Performance-based design for mid-rise wood constructions in Canada

With today’s environmental consciousness, designers are increasingly turning to green bu ilding techniques, energy-saving technologies, and renewable materials. Wood, then, becomes a viable choice, wh en co mpared to other building materials, b ecause it o ffers a small er env ironmental footprint wit h respect to energy and r esource use, as well as air and wate r pollution (C WC 1996). Moreover, when compared to other building materials, the use of wood in construction is even more recognized as an efficient method to tackle climate change by the carbon sequestration within the trees and by having a lower environmental footprint during the manufacturing of wood products (Metz et al. 2007, Reid et al. 2004).