The Bi-national Softwood Lumber Council recently released the Nail-Laminated Timber (NLT) U.S. Design and Construction Guide.
The first-of-its-kind manual for the U.S. design and construction community was conceived and prepared by practitioners dedicated to advancing high-quality timber construction across industries, typologies, and geographies. Available for free download at reThinkWood.com, the guide provides direction to ensure safe, predictable, and economical use of NLT.
The document also offers practical strategies and guidance, including lessons learned from real-life projects. It is consistent with current codes and standards, including the 2015 International Building Code.
The guide focuses on design and construction considerations for horizontal NLT applications pertaining to U.S. construction practice and standards. Unlike other mass timber products, NLT does not require a unique manufacturing facility and can be fabricated with local dimension lumber for use in applications across sectors and building types. “Nail-laminated timber is a cost-effective solution for those looking to leverage the economic and environmental benefits of mass timber construction,” said Cees de Jager, General Manager of the Bi-national Softwood Lumber Council.
“While NLT has been incorporated into U.S. building codes for decades, available resources are dated and have been focused on prescriptive, rather than engineered applications," said Rebecca Holt, of Perkins + Will.
Related Stories
| Mar 1, 2012
Regulators investigate structural failures during construction of two Ohio casinos
Regulators with the Occupational Safety & Health Administration and the city of Cincinnati are investigatingthe collapse of the second floor of Cincinnati's Horseshoe Casino as workers were pouring concrete.
| Mar 1, 2012
Is your project too small for LEED? Consider other green standards
There are many other recognized national, state and local programs that offer a variety of best management practices and sustainable design, construction and operating strategies.
| Mar 1, 2012
California bill aims to cut costs for commercial building energy retrofits
A bill in the California Assembly would allow the state to pool together property owners’ energy-retrofit loans.
| Feb 29, 2012
Carvalho appointed Shawmut Safety Director
He has been a driving force behind multiple safety-orientated initiatives at Shawmut, including Safety Week, the creation of an online safety manual, and the implementation of a new safety reporting and tracking system.
| Feb 23, 2012
Federal budget cuts put major building projects on hold
A plan to build the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility in Kansas is among several major building projects in jeopardy after the Obama administration’s 2013 budget was unveiled. The budget would cut all construction spending for the facility.
| Feb 23, 2012
Federal agencies fixed on leasing LEED-certified space
The federal government is especially focused on renting LEED-certified spaces.
| Feb 23, 2012
Regulators investigating construction accident at World Trade Center
The New York Port Authority and the city’s fire and building departments are investigating an accident at the World Trade Center construction site in lower Manhattan after a crane dropped steel beams that fell about 40 stories onto the truck that delivered them.
| Feb 23, 2012
New Virginia statewide building code goes into effect March 1
After March 1, all building plans in Virginia must adhere to the 2009 code that was adopted a year ago.
| Feb 23, 2012
Privatizing flood insurance could lead to new code requirements
One thing that could pave the way toward private flood insurance would be NFIP reforms, like requiring new construction in flood-prone areas to be elevated.