“Mass timber” construction is a low-carbon, cost-effective replacement for steel and concrete in multi-story buildings that has been widely used in Europe and is gaining attention and use in the United States.

In the Northern Forest, Mass Timber construction has particular relevance as a potential use of the region’s abundant forest resources and as a strategy for reducing the carbon intensity of new construction in nearby metropolitan areas.

Projections say population in the Northeastern US will increase by 12 million by 2040, approximately 23% more than 2010 Census results. If Mass Timber were used instead of steel and concrete for the new multifamily construction to house the urban portion of this population increase, construction would create an annual demand for 10.5 million tons of wood products for primary structure components.

Manufacturing of mass timber structural components could create an important, value-adding market for spruce, fir and potentially other wood from the region’s forests.