Could "timber skyscrapers" be in our future? Architects and engineers are seeing wood as a way to build sustainable 20-30 story structures with modern no-how.
The obvious concern in building skyscrapers with wood is flammability. Architect and professor Larry Richards of the University of Toronto says that that the proposed building methods create towers that "are highly earthquake- and fire-resistant and hugely eco-friendly":
"A provincial study to be released later this month will evidently not only make a case for the feasibility and safety of wood-constructed towers, but will also heavily promote the economic benefits for British Columbia. B.C. is indeed moving ahead on these fronts, having recently changed its building code to allow six-storey wood-frame construction. It is likely that research, development, and testing will soon lead to even more radical changes in the building codes for timber and timber-composite construction. (For example, although inherently more flammable than steel or concrete, if a timber member has sufficient size and mass it will burn slowly before structural failure.)"
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Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
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MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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