Canadian Wood Council supports independent study documenting safety of wood frame construction Special to the Canadian Design and Construction Report The Canadian Wood Council supports a third-party independent study led by two of North America’s leading fire safety experts that shows there to be little difference in fire spread, death and injury rates in res- idential fires across general construction types, pro- vided the buildings are properly equipped with smoke alarms and automatic fire sprinkler systems. The February 2014 report “Fire Outcomes in Resi- dential Fires by General Construction Type,” released by the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) in British Columbia, challenges the general belief that com- pleted buildings built predominantly with steel or con- crete are significantly safer in a fire than those built predominantly with wood. “The report doesn’t favour one building type over another – if anything, it shows the value of sprinklers and smoke alarms in protecting lives and property in all types of buildings,” says Len Garis, City of Surrey, B.C. fire chief and UFV adjunct professor. “The report adds valuable science-based data into the public arena so that better informed decisions can be made in our efforts to improve our building practices.” Changes to the British Columbia Building Code to permit taller wood-frame buildings, along with pend- ing changes to the Model National Building Code of Canada, have sparked a debate in Canada’s construc- tion sector, as well as the first responder community and different building material interests, about best practices for these buildings. “With our findings in mind, and in parallel with other research findings from the authors, it should be considered that more emphasis is placed on ensuring all buildings have operating, current and optimal fire safety systems,” says Garis. 14 – Spring 2014 — The Canadian Design and Construction Report