The New York City Council has approved the use of mass timber for the construction of buildings of up to 85 feet tall in the city.
Included as part of a major update to the New York City Construction Codes, the new regulations mean that mass timber, including cross-laminated timber, can be used as a structural material for low and medium-rise buildings across the city.
The new regulations mean that buildings up to 85 feet (25.9 metres) tall can be built from the materials. This equates to structures of six or seven storeys.
CLT projects up to 85 feet allowed in New York
"The updated Construction Codes now includes cross-laminated timber (CLT) as an approved Type IV construction material here in New York City," a representative from the New York City Department of Buildings told Dezeen. "Maximum building heights for CLT projects would be up to 85 feet."
Although some mass timber buildings have been built in New York, previous regulations did not allow for the material to be used in many areas of the city. The buildings that have been built required extensive additional permits.
Revision "a step in the right direction"
The regulation was passed by the council as part of the first major code update since 2014. In total the update included 7,400 revisions to the city's construction codes.
The majority of the regulations will go into effect from the beginning of next year.
New York's decision comes as mass timber is being more widely adopted as a ...