Milender White (MW), Capstone Development Partners and Shears Adkins Rockmore (SAR) Architecture have partnered to design and build the country’s largest mass timber student housing community at the Colorado School of Mines. The development is designed to achieve LEED™ Gold certification. To date, the project is currently tracking to complete in July 2025.
MW is leading the way with a hybrid approach to wood-framed structures, utilizing in-house wood panelization combined with Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT). The CLT building system uses large-scale, prefabricated, solid-engineered wood panels that offer superior acoustic, fire, seismic and thermal performance. It has a strength-to-weight ratio comparable to concrete despite being 5X lighter. CLT was a natural choice for the School of Mines project, due to the scale of the project (250,000 sq. ft), the aggressive schedule, and MW’s ability to self-perform all CLT coordination, installation, quality and safety programming in-house. In a hybrid approach, MW will design and prefabricate wall panels to complement the CLT floor, beam and ceiling design.
The MW team led the effort early in the design stage, running all BIM and coordination efforts in CAD. These precise models are then prefabricated at both MW’s Hudson Prefabrication Facility and a partner CLT Manufacturing Facility. With the precision design, the panels arrive on site, ready for installation. Design-build and self-perform processes with CLT result in a reduction of labor shortage issues, increased quality processes, highly reliable and predictable production and installation, and advanced control with all coordination regarding purchasing, logistics and storage. Speed of installation is increased, given the larger pieces of wood structure, replacing the more traditional truss system and reducing joints between interior support elements. MW install teams have created an advanced approach to installation efficiency, maximizing the required fastening process, and effectively “chasing” the wall panelization team’s schedule floor by floor. Overall the CLT/Panelization approach supports an acceleration of schedule, advanced quality monitoring, reduced waste and noise on site and fewer issues with rework.
Milender White (MW) is the ideal partner for preplanning and installing CLT solutions. MW’s expertise in hybrid wood-framed structures, combined with their in-house wood panelization and CLT coordination, ensures a seamless and efficient construction process. Their advanced approach to installation efficiency, precise modeling in BIM and CAD, and comprehensive preconstruction analysis make MW a leader in the industry. By choosing MW, clients can expect high-quality, sustainable, and innovative building solutions that meet their goals and exceed expectations.
The Mines Park Village project incorporates innovative design elements to enhance both functionality and aesthetics. The use of Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) and advanced prefabrication techniques ensures a high-quality, efficient construction process.
Since CLT is layered kiln-dryed lumber, it can store carbon during the building’s lifetime and even capture additional carbon. In fact, researchers have found that a hybrid, mid-rise CLT commercial building provided a 15-26% reduction in global warming potential, depending on the building design.
Clients at the School of Mines were drawn to the look and feel of the exposed wood – which gives spaces an aesthetic echoing a mountain modern feel. This elevated feel can be achieved in projects that don’t necessarily have budgeting in place for high-dollar interior finishes.
Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) is an excellent solution for modern construction due to its numerous benefits. CLT is a large-scale, prefabricated, solid-engineered wood panel that offers superior acoustic, fire, seismic, and thermal performance. It has a strength-to-weight ratio comparable to concrete despite being five times lighter.
Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) offers several advantages for modern construction. It is environmentally sustainable, as it is made from renewable wood and has a lower carbon footprint than traditional materials. The prefabrication process ensures precision with minimal waste. CLT provides excellent structural performance due to its high strength-to-weight ratio, making buildings robust and resilient. Its exposed wood aesthetic creates a warm atmosphere, enhancing design without costly finishes. Thus, CLT’s environmental benefits, quick installation, structural strength, and aesthetic appeal make it ideal for contemporary construction.
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