Governor Brown’s Executive Order B-52-18 directed the State Fire Marshal to review the approved Tall Wood Building recommendations of the International Code Council’s Ad Hoc Committee on Tall Wood Buildings for adoption into the California Building Code’s intervening cycle. On August 13, 2020, the California Building Standards Commission approved the adoption of the 2021 International Building Code (IBC) tall mass timber provisions, which will become enacted on July 1, 2021 in the 2019 California Building Code.

This special series of educational webinars is a collaboration between California Building Officials (CALBO), American Wood Council, and California State Rural Economic Development Steering Wood Utilization (REDS WUG) Working Group to provide code officials information on the recent code changes to enable the plan review and design of tall mass timber projects in California. The in-depth sessions cover new construction types; fire resistance; materials manufacturing requirements including adhesives; noncombustible protection of mass timber elements; protection of connections, concealed spaces, and shafts; fire safety during construction; required inspections including special inspections; redundant water supply; height and area limits; acoustical and energy-related provisions; and other requirements for mass timber buildings.

Attendees also learn about the California State Rural Economic Development Steering Wood Utilization (REDS WUG) Working Group, which is working to implement the goals of SB 859, including tall wood construction in California to help us understand what is ahead in the future. Building officials, inspectors, architects, contractors and designers are encouraged to attend.