Phoenix is weeks away from allowing fully encapsulated timber buildings to rise to 18 storeys after the Arizona capital voted to update its Building Code late last week. Set to come into effect August 1st – after a 12-month grace period, the 2024 Phoenix Building Construction Code means that the Valley of the Sun is one of a growing number of cities that follow the International Building Code.
“Updating the building code is one of the most impactful ways we can promote safety, sustainability and long-term value for our residents and development community,” said Phoenix’s Planning and Development Department Director Joshua Bednarek. “These changes reflect the hard work of city staff, stakeholders and technical experts, who reviewed every code and amendment to ensure this update meets the needs of our growing city, now and in the future.”
In addition to permitting the construction of high rises out of “sustainable engineered wood,” new changes also include new EV charging requirements for easier access to one—and two-family homes, improved water conservation, and reduced space requirements for mechanical systems in multifamily developments, which allow architects to maximise unit square footage.
The update also includes an inclusive home design amendment, proposed by the Mayor’s Strategic Workgroup on Accessibility, which enhances standards for some entrances, hallways, bathrooms, and household fixtures to help residents age in place and improve accessibility for people with disabilities: “This is a win for families, older adults, and anyone who wants to live safely and comfortably in their own home for years to come,” said Councilwoman Debra Stark, who chairs the Mayor’s Strategic Workgroup on Accessibility.
Why the South is a major growing market for mass timber
Last year, Wood Central reported on a study by the University of Georgia with support from the US Forest Service, which found that the South was the main driver of seven-story-above timber buildings: “Our model suggests slower mass timber adoption rates in four-to-six-storey multifamily residential,” the researchers said, “with mass timber adoption rates in nonresidential mid-rise buildings much higher.”
- To learn more about the study, which predicts the demand for mass timber construction across the United States under different adoption scenarios, click here for Wood Central’s special feature.
