Element5 Co.

30/05/2026

🚒 Why are more municipalities turning to mass timber for fire stations? 🚒 Fire stations are among the most demanding civic buildings— they have to be durable, resilient, operational during emergencies, and designed to serve communities for decades.

👉 And when firefighters are choosing to work in mass timber buildings, it speaks volumes about the material's performance and resilience, especially when it comes to fire.

🏗 Element5 has completed 3 mass timber fire stations to-date -> Port Stanley Fire Hall, Oakville Fire Station 8, and Peterborough Fire Station No. 2, with another in construction right now. Each one demonstrates how mass timber can deliver the strength and performance required for critical infrastructure while offering significant sustainability benefits.

🌲 Beyond reducing embodied carbon, prefabricated mass timber systems can accelerate construction, improve quality through offsite manufacturing, and create healthier, more welcoming spaces.

👉 We're excited to share that we've recently added the Peterborough Fire Station No. 2 project to our case study library, it’s a full structural mass timber fire hall using CLT and Glulam.

♻️ As the City of Peterborough's first Net-Zero Energy and Net-Zero Carbon building, the project showcases how mass timber, geothermal energy, and solar power can come together to create resilient, future-ready civic infrastructure.

🔗 Full case study on the Peterborough Fire Station:
https://elementfive.co/projects/oakville-fire-station-8/

👷🏼 Peterborough Fire Station #2 PROJECT TEAM
Architect: Unity Design Studio Inc.
General Contractor: JCB Construction Canada Inc.
Structural Engineer: AMR Engineering Limited
Mechanical / Electrical Engineer: CIMA+
Civil Engineer: Engage Engineering Ltd.
Mass Timber Installer: Les Constructions FGP

📷 Photos: Logan Brazeau, Unity Design Studio and Element5

25/05/2026

The countdown is on. 👏 After years of planning, design, and construction, the transformed Kalamazoo Country Club is nearly ready to welcome members into one of the most ambitious private club redevelopments in the United States. ⛳

Element5 is proud to have supplied the mass timber package for three buildings on the campus, including the new 120,000 sq. ft. clubhouse featuring CLT floor and roof panels alongside exposed Glulam beams and columns. The project also includes a new performance centre and tennis centre, both utilizing hybrid mass timber systems.

Over 14 months of Design Assist, BIM coordination, and detailed planning helped bring this architecturally driven vision to life, combining precision prefabrication, sustainability, and striking exposed timber design.

Excited to see this incredible project nearing the finish line. Stay tuned for grand opening highlights.

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22/05/2026

📢 Visit the TRCA building this weekend during Door Open! 📢 Doors Open Toronto is a free event taking place May 23 & 24 in Toronto and allows people to visit 168 buildings, sites and offices that are typically not open to the public.

🌲The Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) Headquarters is one of the stops on the tour. This 85,000 sq. ft., 4-storey mass timber office building is designed as a living laboratory for sustainability.

👉 It's a wonderful showcase of how natural materials and innovative engineering can deliver one of the most energy-efficient office buildings in North America.

Element5 is proud to have supplied the CLT floors, walls and roof panels, while our parent company HASSLACHER NORICA TIMBER supplied the Glulam beams, columns and braces.

🌿Most sites are open from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m If you’re taking part in Doors Open Toronto this weekend, this is definitely one to add to your tour list!

🔗 See TRCA tour info here: https://calendar.trca.ca/event/doors-open-toronto-trcas-administrative-office/

Full Doors Open info here: https://www.toronto.ca/explore-enjoy/festivals-events/doors-open-toronto/

🎥 Video from the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority

21/05/2026

📢 Smith College mass timber project featured in The Architect's Newspaper! 📢The new Kathleen McCartney Hall at Smith College is a strong example of how mass timber is re-shaping academic architecture through sustainability, collaboration, and biophilic design.

🌲Element5 was proud to supply the CLT and Glulam mass timber on this 3-storey, 15,000 sq. ft. project.

👉 The project team emphasized early coordination and integrated design to optimize the hybrid mass timber and steel structural timber system, helping deliver a highly efficient, zero-energy-ready building that also serves as a teaching tool for students.

🏗 As Smith College’s first building, the project demonstrates how mass timber can support both environmental and educational goals.

The exposed wood structure creates welcoming, biophilic interiors while aligning with the campus’s broader geothermal and sustainability initiatives.

🔗Read the full article here: https://www.archpaper.com/2026/05/tenberke-thornton-tomasetti-smith-college/

👷‍♂️Project Team
Architect: TenBerke
General Contractor: Consigli Construction Co., Inc.
Structural Engineer: Thornton Tomasetti
Mass Timber Engineer: Britt, Peters and Associates
Mass Timber Supplier: Element5

Overlooking Smith College’s Paradise Pond, on its Frederick Law Olmsted–designed campus, is a new mass timber student hub designed by TenBerke.

19/05/2026

📢 The Village at Mines Park Case Study live! 📢 This student housing project at the Colorado School of Mines just posted to WoodWorks Innovation Network, is a compelling example of how hybrid construction can solve complex housing challenges while accelerating delivery and advancing sustainability goals.

👉🏼 Combining light-frame wood construction with prefabricated cross-laminated timber ( ) floor and ceiling panels and beams – it's one of the largest CLT hybrid student housing developments in the United States!

🌲Element5 was proud to have supplied the 5-ply CLT and Glulam components for the 284,000 sq. ft., 658 bed development in Golden, Colorado (offering a mix of studio, two-bedroom, and four-bedroom units).

The use of mass timber helped the team:
- Overcome strict site height limitations
- Reduce construction timelines
- Improve quality control
- Create warm, biophilic living spaces for students.

🔗 Read the case study: https://www.woodworks.org/resources/the-village-at-mines-park/

👷🏼 Kudos to the project team!
Developer: Capstone Development Partners
Architects: SAR+ Architects
General Contractor: Milender White
Structural Engineer: Fortis Structural, LLC
Civil Engineering: Martin/Martin, Inc & Martin
Mass Timber Supplier: Element5
Acoustic Materials: Pliteq Inc.
Mass Timber Finishes: Sansin Enviro Stain
Fasteners/Connectors: Rothoblaas

04/05/2026

📢 A closer look at what’s driving Element5 forward 📢 We’re proud to be featured by the St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce following our Mayor’s Choice IMPACT Award win.

🎥 In this video, our President & CEO Chris Latour shares Element5’s journey, from our growth in St. Thomas to the impact of our parent company HASSLACHER NORICA TIMBER’s investment, to our recent facility expansion and our new Glulam production line.

👉🏼 Just as importantly, it highlights the role the City of St. Thomas has played in supporting our growth. Strong partnerships and a shared vision have been key to building what we have today.

Thank you to the Chamber for this recognition, and to our community for continuing to support what we’re building.

30/04/2026

Proud to see 1120 Ossington, our mass timber affordable housing project has been named a finalist in the AZ Awards Social Good category, recognizing design that drives real community impact.

🏗️ Developed with partners Assembly Corp., Smart Density, McCallum Sather, Aspect Structural Engineers and Loftin Management for St.Clare's Multifaith Housing Society, this 25-unit, 3-storey project shows how thoughtful design can deliver affordable, dignified housing.

The multi-unit residential project is a gorgeous thoughtful building inside and out. It features beautiful exposed cross-laminated timber ceilings and public art on the exterior, showing that affordable housing can be efficient, functional and beautiful.

👉 If you believe housing is essential infrastructure, and that great design has a role to play in it, please cast your vote for this project in the People’s Choice Award voting. Voting is open until May 8th!

The Azure Magazine winners (including jury winners), will be announced at the AZ Awards Gala on May 28, 2026 in Toronto.

🔗 Vote today! https://awards.azuremagazine.com
(note you do have to create a free account in order to vote)

29/04/2026

📢 Mass timber in action in the heart of Brooklyn! 📢 We’re excited to be part of the upcoming WoodWorks Mass Timber in Multi-Family Housing + Tour of 179 North 10th St., along with Metropolitan Timber this Friday, May 1 from 1:00 - 3:00 PM!

This is a unique opportunity to see one of New York City’s most ambitious timber projects up close.

🏗️ At 7 storeys and 42,500 sq. ft., Timberburg is currently the tallest modern mass timber building in NYC, showcasing how Element5 CLT and Glulam can deliver both performance and design in dense urban environments.

🌲From exposed timber balconies and columns to a fully integrated prefabricated structure, this project highlights what’s possible when mass timber meets high-performance design, including a pursuit of Passive House certification.

The future of urban housing is being built panel by panel.

👉 The tour is currently sold out, but you can add yourself to the wait list here: https://www.woodworks.org/event/q2-26-mass-timber-multi-family-179-n-10-tour-sun/

20/04/2026

🏆 Element5 Wins Mayor’s Choice Award 🏆We’re incredibly proud to share that Element5 has been awarded the Mayor’s Choice Award at the St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce IMPACT Awards.

👉🏼 Selected by municipal leaders, this award recognizes an organization making a meaningful impact across St. Thomas, Central Elgin, and Southwold. President & CEO Chris Latour accepted the honour on behalf of the team.

🎉The evening, hosted by the legendary Michael “Pinball” Clemons, was a true celebration of business and community excellence, with over 360 attendees cheering on this year’s finalists and winners.

♥️A huge thank you to the Chamber, and our community for this recognition, and congratulations to all the finalists and award recipients!

We’re proud to be building sustainable mass timber construction here in St. Thomas!



📷 Event photos by Shutter Studios

20/04/2026