Mass timber is a new category of wood product that can transform how America builds, supporting a low carbon future for the built environment. It is increasingly a must-know for architects, engineers, and construction industry professionals. To help experts and novices alike, WoodWorks and Think Wood released their first Mass Timber Design Manual, a free interactive resource offering a comprehensive collection of the most up-to-date information on topics from mass timber products and design best practices, to taller wood construction and sustainability. Funding for the manual was provided by the Softwood Lumber Board.
“Mass timber inspires innovation. More and more, developers and designers are turning to mass timber to build everything from multifamily projects and commercial offices to signature public buildings and tall wood towers,” said Ryan Flom, chief marketing officer of the Softwood Lumber Board. “The market is advancing rapidly, and the Mass Timber Design Manual is designed to keep pace with it, providing timely and comprehensive information to support the design and build pros behind the next wave of mass timber buildings.”
The Mass Timber Design Manual includes WoodWorks technical papers, Think Wood continuing education articles, project case studies, expert Q&As, technical guides and other helpful tools, including:
- Insurance for mass timber construction
- Cost and design optimization
- Mass timber fire design
- Acoustic and vibration design
- Tall wood buildings in the 2021 IBC®
- Calculating carbon footprints
- Impact of wood use on North American forests
- Occupant well-being and biophilic design
Users can view each individual resource or download the master folder for all files in one handy location.
“With the structural, aesthetic and low carbon advantages of building with mass timber, understanding its design and construction is quickly becoming essential knowledge for building professionals,” said WoodWorks President and CEO, Jennifer Cover. “WoodWorks is aware of 462 mass timber buildings that are complete or under construction across the US, and we’ve provided technical support on 303 of them, at no cost to the project teams. We’re also supporting nearly 600 that are in design. As a living document, this manual will be updated annually with our team’s market-proven solutions for architecture, engineering, and construction management.”
You can download the Mass Timber Design Manual here.
About the Softwood Lumber Board
The Softwood Lumber Board (SLB) is an industry funded initiative established to promote the benefits and uses of softwood lumber products in outdoor, residential, and non-residential construction. Programs and initiatives supported by the SLB focus on increasing the demand for lumber products in the United States. For more information visit softwoodlumberboard.org.
About WoodWorks
WoodWorks – Wood Products Council provides education and free technical support related to the design, engineering and construction of commercial and multi-family wood buildings in the US. A nonprofit staffed with architects, structural engineers, and construction experts, WoodWorks has the expertise to assist with all aspects of wood building design. For assistance with a project, visit woodworks.org/project-assistance or email help@woodworks.org.
About Think Wood
Advances in wood construction reimagine the future of the built environment, combining strength with sustainability. Think Wood provides commercial, multifamily and single-family home design and build resources to architects, developers, and contractors, including education, research, design tools, and innovative project profiles. For more information visit thinkwood.com.
