Building codes and standards play a critical role in enabling the safe adoption of new materials, systems and construction approaches. Through targeted investments in technical research projects, GCWood supports the broader use of wood in construction by addressing key technical and regulatory barriers and informing the ongoing development and modernization of Canada's building codes, standards and technical guidance. These research projects generate the evidence needed to advance national model codes, standards and technical guidance, which provinces and territories may adopt and enforce within their respective jurisdictions.
To support this work, GCWood partners with the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) to undertake targeted research projects that address priority code and standards issues affecting the use of wood-based products and assemblies. Through GCWood funding and NRC's technical expertise, these projects generate the performance data and evidence required to evaluate innovative wood-based construction systems within Canada's code and standards development processes.
The projects highlighted below were co-funded by GCWood and carried out in close collaboration with NRC to address specific technical and regulatory challenges. Together, they strengthen the evidence base that informs future codes, standards and technical guidance, helping enable the safe, effective and broader use of wood and mass timber systems in buildings across Canada.
Research areas
Performance-based building codes
Research in this area supports the ongoing evolution of Canada's building codes by examining performance-based approaches and identifying opportunities to improve code requirements and guidance.
Projects:
- Analysis of fire and life safety provisions and international experience with performance-based codes
- Stakeholder consultation on performance-based building codes
- Identifying research priorities to support compliance with National Building Code (NBC) fire safety provisions (ongoing)
Fire performance of mass timber
Research in this area examines how mass timber systems—buildings constructed with large panels and beams of engineered wood (e.g., glue-laminated timber, cross-laminated timber [CLT], nail-laminated timber [NLT])—perform during fire events. The research provides evidence to support their safe use in buildings under current and future code requirements.
Projects:
- Fire testing to support tall wood buildings and code development
- NLT compartment fire tests
- Large-scale fire tests of a mass timber building structure
Seismic performance of mass timber assemblies
Research in this area evaluates the seismic behaviour of mass timber systems and supports the development of design and assessment methods for use in Canada's building codes.
Projects:
- Evaluation of seismic force resisting systems for use in the NBC of Canada
- Seismic testing of balloon-type CLT shear wall systems and connections (ongoing)
Water mist systems
Research in this area evaluates water mist fire suppression technologies and their application in mass timber buildings to support fire safety objectives and code compliance.
Projects:
- Residential fire suppression testing of water mist systems for mass timber buildings
- Best practices for water mist systems in mass timber residential buildings
Embodied carbon and life-cycle assessment
Research in this area improves understanding of the environmental impacts of wood products and mass timber buildings through embodied carbon analysis and life-cycle assessment.
Projects:
- Developing life cycle inventory datasets for Canada's wood value chain
- Whole-building life cycle assessment of mass timber buildings
Occupant health and well-being
Research in this area explores how wood products and natural materials can contribute to occupant comfort, health and well-being in indoor environments.
Projects:
- Testing the benefits of natural products indoors: well-being and thermal comfort (ongoing)
Contact us
Email gcwood-cvbois@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca for more information or to join our mailing list to receive program updates, webinar dates, and registration details.
For more information on other measures available to support the forest sector and its workers or for guidance in navigating the multiple funding opportunities, please visit Support for forest sector employers and workers.
Related links
- Green Construction Through Wood (GCWood) Program
- Back to basics – building with wood (podcast; 14:47 minutes)
- Engineered wood products - YouTube (2:02 minutes)
- Greening our built environments with wood
- Mass timber construction in Canada
- The benefits of wood in building construction - YouTube (2:07 minutes)
- Wood products - YouTube (1:34 minutes)