Category Archives: Wood, Paper & Green Building

Wood, Paper & Green Building

Exhibit floor at Mass Timber+ 2026 is almost sold out!

Mass Timber+
June 19, 2026
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: Canada, United States

Mass Timber+ is bringing together top architects, engineers, contractors, owners, developers, and manufacturers from the integrated offsite construction industry for the purpose of creating a beneficial platform for education, innovation, networking, and policy discussions. This is your chance to put your company in front of North America’s most influential architects, developers, contractors, as well as mass timber producers, driving the future of modular and mass timber construction.

Why exhibit: Two days standing directly in front of architects, engineers, developers and contractors — as well as the producers and innovators defining where the industry goes next.

Mass Timber+ 2026 is on the East Coast – and so is the action! The East Coast is booming! Woodworks says 51% of current projects in design are on the East Coast, compared to just 22% on the West Coast. We have 60+ exhibitors and innovators: click here to see who’s already signed up. Email us today at lkelly@getfea.com to secure a booth before they sell out.

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The Carbon Math Most Steel Building Lifecycle Comparisons Get Wrong

Green Building Canada
June 13, 2026
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: Canada

Steel keeps losing the green building conversation on a technicality. Most lifecycle comparisons published in industry media compare materials on cradle-to-gate embodied carbon and walk away. Steel comes out heavy. Wood comes out light. Concrete sits somewhere in the middle. The reader files steel away as the carbon-heavy choice and moves on. The problem with that framing is not the numbers themselves. It is what gets left out of the calculation. A building exists for decades. Materials behave differently across that span. End-of-life recycling rates vary by an order of magnitude. None of that shows up in the cradle-to-gate snapshot that gets quoted in most green building pieces. …What the analysis does argue is that the cradle-to-gate number cited in most green building media tells less than half the story. …The broader lesson is that sustainable construction decisions should be based on whole-building lifecycle assessment rather than a single embodied-carbon number. 

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Behold Vancouver’s New Earthquake-Proof Highrise

By Emily Latimer
Maclean’s Magazine
June 23, 2026
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: Canada, Canada West

Vancouver sits directly on the Cascadia Subduction Zone, a 1,000-kilometre fault line that runs from Northern California to Vancouver Island, and there’s a 37 per cent chance that the catastrophic earthquake known as the Big One will hit the region in the next 50 years. The city updated its building code in 2024, but many of Vancouver’s mid-century concrete highrises are still seismically vulnerable. Not the Hive. The new mass-timber office building in Vancouver’s False Creek Flats neighbourhood, designed by the architecture firm Dialog, has a distinctive honeycomb-style exoskeleton fitted with seismic dampers. …The team extensively tested the reimagined design to meet a strict safety standard, including full-scale seismic simulations at the University of Alberta. Researchers were especially focused on ensuring the connections between the timber beams and columns held up after an earthquake. The Hive passed with nary a tremble.

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BC Institute of Technology announces Breena Jackson as Interim Associate Dean, Industrial Construction

By Giselle LaCounte
British Columbia Institute of Technology
June 16, 2026
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: Canada West

Breena Jackson

The British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) is pleased to announce the appointment of Breena Jackson as Interim Associate Dean, Industrial Construction, in the School of Construction and the Environment. Breena begins her one-year interim role on July 6, 2026. Breena brings a strong combination of teaching experience, industry expertise, and a deep connection to applied trades education at BCIT. A member of the BCIT community since 2016, she has taught in the Cabinetmaking program and supported students through hands-on learning that reflects the realities of industry. …In addition to her teaching role, Breena has contributed to BCIT’s work in sustainable construction as a Mass Timber Project Manager. …BCIT also extends its sincere thanks to David Dunn for his leadership during this transition period and for his continued support of the School of Construction and the Environment.

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BC Wood Connections Newsletter for June

The BC Wood Specialties Group
June 17, 2026
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: Canada West

Wood Connections Summary: BC Wood is gearing up for a busy fall season, with registration now open for the 2026 Global Buyers Mission in Whistler and a slate of market development opportunities stretching from Vancouver to Mexico. The annual GBM returns September 10–12, bringing together international buyers, architects, designers, manufacturers, distributors, and wood industry professionals for business matchmaking, networking, educational sessions, and WoodTALKS™ programming. The association has also announced the first round of GBM sponsorship winners and is encouraging companies to act quickly as exhibit space and hotel accommodations are filling fast. Beyond Whistler, BC Wood is recruiting participants for the Interior Design Show in Vancouver, Tecno Mueble in Guadalajara, and is exploring a coordinated presence at California’s Pacific Coast Builders Conference. Meanwhile, TWIG’s Wood-First-Wednesday program continues to expand its reach, with a new partnership extending networking and knowledge-sharing opportunities into the Robson and North Thompson region.

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The instant high-rise. Novel modular construction using AI and robots

By UBC Applied Science
The University of British Columbia
May 5, 2026
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: Canada, Canada West

For decades, populations in North American cities have been growing faster than housing can accommodate. …Dr. Yang is the director of UBC’s Smart Structures Lab, where researchers combine advanced structural simulation and large-scale experimental testing to design building systems that are safer, more environmentally friendly, and quick to assemble. Integrating artificial intelligence, robotics, and modular assembly to automate key stages of construction—and even monitor structural health in real time—the lab has evolved into a hub for next-generation infrastructure research. It also plays a central role in an $8.27-million national initiative led by UBC Civil Engineering to address housing supply through sustainable modular construction. …Dr. Yang’s team is already applying their research in the field, testing out large-scale construction machines to automate the construction sequence. …Instead of performing repetitive or hazardous physical tasks, workers become machine operators and systems managers, while supervisors monitor multiple projects remotely. 

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Career opportunities unfold as housing construction facility opens shop in Port Alberni

By Denise Titian
Ha-Shilth-Sa
June 11, 2026
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: Canada, Canada West

PORT ALBERNI, BC — Tina Gus… a member of the Tseshaht First Nation, is one of two women in the first Green Building Foundations and Manufacturing training program cohort who went on to work at IGV Housing as a Production Operator. …The program brings together IGV Housing, North Island College and Synergy Foundation to deliver a fully funded skills-building opportunity that delivers trained workers to Port Alberni’s new IGV Housing plant and other construction businesses like it. …Located at the former San Group wood manufacturing site next to the paper mill in central Port Alberni, IGV Housing is a facility where new homes are being built. “The company manufactures full-scale homes and is developing a solution for multi-family buildings up to six storeys,” said a spokesperson for IGV Housing. The company uses a systemized hybrid construction model that combines factory-built components with on-site assembly.

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Creating the UBC President’s Table with CAWP

By the Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship
The University of British Columbia
June 9, 2026
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: Canada West

When UBC’s president decided to replace the main conference table in his office, members of the Centre for Advanced Wood Processing (CAWP) were invited to design and manufacture a custom wood solution on campus. The existing piece did not meet the president’s functional needs, particularly in terms of acoustics and seating comfort at the head of the table. With the specifications in mind, Lief Eriksen, technical operations coordinator at CAWP, proposed several concepts. The president selected a solid wood interpretation that retained some of the soft, oval-like character of the original top while introducing a more grounded, retangular presence suited to the space. The final design was developed in Fusion 360, with particular attention to ergonomics, stability, and buildability. …Red alder, a commercially available but underutilized British Columbia hardwood, was selected for the project. …The project made extensive use of CAWP’s advanced manufacturing infrastructure, which is uncommon in an academic setting. 

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Research explores how mass timber offices support employee wellbeing

By Forestry Innovation Investment
LinkedIn
June 8, 2026
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: Canada West

Interest in mass timber construction has grown in recent years. However, there has been limited research in B.C. on the social and workplace impacts of these buildings, particularly for the wellbeing of occupants. To help address this gap, Forestry Innovation Investment funded a study to better understand how mass timber and biophilic design can influence employee wellbeing in office buildings. The study focuses on The Exchange, a mass timber commercial development in Kelowna, B.C., and contributes to a growing evidence base on the social and workplace benefits of wood-based construction. Carried out by urban research firm Happy Cities, the post-occupancy evaluation examined two mass timber office buildings completed in 2024. Using a combination of site visits, interviews, and employee surveys, the study assessed how features such as exposed wood, natural light, views to nature, and indoor plants affect workplace experience, satisfaction, and wellbeing.

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Vancouver firm wins two international architectural awards for Squamish waterfront project

By Gagandeep Ghuman
North Shore Daily Post
June 8, 2026
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: Canada West

SLA Inc.

A Vancouver architecture firm has taken home two international honours for its Squamish waterfront project. Stephane Laroye Architect (SLA) won both the Jury and Popular Choice prizes in the Architecture + Prefab & Modular category at the 2026 Architizer A+Awards — recognition given to what the program describes as the world’s most visionary architectural creators. The winning project, the Oceanfront Squamish Presentation Centre & Public House (PCPH), sits on the Squamish waterfront overlooking Howe Sound fjord and opened to the public in summer 2024. …The project drew on regional partners throughout. Laroye credited Castlegar-based Kalesnikoff for input on the efficient use of mass timber, and North Vancouver’s Naikoon Contracting, whose work on the project helped spur development of what Laroye called a “Flying Factory” — a mobile pre-fabrication facility designed to serve remote sites and create local employment. See image gallery here. 

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Design for Mass Timber Hospital in Canada Wins Fast Company 2026 World Changing Ideas Award

HDR Inc.
June 16, 2026
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: Canada, Canada East

ONTARIO — The Quinte Health Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital (PECMH) in Picton, Ontario, Canada, is a winner of Fast Company’s 2026 World Changing Ideas Awards in the “general excellence” category. Upon completion in 2028, it will be the first acute care hospital in North America constructed with an unencapsulated all mass timber structure. …The new 23-inpatient-bed, 97,000-square-foot hospital represents a deeply collaborative effort between Quinte Health, Infrastructure Ontario, HDR, M. Sullivan & Son Limited, and the Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital Foundation. Currently under construction, the hospital establishes a new benchmark for sustainable healthcare infrastructure. …PECMH’s timber structure, geothermal energy systems, building-integrated photovoltaics, high-performance envelopes, public gardens and green roofs position the hospital as a pioneering example of how one of the most energy-intensive building typologies can be reimagined for a lower-carbon future.

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Mass timber addition to expand Niagara College’s applied health programs amid rising enrolment

Daily Commercial News
June 11, 2026
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: Canada East

©Montgomery Sisam

WELLAND, ONT. — Currently under construction in Welland, Ont., the Niagara College Applied Health Institute (AHI) Expansion aims to create a community hub that responds to rising enrolment in health care programs such as nursing, paramedicine, personal support work, dental hygiene and pharmacy. The 75,000-square-foot purpose-built mass timber addition was designed by Montgomery Sisam Architects and will feature a new entrance, pedestrian plaza, courtyard and atrium. …At the heart of the building, a feature stair rises through an open atrium to the second level. “Delivered on an accelerated schedule in response to urgent workforce needs, the mass timber expansion is pursuing Zero Carbon Building and Rick Hansen Foundation certifications,” the release adds. “An innovative design-assist partnership with timber supplier Nordic Structures also helped streamline co-ordination between design and fabrication, supporting both schedule certainty and construction efficiency.”

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Ontario sees jump in mid-rise wood construction following 2023 building code change

By Lindsay Kelly
Northern Ontario Business
June 9, 2026
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: Canada, Canada East

Three years ago, the Ontario Building Code required that any developer taking on a mid-rise wood-frame building had to construct stairwells out of non-combustible material. That was expensive. It made construction challenging, and, according to the Canadian Wood Council, resulted in a lower adoption of wood-frame building. Since that requirement was removed in 2023, allowing full buildings to be constructed with wood, interest in mid-rise wood-frame building has increased considerably, especially for residential builds, said Hailey Quiquero, with the WoodWorks Ontario program, an initiative of the Canadian Wood Council. “Now, in our market, we’re sitting at around 50% of five- and six-storey buildings being built out of wood construction, so a great jump,” Quiquero said. “We’ve still got a long way to go. In BC, I think it’s greater than 80% of this market.” …Currently in Ontario, mid-rise wood-frame building is largely being used in residential projects, Quiquero said.

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Laurentian University prof lauded for architectural research

Northern Ontario Business
June 11, 2026
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: Canada, Canada East

SUDBURY, Ontario — A Laurentian University architecture professor is being recognized for his research in sustainable design. Steven Beites, an assistant professor at Laurentian’s McEwen School of Architecture, has received an award for his paper, “Technology, Ecology and the Housing Crisis.” It explores how advanced technologies, robotics, and sustainable bio-based materials can fundamentally reshape modern design and construction. Beites received the award from the College of Distinguished Professors and the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture during the ACSA’s annual convention in Chicago in March. Beites’ work looks at how innovative approaches to design and construction — including using robotics and digitally fabricated systems to move production into controlled manufacturing environments — can help address housing challenges in rural and remote communities in Northern Ontario. One of his projects is the development of a cable-driven parallel robot, which could be assembled on site and used to 3D print housing components.

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Nipissing University will celebrate forestry advocate

Northern Ontario Business
June 11, 2026
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: Canada East

A long-time advocate for Ontario’s forest products industry will be recognized by Nipissing University this spring. Marianne Berube, who spent more than 25 years at the helm of WoodWorks Ontario, will receive a doctor of letters from the North Bay institute, her alma mater. An initiative of the Canadian Wood Council, WoodWorks Ontario Is an industry-led advocacy group that promotes the use of wood in non-residential, mid-rise and tall-building markets in Canada. The organization offers training, networking and technical support in an effort to build proficiency amongst those in the design and construction industries. “Berube was the executive director of the Canadian Wood Council’s [WoodWorks Ontario] program for 22 years, building the program from its pilot launch in North Bay to the provincial initiative it is today,” Nipissing noted in a news release. Retiring in 2025, Berube is currently chair of the Centre for Research & Innovation in the Bio-Economy (CRIBE).

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Ontario sees jump in mid-rise wood construction following 2023 building code change

By Lindsay Kelly
Northern Ontario Business
June 9, 2026
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: Canada East

Three years ago, the Ontario Building Code required that any developer taking on a mid-rise wood-frame building had to construct stairwells out of non-combustible material. That was expensive. It made construction challenging, and, according to the Canadian Wood Council, resulted in a lower adoption of wood-frame building. Since that requirement was removed in 2023, allowing full buildings to be constructed with wood, interest in mid-rise wood-frame building has increased considerably, especially for residential builds, said Hailey Quiquero, senior manager with the Ontario Wood WORKS! program, an initiative of the Canadian Wood Council. “Now, in our market, we’re sitting at around 50 per cent of five- and six-storey buildings being built out of wood construction, so a great jump,” Quiquero said during a June 4 online webinar hosted by Ontario Wood WORKS!

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Proposed Mississauga wood recovery plant would cut coal use

By Andrew Palamarchuk
Mississauga News
June 9, 2026
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: Canada East

Mississauga city staff are reviewing a proposal for a “wood recovery facility” and an associated office building near Winston Churchill Boulevard and Lakeshore Road near the Oakville border. Applications have been submitted to amend the official plan and zoning to permit the facility, which would recover wood material to be used as a fuel source, according to the city. …local councillor, Alvin Tedjo said the cement plant provides roughly a third of all the cement for the province but still uses coal, adding the proposed wood recovery plant would provide low-carbon fuels. “The idea is that this plant would then create and process the materials in order to be used in the cement process which would then significantly reduce the use of coal and actually is part of removing coal completely from the (cement) plant so that we can be fully coal-free in Mississauga,” Tedjo said in a June 4 interview.

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Mass Timber as a Catalyst for Biophilic, Sustainable Campus Design

By Henry Weinberg and Laura Rushfeldt
School Construction News
June 18, 2026
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: United States

Humans have an innate desire to connect with nature, yet we spend nearly 90 percent of our lives indoors. In academic settings, where students learn, live and socialize, this disconnect can have real consequences for focus, mental health and well-being. Mass timber construction offers a powerful way to bring the warmth, texture and psychological benefits of nature indoors, while also advancing sustainability goals and, in many cases, matching or outperforming traditional steel construction on cost. A growing body of research shows that biophilic design, the integration of natural elements, particularly wood, into the built environment can improve cognitive performance, creativity and mood while reducing stress and fatigue. Spaces that incorporate visible wood elements are consistently perceived as warmer and more welcoming, fostering social interaction and a stronger sense of belonging. For higher education institutions focused on student wellness and community-building, these qualities are increasingly viewed as essential. 

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Trex Announces its 2025 Sustainability Report, ‘For Today and Tomorrow’

Trex Company
June 17, 2026
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: United States

WINCHESTER, Virginia — As Trex celebrates 30 years of innovation and impact, the company announced the release of its 2025 Sustainability Report. Trex was the first company to bring wood composite decking to the market, creating an entirely new category of circular decking. …Amy Fernandez, Chief Sustainability Officer said “Our 2025 report demonstrates how principled, ethical leadership is the foundation for our business, fostering long-term relationships based on trust.” …Highlights include: Circular Materials Leadership – Since its founding, the company has upcycled more than 6.4 billion pounds of waste plastic film. NexTrex® Recycling Network – Expanded to more than 15,300 retail locations, collecting over 353 million pounds of waste polyethylene film in 2025 through partnerships with retailers and consumers. NexTrex® Grassroots Movement – Trex makes recycling accessible to more and more communities. The program added 38 new centralized drop-off sites in 2025, recycling a record amount of waste plastic film.

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Two Congress members introduce Mass Timber Federal Buildings Act

US Congressman Glenn Thompson
May 29, 2026
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: United States

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representatives Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA) and Andrea Salinas (D-OR) introduced the Mass Timber Federal Buildings Act. This bipartisan legislation provides incentives for the use of mass timber building materials in federal contracting, giving timber and other forest products companies the ability to compete for construction, renovation, or acquisition of public buildings, and for military construction. The bill creates a two-tier contracting preference for mass timber and other innovative wood projects. The first-tier preference applies to mass timber that is made within the U.S. and responsibly sourced from state, federal, private, and Tribal forestlands. The optional second tier applies to mass timber products that are sourced from restoration practices, fire mitigation projects, and forest owners. Additionally, this bill contains a reporting requirement for a whole building lifecycle assessment. The results of this assessment will help provide additional evidence of the environmental benefits of the use of timber and forest products in buildings.

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Announcing the 2026 Wood in Architecture Awards

WoodWorks – Wood Products Council
June 10, 2026
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: United States

WoodWorks has announced eight 2026 Wood in Architecture award winners, celebrating excellence and innovation in mass timber, heavy timber, light-frame, and hybrid building design. The annual award program recognizes developers and design teams using wood in innovative ways that positively impact the environment, occupants, and communities throughout the U.S. WoodWorks was founded to support innovation in modern wood design, and we’re fortunate to work alongside the teams taking on that work every day. Our award program gives us a chance to step back and celebrate what they’ve accomplished, and the projects that represent the best of what wood can achieve. This year, we were especially encouraged by the volume of submissions—an indication of expanding confidence in wood as a material of choice. Thank you to all who nominated projects, and to our volunteer jury for the time and care they brought to the process. See all the winning projects here.

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AIA Education Facility Design Award 2026

The American Institute of Architects
June 10, 2026
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: United States

©Jason O’Rear in AIA

Explore the AIA Education Facility Design Award 2026 recipients—recognized as the best in today’s learning spaces. As education evolves, so does the architecture that supports it. The AIA Education Facility Design Award celebrates innovative projects across the learning continuum, from early childhood to higher education. These designs elevate learning environments and inspire communities.

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UC Berkeley lab turns wildfire salvage into mass timber for sustainable construction

By Dan Ashley and Tim Didion
ABC News 7
June 22, 2026
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: US West

As wildfires become more frequent and intense across California, researchers at the University of California, Berkeley are exploring ways to turn wood from fire-affected forests into useful building materials rather than letting it go to waste. At the university’s wood lab, Assistant Professor Paul Mayencourt demonstrated a construction technique known as dowel-laminated timber, or DLT. The process combines smaller pieces of lumber into larger structural panels using wooden dowels. “So, it’s enabling us to use more diverse sources of lumber. And that includes salvage from forest fires and also salvage from demolition,” Mayencourt said. Graduate student Adam Gordon showcased a model theater designed for Portland State University that uses fabricated timber panels, sometimes referred to as mass timber. He said the materials can be adapted for both structural and design purposes. …The Berkeley wood lab has received support from several sources, including a recent innovation grant from the U.S. Forest Service.

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Skanska breaks ground on Cleveland High School modernization, a landmark mass timber project

Skanska USA Inc.
June 17, 2026
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: US West

PORTLAND, OR – Skanska, a leading global construction and development firm, broke ground on the modernization of Cleveland High School for Portland Public Schools on June 12. The project will replace the existing school with an approximately 300,000-square-foot high school on the same site… Construction is expected to begin in July 2026 and be completed in the summer of 2029. …Designed by Mahlum Architects and Studio Petretti, the new school will incorporate nearly 870,000 board feet of Pacific Northwest-sourced mass timber, making it one of the largest K-12 mass timber projects in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest and the first school in the area designed to the Type IV Heavy Timber (HT) construction standard. The structure will combine Acoustic Dowel Laminated Timber (ADLT) decking, glulam beams and columns, structural steel, and low-carbon concrete to create a durable, lower-carbon building that supports both sustainability and long-term performance.

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Nakamoto Forestry Debuts Clear Vertical Grain Sugi

By Nakamoto Forestry
EIN Presswire
June 17, 2026
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: US West

PORTLAND, OR — Nakamoto Forestry, the world’s leading provider of premium Japanese wood cladding, debuts Clear Vertical Grain (CVG) Sugi, expanding its portfolio to include the most exacting grade of sugi, or Japanese cedar, available in North America. In Japan, sugi (Cryptomeria japonica) is the predominant species used in construction and architecture, valued for its grain, workability, and natural resistance to insects, decay, and fire. Defined by a straight, exceptionally clear grain with little to no knots, CVG Sugi offers a calm, uniform surface with no visual distraction. The grain runs clean and consistent from end to end, producing a refined, architectural expression that emphasizes proportion and light rather than texture or pattern.

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Mass Timber Breaks New Ground at Oregon Lab

By Tim Newcomb
Engineering News Record
June 15, 2026
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: US West

©Huang Complex

Mass timber construction continues to set new benchmarks. At Oregon State University … readies the 2027 opening of the Jen-Hsun Huang and Lori Mills Huang Collaborative Innovation Complex, the first mass timber lab building on the West Coast and one that sets new standards in meeting stringent research lab requirements. …ZGF Architects partner KPFF engineers helped solve the challenge of meeting the 2,000 micro-inches per second (MIPS) floor vibration requirement for a wet lab building by using a mass plywood panel. The fully plywood creation is stacked for structure and features glue for strength, but it creates a new product that can handle the vibration requirements. …Freres Engineered Wood in Oregon, the only U.S. site making mass plywood panels, crafted the material. The company says it uses structural composite lumber with multiple layers of density-graded Douglas fir veneers glued and pressed in a variety of combinations and orientations to create 1-in. layers called lamellas.

See the project details from ZGF Architects A First-of-Its-Kind Mass Timber Lab and Oregon State University website

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California launches Mass Timber Coalition

By Board of Forestry and Fire Protection
State of California
June 12, 2026
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: United States, US West

SACRAMENTO, California — The State of California announced the formation of the state’s first California Mass Timber Coalition, a new public-private partnership designed to accelerate the adoption of mass timber construction, drive forest health and wildfire mitigation efforts, and accelerate economic development across the state’s rural and urban communities. The Coalition brings together state and federal agencies, county and local governments, research institutions, industry representatives, forest sector organizations, non-profit organizations, and community partners to support the establishment of an in-state mass timber industry. …The Coalition will also work to establish state policy and regulations that drive positive outcomes for both utilization and manufacturing of in-state mass timber, as well as industry development and market growth. …Terry O’Brien, Chair of the Board of Forestry and Fire Protection, said “This collaborative approach will help California leverage innovation, reduce wildfire risks, and support economic opportunities for communities throughout the State.” Click here for more information.

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Mass Timber Takes Center Stage at Vancouver’s New Amphitheater

By Bryan Gottlieb
Walls & Ceilings Magazine
June 9, 2026
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: Canada, US West

VANCOUVER — A massive timber roof over the new Freedom Mobile Arch amphitheater in Vancouver, BC, is demonstrating how mass timber could become a viable alternative to steel and concrete in large public assembly venues. The approximately $183-million venue at Hastings Park opened June 5 and will host FIFA World Cup events. Its 105-meter clear-span roof is supported by just three primary points. …”Most long-span timber arch structures worldwide are exhibition halls, arenas or soccer facilities with spans in the 80-90 m range,” Fast + Epp, the venue’s structural engineer, said. …The resulting structure lands on three massive concrete supports positioned at the corners of an equilateral triangle, an unusual geometry that drove the engineering solution. As the timber arches splay outward toward the roof’s center, they generate significant thrust forces. Those forces are transferred to steel king arches in the roof valleys before moving into the concrete buttresses.

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Mass timber industry would see a boost under this bipartisan US House bill

Michigan Farm News
June 18, 2026
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: United States, US East

A bipartisan bill in the US House is calling for additional incentives to use of mass timber building materials in federal contracting. Introduced by House Ag Committee Chair Glenn Thompson (R-PA) and Andrea Salinas (D-OR), the Mass Timber Federal Buildings Act, the bill would give timber and other forest products companies the ability to compete for construction, renovation, or acquisition of public buildings, and for military construction. The bill creates a two-tier contracting preference for mass timber and other innovative wood projects. The first-tier preference applies to mass timber that is made within the US. …The optional second tier applies to mass timber products that are sourced from restoration practices, fire mitigation projects and forest owners. Additionally, the bill contains a reporting requirement for a whole building lifecycle assessment, which will help provide additional evidence of the environmental benefits of the use of timber and forest products in buildings.

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New York Extended Producer Responsibility bill fails to advance after third try

By Stefanie Valentic
Resource Recycling
June 8, 2026
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: US East

New York’s Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act (PRRIA) has not reached the finish line. The state legislature adjourned without voting on SB 1464A / A1749A, sponsored by Sen. Pete Harckham and Assemblymember Deborah Glick. The outcome marks the third session in which the bill cleared the Senate only to stall in the Assembly. Previous versions of the legislation passed the Senate in both 2024 and 2025 but met the same fate. …The bill would require producers to cover the cost of managing post-consumer packaging waste, a cost currently absorbed by local governments and taxpayers, establishing a statewide EPR program for producers with more than $5 million in annual net revenue responsible for more than 2 tons of annual packaging waste. …The American Forest and Paper Association cited a study estimating that PRRIA could increase the cost of everyday essentials by up to $732 per year for a family of four…

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Exploring the Sustainability Benefits and Environmental Impact of Mass Timber Construction

By Harish Kumar
Bizz Buzz Media, India
June 23, 2026
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: International

Mass timber is often promoted as an environmentally friendly building material, and in many cases that reputation is deserved. A grounded way to view that claim is through actual building systems, and RedBUILT offers a good example of how engineered wood suppliers document sustainability, fabrication, and structural performance. The honest answer is that mass timber can be highly sustainable, but its environmental value depends on sourcing, design efficiency, transportation, and how intelligently the material is used in the final building. …So, is pulpwood environmentally friendly? In most well-executed cases, yes. It is based on renewable wood sources, stores carbon emissions, can reduce tangible emissions, and supports extensive low-waste prefabrication. It also aligns perfectly with sustainable structure when manufacturers provide transparent documentation and provide teams with knowledge of effective design, construction, and challenge delivery . 

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Building a greener timber future in Thailand with Swedish expertise

The Stockholm Enviormenty Institute
June 22, 2026
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: International

The Wood Solution Thailand Forum, recently held in Bangkok, explored practical solutions for Thailand’s timber industry by connecting Swedish forestry expertise with the country’s forest sector. The forum was part of the Wood Solution Thailand Program, which brings together researchers, foresters, architects, investors, and policymakers from across Thailand and Sweden to build a sustainable timber construction ecosystem. …Speaking at the forum, H.E. Mrs. Arunrung Phothong Humphreys, Ambassador of Thailand to Sweden, explained why Sweden’s experience offers a powerful model. …The engagement phase is supporting “pioneer initiatives” across the full value chain, from forest management to construction, demonstrating practical wood-based solutions. The forum showcased more than ten such initiatives. One flagship model is the Phrae Sustainable Wood City initiative. Reflecting Phrae’s long association with teak, the project has already trained around 150 postgraduate students as future forestry, resource and environmental managers – and it is emerging as a potential model for nationwide development.

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Dubai WoodShow 2026 to open June 22

Big News Network
June 20, 2026
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: International

DUBAI — More than 400 exhibitors from over 45 countries will gather in Dubai next week for the Dubai WoodShow 2026, an international trade exhibition focusing on the automation and digital supply chain technologies reshaping the global timber industry. The three-day event, running from 22nd to 24th June at the Dubai World Trade Centre, features over 600 international brands and five dedicated country pavilions. With the timber trade becoming increasingly shaped by supply chain shifts, evolving sourcing strategies, and the growing need for speed, visibility, and operational efficiency, this year’s edition of Dubai WoodShow places strong focus on AI, automation, smart logistics, and digital supply chain systems that are transforming how wood products are sourced, moved, and delivered across markets.

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How can we make buildings more resilient before—and after—earthquakes?

By Askkan Hashemi
Tech Xplore
June 13, 2026
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: International

UNIVERSITY OF AUCKLAND — This week’s magnitude 7.8 earthquake in the Philippines came with scenes familiar to New Zealanders: collapsed buildings, shattered facades and streets strewn with rubble. Earthquakes of such force test buildings to their limits. …Last month, in one of the country’s most demanding full-scale earthquake tests, we assessed an emerging timber-based technology and found that it can meet all these requirements. Over the past decade, many people will have heard growing talk about timber as a low-carbon alternative to concrete and steel. While we might picture traditional timber-framed houses, modern mass timber construction is very different. …During earthquake shaking, engineered timber structures have been found to perform extremely well. …To understand how our system performs under realistic earthquake conditions, we built a full-scale, modular CLT building and tested it on the University of Auckland’s “shake table” simulator. …The building performed as hoped.

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Builders look to five-day timber homes in bid to solve London’s housing crisis

The Standard
June 13, 2026
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: International

Timber frame homes built in as little as five days could be a way to increase the pace of housebuilding in London, some of the capital’s largest construction companies have heard. Industry leaders travelled to Scotland to learn how the housing is produced, from sustainable forestry through to completed homes, as developers and ministers look for ways to increase the number of homes in the city. Scotland has adopted timber frame construction on a greater scale than England. About 92% of new homes north of the border are built using timber frame, compared with 13% in England. Andrew Orriss, of the Structural Timber Association, said: “Scotland builds faster, greener, and more efficiently than England. …“And the reason is timber frame. …Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan has a target to build 88,000 new homes per year. …In Britain, structural timber are only permitted to a maximum height of 18 metres, or up to 6 storeys.

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New Zealand to fund feasibility study for prefabricated mass timber modules

The Lesprom Network
June 11, 2026
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: International

The New Zealand Government will fund a feasibility project to assess producing prefabricated, fully fitted mass timber modules in New Zealand and potentially for the Australian market. The project will focus on converting industrial-grade logs into higher-value timber for use in construction… according to the office of Agriculture Minister Todd McClay. The government will contribute $3.2 million over three years to a project with a stated value of $8 million. The project will evaluate whether onshore production of fully fitted mass timber modules is viable by testing design, technical performance, seismic resilience, productivity gains, cost efficiency and carbon savings. The project aims to produce modules for hotels, student housing, apartments and offices and to multiply the value of industrial-grade logs 6.7 times. The plan includes assessing production processes and potential productivity improvements if more timber is processed onshore.

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Stora Enso’s Oulu pulp mill first in Finland to achieve Food Safety System Certification (FSSC)

Nordic Forestry
June 11, 2026
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: International

Stora Enso’s Oulu business unit hosts Finland’s first pulp mill to achieve FSSC 22000 (Food Safety System Certification), strengthening food safety assurance across the entire value chain for packaging customers. For customers, the certification and its systematic approach provide added assurance: processes are audited, risk management is systematic, and food safety is integrated into daily operations. …The mill’s kraftliner production received this certification in 2021, and folding boxboard production in 2025 when production on the new consumer board line began. As demand for renewable packaging continues to grow, customers increasingly require materials that combine performance, safety and sustainability. …Stora Enso’s Oulu mill produces folding boxboard, kraftliners, paper bag material, and unbleached softwood pulp. The boards are suitable for direct contact with food.

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Japan’s 2 by 4 Market Seeing Rising Competition from Domestic Lumber

By Canada Wood Group
LinkedIn
June 10, 2026
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: International

Japanese domestic 2×4 production rose 33.9% in 2025 to 112,610 m³, while more housing companies are specifying domestic dimension lumber. For Canadian exporters, the message is clear: competition is no longer only imported lumber from Europe or Russia. Domestic Japanese producers are also gaining ground, especially in Sugi-based 2×4 applications. Japan’s domestic 2×4 segment is still relatively small compared with the country’s total structural wood market, but the latest survey results show a market moving decisively in favour of local supply. That matters for Canadian producers because Japan remains one of the world’s most important premium wood markets, and 2×4 construction has historically been a core outlet for Canadian dimension lumber. The Association to Promote the Use of Domestic Wood in 2×4 Construction recently released the results of its annual survey of domestic 2×4 production and usage trends. …The survey results indicate a significant increase in Japanese domestic dimension lumber production and consumption. 

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Ireland Looks to Increase Timber in Construction

By Department of Agriculture
The Government of Ireland
June 9, 2026
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: International

IRELAND — Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon [et al]… welcomed the final report from the interdepartmental and industry Timber in Construction Steering Group. The report summarises the group’s recommendations to increase the use of timber in construction in Ireland and is the result of significant collaboration between departments and industry stakeholders, to cabinet earlier today. …The report provides a set of seven strategic recommendations for which specific implementation deadlines and responsible leads are outlined. Three interconnected pillars connect these recommendations which include, Regulation and Standards; Procurement and Carbon Policy; and Innovation, Training and Adoption. These provide a route for transition towards a low-carbon built environment. The Chair of the Group Professor J Owen Lewis said: “this report represents a significant milestone in Ireland’s transition to a low-carbon, resilient built environment. …The task now is to achieve sustained leadership, policy support and industry commitment to translate these recommendations into delivery.”

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The Forest by Woods Bagot

By Liz Walsh
Architecture AU
June 10, 2026
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: International

The Forest, as its name might suggest, is a project to explore and discover. From the street, the bricolage of buildings and materials reveals little of the program within. Yet, like a forest, the project is understood through proximity and movement. …Located in the heart of Nipaluna/Hobart, The Forest by Woods Bagot is an innovative adaptive reuse project commissioned by the University of Tasmania… For the University of Tasmania, sustainability is holistic and operational. …To approach the project with a clear carbon reduction strategy, Woods Bagot established four key points: to build nothing, to build for long-term value, to build efficiently, and to build with the right materials. …A cross-laminated timber superstructure floats across the site – gathering program, scaffolding space, and unifying existing buildings under a singular urban umbrella. The carefully crafted, demountable timber structure can be read from almost every vantage point within the 8,000-square-metre footprint. 

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