Mass timber is gaining traction in the U.S. construction industry as architects and developers seek alternatives to traditional steel and concrete building materials, The Wall Street Journal reports.
Made by pressing and gluing layers of lumber into large structural panels and beams, mass timber can serve as floors, ceilings and load-bearing elements. The number of U.S. commercial and public buildings using the material has grown from fewer than 100 a decade ago to more than 1,500, according to industry group WoodWorks-Wood Products Council.
The trend offers a potential new market for the Southern timber industry, which has struggled with declining pulp and paper demand, a sluggish housing market and falling timber prices.
Supporters also point to mass timber’s aesthetic appeal, potential environmental benefits and ability to store carbon absorbed by trees, while manufacturing steel and concrete generates significant greenhouse gas emissions. Although mass timber typically costs more upfront than steel-reinforced concrete, developers say savings on labor, construction time and interior finishes can offset the premium.
Updated building codes in 2021, which expanded the allowable height of mass-timber buildings to 18 stories, have also helped accelerate adoption. Major companies, including Google, are incorporating the material into office buildings and data center campuses, while timber companies are working to persuade more data center developers to consider it.
In Savannah, Georgia, architect Patrick Shay used southern yellow pine for a new hotel, finding that the material’s 10% to 20% cost premium was offset by faster assembly with a smaller crew and reduced drywall and painting expenses.
Industry leaders say the market remains largely untapped, with mass timber accounting for only a small share of the roughly 1 billion square feet of annual U.S. construction potential.
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