Always consider wood grain orientation!

Always consider wood grain orientation!

by Alex SchreyerNo Comments
Yesterday I came across this very nice looking wayfinding sign in a recently constructed building. As you can see, it is a beautiful use of material (solid wood) that adds a contrasting warmth to an otherwise very contemporary design. One thing I noticed, however, was that the panel was cupping (as you can see in the left image below). Wayfinding sign, made from a laminated panel Closeup of grain orientation Upon closer inspection (a high-contrast version is also added here), you can see what the issue is: Some of the boards that were laminated into this panel were cut plainsawn. As explained in Chapter 5, this can lead to shrinkage on the bark side of the board and therefore cupping of the piece, which can even deform an entire laminated board like we see here. Overall, this is not a major issue and most people will likely not have noticed this when passing the sign. But it is a great reminder that it is...
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Fundamentals of Residential Construction, 5th Edition is Here!

Fundamentals of Residential Construction, 5th Edition is Here!

by Alex SchreyerNo Comments
I am very happy to announce that after a full year of editing, writing, photographing, reviewing, proof-reading, and then proof-reading again, the new edition of Fundamentals of Residential Construction by Allen/Schreyer/Thallon is now available! As before, it comes in an eBook version as well as a hardcover. For this edition, I was able to implement many updates and changes. For example, all IRC tables have been updated to the 2021 version and new IRC references have been added to every chapter. Content was updated throughout and, where possible, I replaced images with newer ones. Overall, this volume now has over 1250 illustrations and weighs in at 814 pages. The materials section received an overhaul in that plastics as well as metals are now properly included. Also, being an educator, I tried to make the chapter exercises more relevant to the reader by illustrating at least one per chapter. And the list of interactive SketchUp exercises - a companion feature that I introduced...
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Austria House (Lost Lake PassivHaus) in Whistler (Mockup)

Austria House (Lost Lake PassivHaus) in Whistler (Mockup)

by Alex SchreyerNo Comments
Designed by Treberspurg & Partner Architekten and constructed for the 2010 Winter Olympics, the Austria House (now known as the Lost Lake PassivHaus) in Whistler, British Columbia, is a landmark of climate-responsive engineering. Built to serve as the headquarters for the Austrian Olympic Committee and Austrian Public Broadcasting, the 2,700-square-foot structure was highly significant as the first registered and certified Passive House (Passivhaus) in Canada. The building was heavily prefabricated in Austria and shipped to Whistler in containers. Its structural core marked a Canadian architectural first: the deployment of prefabricated Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) mass wood panels. This is a great example of a multi-use mockup where its building enclosure is explained perfectly with these standing tables. Mockup Specs Location: Austria House, Whistler, BC, Canada Mockup Produced By: Sohm Holzbau, Austria Status: Unknown Image taken: May 2010 Photographer: Alexander Schreyer, UMass Amherst...
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