Mass timber products are composed of several layers of wood which are glued or nailed together under high pressure to form beams, panels and posts. Buildings composed of mass timber are highly resistant to fire, earthquakes and explosions. Photo courtesy of Bensonwood
A significant increase in demand for mass timber products has Walpole-based company, Bensonwood, clambering to keep up a surge in demand for the mass timber products that the company supplies. A focus on decreasing the carbon footprint of buildings while simultaneously improving efficiency for building owners has expanded the market for Bensonwood’s products, a company official said.
With the October groundbreaking of the state’s first mass timber building on the Newington side of Pease International Tradeport, Bensonwood was prepared for the increased interest in mass timber products.
The use of mass timber in New England has largely been restricted to educational facilities so far, said Sarah Kossayda, director of marketing and communications at Bensonwood.
“This is often because they are serving a board that is interested in the long-term durability of their investment,” she said.
Along with public schools, Bensonwood has provided mass timber for STEM buildings at universities and multi-family projects.
“We are currently pricing structural components for multi-story office buildings, multifamily housing developments, and educational institutional buildings,” Kossayda said.
Though the 72,000 square-foot, class A office building in Newington built with mass timber is an anomaly in the state, the use of this environmentally-friendly product in other regions of the country is becoming more common.
The northwestern part of the U.S. has experienced the highest demand for mass timber materials to date. And Minneapolis, Minnesota, holds the title for the tallest mass timber building in the country: a 7-story structure built in 2016.
November saw the unveiling of the largest mass timber building in the country: a 202,027-square-foot residential hall at the University of Arkansas. The $79 million project will house 708 students along with a kitchen, classrooms, a rooftop terrace, student lounges and more, according to The Architect’s Newspaper.
“The northeast is catching up,” said Kossayda, although she noted local building codes and insufficient knowledge about mass timber in the commercial real estate industry still present obstacles.
The use of mass timber in New England has largely been restricted to educational facilities so far, like this Massachusetts high school. Photo courtesy of Bensonwood
What Is Mass timber?
Mass timber products are composed of several layers of wood which are glued or nailed together under high pressure to form beams, panels and posts. These are used in place of steel and concrete.
Buildings composed of mass timber are highly resistant to fire, earthquakes and explosions, according to experiments by the U.S. Forest Service’s Forest Products Laboratory.
“People are unfamiliar with the fire codes and often believe that mass timber buildings aren’t as safe as steel and concrete, but that is simply not the case,” said Kossayda. “Mass timber can be engineered to maintain its structural integrity for much longer burn durations than steel.”
And while they are slightly more expensive to buy, mass timber materials like Bensonwood’s Tektoniks products tend to let buildings go up faster, saving money in labor costs.
As Bensonwood continues to experience an increased demand for mass timber products, the company prepares itself for growth, as well. Bensonwood recently completed a facility expansion and plans to hire additional staff in 2020.
Kossayda noted that customers seeking out mass timber products – like the schools that Bensonwood frequently works with – appreciate not only the durability of the products, but also the sustainability.
“They want to reflect their values through their investments,” said Kossayda. “And mass timber shows environmental responsibility, among other benefits.”
