GAB Report event briefing

Early Design Decisions for Mass Timber Success & Saddleback ATEP Tour

  • DateOct 1, 2026 · 12:00 pm GMT-0700
  • FormatIn Person
  • LocationTustin, CA

About the event

This regional in-person program combines a technical seminar with a guided building walkthrough at the Saddleback College at ATEP campus. WoodWorks examines foundational mass timber design choices, including International Building Code construction types, fire-resistance planning, structural column grids, beam spans, acoustics, and mechanical integration. Following the classroom lecture, attendees will tour the completed two-story, 50,000-square-foot facility alongside members of the project delivery team. Participants will analyze actual connection details, constructability trade-offs, and multidisciplinary coordination practices that translate preliminary concepts into code-compliant, functional educational spaces.

What you’ll learn

  • Identify the International Building Code construction types that permit mass timber and evaluate how early decisions regarding construction type, fire-resistance ratings, structural grids, and member spans influence code compliance, project cost, and constructability.
  • Explain strategies for integrating structural systems, MEP services, acoustics, and connection detailing in mass timber buildings to satisfy performance, fire-resistance, and occupant comfort requirements while supporting future building flexibility.
  • Describe construction sequencing, installation practices, and multidisciplinary coordination techniques that contribute to the safe, efficient, and successful execution of mass timber projects.
  • Evaluate how the design and construction strategies implemented in Saddleback College's mass timber campus addition addressed structural, fire, architectural, and constructability challenges.

Attendance notes

Parking is $5 per day with options to pay by QR code, text, or printed paper ticket machine. Campus policy requires vehicles to park head-in, monitored by IVC campus police.


Keep exploring

More events worth your time

Sep 29

Virtual

BECC Webinar

This online session reviews field findings from the Behavior, Energy, Action and Research Hub launched by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. While behavioral scientists propose numerous concepts to encourage climate-friendly decisions, real-world adoption remains limited. Attendees will examine how practical…

Sep 29

Virtual

Early Design Decisions for Mass Timber Success

This regional online seminar from WoodWorks explores the foundational choices that define mass timber project feasibility, constructability, and budget. Attendees will examine how early decisions regarding International Building Code construction types, fire-resistance ratings, column grids, and beam or panel spans interact to…

Sep 30

Virtual

Realizing Mass Timber’s Benefits: Key Design Decisions and Carbon Analysis

This WoodWorks technical seminar explores critical early-stage design decisions necessary to avoid price premiums and optimize mass timber building projects. Using completed projects as case studies, the session addresses key considerations including construction types, structural fire ratings, column grids, panel spans, acoustics,…