Countries across the globe are becoming increasingly environmentally conscious and are looking for sustainable building materials for construction. Climate change is the defining issue of our generation and the building industry will play a pivotal role in leading the collective global community towards carbon emissions reduction. Carbon reduction is no longer a choice, it is a necessity. In regard to this, Canada is advancing toward net-zero through innovations in forestry and construction. The country is investing in hybrid timber floor systems, a combination of cross-laminated timber (CLT) and post-tensioned concrete.
Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources, has announced a combined Government of Canada contribution of over $550,000 to the Hybrid Timber Floor System Project led by EllisDon and DIALOG. The project is funded through the Green Construction through Wood (GCWood) Program. The project is aimed for creating awareness of and capacity for innovative building materials.
Hybrid Timber Floor System
Hybrid Timber Floor System is a mixture of different materials such as concrete and steel combined with timber. It combines cross-laminated timber panels with steel, and concrete to build high-rise buildings.
Its features;
- Post-tensioned with steel cables and embedded into cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels
- Allow for a 40-foot (or 12-metre) column-free span
- Long-span exposed ceilings
Hybrid Timber Floor System can be used in the commercial and institutional sectors. The aim of the system is the use of local natural resources to reduce carbon reduction.
The EllisDon and DIALOG study is currently underway at EllisDon’s facility, located in Stoney Creek, Ontario. The project will be completed later this year, with ongoing full-scale and long-term testing planned post-study. The government of Canada is supporting the project and paving the way to move toward a net-zero future by implementing sustainable construction materials.