Biomass Boiler Building

Wood is not a typical building material choice for industrial structures, making the attractiveness of the Biomass Boiler Building even more noteworthy. This small, 33-foot-wide single-span facility houses a community-scale biomass boiler with a small-scale power generator. The innovative system uses organic waste material to generate heat and power for the adjacent Plumas County Health and Human Services Department. As might be expected, Plumas County had originally envisioned a traditional prefabricated metal building, but then turned to wood to underscore their commitment to renewable materials and sustainable forestry. This mass timber structure uses CLT roof and wall panels acting as both the vertical and lateral force-resisting systems, making this the first application of CLT shear walls in California. The County’s decision to use a mass timber system also provided benefits in terms of speedy installation and small crew size requirements. From concept development to substantial completion, the project was completed in less than a year. 2,000 sf / Type IV construction