The Softwood Lumber Board’s October 2026 update highlights continued growth in wood construction, advances in mass timber applications, and efforts to expand lumber’s role in emerging building markets. WoodWorks helped advance 321 projects into construction through the third quarter, with average project sizes increasing to 134,000 square feet, reflecting growing interest in larger multifamily developments and mass timber buildings. Among the month’s highlights, cross-laminated timber storm shelter assemblies successfully withstood 28 impact tests without failure, potentially opening a new market for wood in tornado-prone regions. Other developments include California’s updated wildfire building codes, which preserve existing opportunities for wood construction; the completion of New York City’s tallest mass timber building; and growing interest in prefabricated light-frame and steel-timber hybrid construction. The newsletter also highlights initiatives to introduce mass timber design to architecture educators and strengthen wood’s position in future construction markets.