Mass Timber in the Building Codes

While mass timber buildings may appear as a recent phenomenon in architecture, it should be noted that solid and glue-laminated timber have been covered by various building codes for a long time. This chapter explores how building codes address mass timber structures and lays out what and how one can build with this material option. One building-code-sanctioned form of construction has become popular in recent years, mainly for light-frame residential buildings like apartments and hotels: podium construction. Once a feasible construction type has been determined, a set of detailed specifications need to be followed for the building design that cover minimum sizes, material options, and fire-resistance requirements. As is common practice, the IBC does not include all specifications in its text but rather references for various product and design standards that then become mandatory rules in jurisdictions where the IBC is implemented.