Wood First Policy Showing Results

Wednesday, September 22, 2010 01:05 PM

Prince George, B.C. –The province says the wood first policy is working.

The Ministry of Forests and Range says there are about 70 midrise wood-frame buildings either under construction or consideration across B.C. something that wouldn’t have happened had the building code not been ad the Provincial Government’s Wood first Act which requires that wood be considered as the primary building material in all provincially funded building projects not been introduced.

The Library Square development in Kamloops is an example of the wood first policy. Framing of the six-storey, commercial-use, wood-frame building was recently completed by Tri City Contracting (BC) Ltd. Originally the project included a steel frame but was redesigned to realize cost savings following changes to the BC Building Code in 2009 that allow for six- storey, wood-frame construction.

"We cannot emphasize enough the savings we achieved thanks to the Province's building code change. The code change was paramount in making this project viable and a reality," said Tom McNeil, project manager, Tri City Contracting (BC) Ltd. "Given the benefits, Tri City Contracting is currently in the design stage with several other six-storey, wood-framed buildings throughout B.C. and we look forward to continued success."

The Wood First Act became law in October 2009.

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Posted on Wednesday, September 22, 2010 01:05 PM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: Princeg55 on September 22 2010 6:20 PM

makes sense, we produce it so use it and maybe reduce the raw log exports at the same time

Posted by: gus on September 22 2010 8:46 PM

Six storey wood framed buildings.

Wonder what ever happened to wooden basements. Seem to have gone the way of the dodo bird.

I say give it 10 years and we will have another leaky condo situation, only this one will be called the cracking or settling condo, although there might also be leaks in the exterior walls as a result......

Switch from platform to balloon frame construction and some of the predicted problems might be reduced.

Posted by: dirtcheap on September 22 2010 11:13 PM

Always so quick to pat himself on the back,but in the meantime stabbing us in the back. Remember a few months back when this same clown told us that the taxpayers of B.C. would not be paying for keeping the pulp mill in Mackenzie warm in the winter, guess what $8,000,000 owed to the taxpayers of B.C. has been written off. This was stated in the Mackenzie Times newspaper. Recall the liar!