Designing for Durability

Architects specify wood for many reasons, including cost, ease and efficiency of construction, design versatility, and sustainability—as well as its beauty and the innate appeal of nature and natural materials. Innovative new technologies and building systems are also leading to the increased use of wood as a structural material, not only in houses, schools, and other traditional applications, but in larger, taller, and more visionary wood buildings.

Even as the use of wood is expanding, one significant characteristic of wood buildings is often underestimated: their durability. Misconceptions still exist that buildings made of materials such as concrete or steel last longer than buildings made of wood. This connection between materials and building will be discussed in this course.