In 2016/17, we supported the BC Construction Association to complete a report aimed at helping public and private owners become “innovation friendly” in their construction procurement.
To better understand and increase awareness of the environmental benefits of building with wood, FII completed three additional Life Cycle Assessments and 12 carbon calculations on B.C. buildings.
Hosted by Wood First program funding recipients and co-ordinated through FII’s Market Outreach program, Wood Week B.C. 2017 included events such as Holzbau Pacific Northwest, the Wood Design & Construction Solutions Conference, the Wood Design Awards, and Gray Conversations: A Living with Wood Design Forum.
Canada Wood China is currently working with a precast concrete manufacturer, Truslink, to construct a two-storey, 150m2 demonstration project at the entrance of the company’s factory.
The shipment from B.C. included engineered wood products from Penticton’s Stucturlam; hemlock, Douglas fir and yellow cedar lumber supplied by Surrey’s Coast Clear Wood as well as donated lumber from the Coast Forest Products Association.
In 2017, BC Wood organized the Canadian pavilion on behalf of the Canadian wood industry at the Housing Brand Fair in Seoul. B.C. companies were able to generate $7 million in sales during the event.
In 2016, the India team completed work on their first commercial demonstration project in India to use Canadian wood. The 1,970 square foot private residence features extensive use of wood species from B.C.
After establishing a head office and wood products showroom in Mumbai with the BC Ministry of International Trade, the India team now has small satellite locations in New Delhi and Bangalore to be closer to customers in the north and south of India.
FII India staff continue to develop marketing material targeting audiences in different regions of India. Advertisements raise the profile of Canadian lumber with manufacturers, while on-site collateral at trade shows increases awareness of Canadian species at some of the largest wood product events in the country.
On December 1, 2016 Canada Wood China signed a Memorandum of Understanding with BSD-TEDA—a joint venture between the Beijing Science Park Development (BSD) and the Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area (TEDA)—on the research, development and application of prefabricated non-load bearing Energy Efficient Wood Wall technology.
The naturally:wood website provides information on B.C. forest products and the province’s sustainably managed forests. FII recorded over 40,000 site visits to naturallywood.com with the number of publication downloads increasing 20% over the previous year. Naturally:wood also had a presence at five B.C.-based tradeshows – four more than in 2015 – increasing in-person engagement with architects, engineers and designers.
More than 25 senior executives from B.C. forest companies and associations participated in a trade mission to China and Japan from November 24–December 3, 2016.
A 100-unit townhouse project in Tianjin is part of China’s first, largescale, community-sized demonstration area for wood in construction.
In 2016/17, the India team facilitated several tours to help advance market development efforts in India. Participants included representatives from the Province of B.C., the Government of Canada and industry.
FII India hosted a networking event “Explore Business Opportunities with Canadian Wood” in December at the FII display centre in Mumbai, with B.C. Minister of Finance Michael de Jong as the guest of honour.
Key publications have been updated and thousands of pieces have been printed and distributed by Canada Wood including Canada’s Sustainable Forest Products, SPF Products and Caring for Elderly with Wood, among others.
Last year, FII helped architects, engineers and others to broaden their expertise in designing and building with wood. We also assisted small-to-medium sized enterprises (SME) in increasing their manufacturing and promotional capacity to bring new wood products to market.
Product trials have emerged as a highly successful means to engage with and motivate Indian manufacturers to try something different—and then convert or augment existing or new production to Canadian species.
In association with India’s Festival of Architecture & Interior Designing, FII India sponsored Wood is Good 2016, a furniture design competition for students of architecture and product design from leading colleges.
FII co-funded a workshop organized by the Centre for Advanced Wood Processing (CAWP) at UBC and led by the Institute for Computational Design at the University of Stuttgart. The workshop not only supported innovation in timber construction, but also allowed for a complete re-interpretation of wood architecture.
FII continues to collaborate with the U.S.-based Softwood Lumber Board to deliver the reThink Wood marketing and communication program. reThink Wood is the go-to resource in the U.S. for inspiration, information and technical resources about lumber and wood.
To influence conversions (from other construction materials to wood), WoodWorks provided free one-on-one project assistance in 10 regions across the country.
FII is active in the Canadian Council of Forest Minister’s Forest in Mind Program and manages the program’s communication deliverables, including website, video and factsheets. In 2016, traffic to www.sfmcanada.org increased 63%, document downloads increased 29% (over 4,000 total downloads), and views to the Sustainable Forest Management Canada YouTube channel increased 29%.
FII, in conjunction the Wood Pellet Association of Canada, Natural Resources Canada and the B.C. Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations, hosted a delegation from the Government of The Netherlands’ Ministry of Economic Affairs in support of Dutch efforts to develop sustainability criteria for biomass.
FPInnovations releases two studies related to optimizing material usage and assessing innovative systems including CLT and LVL. The studies reveal that hybrid systems perform signifiantly great than the required rating.
In June, 2016, construction began on a 1.3 million m2 commercial residential project in Zhangjiakou, Hebei province. The project includes 115 concrete townhouses featuring wood truss roofs, which will use more than 2,000 m3 of Canadian SPF.
In response to South Korea’s evolving energy and sustainability standards, Canada Wood Korea re-positioned its advanced builder training courses in 2015 to align with the policy changes.
After receiving support from Canada Wood China, in February 2017, China’s Ministry of Housing and UrbanRural Development issued a new standard for multistorey and high-rise timber buildings (the new code will take effect on October 1, 2017).
Funded by FII, the UBC Brock Commons Education and Outreach Centre was opened in the spring of 2016 adjacent to the construction site. It serves as a research and information hub where visitors from across the globe can learn about the design and construction of the project.
In 2016/17, Canada Wood Korea provided technical support for a unique six-storey demonstration project that uses Canadian SPF lumber and OSB.
Because of issues around densification and urbanization, communities and builders are increasingly under pressure to create better-performing buildings, reduce construction waste and meet time and budget constraints.
In 2016/17, we co-funded the report, International Comparison of Forest Management Legal Frameworks and Certification Standards, which confirms B.C. and Canada’s position as leaders in sustainable forest management.
Several funding recipients attended conferences, trade shows, workshops and lunch and learns across the U.S. to deliver wood industry messaging, research and other information.
To communicate learnings from this leading-edge project, FII developed factsheets, case studies, education modules and a time-lapse video.
In 2016/17, FII supported the Opening Doors project to build capacity for Aboriginal valueadded wood products. The project was a collaboration between FPInnovations, Emily Carr University of Art and others including Aboriginal artists and their communities.
During the past year, Canada Wood Group made significant progress opening up the market for five and six-storey platform-frame construction (PFC) wooden mid-rise buildings in Japan. New market research has identified opportunities in the midrise and hotel segments that could generate an additional 250,000 m3 annually of new forest products demand.
Demand for wood pellets in Japan has jumped from 65,000 (2012) to 350,000 tonnes per year (2016), with Canada supplying 80% of the market.
FPInnovations conducted a series of surveys of B.C. small and medium-sized manufacturers to assess business and operational needs.
For the first time, Canada Wood Group and its in-market partners have achieved a two-hour fire rating for wood-based assemblies.
In 2016, Canada Wood and the Japan 2x4 Home Builders Association jointly obtained a series of fi ve two-hour "fireproof" approvals from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism for 2x4 exterior walls, standard and double Midply partition walls, party walls and fl oor assemblies.
FII investments directed toward education and skills development provide assistance to value-added manufacturers by helping them improve their business and manufacturing processes, reduce costs and increase productivity. In 2015/16, over 5,500 people participated in workshops, webinars and training sessions designed to build skills in the areas of business, marketing, design and new technology developments.
Various wood product manufacturers have successfully experimented with B.C. and Canadian wood species through FII-led product trials using wood samples provided by the forest industry and Canada Wood.
Research conducted at FPInnovations provided insight into two design concepts for metallic and non-metallic service penetration fire stops in cross-laminated timber (CLT).
Following the MOU signing between the Province of B.C., the Government of Canada and MOHURD, a Joint Work Plan was prepared in line with the principles set forth in the MOU.
In addition to using established promotional tools such as The Cedar Book and print advertising, the Western Red Cedar Lumber Association (WRCLA) has integrated innovative product placement in reality TV shows and has produced “how-to” YouTube videos.
Completed in March 2016, and following efforts to obtain two-hour fireproof approvals, Japan completed a six-storey, two-by-four demonstration project (funded by the Japanese government), which shows the viability of six storey, two-by-four, mid-rise structures made entirely from wood by incorporating “fireproof” features, a double-Midply wall system and other innovations.
In March, 2016 China’s Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development (MOHURD) organized the 12th annual Green Building Conference and Trade Show in Beijing. The event offered Canada Wood China the opportunity to raise the profile of Canadian wood and wood construction.
On February 13, 2016 FII India participated in the Vibrant Kutch event held in India's westernmost state of Gujarat.
The US WoodWorks program, which is focused on converting buildings that would have used a construction material other than wood, reported 227 project conversions leading to $163 million in incremental wood sales.
WoodWorks awarded The Radiator building with the 2016 Wood Design Award for multi-storey wood design. PATH Architecture, Munzing Structural Engineering and Kaiser Group Inc. completed the 36,000 square foot, five-story office building in Portland, Oregon in 2015.
Wood building technology developed in B.C. is key to the design of a new elderly care facility now under construction in Japan.
In 2015, reThink Wood communications reached millions of people in the US, including nearly 114,000 architects, engineers, and specifiers. More than 11,600 architects and engineers took tests and course hours on one or more of reThink Wood’s continuing education units (CEUs).
Canada Wood China and the Shanghai Science and Technology Committee of Shanghai’s MOHURD signed an MOU on promoting application and development of wood construction technology as a green building solution. A second MOU was signed between FII, Canada Wood and the Shanghai Construction and Development Centre.
Canada Wood China organized the inaugural Sino-Canada Wood Conference in Beijing, leveraging the rare collective in-market presence of Minister Thomson and Canadian forestry executives to provide the Chinese industry with insights directly from Canadian forestry leaders.
In November, 2015 FII India participated in a three day event in Gandhinagar to highlight B.C. and Canada as a trusted source for certified (PEFC/FSC) solid wood lumber sourced from sustainably managed forests.
B.C. and Canada renewed the original five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with MOHURD strengthening all three governments’ commitment to developing wood-frame construction as a preferred building system in China.
The annual forest sector trade mission to Asia, led by B.C. Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations Steve Thomson, took place from November 29 – December 5, 2015.
The Japan 2x4 Home Builder Association reported another strong year for fireproof building approvals with 275 applications being processed for a combined total floor area of 88,240 m² for the fiscal year 2014.
FII completed and inaugurated an exclusive first-of-its-kind display centre in Mumbai. The 1,300 square foot space highlights how to build with wood from sustainable and certified forests.
Canadian Wood Program”, which is providing qualified Indian manufacturers with small volumes of B.C. wood as well as technical support for inclusion in new or existing product lines. Several trials were completed over the past year with established manufacturers of windows, doors and furniture.
Wood-frame construction took centre stage during the annual forest sector trade mission to Asia last October where the GICO Community Centre was officially opened by Steve Thomson, Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations and members of his delegation.
FII India organized a Woodworking professionals Meet in Mumbai which showcased the versatility of Canadian Wood species - Western Hemlock, Yellow-Cedar, Douglas-fir, SPF and Western Red Cedar.
Significant advancements were made in 2015/16 with respect to Chinese government policies that favour wood and wood construction. These policies not only signal government priorities related to construction opportunities for wood, but also direct lower levels of government to act on these policies. Canada Wood China’s market development priorities continue to align with those of China’s central government.
In October, 2015 FII India participated in Mumbai Wood to showcase the versatility of Canadian wood species. The FII India booth featured lumber samples, product applications and finished products. In February, 2016, FII India participated in IndiaWood 2016. To highlight the versatility and aesthetics of Canadian wood, FII India and B.C. companies created several “experience zones”.
Canadian Wood showcased sustainable, certified wood varieties from Canada to be used in furniture, doors, door frames and other interior applications.
To obtain a current understanding of their views and preferences regarding wood use in buildings in B.C., FII surveyed two key audience groups: 1) specifiers (architects, engineers, developers and builders), and 2) the public.
Tourism development continues to be a growing construction sector in China. It is also a natural fit for wood. New tourism construction frequently caters to the demand for urban escapes, in the mountains, near lakes or close to beaches.
In September 2015, a delegation from the Shanghai Housing Bureau visited Canada to learn more about wood-frame construction technology in public housing applications, particularly senior homes and schools.
On September 1, 2015, the “Action Plan to Promote Green Building Materials Production and Building Applications (Action Plan)” circular (circular No. 2015-309) was jointly issued by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and Ministry of Housing, Urban and Rural Development (MOHURD).
When stricter standards for pressure treated wood products were implemented in 2012, it forced many treaters to switch from Canadian species to those from the US, Europe and New Zealand. Fortunately, an ongoing field stake test has yielded positive results for two of the most common Canadian wood species, white spruce and hemlock.
On August 3, 2015, the Korea Wood Construction Association (KWCA) marked the 100th application for 5 Star accreditation, a voluntary wood construction quality certification program established in 2009 with support from Canada Wood.
Thirty-eight builders, designers, engineers, material manufactures, distributors and students participated the 2015 Advanced Technology Construction Training program delivered by Canada Wood Korea and COFI from February 4-13, 2015.
In August 2015, a delegation of senior officials from Zhejiang’s Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development (MOHURD) travelled to B.C. to increase their understanding of how wood-frame construction can assist the province to meet its objectives in the areas of building energy efficiency, building quality and safety, and affordable housing.
By integrating mass timber products such as cross-laminated timber, laminated strand lumber and laminated veneer lumber, with other materials such as steel or concrete, hybrid structural components can increase the use of timber in building construction beyond current limitations.
Many US apartments are wood-frame; however, wood structures are far less common in other code-permitting applications, including the sub-category known as “big-box” retail. To illustrate the advantages of building with wood, WoodWorks commissioned two studies, one cost comparison and one life cycle assessment, on the same big box project designed in steel vs. wood. Visit www.woodworks.org for the full report.
FII continued to cost-share and deliver the reThink Wood program in partnership with the SLB to promote and increase awareness of structural and appearance softwood lumber products among architects, engineers, and developers in the US multi-family and non-residential markets.
On June 26, 2015, FII and the B.C. Ministry of International Trade hosted a delegation from China’s Sichuan province, led by Vice-Governor Huang Yanrong. Responsible for leading construction, education and tourism efforts in Sichuan, the Vice-Governor visited B.C. to explore the application of B.C. wood and low carbon wood construction technologies, and to discuss other opportunities for increased engagement between the two provinces.
On June 24, 2015, the Province of B.C. and the Government of South Korea co-sponsored the BC-Korea Trade & Investment Forum.
“Yu Ling Long” (Royal Crystal Garden) is a multiple building complex being constructed on commercial terms by Chinese developer Crown Homes.
FII commissioned FPInnovations to build a stronger evidence-based case for the use of wood in healthcare facilities. FPInnovations carried out a comprehensive review of current literature and recently completed works around the world. Evidence shows that people are healthier, happier and more productive when connected with nature.
Having made significant adjustments to forest management practices over the past two decades, Canadian producers have an opportunity to position themselves more competitively by communicating that their products come from legally-logged sources that welcome scrutiny, achieve third-party certification, and do not contribute to deforestation.
Wood Pellet Association of Canada staff, with support from B.C. and Canadian federal government officials, were able to negotiate a resolution with senior South Korean government representatives.
The sleek, contemporary exterior of the Stella project in Marina del Rey, California, gives little indication of the wood framing inside.
Delegates from B.C.’s 2014 forest sector trade mission to Asia helped celebrate the 40th anniversary of Canada Wood and COFI establishing a presence in Japan.
When the University of Massachusetts (UMass) decided to combine its Architecture + Design, Building and Construction Technology, Landscape Architecture, and Regional Planning departments into a new integrated design building, it presented a significant opportunity for wood use.
A delegation of 17 Canadian lumber companies’ visit to India has put the spotlight on certified lumber from sustainably managed sources in Canada.
With construction activity growing in many regions across the US, eight member companies and the BC Wood Specialties Group reported a particularly successful International Builder’s Show.
To create brand recognition, FII India – considered a centre of knowledge regarding softwood species – has delivered several seminars to Indian audiences.
FII India staff developed marketing material for use in channels targeting various audiences. Advertisements raised the profile of Canadian lumber with manufacturers, while pre-conference e-mail advertisements created awareness of FII India’s presence at trade shows.
3.1 million board feet (equivalent) of wood products were used in the five-story wood-frame buildings that make up Crescent Terminus’ 355 units. It takes US and Canadian forests 16 minutes to grow this much wood.
With technical support from Canada Wood Group, developers in China are designing innovative structures that take advantage of the strength and versatility of B.C. wood species.
Since the start of Wood First, many innovative and beautiful wood building projects have been completed across the province. Over the past year, profiles of about 40 of these projects have been completed.
In October 2014, Jiangsu Province signed an MOU with the province of B.C. to increase the use of wood in construction.
The Wood Innovation and Design Centre (WIDC) in Prince George was completed in October 2014. It is presently among the North America’s tallest contemporary wood buildings.
In 2013/14 the reThink Wood campaign worked closely with B.C. industry associations to coordinate tradeshow promotions under common branding and approach. The “Real Cedar” booth and materials provided additional depth to the reThink brand platform and found new audiences for outdoor, furniture and finishing applications.
A report highlighting accomplishments in promoting increased uses of wood in design and construction of non-residential buildings in British Columbia was released by FII in May 2014.
Exhibiting at the North American Wholesale Lumber Association’s annual Trader’s Market is a tradition for B.C. companies.
More than 40,000 industry visitors had the opportunity to learn about B.C.’s innovative wood products and building systems at the Japan Home and Building Show in Tokyo.
BC Wood Specialities Group coordinates trade show activities in Japan on behalf of Canada Wood Group and uses eye-catching displays to build traffic and consumer interest.
One innovative application of wood frame technology is the use of wood in non–bearing infill partition walls. Under a formal cooperation agreement between FII China and the Minhang District Housing Bureau in Shanghai, a demonstration project was successfully completed during the first quarter of 2014/15.
After establishing FII India in mid-2012, a decision was made to secure undeveloped office space rather than prefinished space.
The U.S. WoodWorks team provided valuable support and advice in the designing of Franklin Elementary School, the first all-wood school in West Virginia.
Following a comprehensive process involving extensive public and technical consultations, the B.C. Building Code was revised in 2009 to increase the maximum height for wood-frame residential construction from four-to six-storeys. B.C. was the first province in Canada to make this change.
Canada Wood China provided technical support to the developers of Suzhou Xuhong Timber Arch Bridge in Jiangsu Province. Canada Wood technical input allowed the developers to incorporate SPF lumber from B.C. with European glulam to create a stunning and innovative structure.
Environmental issues are becoming increasingly important to Korean consumers when making buying decisions regarding housing and home furnishings.
Sometimes seeing is believing. In Korea, the Canada Wood Group team works closely with architecture associations to put on displays and exhibitions that show how innovative architecture can be when using wood frame construction systems.
After several years of Canada Wood Group programs to promote multi-family wood frame construction systems, Korean developers are starting to incorporate them into their projects.
Canada Wood Group, funded by FII, Natural Resources Canada and industry, is providing technical assistance and on-site quality assurance to the largest public sector driven wood-frame residential construction project in Korea.
2014 marked the 10th anniversary of the annual Wood Design Awards held by the Canadian Wood Council’s Wood WORKS! BC program.
FII India’s seminar program is proving a key vehicle in raising awareness of the features of B.C. species, teaching local manufacturers, architects and importers about the properties of B.C. wood, and about which species are suited for specific applications.
In a market such as India, government-to-government relations are an important dimension of trade development. India and Canada are in the process of negotiating a Free Trade Agreement which will be an important step in our future trading relationship.
B.C. forestry companies and trade associations sent 17 representatives to the IndiaWood Trade Show in early 2014, reflecting growing industry interest in the emerging Indian market.
Wood building technology developed in B.C. has played a key role in the design of a proposed new elderly care facility in Japan.
On February 12, 2014, Canada Wood celebrated the opening of the Jericho Support Centre in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture.
Building the first four-storey, wood-frame residential buildings in Tianjin marks northern China’s growing recognition of Canadian wood-frame technology. Following the MOU agreement signed between the Government of Canada...
With technical support from FII China and CWG, Vanke, China’s largest developer, completed another significant wood frame project in the city of Qingdao.
The Wood First Act received Royal Assent in 2009. The Act requires wood to be considered as the primary building material in all new publicly-funded buildings in B.C., when supported by the British Columbia Building Code. Since 2009, many new projects across government have incorporated a large amount of wood into the building design.
The third of four buildings under the $4.6 million Canada-Tohoku Reconstruction Project opened this past summer in Japan.
FII China and CWG signed an agreement to assist Shanghai-based and state-owned Shanghai Industrial Investment Company (SIIC) with design, technical and wood frame construction quality support.
Architects and engineers are the primary audience for the reThink Wood program, a comprehensive, fact-based, and peer-driven pro-wood outreach effort across North America.
With increasing interest among engineers and architects in the U.S. regarding cross-laminated timber (CLT), the US WoodWorks program is helping to broaden use of CLT.
The Jinqiao Townhouse Project is the first of its kind in China: an all wood frame multistorey, multi-family complex that does not require the same amount of space as a traditional single family home. Located in Shanghai’s Pudong New District, the project is part of “Green City” concept envisioned by its developers.
A success arising out of Canada Wood Group’s program to encourage wood frame construction in Korea has been the “Peanut” house concept. Introduced in 2011/12, the “peanut house” is essentially a duplex (two family units on one lot) that evokes connotations of a peanut (two nuts in one shell).
On March 11, 2011 a 9.0-magnitude earthquake occurred off Japan’s northeast coast in the area of Sendai. The earthquake and resulting tsunami caused mass fatalities, casualties and catastrophic loss of infrastructure.
In 2012/13, FII established a subsidiary company in Mumbai to lead a new market development program aimed at introducing B.C. and Canadian wood products to the potentially large Indian market.
Increasing awareness of the use of SPF in post-and-beam design was achieved through displays at trade events such as at the Japan Kenzai Fair in 2013.
The Sanlin Affordable Housing Project consists of three wood-frame public buildings located at the heart of the largest affordable housing community in Shanghai. The 6,915 square metres Administrative Building, a 3,360 square meter Cultural Activities Centre, and a 10,700 square meter Community Services Centre are a part of an expansive, low-cost housing projects in China that uses Canadian wood-frame construction technology.
The government of Hebei Province and the Government of British Columbia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on July 8, 2010 to build a cooperative wood frame demonstration project in the capital of Shijiazhuang.
Under the auspices of the Joint Working Committee of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development (MOHURD), CWG and FII China helped establish the China Modern Wood Frame Construction Technology Industry Association in 2012.
The Qingbaijiang Market Street Project is a three-storey, wood-frame building that consists of retail shops on the ground floor and houses the Qingbaijiang Grammar School on the upper two floors.
Before it was destroyed by the earthquake, the Leigu Town Elderly Care Centre in Beichuan County used to provide accommodations for 75 elderly people who did not have children to depend on.
In accordance with the 2010 Shanghai World EXPO theme of “Better City, Better Life”, the Vancouver Pavilion demonstrated to more than 700,000 visitors the full transformative potential of embracing sustainable urbanization as a strategy for city building.
The Mianyang Municipality is another area that has seen immense destruction during the earthquake, and left more than 13,000 children and adults permanently disabled. In order to help these victims, the second Canada-B.C. Wenchuan Earthquake Reconstruction Project focuses in building a home for disabled survivors.
In 2009, the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development (MOHURD) of Hebei Province signed a cooperative agreement with FII China on the application and promotion of modern wood frame technology.
In 2009, the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development (MOHURD) of Hebei Province signed a cooperative agreement with FII China on the application and promotion of modern wood frame technology.
Located in the suburban area of Dujiangyan City, the Xiang’E Primary School was completely destroyed during the 2008 earthquake, and claimed the lives of its students and teachers. The rebuilding of the Dujiangyan Xiang’E Primary School began in December 2008, and it was the first building completed under the Canada-B.C. Wenchuan Earthquake Reconstruction Program.
Wood truss roof renovati ons initiatives in Shanghai proved wood frame structures to be a practical, cost competitive solution to roof renovations for old low-rise concrete buildings in C hina.
The DHC Villas comprise the second phase of the demonstration site. VIlla B currently serves as the auxilliary offices for Canada Wood China.
The DHC Villas comprise the second phase of the demonstration site. Designed to demonstrate the benefits of wood frame construction and features favoured by Chinese consumers, the two villas opened in January 2007 on the plot of land adjacent to the DHC Demonstration Centre.
Former B.C. Premier, the Honourable Gordon Campbell attended the sod-turning ceremony of the Guangdong – British Columbia Pacific Gateway Park Project in 2006. This marked the first cooperative step between FII China and the Guangzhou Garden Bureau.
The Shanghai Tong ji University wood truss roof renovation project featured a design developed cooperatively with Tong ji University. The design was specifically created to demonstrate the potential of localizing wood truss roof renovation applications in China. The project also features a number of innovations such as the expansion of the truss span, and the application of wood parapets, to name just a few. Apart from being technically viable, the project also introduced cost saving measures into the system. This custom-built solution has become a successful model for present-day and future wood truss roof applications.
FII China has cooperated closely with the Shanghai Municipal Government to bring the advantages of wood frame construction to the general public through renovating old residential buildings.
The initial centrepiece of FII China’s program is the Dream Home Canada (DHC)Demonstration Centre in Shanghai. The DHC serves not only as a showcase for British Columbia wood products and construction technology; it is also the consolidated home offices of FII China and the Canada Wood Group.