A unique dwelling has been unveiled in the Nak’azdli Whuten community close to Fort St. James, British Columbia. This innovative home serves as a prototype for an Indigenous-led housing initiative that utilizes locally-sourced, low-grade wood to manufacture prefabricated housing kits tailored for northern regions.
The pioneering concept involves harvesting trees from the local area, processing them nearby, and employing local workers to craft panels from the lumber, which are subsequently used to assemble a house within a short timeframe. Elky Taylor, a member of Nak’azdli Whuten, emphasized the significance of this home, highlighting the security it provides in terms of housing, economics, and community sustainability.
The initiative emerged from a partnership between Nak’azdli Whuten Development Corp. and Deadwood Innovations, a forestry startup based in Fort St. James. Collaborating with researchers at the University of Northern British Columbia’s Wood Innovation Research Lab, they developed a prefabricated mass timber panel system.
Mass timber, a type of wood product formed by bonding wood layers to create sturdy structural elements such as panels, beams, and posts, is the foundation of this project. Unlike typical mass timber construction used in urban settings, the model home represents a shift towards utilizing this method for rural community housing, as noted by Deadwood Innovations CEO Owen Miller.
The prefabricated panels are designed and assembled in a factory setting, ensuring superior quality control compared to on-site construction. This approach, endorsed by Jianhui Zhou, an associate professor in wood engineering at UNBC, enables efficient and high-quality construction, addressing housing challenges faced by Indigenous and northern communities.
The aim is to establish a company specializing in mass timber housing production within the region, as outlined by John-Paul Wenger, CEO of Nak’azdli Whuten Development Corp. The construction process involves building panels during winter months for swift house erection in summer, offering the potential to increase housing output significantly.
The show home, a two-storey structure with three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a loft, and an open-concept kitchen and living room, showcases the versatility of the mass timber panel system. Architect Neil Prakash highlighted the shift from exporting raw logs to producing finished building panels locally, a step towards sustainable housing solutions. The home’s panels were manufactured at the former Tl’oh Forest Products plant, now utilized by Deadwood Innovations for lumber processing.
Custom designs are achievable with the panel system, supporting various housing styles tailored to different community needs. Structural engineer Mike Gehloff emphasized the local production aspect, which fosters localized supply chains and increased local employment opportunities.
The model home will serve as a showcase for the next year and a half before being gifted to a Nak’azdli family or elder. The project has generated enthusiasm within the community, symbolizing the potential for self-sufficiency and pride in their accomplishments.