In its ongoing efforts to expand the Japanese market for both commercial and residential platform frame construction structures, COFI, in cooperation with the Japan 2x4 Home Builders Association, organized a comprehensive week long program for a delegation of 13 construction and design experts from Japan. The group held in depth discussions with Canadian architects, engineers and contractors reviewing design and construction details and materials specifications for the Bear Mountain Resort and Community in Victoria which includes town homes, condominiums and hotels.

The experience included a stay in a 3-storey wood frame structure located on the Bear Mountain site.

While in Vancouver the group toured various 3 & 4 storey construction sites (care facilities, condominiums, townhouses, and hotels) in the lower mainland, to get a broader view of how SPF dimension lumber is used in a variety of multi-family and non-residential wood frame 2x4 structures.

David Litchfield
Director

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Industry experts attend Fire Proofing Seminar
at Canadian Embassy, Tokyo

Despite drop in housing, wood consumption remains projected to meet or exceed 2005

Imports of Wood Products into China continue to grow at a strong pace

Chinese Press interviews the newest member of the Canada Wood Team, Greg Hoing

Leading housing and property developers from China took part in a mission to Canada from September 2-10, 2006. The Chinese Wood Developers Mission included tours of single family, multi-family and commercial wood frame construction sites in Victoria, West Vancouver, Port Moody and Whistler.

Members of the Mission were very impressed with the 3-story, multi-family condo/apartment projects viewed. During the tour, several developers expressed stong interest in building this type of wood frame development in China. They were equally impressed with the use of very large, solid timber, Yellow Cedar in several of the multi-million dollar homes viewed in Whistler.

Giving these key developers a first hand look at how wood is used in virtually all North American housing developments, gives them the confidence and inspiration to choose wood over concrete in Chinese developments.

Perhaps the largest benefit that came from this Developers Mission was the interest of the group to form the nucleus of the first ever Developers Wood Frame Construction Association in China. The first meeting for the group of developers will be held in Shanghai on November 24, 2006.

Dramatic rise in building permits and housing starts over the past year

Exports into the Korean marketplace continue to rise signficantly over last year

On August 31, COFI participated in the 4th Canada – Korea joint steering committee meeting. Delivered over a period of two days, the meeting addressed a broad list of issues relating to housing. The presentations ranged from demographic trends (ageing populations) to highly detailed discussions on matters related to building codes, standards and testing.

Presentations addressing codes and standards generated the greatest amount of discussion by both sides. COFI, operating under the Canada Wood umbrella in Korea, considers these discussions with Korean Government policy makers to be pivotal to advancing the acceptance of multi-family wood frame buildings in the market.

COFI is also participating in deliberations with the Canadian trade team currently negotiating the free trade agreement with Korea.  We hope to achieve tariff eliminations and phase-outs plus deal with technical barriers to trade.

As the Korean Government begins to implement components of its national plan for economic realignment and urban redesign, new town developments are being announced with increasing regularity.  Urban planning for these new towns encourages a greater mix of low-rise construction than seen in existing Korean cities.  This opens the door for increased penetration the wood method.  However, before multi-unit structures can be built in wood, technical barriers exist in the form of requirements mandating verification that wood assemblies meet Korea’s fire and acoustical performance requirements.  In the case of sound these requirements are more stringent than those in place in North America and will require that we develop new approaches and solutions.  COFI is working with a variety of partners including the National Research Council to produce a long-term strategy to methodically overcome these hurdles.

Tai Jeong has been very busy in recent months planning, coordinating and sometimes delivering training programs targeted at a variety of stakeholders:

KWCA Practical Wood Frame Training Course      
Supported by Canada Wood, the Korea Wood Construction Association (KWCA) successfully conducted the Wood Frame Construction Practical Construction Training Workshop in Chungjoo city, Chungbuk Province from June 26 to July 8, 2006.  Over the two week workshop, 50 students framed a two storey 2000 square foot 2x4 house. The completed structure was donated to a charity organization for the disabled persons.  COFI and SPF Group members donated Canadian structural wood products (S-P-F dimension lumber and structural wood panels).  Merits of the project were highlighted via TV broadcastings, newspapers and magazines with 3 TV spots and at least seven articles generated. This was a joint project of CWG and the WCA.

Joint technical forum with Korea Wood Building Design Association and Korea Institute of Architects of Busan: (September 22, 2006 at Paradise Hotel, Busan)
Total 30 professional architects attended this seminar. Technical Director of CW Korea provided a 50 minute long lecture on update on Korea Building Code, structural consideration on msmf wood framed buildings. 40 copies of 6-CWC International Building Series were distributed to the seminar attendees. 

Joint technical seminar with Korea Wood Construction Association: (September 23, 2006 at BEXCO, Busan)
Total 160 local consumers, college students, builders, architects, and material distributors attended this seminar. 120 copies of 6-CWC International Building Series were distributed to the seminar attendees. 

Home Culture Center’s Software Design Course:
CWG Korea is supporting the HCC’s Software Design Course being conducted from September 29, 2006 to February 9, 2007.  A total of 20 architects, structural designers and professional builders are participating in this 5-month course utilizing Canada Wood Council’s WoodWorks Design Office software.  Following completion, the graduates should be able to design complex wood structures using the CWC software.

Orientation Seminar for the 2006 Korea Wood Design Award was held on September 2, 2006 at Seoul National University. Technical Director of CW Korea provided a 50 minute long lecture on SPF lumber, NLGA grading rule, case studies of wood frame buildings, and general introduction of CW to the total 35 seminar participants from domestic colleges and universities.

In the words of Brian Zak, he has difficulty explaining his title of Phyto-Sanitary Specialist for Canada Wood. When people have not heard of ‘phtyo-sanitary’ you might hear him use the words ‘plant-health’ instead.  Boiling this down to what it really means is that his job is all about bugs and diseases on lumber and how not to ship those problems into the marketplace.

Zak’s job is getting busier as the world’s marketplace continues to shrink with global borders becoming increasingly closer.  With the exchange of products and goods from around the world the transfer of bugs and diseases becomes increasingly worrisome.

Bugs and diseases from other countries have landed on Canadian shores and have wreaked havoc.  In addition we have our own home grown versions of pests that other countries do not want.  This is the new world of phyto-sanitary rules and regulations.  Zak works as the industry liaison dealing with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) who oversees lumber export rules.  In addition Zak links with the international plant health agencies that control the importation of our lumber into the global markets.  It all ties into providing market access for our Canadian forest products. Some examples follow.

India until recently, as an example, did not allow the importation of our interior SPF lumber into their country as they were worried about a pest called the pinewood nematode.  Only recently did they amend their plant health regulations to allow SPF lumber into India providing it was heat-treated which pasteurizes the wood and kills any presence of nematodes.  This was the result of numerous meetings and interactions by CFIA, Department of International Trade, and interactions with Canada Wood. 

Taiwan has recently determined that they need to regulate against a disease called Sudden Oak Death (SOD).  This is a disease that infects and kills trees like Oak and Douglas fir from other host plants commonly found in forests.  Canada was wrongly listed in an international scientific data base as having this disease established in our country.  The Taiwan plant health agency determined that Canada and other countries like the UK, the US and New Zealand would have to be regulated to prevent infected lumber from entering their shores.  At this point in time, we have to scientifically defend the facts:

• Canada does not have this SOD disease established in its forests.

• Some nursery stock and apples have been imported and found to be infected with SOD but were quickly detected and eradicated.

Zak, the CFIA, and CFS are meeting with the Taiwan plant health group to review the scientific basis of fact and have extended an invitation for them to tour our forests and operations.  Zak and the agencies intend to prove that access for Canadian Douglas fir lumber in this important market should not be regulated against.  There are many more examples of phyto-sanitary issues that will continue to be explained in future newsletters.

The world of market access is one of many rules, regulations and foreign countries who may not understand the complicated wood world and many species that are home to Canada.  It is important that we provide the best possible access to the myriad of wood products and provide a level playing field for all producers.  Canada Wood and the role of Brian Zak is supported by the forest industry, the provincial government, and the Federal Government.  In the forest industry, we could call it Team Canada. 

Brian Zak, Phyto-Sanitary Specialist, ensures Canadian Wood Products meet the 'plant health' requirements of other countries & our products are properly represented on the world stage

Case Study I
Dream Home Canada