The Wood Innovation Research Lab (WIRL) at UNBC will see its equipment paid for by Ottawa thanks to an $800,000 investment.
The equipment will be arriving at the lab later this year and will include structural testing equipment along with a hydraulic power unit and a climate chamber.
This will put the program in a great position with hybrid wood structures.
“This type of equipment will allow us to do that type of testing within that facility and then take that research question and then put it out into the industry that says we can build these buildings,” says Dr. Geoff Payne, Vice President of Research and Graduate Programs.
“The students engaged with this program also have the opportunity to work and do research as they get ready for they’re next career and really move them into the industry sector and take in the great academic and research training and translating that into their career ambitions.”
This follows an earlier announcement to create the lab and support the program’s faculty members.
“It allows to put out state of the art equipment in to support the research within the Wood Innovation Research Lab and ensure the capabilities to cutting-edge wood, wood-engineering and hybrid related structures can be completed.”
“Because we have the research and evidence that ensures tall wood buildings and hybrid structures can be built and are just as strong if not better than our current concrete ones, really pushing the mandate that the province announced last week in having a wood-first mandate.”
The WIRL will be completed later this spring.