Wood Buildings On The Rise In Ontario

The province of Ontario is set to see an increase in the number of wood-framed buildings being constructed in its precincts. In 2015, the Ontario Building Code allowed the construction of wood-frame structures to rise up to six storeys high which has already paved the way for the construction of two such buildings in the city of Toronto.

The first of these buildings will be Heartwood The Beach at 1884 Queen St. East at Woodbine Avenue. The second is an impressive wood-framed structure called The Cabin and will be located at 455 Dovercourt. The Cabin is set to contain 25 separate units inside it with two floors in each unit.

Wood is fast becoming a natural replacement for steel and concrete-framed buildings as it is not only termed as environmentally-friendly, but a great way to cut construction costs as well. Furthermore, the construction of wood-framed buildings has made it way to other parts of the province as well.

Located West of Toronto, Liberty Village is set to experience a new addition of wood-framed buildings of its own. Plans are being made by Hullmark Development Ltd to erect a new office building at 80 Atlantic Avenue. The building will be made up of cross-laminated wood but will not be as high as the other two buildings mentioned earlier. It is set to be only five-storeys high, one less than Heartwood the Beach and The Cabin.

One can only imagine the beauty such buildings will emanate once completed and will no doubt add to the scenery of its surroundings. However, the first issue attached with the construction of wood buildings is how to deal with the risk of fires. This issue has not been overlooked by the Ontario Building Code as it also entails a list of safety measures intended to reduce all possible risks of a fire hazard. Such measures include but are not limited to mandatory sprinklers placed inside and outside of buildings, elevator shafts and stairways made of inflammable material as well as sealing of all mechanical conduits and chaseways.