The American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) has released the first-ever set of U.S. recommendations for hybrid steel frames with mass timber floors, according to a news release.
Design Guide 37: Hybrid Steel Frames with Wood Floors, written by Arup, encourages the use of mass timber floor systems in construction, “an underused yet important material to reduce the amount of carbon-intensive concrete in a structure,” the release says. The guide provides a comprehensive context for this new building typology, detailing strategies from the perspective of multiple disciplines.
By facilitating this new generation of sustainable buildings, the guide will help accelerate the use of hybrid timber and steel in multistory residential and commercial construction. Mass timber is lightweight, and steel provides strength to structures and may better meet buildings’ vibration and span requirements.
Hybrid steel-frame buildings with mass timber floor panels allow for longer beam spans and reduced column size than comparable mass-timber post and beam construction, making it an attractive option for market-driven spaces such as office buildings. Cross-laminated timber (CLT) flooring can take the place of carbon-intensive concrete slabs and may be left exposed in places, such as at soffits, eliminating the need for additional architectural finishes and allowing for the showcasing of the structural aesthetics of both steel and mass timber.
“Mass timber and steel hybrid systems have tremendous potential to advance the building industry’s sustainability goals and reduce global emissions,” said Michelle Roelofs, associate principal at Arup. “Illuminating pathways for this hybrid topology will help accelerate the use of timber in place of more carbon-intensive materials.”
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | Jan 27, 2021
AECOM sues insurance carrier for payment of COVID-19 property damage claims
Claims ‘all-risk policies’ should have included millions of dollars of losses due to virus.
Codes and Standards | Jan 26, 2021
Updated guide to repair and rehabilitate existing concrete structures published
Document assesses how to adhere to code requirements.
Codes and Standards | Jan 25, 2021
New guide for skylight selection, daylighting design released
Free Fenestration and Glazing Industry Alliance document now available.
Codes and Standards | Jan 21, 2021
California considers statewide ban on natural gas heat, hot water in new homes
Code update would take effect in 2023.
Codes and Standards | Jan 20, 2021
Steel industry, labor urge Biden to retain steel tariffs
‘Essential to ensuring the viability of the domestic steel industry.’
Codes and Standards | Jan 19, 2021
2021 Solar Investment Tax Credit will remain at 26%
Incentive was scheduled to be reduced to 22%.
Codes and Standards | Jan 19, 2021
Thomas Jefferson University launches the Institute for Smart and Healthy Cities
Will address climate change, social equity, rapid urbanization, and health.
Codes and Standards | Jan 14, 2021
Petition urges FEMA to update flood maps, set tougher standards for floodplain construction
Environmental and planning groups note soaring claims, flood insurance debt.
Codes and Standards | Jan 13, 2021
Proposed change to IECC process irks efficiency advocates
New procedure would diminish influence of local code officials.
Codes and Standards | Jan 12, 2021
Two net-zero hotel projects could portend a new hospitality trend
Energy-intensive sector comprises 10% of all commercial real estate.
