Mass Timber
We are advancing mass timber construction by modernizing building codes and accelerating adoption of innovative wood products like cross-laminated timber (CLT) as sustainable building materials.
What is Mass Timber and Why Does It Matter?
Mass timber refers to a family of engineered wood products, such as cross-laminated timber (CLT), structural composite lumber (SCL), and glue-laminated timber (glulam), that are used to construct buildings, bridges, and other structures. By combining layers of wood into strong, durable building materials, mass timber provides significant advantages due to faster construction, lightweight structure, sustainability and aesthetic value.
Supporting Mass Timber Growth
For more than a decade, the Endowment has worked with partners to advance mass timber adoption across the United States. These collaborations helped inform the adoption of building code provisions for taller timber structures. This work included extensive fire and structural testing, technical research, and education efforts that helped demonstrate the safety, performance, and market potential of mass timber construction.
The Endowment supports efforts to strengthen mass timber supply chains, regional mass timber coalitions and collaborations, and expansion of market opportunities across the value chain. Through partnerships and initiatives such as the Softwood Lumber Board’s Mass Timber Accelerator Program, the Endowment helps support funding, technical assistance, and educational resources that enable developers, architects, engineers, and project teams to advance mass timber buildings from concept to construction.
The program has supported projects in cities including Boston, New York City, Atlanta, Portland, and Santa Monica, helping expand awareness, local expertise, and adoption of mass timber construction. Visit the Softwood Lumber Board’s Mass Timber Accelerator Program website to learn more.
Featured Story: Southern Yellow Pine Goes to Miami-Dade
LU_Lab at University of Miami Secures Landmark Certification for Southern Yellow Pine Mass Timber in Miami-Dade County: Making Southern Yellow Pine Mass Timber Florida Market Ready.
Building a Southern Mass Timber Supply Chain
To help address this challenge, the U.S. Endowment is part of a collaborative initiative to strengthen the Southern mass timber supply chain in partnership with Emerson Collective, the U.S. Forest Service, the Federation of Southern Cooperatives, and the Longleaf Alliance. Together, we are identifying opportunities to increase the availability of sustainable wood fiber, expand participation by family forest owners, and accelerate market adoption across the region.
Our work includes:
- Analyzing sustainable timber supply to better understand where forest resources can support future mass timber manufacturing while maintaining healthy, resilient working forests.
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Mapping family and small forest landowners to identify opportunities to engage small forestland ownerships and strengthen connections between landowners and emerging markets.
- Developing communications and market tools that help architects, developers, policymakers, and other demand-side audiences better understand the environmental, economic, and community benefits of building with Southern mass timber.
- Building partnerships across the value chain to ensure that market growth creates lasting benefits for forests, landowners, manufacturers, and rural communities.
Mass Timber Accelerator Program
Cities across the country are increasingly recognizing the multiple benefits of incorporating sustainable wood building systems into their development strategies.
