A New BIM Plug-In for Wood Specification
Wood is nature’s solution to carbon reduction. A true carbon sink, wood absorbs carbon dioxide, stores the carbon, and releases the oxygen back into the atmosphere. When sustainably sourced, wood is the ideal building material to help meet net-zero goals.
With so many questions on the topic of carbon, architects now have a resource to support the specification of mass-timber offsite-construction: www.OffsiteWood.org.
This non-profit open-source software was developed by a large-member co-op led by QWEB (Quebec Wood Export Bureau). Offsite Wood provides two resources for architects:
- Offsite Wood Autodesk App Free BIM Plug-In in Revit
-
OffsiteWood.org A website featuring an extensive suite of tools
The plug-in is based on how carbon is being modeled in four streams including:
- post and beam,
- mass timber floors,
- custom framed-enclosure systems, and
- modular/volumetric assemblies (in testing).
With the help of BIM managers and beta testing over the last two years, the plug-in allows criteria-filtering defined by the architect including dimensions, fire resistance, sustainability profile, life-cycle data, and more.
The website provides supplemental resources like container files, template files, textures, detailing, videos, specs, and 3D viewers that allow the architect to view innovative assemblies. Sustainability metrics, pre-construction services, fire-marshal submittals, design assists, and lists of regional producers provide guidance in mass-timber specification.