Architects agree that mass timber buildings are safer, more durable, and more sustainable than steel or concrete. What\u2019s impeding the material\u2019s widespread adoption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the wake of the deadly heat wave that recently swept across Europe and destroyed more than 40 buildings, we noted that buildings are\u00a0partly to blame\u00a0for climate change. The built environment accounts for nearly 50 percent of all carbon emissions and faces an uphill battle towards decarbonization, especially as mass urbanization will require even more buildings to rise in densely packed cities. A major piece of the puzzle involves building materials\u2014steel and concrete are both construction staples, but account for more than\u00a013 percent\u00a0of global greenhouse gas emissions thanks to high amounts of embedded carbon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Over the past few years, architects have been experimenting with a greener substitute: wood. The humble material has been used for centuries, but disasters like the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 have long cast it in a negative light compared to concrete and steel. A novel way of repurposing wood, however, is starting to take hold. Using mass timber, particularly\u00a0cross-laminated timber, involves sticking pieces of wood together to form large slabs, which are then stacked like Legos. These slabs can exceed the performance of concrete or steel\u2014especially during fires,\u00a0earthquakes, and\u00a0blasts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mass timber can also reduce the global warming potential of buildings up to\u00a026.5 percent\u00a0because trees absorb carbon throughout their life cycle. Since the slabs are prefabricated, factories can produce exactly to specifications if they receive detailed plans from architects. This not only drastically reduces material waste, but allows for timber buildings to be constructed\u00a025 percent faster\u00a0than concrete buildings and with 90 percent less construction traffic. So what\u2019s stopping mass timber from mass adoption? Outdated regulations, mainly. The International Building Code finally approved timber buildings to rise\u00a018 stories\u00a0for the first time in 2021.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Developers are quickly catching on to mass timber\u2019s appeal, though. In recent months, a spate of buildings around the world have shed light on its potential as a material. In New York, which\u00a0recently approved\u00a0the construction of mass-timber structures up to 85 feet tall,\u00a0Timber House\u00a0by Mesh Architectures has become the tallest such project in the city. Toronto also revealed the design for a 31-floor\u00a0residential tower\u00a0that\u2019s slated to become North America\u2019s largest mass-timber building. Kengo Kuma famously clad the Japan National Stadium, the\u00a0sylvan centerpiece\u00a0of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, in timbers sourced from all 47 prefectures. The material is exploding in Europe, where it covers the 280-foot-tall\u00a0Mj\u00f8st\u00e5rnet\u00a0that overlooks Norway\u2019s Mj\u00f8sa Lake and features a restaurant, swimming pool, and 72-room hotel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n