Amended Law Eases Path for Mass Timber Schools in Michigan
Print
EmailIf you’re designing a mass timber school in Michigan, the approvals process has recently become more straightforward.
If you’re designing a mass timber school in Michigan, the approvals process has recently become more straightforward. The State has updated an old statute—Act 306 of 1937—that some building code officials had interpreted as in conflict with the Michigan Building Code (MBC) when it comes to mass timber in schools.
The old version of the code specified only the use of “fire resisting materials”—including steel and concrete, but not wood—for school construction. Michigan enacted the out-of-date statute at a time before the commercialization of mass timber materials like cross-laminated timber and glulam, which research has since proven have excellent fire resistance properties (Large-Scale Fire Tests of A Mass Timber Building Structure for MTDFTP & Fire Safe implementation of visible mass timber in tall buildings – compartment fire testing).
Nevertheless, the statute—not consistent with MBC—created red tape in the approvals process for at least one Michigan school in recent years. Seeing the need to resolve this inconsistency, the Michigan Legislature passed House Bill 4603, which amends Act 306 of 1937 to require building materials used in schools to comply with Michigan Building Code, which allows for and regulates the use of mass timber. Governor Whitmer signed HB 4603 on July 8, 2024. So, if you are engaged in a school project in Michigan, keep this information on hand for conversations with your code officials; they will likely appreciate the more straightforward process as much as you do.
And, if you’re wondering about the status of the 2021 Michigan Building Code, that draft—including all the mass timber elements in the 2021 International Building Code (Tall Wood Buildings in the 2021 IBC) has been sent to the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR). In order for this bicameral body to convene, the Legislature must first be in session for 15 consecutive days. Once that occurs, the JCAR can choose to take up the draft MBC. They can discuss it, approve it, send it back for amendments or they can choose to take no action. If the Committee approves the draft or takes no action, it takes 15 days to file the MBC; after that it takes effect in 120 days. Based on these factors, the soonest MBC could take effect is likely February 1, 2025.
Please don’t hesitate to contact Sandra Lupien, Director, MassTimber@MSU with any questions: lupiensa@msu.edu.
