(Photo: Scott Astle)
The use of mass timber — engineered wood — in building construction is becoming more popular in the United States as an alternative to fossil fuel-intensive materials. According to Woodworks, there are over 2,035 built, under construction or in design phase mass timber buildings in the United States. New England has not seen the level of activity here as in other regions but it does have 74 mass timber buildings built or under construction and another 119 in design.
A new report from the North East State Foresters Association aims to increase recognition of mass timber construction and increase its use in this region. The report lays out the challenges currently facing the supply chain to meet that goal but also, encouragingly, notes that eastern hemlock has the potential to be a viable source of supply in New England.