The Mass Timber Business Is Booming but Geography Is a Factor

Around the world, the use of mass timber for new construction has skyrocketed but in some parts of the world builders need to be careful.

New mass timber buildings, some as high as 30 stories, are turning up in the U.S., Europe and Asia but a new report suggests that certain climates are less hospitable to the building material. A new report from the Bloomberg news service says areas like Singapore, where it rains as much as 180 days a year, present problems for mass timber structures.

One such building at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University which is named Gaia, using layers of Austrian spruce glued together, has developed a serious mold issue. Bloomberg reported that spruce has a lower resistance to mold than many other species. If it’s not properly treated it’s vulnerable to mold and rot, Andrew Wong of the International Wood Culture Society told Bloomberg. “It’s basically a climate problem. We’re in the tropics, and that requires special attention.”

Using local wood is seen as one solution but the supply of materials is limited, especially when building large structures like this University building, which is 450,000 square feet. Engineers must take local climate conditions into account when designing timber buildings, Erik L’Heureux, associate professor of architecture at the National University of Singapore told Bloomberg. “There are limitations and challenges to each climate.”

However, those in the field believe this is a matter of using technology to solve problems like mold. “I can’t think of anywhere on Earth you could not use mass timber, if it’s designed for that particular climate,” Art Schmon, an analyst at timber consultant Forest Economic Advisors told Bloomberg.

Image: Nanyang Technological University

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