Six Stories, Commercial Office Space, Built with Wood

Could Commercial Construction Be a Source of Increasing Demand for Lumber and Other Building Products?

When Atlantic Station, a mixed-use development in Atlanta, Ga., opened in October 2005 on the site of the old Atlantic Steel mill, it contained over two million square feet of wood frame structures, including offices, retail stores, condominiums, apartments and lofts. To pull this off, architects, engineers and builders planned for and used a wide range of wood products — plywood and OSB floor and roof sheathing, glulam and laminated veneer lumber beams and others. The result has become a thriving community, one that continues to grow.

Not long ago this type of project might have seemed impossible. Many architects and engineers graduated from college with only minimal instruction in wood construction techniques. When they went to work, they automatically gravitated toward building materials they studied — concrete or steel instead of wood. With modern building codes, advances in the scientific study of construction and environmental factors and a growing interest in green design, what once seemed impossible may soon become commonplace. Think of a five-story office building erected with treated wood interiors or with heavy timber exteriors and interiors. Add sprinklers and this mid-rise building climbs to six stories.

As these examples show, the range of non-residential project that can be constructed using wood is broader today than it used to be. The International Building Code (IBC), last revised in 2006, is "very favorable for wood," says Pat Schleisman, regional director of WoodWorks Southeast. The IBC sets the requirements for the materials and engineering processes for buildings based on how they will be used. Schools have different requirements than restaurants, for instance, and offices have different requirements than single-unit housing. (To see a high-level summary table of what is allowable under the IBC and what is not, click here.) All 50 states have adopted IBC standards, though some state and local governments have made modifications. Learning the nuances can be a challenge for those unaccustomed to designing or building with wood.

That's where WoodWorks can help. An initiative started by the Wood Products Council in 2008, WoodWorks helps architects, engineers and contractors (AEC) design and build non-residential structures out of wood. Part of the mission is to close the information gap. Since many commercial AECs were not trained in using wood, WoodWorks' goal is to expose them to the possibilities of wood for commercial or institutional design. To that end, the organization employs technical advisors who are available to help with architectural, engineering and code support, either one-on-one or through in-house presentations to an entire firm or design team. Currently, this help is available in three regions in the United States: the Southeast (N.C., S.C., and Ga.), the North Central (Ill., Wisc., and Minn.) and California.

Just how big could the commercial and institutional market become? According to Schleisman, buildings two stories tall or less make up approximately 91 percent of all non-residential buildings. According to the IBC, wood can be used in these structures for both interior and exterior applications, which means they can be wood framed. The potential increase in demand for lumber and other building products will be bolstered as this demand grows.

The perception, then, that wood is for residential purposes only is quickly losing credibility. With growing interest in sustainable building practices, renewable resources, and restoring local communities that rely on mills for their survival, this is one segment of the building industry that shows promise.

Next month, we'll take a look at how wood measures up to other building materials in non-residential applications. (Click here to read The Benefits of Wood: Using Wood in Commerical Construction).