AWC supports mass timber pilot program

The American Wood Council (AWC) is applauding a new mass timber pilot program.

AWC President and CEO Jackson Morrill issued a statement following the House Armed Service Committee’s markup of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which included language to establish a pilot program to evaluate the effects of using mass timber products in Department of Defense military construction projects.

“The mass timber pilot program will not only help the Department of Defense address the military’s housing needs but will do so utilizing a low-carbon building solution available today," Morrill said. "Increasing the use of wood in construction to the maximum amount in the U.S. would be the equivalent of taking 4.4 million cars off of the road indefinitely, contributing significantly to national 2030 carbon reduction goals.

“Mass timber construction also speeds up construction time, ultimately saving money and getting service members into housing more quickly," Morrill added. "The Department of Defense saw a 37% reduction in schedule duration and a 31% increase in expected energy performance in its first mass timber construction project."

“AWC thanks Chairman Smith, Ranking Member Rogers, and the committee for helping pioneer better housing for our service members. We encourage the House to quickly pass NDAA and, in so doing, address the Department-wide backlog of housing projects utilizing innovative wood materials.”