EWP System Eliminates Concrete Topping, Reduces Costs for Six-Story Wood-Framed Retirement Community

Berwick Retirement Communities’ latest property, located in Campbell River,

B.C., is one of the first six-story wood-framed buildings in Canada, a decision that was helped with an innovative engineered wood floor system featuring engineered wood products.

Berwick had successfully constructed many three- and four-story wood-framed projects previously; with the recent change in the B.C. Building Code, vice president of construction Bill Bomhof wanted to consider a six-story wood frame for Berwick by the Sea, but had serious concerns about how to deal with the potential increased shrinkage and the added weight on the buildings’ foundations.

After consultation with Weyerhaeuser, Bomhof selected a floor design featuring Trus Joist® engineered wood products (EWP), capped with a subfloor of 1-1/8-inch-thick

PROJECT: Berwick by the Sea

LOCATION: Campbell River, B.C.

SIZE: 132 units

COMPLETED: Fall 2014

DEVELOPER: Berwick Retirement Communities

B E R W I C K B Y T H E S E AC A S E S T U D Y

Weyerhaeuser Edge Gold® OSB. He realized that with this more robust floor system, he could eliminate the concrete topping on each floor that is typical of multi-story construction.

Bomhof also found that eliminating the concrete reduced the overall weight of the structure, which provided significant savings in the foundation costs. In addition, the reduced floor weight, combined with the use of Trus Joist Microllam® LVL for the top and bottom plates, reduced the number of total plates required, further reducing costs as well as the potential issues with shrinkage.

“I’m always looking for new ideas, and I could see right away that the concern with six-story is shrinkage and that this could eliminate 25% of it,” says Bomhof. “Plus, the added benefit of no concrete topping is that there’s no added delay waiting for it to cure, and it reduced our overall costs.”

Bomhof believes there is one more advantage of the material change: The surface underfoot will be easier on the residents—and their aging joints—than hard concrete.

B E R W I C K B Y T H E S E AC A S E S T U D Y

It’s one more benefit in a community that offers comfortable, well-appointed independent and assisted living. Abounding amenities include dining rooms, libraries, and bistros, a rooftop greenhouse, and exercise facilities. But most notable is the property’s location overlooking the Salish Sea, gracing residents’ retirement years with breathtaking panoramic views.