Research Project
The Future Potential of Steel-Timber Hybrid Buildings
Project Start: July 2021
Principal Investigators: Antony Wood, CTBUH Former Staff | Daniel Safarik, Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
The global building industry is now at a turning point, where increasing pressure towards more sustainable construction methods is driving great interest in engineered mass timber—not only because of its perceived lower carbon footprint in production, but because of timber’s ability to sequester carbon from the atmosphere as it grows / produces. However, the adoption of mass timber is still in its relative infancy, with heights in the 15–20 floor count typically being achieved so far. Timber will need to act in symbiosis with other materials, such as steel, to achieve greater heights for these buildings in the future.
The overriding objective of this project, then, is to capture the current state‐of‐the‐art and full potential of steel‐timber hybrid structures in high‐rise buildings, globally, as a means of clarifying the full benefits of steel‐timber hybrid construction for the tall building industry. Through detailed, data‐driven case study analyses (including built, under‐construction, and proposed buildings), the primary motivators that dictate and enable the use of steel‐timber hybrid systems will be identified, and the life cycle costs and environmental impacts will be studied. Common characteristics and drivers will be published and promoted, to guide and influence the future of the building industry, underscoring the value proposition of the steel-timber hybrid. Through this in‐depth assessment of the design, cost, environmental, and market benefits of using steel‐timber composite structures, a significant Research Report publication will be produced, serving as a precedent reference for stakeholders.
Note: This project is the next step, and builds upon, other CTBUH Timber Research Projects complete and currently underway, namely:
Funding Partners
Videos
Steering Committee Members
Lisa Ottenhaus
Daniel Safarik
Dario Trabucco
Hamid Valipour
Project Milestones
About the Funding Partners
constructsteel is the steel construction market development program of the World Steel Association. Their mission is to position the use of steel as a material of choice in a sustainable way and by communicating its benefits to construction stakeholders. constructsteel is a global marketing and research-focused program, whose role is to position and target specific markets & topics requested by members for members. At the same time, constructsteel has a regional dimension, i.e., to assist in transforming global efforts into opportunities at the regional level.
The Softwood Lumber Board (SLB) is an industry-funded initiative established to promote the benefits and uses of softwood lumber products in outdoor, residential, and non-residential construction. Programs and initiatives supported by the SLB will focus on increasing the demand for appearance and softwood lumber products in the United States.
The presentations below were captured during the two-day CTBUH 2022 Steel-Timber Hybrid Buildings Conference, which convened the leading international experts in steel and timber design and construction, and explored how the benefits of each can be utilized to advance tall steel-timber hybrid buildings. Taking place at Mies van der Rohe’s essential masterpiece, the 1956 S.R. Crown Hall at the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), Chicago, these presentations covered the most significant steel-timber hybrid buildings completed, under design or under construction today, as well as the latest advances in academic research.
Videos
Steel-Timber Hybrid Buildings Conference 2022 Opening Welcome Remarks
Antony Wood, CTBUH; Reed Kroloff, Illinois Institute of Technology; Terrence Busuttil, constructsteel; Nick Milestone, Softwood Lumber Board
The AISC Design Guide To Hybrid Steel Frames With Wood Floors
Michelle Roelofs & Jordan Woodson, Arup
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Tallwood 1, Langford, BC, Canada - Eccentrically Braced Steel Frame Provides Lateral Support
Ilana Danzig, Aspect Structural Engineers
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Heartwood Workforce Housing : Glulam / CLT and Steel BRB Frames
Susan Jones, atelierjones
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Establishing Composite Steel-Frame Performance Standards Using CLT Floor Panels
Kadir Sener, Auburn University
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Cast Steel Connections in Steel Timber Hybrid Construction
Jennifer Pazdon, Cast Connex
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Well House, Amsterdam: Steel Beams & CLT Floors
Diederik Dam, Dam & Partners Architecten
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Three Projects, Three Levels Of Steel-Timber Hybrid Complexity
Ethan Martin, DCI Engineers
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Stockholm Central Station: A Steel-Timber Transit-Oriented Development
Mark Atkinson, Foster + Partners; John Peronto, Thornton Tomasetti
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M5, Vancouver and Terraine, San Jose: Lessons Learned From Conception To Construction
Harrison Glotman & Chris Smith, Glotman Simpson Consulting Engineers
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Lighthouse, Joensuu, Finland: Thread Bars in a Discontinuous Post-Tension System
Riku Hirvonen, Karelia University of Applied Sciences
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843 North Spring Street, LA : CLT, Wide-Flange Steel, & Special Concentric Braced Frames
Thomas Robinson, LEVER Architecture
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Comparing Carbon Footprints of Steel & Timber Systems Equitably
Matt Streid, Magnusson Klemencic Associates
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Bringing Sustainable Steel To Your Next Hybrid Structure
Tabitha Stine & Luke Johnson, Nucor Corp.
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Using a Perforated Hollow Steel Beam to Build Up Timber Hybrid Fire-Rated Slim Floors
Dominic Lemieux, Peikko North America
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Hyper-Hybrid Skin: Multifunctional Hybrid Steel-Timber Unitized Façade System
Lars Anders, Priedemann Façade Experts
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Marmormolen, Copenhagen: ‘Paving’ A ‘Services Highway’ Using Steel Beams
Riccardo Pedroni, Ramboll
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Increasing Urban Density with Steel & Timber: XRAD and SPIDER Systems
Hannes Blaas, Rothoblaas s.r.l.
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De Karel Doorman, Rotterdam: An Ultra-Lightweight Vertical Extension Using Steel Beams & Stud Walls
Maurice Hermens, Royal HaskoningDHV
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Two Public Buildings, California: Using Steel & Timber To Achieve Weight Savings
Benton Johnson, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
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Santander Bank, London: Raising Head Heights and Lowering Embodied Carbon
Eddie Jump, Thornton Tomasetti
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Design Considerations - Beam-Column Connections & Steel Buckling-Restrained Braced Frames
Hans-Erik Blomgren, Timberlab
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Optimizing Steel and CLT for Seismic Performance
Solomon Tesfamariam, University of British Columbia
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Using Multiple Criteria Decision Analysis To Determine Best Approaches For High Seismic Regions
Adam Phillips, Washington State University
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6 Orsman Road, London, UK: Zero-Waste, Demountable Construction
Andrew Waugh, Waugh Thistleton Architects
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Sara Cultural Center, Skellefteå, Sweden: Steel Box Trusses & Tension Rods Allow Long Spans and A Timber Core
Robert Schmitz, White Arkitekter
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Lessons Learned from USA Steel Timber Projects
Ricky McLain, WoodWorks; Jennifer Hardy, Payette
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Podcast
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