An SLB-commissioned report by Prime Consulting surveyed professionals on design projects that decided not to proceed with mass timber to better understand how the obstacles to using mass timber are evolving. The report found that the top five reasons given for not building with mass timber were:
Cost
Lack of Experienced GC/Installer
Lack of Owner/Developer Familiarity
Material Supply/Manufacturing and Building
Code Issues
The findings also point to progress made in the market—notably, a design team’s familiarity with mass timber is no longer a significant obstacle to market share expansion. The SLB is now spearheading a similar report focused on light-frame construction and how new insights can help expand its market share in multifamily and non-residential buildings. Overall, the SLB is using these types of ongoing market intelligence to optimize programs and annual strategic planning. Investors can request a copy of the study by emailing info@softwoodlumberboard.org.