Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/331457
lam won't use it, Downing states. "We e-rate every board to confirm strength, and re-plane the material on all four sides to ensure accuracy and structural predictability." Structurlam's CrossLam panels are manufactured to a product standard ( PRG-320) developed jointly in the U.S. and Canada, and certified by the APA- Engineered Wood Society. PRG-320 is an onerous standard, he continues, so any- one buying these panels can be confident of their quality. There are structural, environmental and esthetic benefits to using CrossLam panels, Downing adds, but the main benefit is speed of instal- lation, because the panels arrive on-site prefabricated and ready to install. "We have examples of four truck- loads of panels being installed in one day," Downing says. "This has a posi- tive impact on scheduling, and results in serious cost savings over other plate material." Looking Ahead The future is already here, as can be seen in B.C. with the new Wood Innova- tion and Design Centre in Prince George under construction, which will be the tallest contemporary wood structure in North America when completed this fall. T he bu i ld i ng i ncor por at e s a structural system that uses wood products manufactured and engineered in B.C. Except for the concrete foun- dation, the slab for the mechanical penthouse and the glazing, only wood materials are used. "We are seeing innovation beyond anything we could have imagined a decade ago with both structural and architectural uses of wood," explains Ly nn Embur y-Williams, Execut ive Director, Wood WORKS! BC. "With technological advances in wood prod- ucts and building systems, designers and builders are recognizing wood as a building material that offers them opportunities to create distinctive and expressive projects because of its remarkable versatility, flexibility and cost-effectiveness." ■ Engineered Wood Products Structurecraft Builders.indd 1 14-05-15 4:07 PM p.28-33Engineered.indd 33 14-06-03 9:44 AM