On March 30, 2021, the Joint Professional Practice Guidelines – Encapsulated Mass Timber Construction Up to 12 Storeys (PDF) were jointly published by the AIBC and Engineers and Geoscientists British Columbia.
For architects, these guidelines provide important information and identify issues to be considered when providing architectural services for Encapsulated Mass Timber Construction (EMTC) buildings. These guidelines deal with the performance of specific activities in a manner such that architects and engineering professionals can meet their professional obligations under the Architects Act and the Professional Governance Act.
The Joint Professional Practice Guidelines – Encapsulated Mass Timber Construction Up to 12 Storeys were published to provide guidance on architectural and engineering considerations relating to changes made to the 2018 BCBC, the 2019 Vancouver Building By-law (VBBL) , and the 2018 British Columbia Fire Code (BCFC). Specifically, these guidelines were developed in response to new classifications of building size and construction relative to occupancy introduced in the 2018 British Columbia Building Code (BCBC), under Division B, Article 3.2.2.48EMTC. Group C, up to 12 storeys, Sprinklered, and Article 3.2.2.57EMTC. Group D, up to 12 storeys, Sprinklered. These new classifications were introduced in Revision 2 of the 2018 BCBC on December 12, 2019 and in Amendment 12715 of the 2019 VBBL on July 1, 2020. Additionally, provisions related to Encapsulated Mass Timber Construction were introduced in Revision 1 of the 2018 BCFC on December 12, 2019.
If you have questions regarding the Joint Professional Practice Guidelines – Encapsulated Mass Timber Construction Up to 12 Storeys (PDF), please email practiceadvice@aibc.ca.