Tall Mass Timber Codes Pass First Hurdle

The highly-anticipated tall mass timber building code changes passed their first hurdle earlier Monday with approval by an International Code Council (ICC) Code Change Committee. The 2018 ICC Committee Action Hearings got underway in Columbus, OH on Sunday and will run for eight days. The Hearings bring together code and fire officials, engineers, architects, builders, and other construction professionals as part of the first public step in approving code change proposals for the 2021 set of codes. Key to industry interests are 14 proposals from the ICC Ad Hoc Committee on Tall Wood Buildings that, once officially approved by year-end, would allow mass timber buildings to be constructed up to 18 stories in height. AWC has significant staff in attendance at the Hearings who spoke, as appropriate, in support of the Ad hoc Committee proposals. More details will follow after the Hearings conclude.