Softwood Lumber Board: The Next Phase of Lumber Demand Growth Starts Here

The Softwood Lumber Board
May 29, 2026
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: United States

In this month’s Softwood Lumber Update:

The SLB’s “From Niche to Mainstream” strategy offers a clear roadmap to 2.9 BBF of incremental annual lumber demand by 2035. With market dynamics evolving, the SLB’s approach is changing too. The SLB and its funded programs are concentrating investments in high-growth segments, prioritizing geographies with the strongest potential, and leveraging new AI and digital tools to increase precision and efficiency without increasing overall spend.

Leadership Lessons from the Mass Timber Movement: Changing the narrative around mass timber from being a risky, experimental material to a vehicle for a new type of building has helped drive adoption, he writes, as has the work of leaders who embrace change.

Program Updates:

  • WoodWorks K–12 Project Support Shifts Schools to Wood
  • The SLB Immerses Future Architects in Mass Timber at Conference
  • The AWC Safeguards Lumber’s Competitiveness Through Engagement in Wood Standards
  • Office Project Case Studies Inspire Architects and Developers
  • WoodWorks Helps Secure Approval for Light-Frame Active Adult Project

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