Getting some new imagery for our upcoming mass timber project called Return to Form.

It's sciency, but here is our Whole Building Life Cycle Analysis quantifying Return to Form's carbon emission impact, and a comparative cost analysis of our building as mass timber, concrete and steel. woodworks.org/resources/retu…

New mass timber roof over PDX airport is incredible. @timberlabinc @ZGFArchitects

Early in design we determined our mass timber building would be 12 stories. That would classify us as a Type IV-B. The first hurdle we encountered was timber exposure limits. In the 2021 IBC, Type IV-B construction is only allowed to expose 20% of the CLT in the building. That meant wrapping 80% of the beautiful wood with non-reusable, wasteful drywall. It defeated both purposes of aesthetics and carbon reduction, and the added costs would have made our project infeasible. Fortunately the group who wrote the 2021 IBC tall wood codes had created a proposal to amend the 2024 IBC called G147-21. This proposed 100% allowable exposure in Type IV-B based on new CLT fire testing that was performed. We joined them in Pittsburgh to testify before the International Code Council in support of this amendment. We had opposition from Ready-Mix Concrete and gypcrete lobbyists, who seem to be afraid of mass timber. Fortunately our data was solid and we won on the ICC floor, and later this amendment was approved by code officials around the country and officially codified into the 2024 IBC. So now (If your City has adopted this 2024 IBC provision) you can build 12 stories of mass timber and expose all of the wood! This was a huge milestone for us as our project would likely have died without it.

Thanks for featuring our project, Return to Form!

Thrilled to see our project, Return to Form, featured in @ArchDaily - it's one of my favorite design publications!

lighter than concrete, more fire-resistant than steel, strong enough to support an eighteen-story skyscraper: mass timber is the most solarpunk shit imaginable-- it's also an interesting study in what green industry actually means. a thread.

Last week Denver voted to approve our proposal to adopt the below Mass Timber code change immediately (rather than wait till ‘24). This will encourage Mass Timber construction in buildings 85-180 ft tall. Glad to work/live in a progressive City - big win for sustainability!🌿

This development cycle in Denver is producing some really incredible projects! Loving this level of architecture and urban planning In order: One River North (by @madarchitects_), Flora (@s_completiva), T3 RiNo (@DLRGroup @PickardChilton), Steelhouse (by @MorrisAdjmi)

Ppl ask me all the time about modular, 3D printed bldgs and other trendy things. ***THIS*** (extra emphasis), my friends, is the future. 👏🏻👏🏻 @katzdevelops This type of change takes **years**

In September we testified before the ICC proposing changes to the International Bldg Codes that would loosen unnecessary restrictions on Mass Timber construction. Today I learned our proposals passed and will be adopted into the 2024 IBC! Huge win for Sustainable Development!

there is no place I would rather go for spring break than Colorado