Tall Wood Buildings Hoped to Boost Lumber Sector
Check out the Global Okanagan News footage of our associate Ilana Danzig discussing the future of Mass-Timber buildings in BC.
The story covered the The Wood Design Luncheon Conference in Kelowna. These annual conferences in two BC locations feature presentations on current topics in architecture, engineering, design and construction with wood by experts in wood design and building while suppliers are on hand with their exhibits to answer questions about wood products and systems. The same three presentations are given in each location. Learn more about the conference...
This year Ilana presented on:
Tall Wood Case Studies in Canada
Ilana Danzig | P.Eng., M.Eng., PE, SE | Associate – Aspect Engineering
Review and discussion of two tall mass timber buildings: A 12-storey building and a 30+ storey building. Discussions will included the structural system, fire requirements, lateral load considerations, opportunities for prefabrication, and the new 2020 NBCC Encapsulated Mass Timber construction type.
Go to the 12:45 mark of this video to see the Mass-Timber story:
The International Wood Construction Conference (IHF2019)
Join our principals Bernhard Gafner and Mehrdad Jahangiri at the 25th International Wood Construction Conference (IHF), December 4th–6th 2019 at Innsbruck, Congress Centrum
Practical experience – Practical application
The International Wood Construction Conference (IHF2019) provides architects, engineers and builders with an opportunity to report on experiences, processes and goals related to wood structures and construction. At the same time, the conference provides an opportunity for architects, building officials, builders, craftspeople, practitioners and educators to learn about the latest developments and to exchange experiences.
Bernhard Gafner a principal at ASPECT Structural Engineers will present on the friday morning:
Practical experiences with respect to bracing concepts for 12-storey wooden high-rise buildings under consideration of wind and earthquake loads.
Learn more about the conference...
New mass timber projects a glimmer of hope for B.C. forestry industry
Our Associate, Ilana Danzig was featured on CTV News to discuss the possible growth of the BC forestry industry because of changes to the building code:
Starting in 2020, the national building code of Canada will allow for mass timber buildings to be constructed across the country. Currently, buildings made of wood are only allowed to stand six storeys high. After the mass timber policy change next year, buildings will be permitted to stand up to 12 storeys tall.
The increase in size and scale of wooden buildings could help revitalize the forestry industry, according to professionals in the field.
Ilana discussed one of our current projects, Terminus and Tallwood in Langford, BC:
"There's an explosion in mass timber projects right now that we're seeing in B.C. and all through Canada and all throughout the U.S.," said Ilana Danzig, a structural engineer for Langford's upcoming Tallwood 1 building.
"Mass timber is a very hot item. There's going to be very high demand both on the design side and the supply side," said Danzig.
Read the full article by Adam Chan...
Oakville Firestation No.8 CLT Install
Oakville Firestation No.8 CLT install in progress. ASPECT is the specialty mass timber engineer working under Element5 Co. who is responsible for the supply of the mass timber package. MCH Design & Build is providing the install.
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Cardinal House: A Healthy, Resilient, Mass-Timber Home For First Nations Communities
https://youtu.be/27z6t3eKK7A
ASPECT is proud to be part of the team that developed the Cardinal House. A new home designed to meet the specific needs of First Nations peoples and constructed to withstand the harsh climates where their communities are situated.
The issue of insufficient and sometimes unsuitable housing is one that has plagued Canada’s First Nations for decades. It is a complex problem beset by environmental, logistical, infrastructure and governance challenges. It’s clear that innovative ideas and new ways of thinking must prevail.
ASPECT is the engineer of record for this project and is also responsible for all the mass timber engineering:
The benefits of mass timber construction go far beyond their aesthetic and environmental attributes. Mass timber offers a versatile, high-performance building solution that can meet even the most demanding requirements. The innovative, affordable, energy-efficient home is built out of cross-laminated timber, with high-performance cross-laminated insulated panels (CLIPs) for the building envelope. Prefabricated in a controlled factory setting off-site and shipped on a single truck, the structural panels and roof for the prototype Cardinal House were assembled in a fraction of the time of traditionally built, light frame homes.
Visit Element5's website to learn more about this project.
Meet the Associates – Ilana Danzig
We are proud to announce that Ilana Danzig (P.Eng., M.Eng., PE, SE) has joined the ASPECT team as an associate in our Vancouver office. Ilana graduated from the University of Alberta in 2008 with a Bachelor's of Science in Civil Engineering, and began her career in Vancouver, BC working mainly on institutional projects, recreation facilities, and seismic retrofits. In 2012, Ilana attended the University of British Columbia for a Master's in Structural Engineering studying dynamics, seismic design, and mass timber structures. Her research focused on mass timber engineering in high-seismic zones, particularly connections for CLT diaphragms and shearwalls.
With over a decade of structural engineering experience, Ilana has worked on a wide range of projects in Canada and the US including the UBC Aquatic Centre, the Audain Art Museum, and the Oregon State University College of Forestry.
Experienced in all materials, she is passionate in structural mass timber design and seismic engineering. In her role as Associate at ASPECT, Ilana contributes to the continual improvement of the firm's technical and quality standards, and enthusiastically provides mentorship to our up-and-coming engineers.
SELECTED PROJECTS
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*Work performed prior to joining Aspect
PUBLICATIONS / PRESENTATIONS
Ilana not only has engineered many state of the art building she also gives back to the engineering community through her publications and talks such as:
| Tallwood Cost Comparison Study | Canadian Wood Council | Not Yet Published |
| Technical Guide for the Design and Construction of Tall Wood Buildings in Canada. Contributor and Peer Reviewer | Published by FPInnovations | 2013 and second edition in 2022 |
| Terminus, Vancouver Island: Solving a Mass Timber Challenge in a Seismic Region | The Structural Engineer (IStructE publication) | April 2022 |
| Terminus: Innovative Seismic Design For Mass Timber | Published in New Zealand Timber Design Journal, Volume 29, Issue 4 | November 2021 |
| Speaker | Future of Prefabrication Symposium, UBC | March 2022 |
| Mass Timber in High Seismic | Structural Engineering Podcast, Episode 59 | May 2021 |
| Terminus: Innovative Seismic Design | Published in Construction Business | April/May 2021 |
| Speaker | Future of Prefabrication Symposium, UBC | March 2021 |
| Demystifying Tall Wood Buildings | Published in Construction Business | September/October 2020 |
| Tall Wood Buildings | Conferences in Victoria, Vancouver, Kelowna, and Edmonton with WoodWORKS! BC | 2019 |
| Mass Timber + Prefab Housing | Mass Timber Meetup | September 2021 |
ASPECT couldn't be happier to have Ilana as a key member of our team. Our Associates are some of the best in the structural engineering business, learn more about our Associates.
Meet the Associates – Andrew Seeton
We are pleased to announce that Andrew Seeton (P.Eng., M.A.Sc.) has joined the ASPECT team as an associate in our Vancouver office.
Andrew joins ASPECT Structural Engineers with 14 years of structural design experience. In addition to residential and commercial projects, he has extensive experience in the design of institutional facilities including schools, hospitals, community centres, and airports.
Andrew brings a high standard of care to his projects and is motivated to build solutions through teamwork. He has a passion for seismic design that was established during his graduate studies at the University of British Columbia. He has been trained in the Ministry of Education SRG (Seismic Retrofit Guidelines). Andrew is also an active member of the structural engineering community and serves on the Board of Directors for the Structural Engineers Association of BC.
SELECTED PROJECTS
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*Work performed prior to joining ASPECT
ASPECT is thrilled to have Andrew as a key member of our team. Our Associates are some of the best in the structural engineering business, learn more about our Associates.
Affordable Passive House Apartments Planned for East Van
We are happy to announce a new affordable passive house apartment building planned for East Vancouver. We are proud to be working with the Vancouver Affordable Housing Agency (VAHA), Community Land Trust and New Commons Development on this project, Architecture is by ZGF.
The project was featured in Urban YVR:
Kingsway and Windsor in East Vancouver will soon see the addition of a 12-storey apartment building with 88 social housing units.
All the homes are rental and will be offered at below market rental rates.
The new building at 1001 Kingsway will be built to Passive House standards and consists of a six-storey podium mass and a six-storey tower, made up of panelized and mass timber construction.
Mid-Atlantic Wood Design Symposium
Join Duncan Bourke of ASPECT for a full day of seminars and an industry showcase, at the Mid-Atlantic Wood Design Symposium. It promises to pack an informational punch for architects, engineers, contractors, developers, code officials and anyone interested in wood’s exciting design possibilities. This event is organized by WoodWorks at Pennsylvania Convention Center (September 19, 2019).
Duncan will present Mass Timber Connections: Building Structural Design Skills:
For engineers new to mass timber design, connections can pose a particular challenge. This session focuses on connection design principles and analysis techniques unique to mass timber products such as cross-laminated timber, glued-laminated timber and nail-laminated timber. The session will focus on connection design options ranging from commodity fasteners and pre-engineered wood products to custom-designed solutions. Discussion will also include a review of timber mechanics and load transfer, as well as considerations such as tolerances, fabrication, durability, fire, and shrinkage that are relevant to structural design.
Learn More about this course and register here.
Mass Timber Connections: Building Structural Design Skills
Join Bernhard Gafner and Adam Gerber of ASPECT for this free webinar on Mass Timber Connections: Building Structural Design Skills with WoodWorks (August 14, 2019):
For engineers new to mass timber design, connections can pose a particular challenge. This webinar focuses on connection design principles and analysis techniques unique to mass timber products such as cross-laminated timber, glued-laminated timber and nail-laminated timber. The session will focus on connection design options ranging from commodity fasteners and pre-engineered wood products to custom-designed solutions. Discussion will also include a review of timber mechanics and load transfer, as well as considerations such as tolerances, fabrication, durability, fire, and shrinkage that are relevant to structural design.
Learn More about this course and register here.