Completed in 2020, Oakville Fire Station #8’s design objectives were to create a facility that optimized space efficiency and flexibility, was easy to operate and maintain, and used durable materials and building systems. The result was one of the first buildings in North America to use mass timber in both its structural elements and envelope, providing a complete mass timber solution. A large part of the project’s success and innovation was attributed to the use of Integrated Project Delivery and Lean Construction principles, which involved all project stakeholders from the very beginning to promote collaboration, efficiency, and alignment. The project also achieved LEED Silver certification and underwent a Life Cycle Assessment to track the building’s environmental impact.
While several structural options were considered, mass timber was ultimately chosen for its ability to be prefabricated off-site—which aligned with its tight construction schedule—and its environmental and aesthetic benefits. The fire station’s apparatus bay uses a hybrid steel and mass timber structure, with steel bracing used to frame the CLT shear walls and reinforce the bay doors. The living quarters use an exposed CLT and glulam structure to accommodate a dormitory, kitchen, gymnasium, offices, meeting rooms, and other specialized spaces.
This structure is enclosed in a high-performance envelope that provides advanced thermal performance and increased energy efficiency. The exterior wood cladding features a hand-charred Shou Sugi Ban finish, a traditional Japanese technique that results in a dark wood surface that is low maintenance, provides weatherproofing, has fire-retarding properties, and is resistant to insects, moisture, and rot. The wood itself was locally sourced from a mill that salvages sunken logs from lakes and rivers in Quebec. Together, the wood materials in Oakville Fire Station #8’s structure and exterior contribute to the significant carbon savings of this fine example of modular construction technology in mass timber.
Register for a Technical Learning Session
Sign up for MTC Newsletter and keep up to date with all our progress.