Clarifying Risks and Opportunities of Heavy Timber Building Conversions

Heavy timber framed buildings constructed in the late 1800s and into the 1900s are increasingly candidates for adaptive reuse, commonly converted from factories or warehouses to residential, office, or commercial retail occupancy. The success of these conversions often depends on whether the existing timber framing has capacity to support additional load associated with new stories, floor leveling materials, and/or interior finishes. Overly broad assumptions about timber framing can lead, on the one hand, to excessive scope for structural improvements or, on the other, to a reduction in safety due to overstressed timber framing.

In this webinar, WJE engineers Tim Fitzgerald, Christiana Kiesling, Delaney Lewis, and Steve Mayhew discuss how a structural assessment can clarify the risks and opportunities that heavy timber framed building conversions present, giving everyone involved the information they need to plan these projects with confidence.

By the end of the webinar, you will be able to:

• Explain factors affecting load capacity of structural timber members
• Summarize key elements of a structural assessment of structural timber members
• Identify risks associated with overstressed timber members
• Describe the value of a well-planned structural assessment of heavy timber conversions

Attendees are eligible for one American Institute of Architects (AIA) HSW Learning Unit.

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View this webinar in our interactive audience console to earn 1 AIA HSW learning unit, access related resources, submit questions to the presenters, and download a certificate of completion.