Canada is confronting critical challenges that will shape its future – chief among them the housing crisis and an increasing demand for energy. A solution to both lies within one of the country’s greatest assets: sustainably managed forests. By harnessing their potential, Canada can address its housing shortages and energy needs while simultaneously advancing its environmental goals. …Canada’s housing and energy needs can be met through one common resource: its forests. With mass timber, the nation has the tools to rapidly and affordably address its housing crisis, and through better use of biomass residues, those homes and communities can be heated with a renewable fuel source. In a country that is home to more than 9 per cent of the world’s total forest area, and with a sector that is globally recognized for its sustainable forest practices, all that is needed now is the political will to scale these innovations to meet Canada’s growing needs.
When you think of new construction in Metro Vancouver, you think of concrete towers with glass facades. A Metro Vancouver report on rental housing is considering a different approach: Making it easier to build six-storey apartment buildings out of wood. The report’s name is a mouthful, “Streamlining the Delivery of Rental Housing Through Pre-Approved Plans and Off-Site Construction.” But it has a simple goal: making rental housing cheaper to build. Concrete buildings typically cost 20 to 24 per cent more to build than wooden ones. So the report, which will probably go to Metro in January, calls for low-rise wood frame buildings. The report also wants to make it easier to build. “We’re collaborating with B.C. Housing on (ways) to essentially speed up the delivery of six-story rental wood frame apartments,” said Michael Epp, director of housing, planning and development at Metro Vancouver.
Explore the latest in sustainable construction at the Wood Solutions Conference 2024, Edmonton’s premier event for wood and construction innovation. The Wood Solutions Conference Edmonton 2024 is an event that brings together architects, engineers, and designers to discuss advancements and sustainability in construction. Focused on biophilic design principles and wood product innovations, this conference is a must-attend for professionals looking to enhance their expertise and certifications in sustainable building. You can expect insightful and educational seminars, networking opportunities and access to a comprehensive trade show featuring the latest innovation in wood design. The event takes place at the Westin Edmonton, on December 3, 2025. 
Mass timber construction …has exploded in recent years, exemplified by buildings like Ascent, a high-rise in Milwaukee, and the new terminal at the Portland Airport. Industry group Woodworks predicts 20% growth in new projects. And passive house design, the ultra-energy efficient methodology of building, has also exploded, with numerous examples of homes, hospitals, high-rises, and even affordable housing built according to the standard. But this progress is at risk with a new Trump administration coming into power. Proposed tariffs by the incoming Trump administration may increase the prices of many items. But for architects and advocates working on more efficient and sustainable buildings, there’s fear that tariffs could impact specific materials and machines that are key to their work. Higher costs from tariffs, may slow down the pick up of these construction techniques, making such buildings more expensive, and slowing down the effort to cut emissions from buildings and the built environment.
On the whole, modern buildings have large carbon footprints, thanks to pollution-heavy concrete, steel, insulation, and more. …So it’s no surprise that the search is underway to shrink emissions. …These developments are mostly written about in scientific research papers and professional journals … here are just a sampling:
The global market for mass timber is expected to grow to $3.7 billion by 2032 from $1.5 billion in 2020, according to 2023 report. This growth is being driven by the US, Europe and Asia-Pacific building construction industries. Hyperlocal approaches to creating a mass timber industry are already taking shape around the world. …In North America, 
Non-profit organisation Two Sides is calling on organisations to remove or change misleading statements that it labels as ‘greenwashing’. …According to the organisation, economic pressures have caused companies which have previously relied on paper for customer communication to shift from traditional paper-based services to digital platforms, in order to cut costs. Alongside this transition, many companies have made environmental marketing claims such as “Go Green – Go Paperless” or “Choose e-billing and help save a tree.” But according to Two Sides, these claims are misleading, and are clear examples of greenwashing. …Two Sides has challenged over 2,800 organisations communicating these greenwashing messages to their customers, resulting in more than 1,260 changing or removing statements. …“Far from ‘saving trees,’ a healthy market for forest products and paper encourages the long-term growth of forests through sustainable forest management.”
Registration is open and delegates from around the world are invited to Brisbane, Australia to attend the 2025 World Conference on Timber Engineering, June 22 – 26. WCTE is the world’s premier scientific dissemination forum for presenting and discussing the latest technical and architectural developments and innovations in timber engineering and construction. The scope covers research, education, and practice topics from all over the world. There is a rise in engineering and architectural firms, developers and investors, now emphasizing timber engineering as a preferred solution for many projects, providing further relevance and importance to the research carried out by the timber design and construction community. A number of exemplar buildings and structures are located within Brisbane, providing an ideal opportunity for site visits as part of WCTE 2025; whilst some stunning examples of modern timber buildings can also be seen in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth.