MASS TIMBER

Oregon is at the center of the growing mass timber industry.

Investing in the mass timber industry and mass timber housing will be transformative for Oregon. This investment will provide much-needed housing, create new good-paying jobs in urban and rural communities, and support forest restoration and climate resilience.

The Oregon Mass Timber Coalition, of which the Port of Portland is a member, has spearheaded a set of connected projects that will be transformative for the mass timber market and for Oregon.

Interested in partnering with us at Terminal 2, our campus for innovation in mass timber and housing? Please click here to learn more about leasing opportunities.

WHY MASS TIMBER?

Mass timber is an emerging and transformative category of advanced wood products.

Anyeley Hallova Play video
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Anyeley Hallova
Founder
Adre

Benefits of Mass Timber

Compared to concrete and steel, mass timber is quicker to build, uses far less energy, stores carbon, and connects occupants to nature. The mass timber industry is bringing affordable housing options and good paying jobs to the region.

JOBS

With investments in mass timber, thousands of new jobs in forestry, construction and advanced manufacturing stand to be created in rural and urban communities.

Mass Timber - Jobs
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Jessy Ledesma
Founder and Principle
HomeWork Development

HOUSING

Mass timber housing is quick to build, attractive, and cost-competitive with traditional construction. Mass timber housing is essential to address Oregon's housing crisis.

FOREST HEALTH

Sustainably sourced mass timber can support forest restoration efforts and contribute to improved forest health. By sourcing fiber from forest restoration, mass timber can reduce the risk of wildfires and help address climate change.

Mass Timber - Jobs

OREGON MASS TIMBER COALITION

T2 MASS TIMBER INNOVATION HUB

A new factory, research lab, and fabrication facility is expected to be constructed at the T2 Mass Timber Innovation Hub - advancing the development of sustainable, innovative and cost effective housing units made from mass timber.

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University of Oregon
Acoustic Testing Chamber

RESEARCH AND INNOVATION

The TallWood Design Institute will work with industry leaders to improve the performance and lower the costs of mass timber products and housing systems, testing them for structural strength, acoustics, fire and weather resistance and energy efficiency.

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WORKFORCE TRAINING

New technologies require employees with new skills. Building from a collaborative bi-state partnership with industry experts and workforce training partners (including Forterra, regional community colleges and Workforce Systems), urban and rural Oregonians with forestry, construction or advanced manufacturing skills will be connected to job opportunities at training centers around the state.

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SUSTAINABLE SOURCING

Led by Oregon State University and the Oregon Department of Forestry, sustainably sourcing wood for mass timber products will add much-needed raw material to a expanding industry and support forest restoration and fire resiliency.

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MODEL CODES

Oregon's Department of Land Conservation and Development will create model zoning and development codes that will make it easier to build mass timber modular housing throughout the state -- and can also be used as a model nationwide.

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HOW IS MASS TIMBER DIFFERENT FROM TRADITIONAL CONSTRUCTION?

Mass timber is an engineered wood product that offers improved speed of construction, digital fabrication, renewable material and connection to nature. The lumber used in mass timber can support forest resilience and reduced fire risk.

COST ADVANTAGES

While mass timber uses more wood fiber than conventional light-wood-frame construction, it has significant cost advantages due to savings in construction time, energy efficiency (tight thermal envelope), fewer finishes and digital workflows used in prefabrication.

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Tyler Freres
Vice President
Freres Engineered

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Paul Vanderford
Director of Green Markets
Sustainable Northwest

WILDFIRE MANAGEMENT

Unlike the type of lumber typically needed for construction projects, mass timber products can be created from smaller, lower value timber – including the kind of timber that is prevalent in overstocked, fire-prone forests.  Sourcing timber from these forests can have the same benefit as other wildfire management practices such as forest thinning.

TRACK AND TRACE

The Oregon Mass Timber Coalition is committed to developing a robust ‘track and trace’ program to support forest restoration efforts and bring transparency and accountability to the wood supply chain.

Track and trace
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Contacts
T2 Building Innovation Hub
Workforce Training and Small Business & Equity Engagement
Oregon Mass Timber Coalition
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Photos courtesy of:
Aeden Powell and Marcus Kauffman