Southeastern Delegates See, Touch, and Feel Wood’s Unique Versatility on California School Tour

WoodWorks California recently hosted school officials and related design professionals from the Southeastern U.S. on a tour of wood-frame schools. Motivated by a recent change in Arkansas legislation which eliminated a long standing ban on the use of wood in school buildings, the tour showcased how wood materials and connections meet seismic, fire and other requirements while providing design flexibility and aesthetically pleasing environments for students and staff.

Participants toured five schools in two days, with school officials, maintenance staff, architects and engineers adding insight into the different ways wood has allowed them to build safe, functional and beautiful schools they may not have otherwise been able to build due to the rising costs of competitive building materials.

The highlight of the tour was a visit to VanderMolen Elementary School in Corona, CA—a two-story school that was under construction and only days away from installation of interior finish. While the visits to completed schools added insight into durability and function-related issues, it was at VanderMolen where attendees were able to truly understand the unique versatility of a multi-level wood-frame school by seeing, touching and feeling wood in this context.