Mass Timber Construction: A Macroeconomic Study
Mass timber has garnered a lot of interest as means for reducing embodied carbon in building superstructures.
However, adoption has been slow due in large part to the economic challenges of scaling a new material application in urban markets. To address this issue, the US Forest Service awarded a grant to three companies - SCB Architects, LeMessurier, and Turner Construction - to redesign buildings in Minneapolis, Denver, and Atlanta: revealing cost differences, schedule savings, global warming potential savings, and design considerations of each.
This study took two years to complete and the team is scheduled to report on its findings during a three-part webinar series in October. Registration is free and open to all. Check it out below!
Session 1: Mass Timber Supply: Forests, the Supply Chain, and Sourcing
Wednesday, October 16, 1-2pm ET
See mapped data analyses of the current mass timber supply chain and its potential in the United States, with a deep dive on three regions; the Upper Midwest, Rocky Mountain Colorado, and the Southeast. The session will examine forest practices, certifications, ownership, and the many considerations for sustainability between forest and building.
Session 2: Mass Timber Multifamily: Carbon, Cost, and Constructability
Wednesday, October 30, 1-2pm ET
SCB Architects, LeMessurier, and Turner Construction will describe the results of three mass timber multifamily building studies, including comparative costs, construction conditions, and global warming potential. A “sweet spot” for zoning and code adoption will be revealed, where mass timber use allows the number of housing units to be maximized and global warming potential to be minimized with minimal cost implications. This is the first time national market leaders will share their analysis of the potential benefits and design considerations of mass timber construction.
Session 3: Mass Timber Accelerators: Incentives for Housing and Economic Development in our Cities
Wednesday, November 6, 1-2:30pm ET
Hear from city planners in Boston, New York, Longmont, CO, and Atlanta on their implementation of incentives to encourage mass timber construction. Whether to generate more housing, spur economic development, reduce the carbon footprint of buildings, or all the above, these cities are leading the way on the role of materials in addressing sustainability goals.
