Lunch and Learn Presentations: Northern California

WoodWorks technical advisors are available to provide one-hour educational seminars in-house to architects, engineers, builders, contractors, code officials and others. (We require a minimum of six people and we’ll bring lunch!) WoodWorks is an approved AIA provider. Eligible attendees qualify for one HSW credit per presentation.

Presentations available in Northern California include:

Panelized Roof (Hybrid and All Wood) Systems for Architects – Cost effective Roof Solutions for Building Owners - The panelized roof system has been used effectively in industrial building applications on the west coast. Yet, this roof system can also be used to reduce building costs in retail, commercial, and office applications all over the US. Learn what makes this roof system so cost effective as well has how it to efficiently design and install it. Solutions for structural loading, fire protection, and constructability are reviewed. Benefits of the panelized roof system, in addition to cost, will be discussed as will design resources. Lunch is provided.

Panelized Roof (Hybrid and All Wood) Systems for Engineers – A value added solution for clients - The panelized roof system has been used very effectively in industrial building applications on the west coast. Yet, this roof system can also be used to reduce building costs in almost any structure with a large low slope roof. Learn what makes this roof system so cost effective as well has how it to efficiently design and install it. This presentation will review design calculation techniques and resources for high load diaphragms, wall anchoring and material selection. Solutions for structural loading, fire protection, and constructability will also be reviewed. Lunch is provided.

High Load Diaphragm Design for Engineers - The panelized roof is the most cost effective roof system for commercial and industrial building applications. The cost efficiency of using wood diaphragms for large, low slope roofs calls for specialized engineering techniques for their design. This presentation will cover calculation methods, design resources, and detailing techniques for high load diaphragms. Rigid vs. flexible diaphragm analysis, high load diaphragm tables, sub-diaphragm approach, collective chord design and diaphragm deflection will also be discussed. A design example is included and lunch is provided.

Fire Protection for Non-residential Structures – This presentation covers the basic principles of fire protection in wood frame non-residential structures, including fire rating of interior and exterior walls, fire blocking and draft stopping. Examples of fire assemblies that achieve one- and two-hour ratings will be illustrated using various materials, including I-joists, plated floor trusses and solid sawn lumber. Building types and allowable heights and areas will also be discussed, including the impact of open frontage and sprinklers.

Air, Water and Moisture Management in Commercial Building Envelopes – Participants will receive an overview of how air and moisture infiltrate commercial wall systems and the ramifications of improper design. A leaky envelope can cause damage to building materials, contributing to poor indoor air quality and resulting in call-backs and costly repairs. Reviewing the mechanics of moisture movement will help participants understand how moisture impacts building performance, how to identify common design defects that lead to moisture problems, how to identify common construction defects that lead to mold and decay and how to properly flash envelope penetrations.

LRFD for Wood Structures – The design of wood framed structures has traditionally been done using allowable stress design, or ASD. However, the wood products industry has long recognized the importance of offering design professionals an alternative load resistance factor design, or LRFD methodology. This presentation reviews the development of LRFD and highlights the differences between methods as well as the benefits to using this alternative. It also provides LRFD examples and an introduction to the ANSI/AF&PA NDS-2005 National Design Specification® for Wood Construction. 

Seismic and Wind Design for Wood Framed Structures – The overall strength of a building is a function of all of its components—including the roof, walls, floors and foundation—working as a unit. This presentation provides a top to bottom overview of lateral design for wood framed structures. Topics include: lessons learned from natural disasters, highlights of the California Building Code, and shear wall design methods

Wood Product Overview – This presentation covers the palette of wood products available for non-residential structures. It addresses topics such as availability, spans, depths, fire code requirements and grading—both for solid sawn lumber and engineered wood products, which include I-joists, wood metal gusset plate trusses, heavy duty trusses (open web, wood chord/steel web and laminated wood chord), structural composite lumber, glulam beams and high strength glulam beams. Also included will be design considerations when selecting from a wide range of series, spacings and depths, as well as tips on coordinating these products with structural engineers, architects, mechanical/electrical/plumbing and manufacturers.

Connection Solutions I: Practical Applications for Connecting Wood to Wood, Steel or Concrete – This session will focus on wood connection design philosophy. Topics will include: basic material properties of wood and how to avoid notching and splitting problems, the effects of moisture on wood connections, wood-to-steel and wood-to concrete connections, an overview of fasteners/connectors, and where to find connection software and other resources.

Connection Solutions II: Design Provisions for Wood Fasteners in the NDS® – Continuing from Connection Solutions I, this session will focus on design provisions for wood fasteners in the National Design Specification® for Wood Construction (NDS®), including yield model equations, NDS adjustment factors, in-depth design examples for dowel-type connections, and where to find connection software and other more detailed information.

Wood in School Construction
Wood is an excellent choice of material for the structural frame in school design and construction. This program highlights how the use of wood can lower construction costs while shortening construction time, offering increased building efficiency and contributing to better Life Cycle Assessment. Topics include: fire resistance, building performance, durability and serviceability.

Panelized Roofs
Building costs include up front materials and labor expenditures as well as lifetime operating and maintenance costs. Most building systems that save you money in one regard usually cost you money in the other. That is not the case with the panelized roof system introduced in this presentation. The panelized roof is the most cost effective roof system commonly used on the west coast in commercial and industrial applications. We will review how the system is designed and installed, answer all the commonly asked structural, fire protection, and construction questions, and then show you a case study.

Tips from the Trade – This presentation covers the palette of wood products available for non-residential structures. Topics will include basic specification information for both for solid sawn lumber and engineered wood products (which include structural panels, I-joists, structural composite lumber, glulam beams and studs), answers to frequently asked questions, as well as efforts underway to simplify the wood specification, and a review of online resources available. Cost-effective and energy efficient systems will also be highlighted. 

Greening Your Building with Wood - Sustainable Design Considerations for Non-Residential Buildings – This presentation looks at how wood construction can contribute to a green building. You can customize your presentation by choosing three of the following four 20 minute sections:

Wood and the Environment – This presentation dispels common myths about forestry management, explains wood's role in the three “R”s, and discusses how wood contributes to the occupant environment.

Climate Change – This segment explains how wood products can positively affect climate change. Topics include: the role of CO2, the carbon cycle and current events. Examples showing how wood compares to other materials will also be shown.

Life Cycle Assessment – Using scientifically-based life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology, this session demonstrates why wood products are better for the environment than other materials in terms of indicators such as embodied energy, air and water pollution and global warming potential. LCA is becoming the world standard for evaluating the sustainability of materials and assemblies and improving environmentally based decision-making. The tools available to conduct LCA for buildings and components will be introduced as well.

Rating Systems – The two largest commercial green rating systems, LEED® and Green Globes™, will be explored and compared in this presentation. Items of interest such as chain of custody and forestry certification systems will also be discussed. 

For more details or to book a presentation, please contact:

Lisa Podesto, PE
Technical Director, WoodWorks California
Telephone: 530 596-4031
Email: lisa@woodworks.org