The Brock Commons building is unique in the use of a mass timber hybrid structure. The foundation, ground floor, and stair/elevator cores are concrete, while the superstructure is composed of cross-laminated timber (CLT) panel floor assemblies supported on parallel strand lumber (PSL) or glue-laminated timber (glulam) columns with steel connections. The building envelope is comprised of prefabricated, steel-stud frame panels with wood-fibre laminate cladding, and a traditional SBS (styrenebutadiene-styrene) roof assembly on metal decking.
The primary regulation governing the construction of tall wood buildings at the University is the British Columbia Building Code. The provincial code is modeled on the National Building Code of Canada, which regulates the design and construction of new buildings, as well as the alteration, changes of use, and demolition of existing buildings. The project team and the University’s Chief Building Official worked with the British Columbia Building and Safety Standards Branch to draft the UBC Tall Wood Building Regulation.