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Six-storey wood-frame construction: new code

Started by Rob Randall , Nov 21 2008 08:16 AM

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55 replies to this topic

#1 Rob Randall

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Posted 21 November 2008 - 08:16 AM

This new rule will have a profound impact on local mid-rise construction practice. In a nutshell, next year the Province will allow the construction of wood-frame buildings up to six storeys, instead of the four storeys traditionally allowed.

This fills a huge affordability gap between wood projects that aren't viable at four storeys and concrete projects that aren't viable below eight or so.

There are several stalled projects around Downtown that may take advantage of these new rules:

Buckerfield's lot, Chinatown
Sawyer's Sewing, 840 Fort St.
Bossi House addition, 1007 Johnson

This is crucial for affordability because four storey apartment construction like we saw in 1960-1980 isn't really being done on a significant scale. Existing four storey apartments--the foundation of our affordable housing stock--is aging and may only have a decade or two life left in them in some cases. In addition, increasingly tough carbon footprint and sustainability rules will put the focus on how energy-wasting these older buildings are and how difficult it will be to retrofit them economically.

Here is the government's website on the new code.

Here are some questions and answers.

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#2 Beacon Hill

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Posted 22 November 2008 - 11:24 AM

What are the life expectancy of these buildings?

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#3 Ms. B. Havin

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Posted 22 November 2008 - 04:15 PM

^ Not sure what the number of years expected are over here, but that Berlin 7-storey was built to last a long, long time. (I'm guessing well over 100 years.)

When you buy a game, you buy the rules. Play happens in the space between the rules.

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#4 sebberry

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Posted 24 November 2008 - 01:18 AM

What are the life expectancy of these buildings?

Not that long if someone on the first floor knocks a cancle over

My building seems to be holding up fine (built in '79) but I do need to look at why a section of my floor against a wall near my suite's main door sinks under the weight of my feet... :eek:

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#5 G-Man

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Posted 24 November 2008 - 07:16 AM

My place is almost a hundred and wood frame. With modern technology such a wood fibre beams wood may be more durable than concrete and steel too.

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#6 groundlevel

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Posted 24 November 2008 - 10:21 AM

My place built 1912 with 1st growth Douglas fir. It was a 'kit house' sold by (Sears-Roebuck?). The buyer picked out the design from a catalogue and had the materials (including stained glass windows) shipped.

Nearly 100 years later -- so far, so good.

Beautiful design, easy to modernize while keeping gorgeous wood floors and bevelled glass details.

Bought it cheap when young and broke; added addition w decks, then ensuite, when finances allowed.

When old and broke, can easily duplex and sell off. Then again, if old and not broke, enough room for live-in staff.

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#7 Beacon Hill

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Posted 24 November 2008 - 12:07 PM

But what can we expect with new six-storey construction built to the minimum building code standards?

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#8 G-Man

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Posted 24 November 2008 - 12:21 PM

A good building that will last 60 years or more.

The building code minimum is still vastly above any basic structure that will not fall down.

I would suggest that a 6 storey building will be as good or better then any of the current 4 storey wood buildings that make up about 80% of our rental stock.

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#9 Rob Randall

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Posted 13 January 2009 - 09:34 PM

January 21, 2009 UDI Victoria Luncheon

The Story Behind the Six Storey Mid-rise Initiative

Our speakers: Trudy Rotgans, Manager, Building and Safety Policy Branch

Suk Johal, Wood Works (Research Consultant to Government)

You heard about it first back in September of 2008 when Housing and Social Development Minister, Rich Coleman, announced the province would increase the limit on wood-frame construction from four to six storeys by the beginning of this year. Since then, a detailed and intensive round of consultations and studies were undertaken looking at everything from seismic testing and wood shrinkage to fire fighting capacity. Also tied to this initiative is the government's focus on finding ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Minister Coleman asserts six storey wood-frame buildings allow us to reap "the environmental benefits of density while preserving the character of [our] communities."

Come find out where the conversation started, what questions and answers popped up along the way, and whether or not six-storey wood-frame has been both safe and successful in any area comparable to Victoria. Some of the background may surprise you.

Reserve your space now for this important presentation.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009 at Noon

Embassy Inn, 520 Menzies Street, Victoria

UDI Members $30.00/Non-Members $40.00 (cash or card at the door)

You can reserve by email udivictoria@shaw.ca
(Please note: All reservations are payable unless cancelled 48 hours in advance.)
Or fax the attached registration form to 250-656-0292

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#10 Rob Randall

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Posted 04 May 2011 - 07:33 PM

Massive fire engulfs construction site in Richmond

By Tracy Sherlock and Laura Kane, Vancouver Sun May 4, 2011

METRO VANCOUVER - Firefighters battled a massive blaze through Tuesday night and into Wednesday afternoon at a construction site for a six-storey building in Richmond that was to have been the first to take advantage of controversial B.C. building-code changes allowing higher wood construction.

Read more: http://www.vancouver...l#ixzzBbr1LN61t

http://cambieliving....emy/default.asp

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#11 sebberry

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Posted 04 May 2011 - 09:16 PM

Off to a good start I see.

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#12 Sparky

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Posted 04 May 2011 - 09:30 PM

That is just plain bad luck. Fire is not a risk to these buildings because of an additional two floors, especially while under construction.

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#13 sebberry

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Posted 04 May 2011 - 09:38 PM

I'm sure they're probably safe, especially with sprinklers and modern fire codes, but I just don't think I'd want to be on the 6th floor if the first floor is burning.

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#14 Sparky

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Posted 04 May 2011 - 09:39 PM

^ The 6th floor is the quietest Seb.

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#15 sebberry

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Posted 04 May 2011 - 09:50 PM

As long as it comes with an escape ladder

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#16 Sparky

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Posted 04 May 2011 - 10:03 PM

This shot is from the skyscraper page. Thanks Mike and Dylan.

Concrete buildings can burn too.

The ladder you need Seb is in the bottom right hand corner.

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#17 Koru

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Posted 05 May 2011 - 09:48 AM

It was quite the spectacular Fire, I was on scene for several hours watching er' burn down. - a smaller scale, but almost as spectacular as the Aquattro Fire in Surrey a couple years ago now.

These buildings are completely safe, especially with the modern sprinkler systems. At my old condo in downtown Vancouver, we had a bit of a drug dealer that was being evicted, he started a fire in one of our storage rooms with a plastic c/c in a heater. The system detected it within about 5 minutes of him jamming it in, more than enough time to resolve the growing fire and get back intot he building. If it can be detected that quickly its very hard to see the potential for deaths in an average fire in a new construction building, wood or otherwise.

and Concrete...doesn't burn, its all the other combustible materials involved in the construction that'll burn up. you'd have to get a damn hot fire for the concrete to lose its structural integrity enough to collapse a building.

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#18 sebberry

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Posted 05 May 2011 - 10:26 AM

The building in Sparky's post is still standing and in use. You're right, it was all the wood walls, combustible window drapes and furniture that burned.

That fire was started by an air conditioner, makes me rethink using mine this summer

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#19 Baro

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Posted 05 May 2011 - 01:38 PM

I work in fire safety and I can say that the codes have never been stricter. There's absolutely no comparison between our classic 4 story wood apartments and anything built within the last 10 years. Not only is the construction its self much more fire safe, but everything has to be sprinklered now. The alarm systems also give the FD a much better idea of exactly where the fire is (specially if my company is involved ha!). Many other seemingly minor things have all combined to make wood buildings super safe. And even if everything does go wrong and the place burns to the ground, everyone will have gotten out safely by then as everyone will have at least 2 fire-rated exit routes.

Really the most dangerous time for a building is during construction, but this is improving now as well. Construction sites need fire safety plans and the various authorities have been much stricter in regard to this. Doing some welding or torching on a roof? Gotta fill out a hot-works form and set up a fire-watch and have people sign off on it, then continue the fire watch for X hours after the task to make sure nothing was left smoldering. Not following these safety procedures can cost a construction company big time if they are caught. Those couple high-profile construction fires a few years ago really got the authorities moving.

"beats greezy have baked donut-dough"

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#20 renthefinn

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Posted 05 May 2011 - 08:52 PM

It was quite the spectacular Fire, I was on scene for several hours watching er' burn down. - a smaller scale, but almost as spectacular as the Aquattro Fire in Surrey a couple years ago now.

These buildings are completely safe, especially with the modern sprinkler systems. At my old condo in downtown Vancouver, we had a bit of a drug dealer that was being evicted, he started a fire in one of our storage rooms with a plastic c/c in a heater. The system detected it within about 5 minutes of him jamming it in, more than enough time to resolve the growing fire and get back intot he building. If it can be detected that quickly its very hard to see the potential for deaths in an average fire in a new construction building, wood or otherwise.

and Concrete...doesn't burn, its all the other combustible materials involved in the construction that'll burn up. you'd have to get a damn hot fire for the concrete to lose its structural integrity enough to collapse a building.

Actually if you had a wood member as thick as a concrete one, the wood one in tension would perform much better than the concrete one during, a fire and probably the compression ones as well. Unfortunately the smaller the wood member the worse it performs in fire situations. Charred members tend to strengthen versus most other materials though...