The Georgia Legislature passed a bill this year to allow tall mass timber structures to be built in the state. The governor recently signed the bill.
The next step: The state’s Department of Community Affairs will review the 2021 edition of the International Building Code to consider amending the state minimum standard codes to allow tall mass timber construction types. The agency will begin its review this summer, and complete its work by July 1, 2021.
Mass timber is assembled panels of wood that are six feet or more in at least one dimension. Most mass timber products are laminated assemblies with glue, nails, or dowels used to hold together individual members to form large panels strong enough to serve as structural building material.
Mass timber advocates say the material is less carbon-intensive to make than concrete and steel building material alternatives, and also sequesters carbon. A related bill under consideration would expand the state’s existing carbon sequestration registry to include building products and materials that can demonstrate carbon sequestration. This provides an opportunity for businesses and landowners to begin amassing carbon credits that could eventually be traded in carbon markets.
Related Stories
| May 25, 2012
Study: Safety inspections don’t hurt the bottom line
A new study suggests that random safety inspections by regulators help reduce injury claims without hurting profits.
| May 24, 2012
2012 Reconstruction Awards Entry Form
Download a PDF of the Entry Form at the bottom of this page.
| May 17, 2012
New standard for Structural Insulated Panels under development
ASTM International and NTA, Inc. are developing a new standard for Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) that would create a path for U.S. manufacturers to meet the requirements of the Canadian building code.
| May 17, 2012
Webinar: ‘What Energy Codes and Standards Are Adopted Where and by Whom’
A June 12 webinar by the Construction Specifications Institute will outline what energy codes and standards have been adopted in each of the states for commercial buildings, and what is anticipated to be adopted in the future.
| May 17, 2012
California Governor orders new green standards on state buildings
California Gov. Jerry Brown issued an executive order recently that calls for all new or renovated state buildings of more than 10,000 sf to achieve LEED Silver or higher and incorporate clean, onsite power generation.
| May 17, 2012
New Zealand stadium roof collapse blamed on snow, construction defects
Heavy snowfall, construction defects, and design problems contributed to the collapse of the Stadium Southland roof in New Zealand in September 2010, a report has found.
| May 17, 2012
OSHA launches fall prevention campaign
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently launched an educational campaign to prevent deadly falls in the construction industry.
| May 15, 2012
Suffolk selected for Rosenwald Elementary modernization project
The 314-student station elementary school will undergo extensive modernization.
