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title: "Cross-Laminated Timber CLT Construction | AVANORTH"
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description: "Cross-laminated timber is transforming construction. Learn about CLT benefits, fire performance, Canadian projects, and code requirements."
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"og:title": "Cross-Laminated Timber CLT Construction"
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"twitter:title": "Cross-Laminated Timber CLT Construction"
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**Green Building**·January 22, 2026· 4 min read
# **Cross-Laminated Timber: A Sustainable Structural Option**
Cross-laminated timber (CLT) is transforming how we think about building structures. Learn how this engineered wood product competes with steel and concrete in modern construction.
**AVANORTH Team**
AVANORTH Construction
## What Is Cross-Laminated Timber?
Cross-laminated timber (CLT) is an engineered wood product made by gluing layers of solid lumber boards together at right angles. Each layer is rotated 90 degrees relative to the previous one, creating a panel with strength in both directions, similar to how plywood works but at a much larger scale.
CLT panels are typically manufactured from spruce, pine, or fir (SPF) lumber. Standard panels range from 60 mm to 300 mm in thickness and can span up to 18 metres in length. The panels are precision-cut in the factory using CNC machines, arriving at the construction site ready for immediate installation.
## Why CLT Is Gaining Popularity
Several factors are driving the growth of mass timber construction in Canada:
- **Carbon storage:** Wood is approximately 50 percent carbon by dry weight. A CLT building stores significant amounts of carbon that would otherwise be in the atmosphere. A mid-rise CLT building can store hundreds of tonnes of CO2.
- **Reduced embodied energy:** Manufacturing CLT requires far less energy than producing an equivalent amount of steel or concrete. The energy used to process lumber is also largely from renewable sources (wood waste and sawdust burned in kiln operations).
- **Speed of construction:** Because CLT panels are manufactured to precise dimensions off-site, installation is fast. A mid-rise CLT building can be erected in weeks rather than months compared to concrete construction.
- **Light weight:** CLT weighs roughly one-fifth as much as an equivalent concrete structure. This reduces foundation requirements and is advantageous for building additions on existing structures.
- **Natural aesthetics:** Exposed CLT surfaces have a warm, natural appearance that many building owners and occupants appreciate. This often eliminates the need for interior finish materials, reducing cost and construction waste.
## Fire Performance
One of the most common concerns about building with wood is fire. CLT actually performs well in fire conditions:
- Thick CLT panels char at a predictable rate (approximately 0.65 mm per minute) when exposed to fire. The char layer insulates the inner wood, maintaining structural integrity.
- CLT does not collapse suddenly like unprotected steel, which loses strength rapidly at temperatures above 550 degrees Celsius.
- Full-scale fire tests have demonstrated that properly designed CLT assemblies can achieve fire resistance ratings of 1 to 2 hours, meeting the requirements of the National Building Code of Canada.
- Encapsulated mass timber construction (where CLT is covered with gypsum board) provides additional fire resistance and is the approach used in most Canadian tall wood buildings.
## Notable Canadian CLT Projects
Canada is a world leader in mass timber construction:
- **Brock Commons (UBC, Vancouver):** An 18-storey student residence completed in 2017. It was the world's tallest mass timber building at the time of completion. The hybrid structure uses CLT floor panels on glulam columns with a concrete core.
- **Origen (Toronto):** A 14-storey mass timber office building demonstrating that tall wood construction works in Ontario's climate and regulatory environment.
- **Arbora (Montreal):** A residential complex featuring CLT construction, one of Quebec's largest mass timber residential projects.
## Code Requirements in Ontario
The 2020 National Building Code of Canada expanded the permitted height for mass timber buildings:
- Encapsulated mass timber construction (EMTC) is permitted up to 12 storeys
- Exposed mass timber construction is generally limited to 6 storeys
- Ontario's building code adopts these provisions, making tall CLT buildings viable across the province
- Specific requirements include fire resistance ratings, connection design, and protective membrane details
## Challenges and Limitations
CLT is not suitable for every project:
- **Moisture management:** Wood is susceptible to moisture damage during construction. CLT panels must be protected from rain and stored properly. Once the building envelope is complete, moisture is managed through standard building science practices.
- **Supply chain:** CLT manufacturing capacity in Canada is growing but still limited compared to concrete and steel. Lead times for CLT panels can be longer than for conventional materials.
- **Cost:** CLT material costs are currently higher than concrete and steel per square metre. However, faster construction timelines and reduced foundation costs can offset the material premium, making the total project cost competitive.
- **Acoustic performance:** CLT requires additional measures (concrete toppings, resilient isolation) to achieve acceptable sound transmission ratings between residential units.
At AVANORTH, we see CLT and mass timber as an important part of Canada's construction future. As an engineered product made from renewable Canadian forests, it combines structural performance with environmental responsibility. We are actively building our expertise in mass timber design and construction.
#CLT #timber #sustainable
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