Officials in Portland, Ore., approved construction permits for the first all-wood high-rise building in the country last week. After months of research and testing of emerging technologies, local government approved the plan of a 12-story building called Framework, which will begin construction this fall in downtown Portland.
The emergence of cross-laminated timber (CLT) is a driving force behind this residential lumber renaissance, as its cross-hatched layers make it stronger and lighter than traditional wood. CLT also lowers construction costs and produces less waste, making it an ideal material for state officials hoping to revitalize the logging industry in Oregon.
Gov. Kate Brown said in a statement “Projects like the Framework building present a new opportunity for Oregon that we are perfectly suited to take on. Oregon’s forests are a tried and true resource that may again be the key to economic stability for rural Oregon.”
Others are not as confident as Gov. Brown however. Build With Strength, a coalition of the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association comprised of fire service professionals, engineers, architects and industry experts, lamented the decision by the Oregon government, saying in a press release “It’s a sad state of affairs when the economic arguments made by politicians, rather than the words of caution made by engineers and fire safety professionals, are being used to justify certain construction methods.” The organization claims CLT has undergone “minimal testing” and could be susceptible to fires.
