Hybrid Timber

This case study provides an overview of building hybrid curtain wall system and future opportunities for the use of timber. It will also review the benefits and hurdles inherent in conceiving and constructing a fully timber curtain wall in an industry where the standard practice is organized around the use of glass, aluminum and steel.

Pairing the use of timber with curtain wall construction provides many benefits and several challenges relative to navigating a silo-ed construction industry. Wood is higher performing compared to the thermal characteristics of aluminum and steel, and it provides significant environmental benefits. While interior product transparency declaration is becoming mainstream, the building envelope industry has done little to advance chemical transparency or reduce the use of toxic products and chemicals. These include poly vinyl chloride (PVC), used for thermal breaks and the use of heavy metals in products such as Low E coatings on glass, both known to be harmful to human health and the environment. In addition, aluminum processing carries a high embodied energy and chemical paint coating process, despite its end of life recycled potential.

In contrast, technological advancement and digital fabrication drive an impassioned and motivated timber industry towards the use of sustainable wood products within the marketplace, notably building with mass timber. The benefits of sustainable forestry are numerous, including carbon offsets and capture, reduction in waste, low-embodied energy, water based coatings, biophilic outcomes, and sustained strength and re-use.

This case study will stitch together an opportunity for cross-industry advancement and expertise to drive innovation towards higher performance, reductions in our carbon footprint, less harmful chemical dependency and beautiful biophilic outcomes.