General features of the hysteretic behavior of wood joints and structural systems are characterized, and the available hysteresis models for wood systems are reviewed. A general hysteresis model for single- and multiple-degree-of-freedom wood joints and structural systems, based on a modification of the Bouc-Wen-Baber-Noori model, is presented and used in nonlinear dynamic analysis of single-degree-of-freedom wood systems. The hysteretic constitutive law produces a smoothly varying hysteresis that models previously observed behavior of wood joints and structural systems, such as nonlinearity, strength and stiffness degradation, and pinching. It takes into account the experimentally observed dependence of wood joints' response to the input and response at an earlier time (known as memory). Hysteresis shapes produced by the model are shown to compare favorably with experimental hysteresis of wood joints with (1) yielding plates; (2) yielding nails; and (3) yielding bolts.

The design and assessment of net-zero buildings commonly focus exclusively on the operational phase, ignoring the embodied environmental impacts over the building life cycle. An analysis is presented on the consequences of integrating embodied impacts into the assessment of the environmental advantageousness of net-zero concepts. Fundamental issues needing consideration in the design process – based on the evaluation of primary energy use and related greenhouse gas emissions – are examined by comparing three net-zero building design and assessment cases: (1) no embodied impacts included, net balance limited to the operation stage only; (2) embodied impacts included but evaluated separately from the operation stage; and (3) embodied impacts included with the operation stage in a life cycle approach. A review of recent developments in research, standardization activities and design practice and the presentation of a case study of a residential building in Norway highlight the critical importance of performance indicator definitions and system boundaries. A practical checklist is presented to guide the process of incorporating embodied impacts across the building life cycle phases in net-zero design. Its implications are considered on overall environmental impact assessment of buildings. Research and development challenges, as well as recommendations for designers and other stakeholders, are identified.

In this paper, a nonlinear three-dimensional finite element (FE) model of light frame buildings capable of static and dynamic analysis is presented. The model can accommodate various material and structural configurations, including multilevel structures. A customizable commercial general purpose FE code is used in the analytical investigation of the model formulation. The model as presented is capable of predicting the hierarchical response of the structure from the global, such as the maximum displacement, down to the individual demand placed on substructures such as a nailed joint connection. This capability is provided by replacing individual substructure responses, e.g., in-plane responses of shear walls, with energetically equivalent and more computationally efficient nonlinear springs. The predictive ability of the model is experimentally validated, in Part II, based on global and local response comparisons, considering measures of energy dissipation, displacement, and load. Validated, this model provides the analyst a powerful tool to investigate various aspects of light frame building behavior under static and dynamic loading.

Despite decades of recognition and development, performance-based thinking and practice have not been as widely adopted by industry. To address this, the Performance-Based Building (PeBBu) Networks in Europe and Australia engaged a wide variety of industry stakeholders (on both ‘supply’ and ‘demand’ sides) in advancing the application of the performance approach in building processes. The background development, activities and accomplishments of the PeBBu Networks are presented together with some lessons learned from the experience of running the Network programmes. To engage stakeholders effectively, the performance approach should be presented as a business issue rather than primarily as a technical issue. The dominant need is for clear communication of the meaning, application and benefits of the performance approach, with emphasis on actual benefits and value.