more trees. To keep supply constant, new trees need to keep being grown. Plus all that carbon is now captured within the building.

[SilentbutnotreallyDeadly]

@classicdatsundebate said in Wood you like some wood?:

@ranwhenparked there has been a lot of advances in materials but yeah, i can’t wrap my head around the logic to use wood for high rises.

The logic is marketability (to those interested in sustainability and are prepared to pay for it), speed of construction (which is fast, therefore much less labor and much much less equipment hire hours) and reduces construction waste (given the basic structure is preformed off site to exact specifications). There's a bunch of good reasons to consider a timber framed high rise structure as an alternative to the steel and concrete conventional build

[DipodomysDeserti]

@mastermario I should rephrase that to, we need more forests, not less. Cutting down forests and replacing them with tree plantations is not environmentally sustainable, even if you have more trees. Atmospheric carbon sequestration is just one piece of the puzzle.

[ClassicDatsunDebate]

@silentbutnotreallydeadly yeah, marketability is the right term. I’m not on team wood or team concrete, but wood is getting a ton of of advocacy from special interest groups lately, marketing it as a greener alternative for construction. Most things I’ve read regarding wood construction (for 6+ stories) tend to cite Wood industry publications. Concrete advocates say that 3/4 of woods carbon impact isn’t being taken into consideration to trump up it’s green benefits by the people who would benefit from selling more wood.
Who knows. I love wood and have nothing against wood construction.

[SilentbutnotreallyDeadly]

@classicdatsundebate concrete has its place, steel has its place and timber has its place...and they are often all the same place. The issue potentially with timber is that some of the best timbers for construction (especially engineered timber) displace native forests and deplete soils...well they do in Oz. But nothing grows as straight and consistently and as quickly as conifers....like Pinus radiata

[awesomeaustinv]

Perhaps this fancy new engineered wood technology could be used in applications where you would have previously needed a rarer type of wood found in forests? If it can be made from more common trees, it could help prevent deforestation. Also... I'm having trouble wrapping my head around the idea of wooden windows. I sell wooden things at the Farmer's market, and I'm trying to imagine how I would market transparent wood products... or if people would even believe that it actually is wood. That sounds too good to be true. But there are so many potential applications for this, if it works, then I'm all for more wooden stuff. Car companies like Morgan could probably put it to good use.

[MasterMario]

@dipodomysdeserti completely agree