Benefits of Mass Timber to the Construction Industry
Mass timber is the future of modern construction in Canada and the United States.
And it’s no wonder. Engineered wood products such as glulam provide many design, construction, environmental, social, and cost benefits. The Forest Forward R&D Program is engineering even better products for tomorrow.
Mass Timber: Lighter than Steel. More Portable than Concrete. Pound for Pound Stronger than Both.
Europe adopted large-scale mass timber construction decades ago, realizing that products such as glulam represented a greener future. Today, the construction industries in Canada and the United States are ready to take advantage of the many benefits, too.
In fact, mass timber might have an even larger impact on construction here due to our massive – and sustainable – fibre supplies. There are over 85 billion trees in Ontario alone. By far the largest percentage of trees is spruce-pine-fir (SPF), the very species used today for manufacturing mass timber products. Northwestern Ontario contains over half the available SPF fibre basket in the province.
“Is There a Mass Market for Mass Timber?” – a video from The Agenda, TVO
The Benefits of Mass Timber Construction to Architects and Builders
Design Benefits of Mass Timber
- Stronger than steel and concrete, pound for pound, and much more lightweight and portable
- Forest Forward offers several stress levels and all appearance levels for your project
- More versatile and less labour-intensive to form organic shapes such as curves
- That’s part of the reason why mass timber is a key component of biophilic design
- Customizable and scalable
- Some of the most beautiful buildings built today use mass timber – it’s an easier, more cost effective approach to creating visually interesting and exciting buildings
- More fire resistant than steel, maintaining structural integrity for longer in high-heat situations (depending on several factors including the manufacturing process of the glulam/mass timber)
- Offers more opportunities for LEED points and credits
Environmental Benefits of Mass Timber
- Projects that use mass timber over traditional build materials reduce overall GHG emissions
- Smaller carbon footprint in Life-cycle Assessment (LCA)
- A renewable resource while steel and concrete are not
- Wood can be reused and/or recycled easily when the building reaches end of life
- Less waste – and any waste created at the Forest Forward facility is recycled
- Projects are more likely to reach Net Zero
- Offers more opportunity to receive LEED points and credits
Construction and Cost Benefits of Mass Timber
- Although mass timber materials cost about the same as or more than traditional building materials, overall construction costs can be significantly reduced because it is:
- Lightweight, reducing transport, crane, and other associated costs
- In some circumstances, mass timber use may allow the project to access government incentive programs or other related funding due to environmental benefits listed above
- These factors in turn reduce overall project costs and/or allow for larger buildings within budget
- Sourcing glulam products from Forest Forward may also provide new opportunities for government funding since the company is 100% Indigenous-owned and sources materials from 100% Indigenous-owned companies first
- Better cost and supply chain control
- Rigorous Q&A testing including flexural, shear, and tension testing
- Less waste for less clean-up, higher efficiency, and smaller carbon footprint on build projects
- Off-site manufacturing for faster onsite assembly
- Reduced construction time and project workforce means construction companies can theoretically complete about twice the number of projects in a given time period
Social Benefits of Mass Timber
- Mass timber is a key component of biophilic design
- Wood as an indoor design feature promotes mental and physical health
- Because it is lightweight and prefabricated, mass timber is ideal for projects in remote First Nations and communities that rely on ice roads for supplies
- Faster assembly and fewer workers mean more buildings can be built within a given time frame, helping address Canada’s housing crisis
- In Northwestern Ontario, mass timber and glulam offers economic opportunities for Indigenous companies, workers, and communities. Forest Forward’s operations use materials supplied first by Indigenous sources including Papasay Value Added Wood Products and Lake Nipigon Forest Management Inc., which is owned by four area First Nations
Forest Forward brings all these benefits to construction projects in central Canada and the US Midwest. We are more than a mass timber and glulam manufacturer. Forest Forward’s Six Points of Innovation provides a framework for the best mass timber products today, and through our R&D Program, new and better products for Mass Timber Construction 2.0 tomorrow.
Building a High-rise Out of Timber
“Is mass timber the building material of the future?” – a video by PBS Newshour
Benefits of Mass Timber Specific to Northwestern Ontario
Mass timber including Forest Forward’s glulam products is an ideal solution to meet various specific challenges in Northwestern Ontario:
- Glulam makes construction in remote First Nations and communities easier
- Lightweight material is easier to transport on ice roads – all Forest Forward products fit on the back of a standard flatbed without oversize restrictions
- Pre-fabricated pieces makes assembly faster and easier with fewer workers
- Wood products can easily be repurposed and recycled unlike concrete and steel
- Allows our communities to build structures that better reflect the Land and values
- Mass timber manufacturing can help rebuild Northwestern Ontario’s forest industry
- Encourages growth and provides a new market for our sustainably managed forests
- Provides jobs within the forestry industry
- Provides value-added products rather than raw natural resources for a stronger regional economy
- Supports regional Indigenous communities and Indigenous-owned companies
- Forest Forward is a 100% Indigenous-owned manufacturer that sources mass timber materials from Indigenous-owned companies first
- Regional companies such as Papasay Value Added Wood Products and Lake Nipigon Forest Management, Inc. will benefit from Forest Forward’s growth
- As economic opportunities grow, so will good paying jobs for members of surrounding communities
- We have an opportunity to lead the world to Mass Timber 2.0
- Although mass timber is a more mature industry in Europe than in North America, both are still in infancy. Forest Forward’s science-driven mission aims to develop better, more sustainable mass timber products
- Northwestern Ontario’s unique geography provides unique opportunities for us to advance mass timber design, construction practices, and innovations, especially for the world’s remote building locations
- Northwestern Ontario’s large fibre baskets and relatively low operating costs mean our region can become a world leader in – and a world provider of – mass timber products on the global market
But of course the real test is, how can mass timber benefit your project? Contact us for more information. Mass timber and in particular glulam provide a wealth of benefits that will reduce your project’s carbon footprint, reduce project costs, and increase your project’s aesthetic appeal.