Mass Timber in Modern Schools + Bristol Agricultural High School Tour

The Bristol County Agricultural High School in Dighton, MA, undertook a major $103.8 million expansion and renovation to grow from 450 to 640 students and modernize its career and academic programs.  The expansion included the Student Commons, a 15,656 square foot two story mass timber building.

WoodWorks will hold a Mass Timber in Modern Schools + Bristol Agricultural High School Tour at Bristol County Agriculture School in Dighton, MA on August 6^th from 11 am to 1:30 pm EDT

This tour, led by Patrick Duffy from WoodWorks, will examine the growing use of mass timber in K-12 school design, with a focus on the key drivers influencing its adoption, including speed of construction, sustainability, cost-efficiency, and code compliance.

Attendees will gain insight into the national school construction market, understand how International Building Code (IBC) provisions support the use of mass timber in Types III, IV, and V construction, and compare costs and building configurations across material systems.

Additional topics include fire performance and code allowances, acoustic and durability considerations, structural design strategies for long spans in gymnasiums and cafeterias, as well as practical tips for space planning and integration. The program concludes with case studies illustrating the successful implementation of mass timber in school projects across the country.

Following the presentation and lunch, attendees will tour the Student Commons, a 15,656-square-foot expansion and renovation of the Bristol County Agricultural High School.

This two-story mass timber building features a combination of glued-laminated timber beams and columns (glulam) and floor and roof panels (GLT), a hybrid lateral system consisting of steel braces and light-frame wood shear/bearing walls, and wood I-joists. Designers utilized exposed mass timber to connect students to the local ecology and educate them on low-carbon alternatives to typical construction methods. Members of the project team will lead the tour, sharing insights into the design, engineering, and construction process and answering attendees’ questions.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe how current IBC code provisions allow for mass timber use in K-12 schools, including allowable building heights, areas, and stories for Types III, IV, and V construction.
• Identify key market drivers—such as speed of construction, sustainability, and aesthetics—that make mass timber an appealing choice for school design.
• Compare mass timber to steel and concrete systems in terms of cost, construction schedule, and performance, using real-world case studies and structural strategies.
• Understand best practices for acoustics, durability, fire resistance, and long-span structural solutions to meet the unique needs of K-12 learning environments.

Cost of this tour and workshop is $20 per person

To take part in this program, register at  Mass Timber in Modern Schools + Bristol Agricultural High School Tour – WoodWorks | Wood Products Council