Heavy timbers made of high-quality British Columbian hemlock feature prominently in a spectacular wood frame home that Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations Steve Thomson and 2015 Forestry Asia trade mission delegates visited today in Tsukuba, Japan.
The house is reminiscent of a Canadian-style, heavy-timber home, making use of 8”x8” and 12”x12” coastal hemlock fir timber from British Columbia. Its design also incorporates a wide range of other Canadian building products, including windows, doors, flooring and fine cabinetry. Maple Homes K.K., the Japanese company that built this particular home builds up to 175 houses annually in Japan.
Marketed as “Canada Tsuga” in Japan, hemlock is often used for crafting components found in traditional Japanese post-and-beam houses. The wood’s superior strength and nail-holding abilities make it an ideal choice for this type of construction. It’s also popular because of its aesthetic beauty and its seismic-resistance qualities.
In recent years, structural engineers and architects have specified Canada Tsuga timbers throughout Japan in projects such as art galleries, kindergartens, libraries, elderly care residences and high-end residential homes.
With the Japanese government encouraging greater use of wood in new buildings, enhanced trade opportunities are being created for suppliers of heavy timbers for both residential and non-residential developments.
Trade missions are a critical part of British Columbia’s strategy to diversify its international trading partners and secure new investment, propelling economic activity and job creation throughout the province.
