TSA Technical Series: Acoustic Strategies for Mass Timber Design

Mass timber has been taking the industry by storm over the last few years, with a growing number of projects and project types—commercial, residential, and even institutional buildings—opting for this structural system. But as with any method or construction system, mass timber comes with its own challenges and one of them is acoustic performance. 

As more Canadian buildings embrace exposed timber, designers must also grapple with how to meet increasingly strict sound separation requirements—especially in light of recent and upcoming changes to fire code provisions. Join us for a TSA Technical Lecture as Kiyoshi Kuroiwa and Sarah Mackel of Aercoustics Engineering Ltd. explore innovative strategies for achieving high-performance acoustics in mass timber buildings without compromising the elegance of exposed wood.

This session will highlight where acoustic challenges most commonly occur, walk through real-world examples across multiple building types, and offer practical design approaches that balance acoustic targets with architectural intent. Whether you’re deep into a timber project or just starting to explore one, you’ll leave with a toolkit of ideas to keep your buildings sounding as good as they look.

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TSA MEMBERS: This event is free for TSA Members using the discount code found in the TSA Bulletin and on your Member Dashboard! Not a member yet? Membership is open to everyone and you can join here (student memberships are free!).

OAA MEMBERS: This lecture is eligible for 1 OAA Structured Learning Hour. When registering, please include your full name as registered with the OAA to ensure your certificate of participation is credited properly. Please also include an email address you check frequently to ensure you receive our certificate in a timely manner.

Above photo by Riley Snelling.

This lecture was made possible thanks to the generous support of Rockwool.