Preliminary voting from the International Code Council (ICC) has approved 14 tall mass timber code change proposals, according to a news release. The approvals pave the way for the mass timber code change proposals to be included in the 2021 International Building Code (IBC).
The code change proposals create three new types of U.S. construction, wood buildings up to 9, 12, and 18 stories tall. The code proposals also set fire safety requirements for the new construction types. As it is defined, mass timber includes cross laminated timber, structural composite lumber, glued laminated lumber, and large-section sawn lumber.
The National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association (NLBMDA) and the American Wood Council (AWC) previously expressed support of the code change proposals after they were introduced in October at the ICC public comment hearing in Richmond, Va.
The ICC established an ad hoc committee on Tall Wood Buildings in 2015 to study the science of tall wood buildings and take action to develop and submit code change proposals. The 14 proposals came after the committee studied the issue for two years and conducted fire prevention tests at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Fire Research Laboratory.
The method of construction gained traction in the U.S. prior to the approval of the new code changes. Earlier this year, Oregon became the first state to adopt language allowing for construction of tall wood buildings between eight and 18 stories. Additionally, the Washington State Building Code Council approved code changes that allowed for the structural use of mass timber buildings as tall as 18 stories earlier this month.
The Softwood Lumber Board (SLB), which was responsible for much of the funding that generated new data on the performance of tall mass timber structures, said the code change “could represent an additional 1.5 billion board feet of new market opportunity every year,” for the softwood lumber industry. The SLB also said the code changes will result in “the increased use of every product” the softwood lumber industry sells.
Official results of the vote are expected to be certified in late January. The ICC’s code development cycle will continue throughout 2019 and additional structural requirements for tall mass timber buildings are expected to be considered.
