Interior daytime view of low rise Prince George Airport Expansion showing blue chairs, sculpted ceiling and structural post + beam timbers supporting Glue-laminated timber (Glulam)

Wood in airports

Prince George airport expansion | Photo credit: Michael Green Architecture

Wood takes flight

The warmth, versatility and durability of wood led Michael Green, Principal of MGA, to specify wood for the Prince George, British Columbia (B.C.) and Ottawa, Ontario, airports outlined in this video.

The Raleigh-Durham International Airport, located in North Carolina in the United States had the largest timber-hybrid roof in North America when it was constructed. Eric Karsh, from Equilibrium Consulting Inc., comments that by choosing wood, the fabrication time was reduced from 17 to 11 months. The timber component of the system proved to be the most fire resistant of the entire roof structure.

With the development of connections and new wood technologies, advances in wood science and building technology have expanded options for wood construction in airports.

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