12 August 2025
The new Cowichan District Hospital (CDH) Replacement Project — scheduled to open in 2027 — the future CDH will be the first hospital in Canada to achieve Zero Carbon Building – Designâ„¢ certification from the Canada Green Building Council. It is also British Columbia’s first fully electric hospital.
Sustainability highlights of the new CDH include:
- Fossil fuel-free, all-electric operation, eliminating reliance on gas or diesel.
- 30% lower energy demand compared to the existing hospital thanks to a high-performance building envelope.
- Advanced ventilation systems to ensure clean indoor air — crucial during wildfire smoke events and for patients with respiratory issues.
- On-site solar panels will generate 2.5% of the hospital’s annual energy needs.
- Water-saving technologies will reduce consumption by 60% relative to the current facility.
- Use of sustainable construction materials, including low-carbon concrete and mass timber to minimize embodied carbon in construction.
- LED lighting and low-emission refrigerants to further cut operational emissions.
Click here to read more.
WoodWorks Issue – 12 Aug 2025
Welcome
Greetings from your WoodWorks team. First up we celebrate with the team responsible for the project at 90 Devonport Road, Tauranga. The project has won an award recognising the build-ability of the structural design and excellent teamwork among other things. Our second story is from Rotorua where Richard Naish and the team from RTA Studio have built an architecturally designed, light filled 3 bedroom home in 6 weeks for $335,000.
Next up, CLT Toolbox has a generous announcement for students and educators who are now able to access the professional level software for free until 30 June 2026. From Canada, British Columbia will be opening a net-zero carbon hospital in 2027 which will be environmentally and financially cost effective to run.
Freres Wood in Oregon, USA has expanded the range of wood finishes available in mass timber, observe the inspiringly dramatic darkness of the charred finish. To finish up this week we have included a couple of jokes.
Remember to peruse the programme for our national WoodWorks Conference running 4-5 November. We anticipate a productive couple of days in Rotorua.
12 August 2025
90 Devonport Road in Tauranga Receives Prestigious Award
The 90 Devonport Road project in Tauranga has received the prestigious Building Award at the 2025 SESOC – Structural Engineering Society New Zealand (SESOC) Awards. Congratulations to the team at...
12 August 2025
The Living House
The Living House was designed by RTA Studio Ltd to address three crises New Zealand is currently facing. Living House is a practical response to these complex challenges. The goal...
12 August 2025
Let’s Empower the Next Generation of Engineers
In a landmark move to accelerate the future of sustainable construction, CLT Toolbox announced an unprecedented global education initiative. Effective immediately until June 30, 2026, they are making their complete,...
12 August 2025
Canada’s first Net-Zero Carbon Hospital set to open in 2027
The new Cowichan District Hospital (CDH) Replacement Project — scheduled to open in 2027 — the future CDH will be the first hospital in Canada to achieve Zero Carbon Building...
12 August 2025
Strength or Beauty?
What is the attraction of mass timber for commercial buildings or multi-residential developments? How it looks or how it performs as a structure? What do architects think about the ‘look’...
12 August 2025
A Little Light Humour
A six year old goes to the hospital with her grandmother to visit her Grandpa. When they get to the hospital, she runs ahead of her Grandma and bursts into...