As construction of the new College of Pharmacy building continues, crews are erecting mass-timber structures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and emphasize a shared culture of sustainability. Through the incorporation of mass timber, the building will reduce its embodied carbon — the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the extraction, transportation, manufacturing and installation of building materials — by 40%. “Mass timber poses considerable environmental upside — both during the construction process and throughout a building’s life cycle,” said Shana Weber, associate vice president for campus sustainability. “As the university moves toward carbon neutrality, I’m excited to see the College of Pharmacy building project contributing with mass timber. It will demonstrate a meaningful decarbonization action while providing a welcoming symbol of our commitment to sustainability.” Total carbon avoided by the project is expected to exceed 1,500 MTCO2e — equivalent to the approximate total emissions of 357 gasoline-powered passenger vehicles driven for one year.