New reThink Wood Research Library demonstrates possibilities for building with wood

Washington, D.C. — To help inform architects, engineers, developers, industry professionals, students and interested parties, reThink Wood launched the reThink Wood Research Library (https://research.rethinkwood.com/resource) to serve as an industry resource for those seeking information on the latest advancements in wood’s performance and advantages in the built environment.

Today, mass timber technologies, including cross-laminated timber (CLT), nail laminated timber (NLT) and glued laminated timber (glulam), are gaining traction in the United States for mid-rise and tall wood structures. The publicly accessible and comprehensive reThink Wood Research Library will be frequently updated with the latest research on wood building products and systems worldwide, as well as demonstrate where research gaps currently exist.

“The future of mass timber in the U.S. is really starting to heat up,” said Lucas Epp, head of engineering at StructureCraft. “In the next few years, there will be considerably more mass timber buildings built than we have today. The industry is starting to see that this type of construction is fast, cost effective and sustainable.”

Wood buildings are durable and can be designed to last a lifetime. As documented in the reThink Wood Research Library, a growing body of research, real-life events and building code development continue to prove that mass timber structures can meet or exceed the most demanding design requirements. Wood is inherently ductile and substantially lighter than steel and concrete, making wood structures better equipped to withstand high wind and seismic forces, enabling its use in a wide range of building types.

The 2017 Mass Timber Conference (www.masstimberconference.com), March 28 -30, 2017 in Portland, Ore., features reThink Wood and other industry professionals discussing the latest mass timber technologies and how professionals can increase the use of wood in mid-rise and tall buildings.