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In the construction industry, ideas or materials first seen on the margins of construction processes later become an established part of those processes. Think PVC pipes in the 1940s and precast concrete in the 1950s. And so it seems to be with Mass Timber Construction (MTC).

MTC entered the construction industry as an intriguing approach to reduce embodied carbon in structures and lower the GHGs associated with the building process through the prefabrication of components.

Today, MTC has become a mainstream building method.

Across North America, there are reportedly 2,500 MTC buildings already built or in the planning stages. Similar levels of acceptance are seen in Europe. The world’s leading architects and designers have embraced MTC by incorporating wood components into a wide range of building types and sizes, from commercial offices to housing, campuses, infrastructure and even data centres.  

Interest and acceptance have moved beyond the pure environmental benefits of using MTC. Economics, simple dollars and cents, are now recognized as a persuasive factor as well. This is because mass timber changes the mechanics of construction.

Large panels and components are fabricated off-site, shipped and assembled quickly like oversized building blocks. This reduces labour, compresses schedules and cuts carrying costs, all of which are advantages wherever time means money. Timber’s lighter weight can also simplify foundations, creating savings below grade by reducing the required amounts of concrete. Exposed wood interior surfaces are both appealing to the eye and easier on the budget. These practical benefits are drawing more commercial developers toward MTC systems that once seemed risky or a niche.

Nevertheless, barriers remain. Building codes vary widely by jurisdiction, which can be frustrating for project owners and designers. For example, although Ontario has to permit encapsulated mass timber buildings up to 18 storeys, many state and municipalities across North America restrict height to much lower levels.

Obviously, when MTC buildings are tall, they make an impact.                                                      

In Milwaukee, the 25-storey , developed by New Land Enterprises with Korb + Associates and completed in late 2022, has become the world’s tallest mass timber building. Its combination of cross-laminated timber with a concrete core demonstrates how hybrid structures can push height while retaining wood’s environmental advantages.

However, in other cities, shorter MTC structures built on a large scale still demonstrate outstanding success.

In New York City, at only seven storeys tall illustrates how MTC can meet demanding codes and urban expectations while offering a distinct architectural identity. The building’s exposed wood balconies and interior columns are paired with a highly insulated envelope and efficient mechanical systems with the aim of achieving PassivHaus certification.

Perhaps the most telling sign of MTC’s maturation is its ability to meet the operational demands of multinational corporations.

Meta and Microsoft have both indicated mass timber will play a role in the next generation of their data centres. Walmart’s new headquarters campus in Bentonville, Arkansas will become the largest mass timber development in the United States.

Europe has also pushed further into commercial applications.

The , designed by Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron, located within a life-sciences campus at Switzerland Innovation Park in the Basel region, illustrates how MTC can serve large office environments. The five-storey, 107,639-square-foot structure provides about 600 workspaces uses a modular timber frame and traditional joinery. Materials were sourced locally — timber from nearby forests and compressed clay from the site itself — reducing embodied carbon tied to transportation.

Education and civic projects are also advancing MTC’s case.

At the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, the four-storey MTC provides a 42,000-square-foot home for studios, classrooms and a large fabrication workshop. In Portland, Bora Architects’ two-storey, 21,000-square-foot was assembled in only 18 days. Such projects are beyond being merely symbolic by exposing thousands of daily users to the material, reinforcing familiarity and public acceptance.

Canada is contributing its own examples.

In Montréal, the new $36 million community centre is a carbon-neutral showcase for provincially-produced engineered wood. The project features beams that measure 91 metres long by two metres high. These dramatic structural elements also signal confidence in local manufacturing capacity while advancing climate goals.

The future of mass timber does not call for the displacement of steel or concrete, Travis Barrington. Yet what is being witnessed is a transition from curiosity to credibility, a future less dependent on architectural ambition and more on what Barrington calls fundamentals such as predictable codes, stable supply chains, repeatable financing structures and disciplined execution.

John Bleasby is a freelance writer. Send comments and Inside Innovation column ideas to editor@dailycommercialnews.com.