This strong, aesthetically pleasing, low-carbon alternative to concrete and steel is growing by leaps and bounds, and not just in height.
by Larry Adams, Woodworking Network
Mass timber has many attractive qualities. It is strong and stable; fire resistant and holds up to seismic activity. It is lightweight, and structures can be built fast with less labor. It is all of those things, and it can also be beautiful to behold and draw upon the biophilic tendencies of humans to seek out connections with nature.
And with the dramatic growth in mass timber, woodworkers need to pay attention to potential opportunities.
Emanating from Europe, the mass timber construction movement is growing as a low-carbon alternative to energy-intensive materials such as steel and concrete. It can lower greenhouse gas emissions and sequester more carbon than it releases during its life cycle. (For a carbon calculator, visit bit.ly/446frfK.)
