South Carolina — Clemson University’s Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation (FEC) moved into a cutting-edge new home at the beginning of the 2026 Fall semester. The new FEC building offers classrooms, research labs and office space that will make it the envy of forestry and agricultural programs the world over. …The structure was built with mass timber-framed construction, a product researched and developed by Clemson’s Wood Utilization and Design (WU+D) Institute. …The FEC building’s glulam beams were made by SmartLam, whose chief executive officer is Clemson alumnus Derek Ratchford ’94.  …Passers-by could watch the massive, layered beams forming the skeleton of the building as it rose from a former parking lot… Wood products were displayed during construction to serve as a learning tool for the Department of Forestry. …the mass timber structure offers significant environmental advantages, such as reduced embodied carbon compared to traditional building materials like steel and concrete.