Wood First

Happy Cities’ post-occupancy evaluation Biophilic Design in Mass Timber Buildings explored the experience of people working at two mass timber buildings at The Exchange in Kelowna. Through surveys, site visits and interviews, researchers examined how the use of wood in common areas influences occupant well-being. They found clear benefits:

• 87% reported improved mental health in their new office
• 61% reported improved physical well-being
• 74% reported stronger collaboration with teammates

To help bring these advantages to more project teams, FII and architectural firm ZGF hosted a speaker panel at BUILDEX Vancouver—one of Canada’s core conferences and tradeshows for property management, interior design, architecture, construction and renovation. The panel previewed FII’s technical handbook, Inside Wood, which provides architects, interior designers and engineers with practical strategies for maximizing the use of exposed wood surfaces. The resource also addresses building codes, detailing, maintenance and biophilic design principles, bringing the health and performance advantages of wood to more people and more projects.

Learn more about biophilia on naturally:wood: naturallywood.com/resources/biophilic-response-to-wood/

Since 2020, FII has funded and cost-shared more than 100 research projects that have shifted how the industry builds with wood and helped modernize codes and regulations. Research on fire safety and seismic resilience has supported key changes to building codes and boosted market confidence and uptake. The research has delivered breakthroughs in:

• Fire safety: FII has funded a portfolio of fire safety research that has strengthened confidence in mass timber buildings. Full scale testing validated two hour fire resistance for mechanically laminated and other mass timber floor systems, directly informing design guidance and standards used in B.C. Additional projects examined encapsulation strategies and allowable exposed timber limits, providing regulators, standards bodies and practitioners with the technical evidence needed to safely advance mass timber use. This work informed both the B.C. Building Code and national building codes and standards, supporting consistent acceptance of mass timber fire safety provisions across jurisdictions.
• Seismic resilience and structural performance: Dozens of co-ordinated studies have advanced the seismic design of timber structures and supported major code evolution. Full scale testing and multi year research on hybrid systems—including light frame buildings braced by CLT cores, energy dissipating connections and high capacity shear wall systems—demonstrated robust earthquake performance in wood buildings. This body of work confirmed the performance of hybrid mass timber systems, informed national standards such as CSA O86 and related seismic design guidance, and enabled provisions for taller mass timber buildings, including the introduction of 18 storey mass timber construction in the B.C. Building Code.

Photo: FPInnovations

When older buildings are replaced, much of the material ends up in landfill due to challenges with recycling. This represents a missed opportunity for carbon capture and reducing the environmental footprint of new building construction.

In response, experts at UBC’s School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture (SALA) asked the question, “What if new building construction could be changed to make it easier to recycle buildings when they reach the end of their useful life?” The answer is outlined in the guidebook for Design for Deconstruction in Light Wood Frame Construction—a practical, scalable response to the mounting challenges of construction waste and embodied carbon.

Funded by FII, the project proposes minor but impactful changes to light wood framing construction, such as replacing nailed fasteners with screws, to lower the costs of material recovery. The guide is supported by full-scale mock-ups and practical tips.

Wood salvaged during deconstruction project in Vancouver, B.C. | Photo: Dr. Haibo Feng

Cost-shared support for individual company manufacturing and marketing development and improvements through UBC’s Centre for Advanced Wood Processing (CAWP) and the BC Wood Specialties Group remained a focus for 2025/26, helping B.C.’s value-added wood manufacturers turn innovation into measurable business outcomes.

• 17 company-specific projects were delivered by CAWP, focused on cost reduction, automation and new product certification.
• 14 company-specific marketing, branding, sales and strategic messaging support sessions were delivered through BC Wood Specialties Group to help companies strengthen their market presence, reach new markets and grow their customer base.

  Through these projects, FII is strengthening product innovation, building capacity, improving market responsiveness to changing market conditions, and reinforcing the long‑term competitiveness and resilience of B.C.’s wood supply chain.

Photo: UBC developed the technical data needed to certify Curewood’s hollow‑core S‑P‑F posts, supporting the company’s move toward commercialization | Credit: UBC Centre for Advanced Wood Processing

FII’s support of Affine Climate Solutions’ Banking on Buildings Program is helping the financial sector understand, value and fund mass timber projects. By ensuring that the benefits of energy-efficient and resilient building design are reflected in the data lenders use to review financing applications for wood-based construction, the project aims to make it easier for B.C. developers to secure funding.

Affine is now scaling the Banking on Buildings Program across Canada’s largest financial institutions and has trained over 110 banking and insurance professionals on technical considerations unique to mass timber projects. A new Unlocking Mass Timber Finance guide consolidates these insights, with case studies and technical findings helping provide developers and lenders with the knowledge to streamline approvals and accelerate wood construction.

This program began three years ago when FII funded Affine to work directly with lenders like Vancity, BMO and RBC to integrate mass timber considerations into their official underwriting and lending protocols so that wood’s performance characteristics would be recognized in project risk assessments. The team also conducted research on the total cost of ownership in affordable housing, finding that while hybrid mass timber can cost more upfront, it reduces construction timelines and significantly lowers embodied carbon. Affine’s review of more than 100 research studies further confirmed that energy-efficient and green-certified buildings outperform financially, with better value retention and lower default risk. Affine has now integrated these findings into a practical decision-making framework that is used internally and in collaboration with financial institutions to support their underwriting and lending discussions.

Photo: Affine Climate Solutions

First Nations-led projects are supporting self-determination, local capacity and the informed use of local wood resources.

Through the Construction Foundation of BC’s Local Materials Inclusion Guide, Indigenous housing leaders, builders and forestry professionals co-developed two new practical guides grounded in on-reserve realities that address barriers related to land codes (First Nations land governance), timber rights, grading and scale. Engagement with more than 25 Indigenous and non-Indigenous experts ensured the tools reflect diverse community contexts and development pathways.

A long-form guide addresses key technical and regulatory considerations for First Nations forestry and wood product initiatives, while a short-form guide supports early decision-making by helping builders, administrators, community leaders and business partners map local resources and identify strategic partnerships.

Complementing this work, FII supported the BC First Nations Forestry Council (FNFC) to lead province-wide stakeholder identification, engaging all 204 First Nations in B.C. to better understand forestry priorities and active businesses. FII also helped unlock opportunities for new business relationships between First Nations and manufacturers in the forest sector by supporting FNFC’s BusinessConnect initiative.

Photo credit: Construction Foundation of BC