Artistic rendering of the KF Aerospace Centre for Excellence. photo credit: StructureCraft Builders
KELOWNA – Canada’s forest sector is transforming the materials we use in construction. Using mass timber in building construction helps lower emissions, advance innovation in forestry and supports local manufacturing and jobs. Canada is investing in the use of mass timber in innovative and non-traditional building applications.
The Honourable Harjit Sajjan, Minister of National Defence, on behalf of the Honourable Seamus O’Regan Jr., Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources, today announced an $800,000 investment to KF Aerospace, to build a multi-use airport hangar that will showcase a highly innovative and unique application of wood in its construction.
Located at the Kelowna International Airport, the two-storey multi-use structure will be the first of its kind in Canada, using state-of-the-art floor and tall wall wood-based systems to accommodate the large spacing between columns — a typical design element for a hangar but not yet done using this innovative building system. Once built, the hangar will house an aviation museum and a conference centre. The total carbon benefits realized from the use of mass timber for this construction are an estimated 1,753 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide.
“Designing and constructing this facility to reflect and blend B.C.’s rich history of aviation and forestry was very important to me. I want to thank the federal government for its contribution to allow this facility to be a true legacy to our past while showcasing what’s possible in the future, ” said Barry Lapointe, Founder and CEO of KF Aerospace.
Funding for the project is provided through Natural Resources Canada’s Green Construction through Wood Program, which promotes the use of wood in non-traditional construction projects such as low-rise non-residential buildings, tall wood buildings and bridges. The program positions Canada as a world leader in innovative wood construction technologies and the low-carbon economy.
Projects like this help Canada achieve its 2030 climate change goals by finding effective ways of building sustainably using Canadian wood products and lowering emissions.