CLT + CFS Design Guide

A new CLT + CFS Design Guide has been released by Mercer Mass Timber.  

Funded by Mercer Mass Timber and DIGITAL (Canada’s Global Innovation Cluster), this guide addresses the mid-rise building gap through a hybrid system combining cross-laminated timber (CLT) and cold-formed steel (CFS), offering a scalable, low-carbon alternative to concrete and steel buildings up to 18 storeys.  

Developed in collaboration with Mercer Mass Timber and ZGF Architects, Fast + Epp’s Principal Carla Dickof contributed her mass timber expertise to this guide, helping to establish a clear, technical framework for Encapsulated Mass Timber Construction (EMTC). 

The publication outlines key engineering principles, material behaviour, and code considerations relevant to CLT + CFS systems in Canada. It is intended as a practical resource to support early-stage design, enabling teams to evaluate feasibility, understand system constraints, and develop informed design strategies. 

Designed for architects, structural engineers, developers, and preconstruction teams, the guide provides a foundation for integrating hybrid timber systems into conceptual and schematic design. To check out the new guide, click here.

Fast + Epp also consulted on and contributed to the development of Mercer Mass Timber’s BuildSpec, a CLT + CFS pre-design tool created to assist in early-stage decision-making by helping teams quickly evaluate whether this system is the right fit and providing early insights into cost and carbon impacts. Explore the new tool here.