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Q1 HIGHLIGHTS

SLB
Feature Story

NAVIGATION

Scroll down to read the report.

In 2026, the Softwood Lumber Board and its funded programs are advancing implementation of the strategic plan, “From Niche to Mainstream,” with measurable progress. By promoting favorable codes and standards, supporting project conversions, accelerating engagement with design professionals, and expanding wood education, the SLB continues to strengthen lumber’s competitive position while building momentum for long-term demand growth.

2026

REPORT

58%

10%

32%

66%

26%

67%

28%

66%

28%

74%

20%

79%

18%

76%

18%

79%

16%

58%

10%

32%

66%

26%

67%

28%

66%

28%

74%

20%

79%

18%

76%

18%

79%

16%

2026 YTD

2022

2025

2021

2024

2020

2019

2023

Heavy Timber/Mass Timber

Hybrid Mass Timber and Light Frame

# of Reported Projects

Light-Frame

450

400

350

150

250

300

100

200

Projects Influenced YTD

Representing 22 MM SF of Construction

410

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT FROM INCREASING LUMBER USE

Which Equals a Total Carbon Benefit of

Metric Tons of CO₂

1,330,000

Metric Tons of CO₂Avoided

900,000

Metric Tons of CO₂Stored

430,000

Q1 HIGHLIGHTS

Q1 INCREMENTAL DEMAND GENERATED

MILLION

BOARD FEET OF INCREMENTAL DEMAND.

514

Toward the 1,350 MM BF
2026 Goal.

SLB Feature Story

In a competitive market for construction materials, focus is essential.
In 2026, the SLB continues to prioritize high-opportunity sectors,
geographies, and building types where lumber has clear advantages
and the path to conversion is shortest.

Read more about the path to 2.9 BBF

SLB Story 3:
WoodWorks Supported Warehouses

SLB Story 1:
SLB Accelerator Cities Program

SLB Story 2:
AI Adoption Supports Strategic Priorities

Jump to these stories.

Want to read more SLB stories?

1 of 4

Educating Tomorrow’s Designers and Builders

SLB Education is advancing wood design and construction education in postsecondary schools—something that competing industries have been doing for decades. The program has now held 12 faculty workshops at institutions nationwide, equipping 300 educators with the knowledge, incentives, and resources to bring lumber-based building systems to the forefront of their classrooms. In addition to holding five more faculty workshops in 2026, SLB Education is working to remove structural barriers that prevent wood design courses from being included in postsecondary programs.

California College of Arts | Studio Gang
Photo Credit: Jason O’Rear

Incremental Opportunity

185 MM BF

= Total Market

= Target Market Share

= Current Market Share

6 of 6

warehouses:
Industrial Scale, Long-Term Upside

Warehouse construction represents 178 MM BF in incremental opportunity at just 5% market share, with significant upside as penetration increases.

Even modest adoption drives meaningful volume. At 13% market share, demand exceeds 550 MM BF—demonstrating how incremental penetration can produce outsized volume gains.

WoodWorks is supporting industrial developers with structural guidance and performance data for hybrid wall panels and shear systems, helping reduce uncertainty in a segment traditionally dominated by steel and concrete. While grouped with the office segment, data centers provide a similar opportunity to use lumber-based construction for large surface areas.

Janicki Industries Building 10 | Photo Credit: Vaagen Media

15%

Incremental Opportunity

223 MM BF

= Total Market

= Target Market Share

= Current Market Share

5 of 6

education:
Institutional Momentum with Scalable Volume

Education construction represents 203 MM BF in annual incremental opportunity across light-frame, mass timber, and hybrid systems.

The American Institute of Architects projects the education sector to grow 1.5% in 2026—outpacing overall non-residential growth—and FMI projects growth of 2–6% in 2027–2029.
As districts and universities advance postponed projects, many are prioritizing buildings that meet decarbonization targets and enhance student wellness.

Mass timber aligns with those priorities. Projects such as WoodWorks Wood in Architecture Award winner Washington School for the Deaf demonstrate how exposed timber structures support carbon goals while creating visible, biophilic learning environments. Successful campus projects often drive replication, extending impact beyond a single building.

Washington School for the Deaf | Mithun Architects |
Photo Credit: Mithun

= Total Market

= Target Market Share

= Current Market Share

4 of 6

Office and Banks:
Data Centers Boost Potential

11%

35%

Incremental Opportunity

299 MM BF

Offices and banks represent 299 MM BF in annual incremental potential by increasing market share from 11% toward 35%. Demand persists for high-performance, differentiated environments despite moderation in overall office construction activity.

Mass timber and hybrid systems position lumber as both a decarbonization strategy and a tenant-attraction tool. Projects such as Ellis Town Center near Philadelphia and Southstone Yards in Texas demonstrate how exposed timber structures can distinguish assets in competitive leasing markets. Data center construction—projected to grow 26% in 2026 and 17% in 2027—further expands the addressable opportunity for lumber systems.

Southstone Yards | Crow Holdings | Photo Credit: Ryan Conway

= Total Market

= Target Market Share

= Current Market Share

3 of 6

Commercial:
Repeatable, Scalable Volume

23%

67%

Incremental Opportunity

414 MM BF

Low-rise commercial buildings such as WoodWorks Wood in Architecture Award winner Sycamore & Oak represent 414 MM BF in annual incremental opportunity. Retail, restaurant, and community-scale formats rely on repeatable prototypes with relatively low technical barriers.

Portfolio-level specification decisions by national and regional developers can unlock scalable gains. Light-frame systems remain competitive, while selective hybridization expands span capacity where required. Targeted engagement in markets with below-average wood share offers measurable conversion potential.

Sycamore & Oak | Winstanley Architects & Planners | Photo Credit: Dror Baldinger

= Total Market

= Target Market Share

= Current Market Share

2 of 6

Multifamily 5–8:
Hybrid Systems Drive Share Gains

57%

65%

Incremental Opportunity

307 MM BF

The 5–8 story segment offers 307 MM BF in incremental potential, with headroom in markets traditionally dominated by steel and concrete. Hybrid systems combining light-frame and mass timber enable lumber to compete in denser urban conditions while preserving cost and schedule advantages. Early success in West Coast markets and Charlotte, North Carolina, signals traction.

Improved developer returns further strengthen this segment. Lumber-based building systems shorten construction timelines, reduce interest carry, and accelerate rental revenue—advantages that are particularly important in affordable and attainable housing.

Avelle Apartments | Studio T Square | Photo Credit: SBI Builders

= Total Market

= Target Market Share

= Current Market Share

1 of 6

Multifamily 1–4:
Protect and Expand the Core

87%

95%

Incremental Opportunity

670 MM BF

Multifamily 1- to 4-story remains the largest incremental opportunity, representing 670 MM BF in potential annual volume. Urban infill, zoning reform, and “Missing Middle” housing policies create room for expansion even as lumber maintains a strong share.

Light-frame systems align naturally with duplexes, triplexes, townhomes, and low-rise apartment buildings increasingly favored in affordability-driven markets. Securing this volume requires protecting share while expanding hybrid systems where additional performance is needed. Because this segment builds on cost efficiency, speed, and workforce familiarity, it represents the most capital-efficient path to near-term growth.

Blockhouse | Uptic Studios | DCI Engineers | Photo Credit: Oliver Irwin Photography

The Lumber Industry Is Positioned to Capture More Market Share in 2026

In 2026, the SLB is sharpening its focus on what works by focusing on creating, defending, and implementing building codes and standards, amplifying design and construction best practices, inspiring innovation in new performance applications, and providing technical solutions to challenges for specifiers and contractors.

The SLB and its funded programs continued to generate momentum for lumber demand growth in Q1. This strong performance was the result of disciplined focus and collaboration between the SLB’s four primary funded programs: SLB Education, the American Wood Council, Think Wood, and WoodWorks. These efforts were driven by the SLB’s strategic plan, which lays out a clear roadmap to 2.9 BBF of incremental annual lumber demand by 2035.

STORY 3 of 3

Reducing the burden of faculty preparation is critical to scaling wood education in architecture programs. However, existing teaching material has been fragmented and inconsistent, creating barriers to adoption.

To address this gap, SLB Education partnered with academic and industry experts to develop a ready-to-teach mass timber pedagogy package, hosted by the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture and reaching a network of over 30,000 educators. The package is designed to integrate seamlessly into studios, structures, and technical coursework with minimal friction.

The resource includes lecture-ready modules, case studies, and applied design exercises that support both foundational learning and real-world application. Since launch on ACSA’s portal, the Mass Timber Pedagogy resources have generated 1,810 downloads, demonstrating strong early interest from architecture educators and complementing SLB Education’s faculty workshops by establishing a scalable path for expanding wood integration across architecture programs.

MARKET IMPACT

Enable educators to quickly and easily incorporate wood design into curricula.
Ensure more architecture students are confident with wood product specification upon graduation.

SLB EDUCATION FEATURE

Wood Design Teaching Resources Enable Rapid Integration

STORY 2 of 3

In January, the SLB sponsored the American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS) Forum in Denver—the largest annual gathering of architecture students in the United States. The event convened 350 students representing 55 schools from across the country.

A highlight was a hands-on mass timber workshop that moved wood beyond drawings and theory. Students worked directly with structural components, power tools, and fasteners, assembling elements themselves and gaining a practical understanding of product types and connection systems. The experience provided tangible insight into how mass timber systems come together in real buildings.

Students also toured T3 RiNo, one of the latest completed projects in developer Hines’ T3: Timber, Transit, Technology series of commercial mass timber buildings, which includes 23 projects completed, in design, or under construction. Walking through the completed Class A office building demonstrated the scale, structural performance, and architectural quality achievable with lumber in a competitive commercial setting.

By grounding wood design education in direct experience and built examples, the SLB is helping ensure future architects see mass timber not as aspirational, but as a viable and competitive solution for nonresidential construction.

MARKET IMPACT

Give students a comprehensive view of the mass timber project lifecycle.
Inspire students to discover professional pathways toward delivering wood buildings.

SLB EDUCATION FEATURE

Future Architects See Wood Design Success at SLB-Sponsored Forum

STORY 1 of 3

The SLB continues to strengthen the future market for lumber by supporting hands-on education that connects postsecondary students directly to the lumber industry.
The SLB recently sponsored learning experiences at Texas A&M and Michigan Technological University (MTU), connecting students directly to forest, manufacturing, and construction environments.

At Texas A&M, 32 architecture students enrolled in a senior design studio visited multiple facilities across the lumber supply chain during the two-day field trip. Stops across multiple Texas cities included the Steely Lumber sawmill in Huntsville, the Texas A&M Forest Service mass timber office building in Hudson, the Georgia-Pacific sawmill in Pineland, and the Sterling CLT manufacturing facility in Lufkin. At MTU, 30 construction management students visited active and completed mass timber projects, gaining firsthand insight into project delivery, sequencing, and coordination.

To scale these experiences, a new faculty resource page hosted under the Think Wood brand promotes field trip sponsorship opportunities to educators best positioned to influence future project decision-making. Four field trips are planned for 2026.
Investors interested in making their facilities available for field trips can contact Director of Education Reed Kelterborn.

MARKET IMPACT

Prepare future architects to enter the profession with direct knowledge of
wood products and real-world applications.
Influence designers who will shape future demand.

SLB EDUCATION FEATURE

Field Trip Sponsorships Provide Students
With Real-World Wood Exposure

SLB Education seeks to change the way we build by instilling practitioners, institutions, educators, and emerging professionals with knowledge of and preference for wood solutions.

ABOUT SLB EDUCATION

Wood Design Teaching Resources
Enable Rapid Integration

In January, the SLB sponsored the American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS) Forum in Denver—the largest annual gathering of architecture students in the United States.

Future Architects See Wood Design Success at SLB-Sponsored Forum

The SLB continues to strengthen the future market for lumber by supporting hands-on education that connects postsecondary students directly to the lumber industry.

Field Trip Sponsorships Provide Students With Real-World Wood Exposure

by the numbers

SLB EDUCATION

Engagements with University Faculty

397

100%

40% OF YE GOAL (vs. 993 YE goal)

Courses Completed
on the Wood Institute

3,438

100%

19% OF YE GOAL (vs. 17,805 YE goal)

New Accounts Created
on the Wood Institute

1,020

100%

18% OF YE GOAL (vs. 5,752 YE goal)

Engagements with Students
and Emerging Professionals

2,173

100%

36% OF YE GOAL (vs. 5,994 YE goal)

A project to expand Portland’s Lan Su Chinese Garden is exploring
mass timber through Portland’s Mass Timber Accelerator.
Rendering Credit: ZGF

SLB Story 1

SLB Accelerator Cities Program
Expands Lumber’s Momentum Nationwide

In the New York City mayor’s new “Block by Block” housing plan, released in May, the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) announced a third consecutive year of its Mass Timber Studio, which has become a national model for integrating renewable construction into broader economic development strategies.

A new SLB partnership with C40 Cities will help expand the Accelerator Cities Program even further. C40 is a network of mayors of the world’s leading cities working together to build healthier, more sustainable cities. Alongside Architecture 2030, a thought-leading nonprofit working to reduce the environmental impact of the built environment, the SLB and C40 will convene a group of city leaders to tour mass timber projects and learn how wood construction can help cities boost their economy, achieve affordability goals, and reduce housing costs.

With a new Accelerator Model Blueprint, the SLB is conducting focused outreach to activate new Accelerator Cities. The lumber industry’s continuing investment in the SLB ensures these programs will gain momentum through the SLB’s experience and participation.

A key element of the SLB’s strategic plan is a focus on cities and regions where the potential for conversion to wood construction is highest. The SLB’s Accelerator Cities Program unlocks new lumber demand in those priority regional markets by combining the efforts of local governments, regional jurisdictions, and the softwood lumber industry to expand opportunities for new projects, remove barriers, and streamline code compliance.

Developed in partnership with the USDA Forest Service and supported by the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities, the program’s initial pilots in Boston, New York City, and Georgia demonstrated that lumber-based systems can compete in dense, code-sensitive environments.

The SLB is now growing Accelerator Cities to new, high-impact urban markets across the country:

The City of Portland, Oregon, Housing Bureau’s Portland Mass Timber Accelerator is supporting five developments conducting feasibility studies for mass timber buildings to be constructed on city-owned parcels.
The City of Santa Monica, California’s Mass Timber Accelerator will fund early-stage mass timber design and feasibility work for residential, commercial, and institutional construction.

Photo Credit: StructureCraft Builders

STORY 3 of 3

When a WoodWorks-supported mass timber project fails to go to construction, cost is
the most frequently cited cause. But in many cases, the underlying issue is contractor uncertainty. General Contractors unfamiliar with mass timber often inflate bids to account for perceived risk, driving up project costs and stalling otherwise viable developments.
This challenge was also reflected in an SLB and WoodWorks study examining obstacles preventing increased adoption of mass timber.

To help address this issue, the WoodWorks Construction Management (CM) team is reaching out proactively to mass timber projects at the “Waiting for Construction” stage.
In Q1, the CM team supported 22 mass timber projects nationwide, providing early-
stage constructability guidance and contractor education. They helped teams navigate challenges such as system coordination, erection logistics, and bid preparation, particularly for contractors new to mass timber. The team also strengthened alignment between GCs, erectors, and suppliers while supporting active construction troubleshooting.

WoodWorks increased support for this effort last year by deploying a second staff member to the CM team full-time. GCs educated by WoodWorks frequently go on to bid on and construct additional mass timber projects on their own, boosting the pool of qualified contractors and even becoming WoodWorks partners. Construction speed is a key benefit of mass timber and, without qualified and trained installers, that advantage could erode quickly. Through site visits and direct engagement, WoodWorks improves GCs’ execution readiness and helps move projects closer to construction.

MARKET IMPACT

Advance stalled projects into construction.
Make mass timber projects more competitive with concrete and steel.

WOODWORKS FEATURE

GC Engagement Helps Advance Stalled Mass Timber Projects

Terracotta Terrace
Rendering Credit: Forum Architecture & Interior Design

STORY 2 of 3

WoodWorks’ Q1 reported projects had a larger average size than at the end of 2025, driven by several significant light-frame multifamily projects. The 22 tall light-frame (5-8 story) projects reported in Q1 represented an average size of 296,209 square feet (more than double the 136,000-square-foot average project size of all Q1 reported projects). As demand grows for taller and larger light-frame construction, WoodWorks is helping project teams navigate increasingly complex design, code, and structural challenges to keep wood systems competitive with steel and concrete. For example:

The state of New Jersey has unique hurdles to wood construction, such as a building code amendment adopted following a historic fire event in 2015 prohibiting the use of fire-retardant-treated wood in Type III construction. Growing wood’s market share there requires creativity, innovation, education, and support. WoodWorks and the New Jersey Regional Director are identifying compliant strategies such as podium designs and firewalls, enabling larger light-frame projects to move forward.
Regional Directors provided fire design and structural guidance to help a Scottsdale, Arizona, multifamily project team resolve rating challenges and proceed with wood construction instead of steel, strengthening future Type III design capabilities within this firm.
An Oregon Regional Director worked with an engineer to evaluate lateral system options for a building exceeding typical height limits, providing multiple viable solutions that allowed the project to proceed as a six-story light-frame structure.

Through targeted technical support, code interpretation, and early-stage education, WoodWorks enables architects, engineers, and developers to confidently pursue mid-rise and podium-style wood buildings.

MARKET IMPACT

Expand the scale and feasibility of light-frame construction.
Reduce perceived project risk through education and completed project examples.
Equip teams with the knowledge needed to deliver code-compliant and cost-effective wood buildings in evolving markets.

WOODWORKS FEATURE

WoodWorks Supports Taller and Larger Light-Frame Projects

Duke School Center for IDEAS | DTW Architects & Planners
Photo Credit: Jerry Markatos

STORY 1 of 3

As school districts seek cost-effective, durable solutions for campus modernization, many remain unfamiliar with the benefits of lumber-based structural systems. By delivering timely expertise, WoodWorks helps reduce perceived risk and accelerates early interest in project opportunities, creating new pathways for wood use. Recent success stories showcase this work:

WoodWorks hosted 53 material decision makers on a tour of a Sacramento elementary school with seven new mass timber classrooms (which WoodWorks had supported), strengthening market confidence in scalable K–12 applications through peer-to-peer learning.
A WoodWorks Regional Director guided a steel-focused design team through acoustic and structural concerns on a child education project, enabling a shift from steel to mass timber for their current project and prompting firm-wide education to build long-term wood design capacity.
After six years of learning from WoodWorks offerings, an engineer on a high school expansion project in Texas reached out to the local WoodWorks Regional Director, who supported them in converting portions of a steel-framed design to mass timber.

The SLB and USDA Forest Service’s 2025 Mass Timber Competition: Building Sustainable Schools awarded funding to four K–12 schools that show wood construction can outperform conventional systems in cost efficiency, durability, and community impact. WoodWorks’ direct project technical support builds on that effort, enabling K–12 design teams to overcome obstacles such as code challenges or lack of familiarity with wood, changing the way schools are built.

MARKET IMPACT

Increase wood’s market share in the education segment, representing an annual incremental lumber opportunity of 203 MM BF by 2035.

WOODWORKS FEATURE

WoodWorks K–12 Project Support Shifts Schools to Wood

Orange County Sanitation District Headquarters
Photo Credit: Dan Schwalm

WoodWorks is the AEC+D community’s go-to resource for commercial and multifamily wood building design, engineering, and construction. It works to support AEC+D professionals with free one-on-one project assistance, continuing education, design tools, and on-demand resources, with the goal of converting more projects to wood.

ABOUT WOODWORKS

When a WoodWorks-supported mass timber project fails to go to construction, cost is the most frequently cited cause.

GC Engagement Helps Advance Stalled Mass Timber Projects

WoodWorks’ Q1 reported projects had a larger average size
than at the end of 2025, driven by several significant light-frame
multifamily projects.

WoodWorks Supports Taller and Larger Light-Frame Projects

As school districts seek cost-effective, durable solutions for campus modernization, many remain unfamiliar with the benefits of lumber-based structural systems.

WoodWorks K–12 Project Support Shifts Schools to Wood

Orange County Sanitation District Headquarters
Photo Credit: Dan Schwalm

by the numbers

WOODWORKS

resulting in

PROJECTS DIRECTLY AND INDIRECTLY INFLUENCED

410

Hosted

events for 12,616 attendees

131

100%

36% OF YE GOAL (vs. 35,270 YE goal)

of Incremental WSP

MM
SF

135

of Incremental EWP

MM
BF

of Incremental Lumber

MM
BF

222

100%

38% OF YE GOAL (vs. 589 MM BF YE goal)

of Wood Project Construction

MM
SF

100%

36% OF YE GOAL (vs. 62 MM SF YE goal)

Projects Were
Directly Influenced

105

100%

28% OF YE GOAL (vs. 373 YE goal)

delivered

Education
Hours

15,560

100%

32% OF YE GOAL (vs. 48,240 YE goal)

SLB Story 2

AI Adoption Supports
SLB’s Strategic Priorities

Across SLB-supported programs, the operating environment is becoming more data-driven, faster-moving, and more contested. Artificial intelligence allows the SLB and its programs to turn technical expertise and institutional knowledge into market influence more efficiently. In line with this opportunity, the SLB and its programs have moved from AI awareness into active implementation. Collectively, they are using AI to reduce administrative burden, improve content quality, and align more tightly with the SLB’s strategic priorities.

The pattern across programs is consistent: AI delivers the most value in tasks that are high-volume, repeatable, and document-intensive—drafting, summarizing, reporting, and media optimization. The SLB team is also developing AI tools to support strategic decision-making. For example, complex studies with large amounts of data become easier to work with and keep up to date when developed into a chat-based tool rather than a static document with a shorter shelf life. SLB programs are thoughtfully integrating AI where it adds value, while maintaining rigorous expert review standards for technical and code-related content.

As construction becomes increasingly data-driven, AI enables SLB programs to scale expertise, improve responsiveness, strengthen market access, and position wood more competitively in the next generation of building design, sustainability, and code development.

International Builders' Show

STORY 3 of 3

The contractor-focused JLC Live in Providence, Rhode Island, and the 2026 International Builders’ Show (IBS) in Orlando marked a deliberate shift in Think Wood’s trade show strategy. Rather than a primarily educational presence, Think Wood transitioned to a more experiential model by incorporating live, hands-on demonstrations led by a professional carpenter.

By engaging builders and contractors in person, Think Wood reinforces what makes lumber familiar, reliable, and trusted on the jobsite, while also reminding audiences what true craftsmanship with wood looks like at a high level. The live demonstrations elevate perceptions of wood by showcasing the speed, precision, and versatility achievable in skilled hands. In a crowded exhibit hall, this approach increases booth traffic by stopping attendees who might otherwise pass by and generates more substantive conversations. Think Wood will continue the approach at another builder-focused show, Build Show Live, in September. The strategic shift will help inform the SLB’s evaluation of all tradeshows and conferences in 2027 to ensure programs achieve the best ROI for their spend.

The SLB’s partnerships program also serves as a coordinated platform for regional industry partners. Participating associations at IBS included the Southern Forest Products Association, Western Red Cedar Lumber Association, Western Wood Products Association, and Northeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association, with NELMA taking a lead role in organizing the demonstration program. Unified participation strengthens industry visibility and avoids fragmented representation.

MARKET IMPACT

Protect single-family market share by reinforcing wood’s benefits with residential construction audiences.
Amplify reach of regional partners to contractor and builder audiences.

THINK WOOD FEATURE

Think Wood Attracts Builders and Contractors with Live Demos

Orange County Sanitation District Headquarters
Photo Credit: Dan Schwalm

STORY 2 of 3

With unused office space reaching record highs, how can new office developers make their projects stand out with prospective tenants or employees? In two recent project case studies, Think Wood shows that mass timber can help office projects pencil out on cost while differentiating from the competition based on tenant appeal.

At 1501 Mike Fahey in Omaha, Nebraska, architecture firm HDR worked with developer Noddle on a hybrid steel-and-mass-timber spec office project that creates the amenity-rich, sustainability-oriented workspace tenants are seeking. HDR was also the architect behind the Orange County Sanitation District Headquarters, which used a hybrid mass timber structure that met budget while cutting embodied carbon, boosting workplace wellness, and meeting sustainability goals.

It’s no coincidence that HDR was involved in both projects—the firm is making a push to increase the number of mass timber buildings in its design portfolio, going so far as to track such projects in its internal sustainability metrics. In each project, the firm carried a wood scheme and concrete and steel schemes through design—and wood won in both cases. Think Wood increases architects’ and developers’ intent to specify wood in office projects and other high-opportunity segments with inspirational storytelling about the sustainability and occupant experience benefits of lumber.

MARKET IMPACT

Increase wood’s market share in the office segment, which represents an annual incremental lumber demand opportunity of 299 MM BF by 2035.
Provide inspiration and peer-to-peer proof of mass timber success stories.

THINK WOOD FEATURE

Office Project Case Studies Inspire Architects and Developers

9th & High
Rendering Credit: DLR Group

STORY 1 of 3

A 13-story mass timber tower under construction at The Ohio State University is demonstrating that tall wood student housing can not only pencil out—it can also be a cost-effective and ultimately repeatable kit-of-parts solution for market-rate student housing.

Think Wood’s profile of 9th and High features Mark Bell, CEO of Harbor Bay Ventures, which previously gained experience with INTRO, one of the largest completed mass timber projects in the United States. He describes mass timber’s architectural appeal and lower carbon footprint, as well as its offsite prefabrication advantages. “When done right, mass timber lets us build the same building with less labor and roughly 25–30% faster than a conventional post-tension concrete equivalent,” he says. “When affordability and housing are in crisis, that kind of speed isn’t just a nice-to-have—it can be part of the solution.”

Student housing was a strong performer for lumber-based construction in 2025, with WoodWorks supporting a steady stream of new student housing projects—many using light-frame wood systems or hybrid approaches that combine light-frame with mass timber. Low-rise and mid- to high-rise multifamily projects are key areas of focus in the SLB’s long-term strategy, with 5- to 8-story projects representing an annual incremental lumber demand opportunity of 307 MM BF. Think Wood’s case studies in this segment show that there is a significant opportunity for both light-frame and mass timber systems to gain ground.

MARKET IMPACT

Increase specifier engagement—72% of highly engaged users say that they are more likely to specify wood after Think Wood engagement.

THINK WOOD FEATURE

Think Wood Features Repeatable Mass Timber Student Housing

Parcel Friends | Studio Bardo
Photo Credit: Chris Cox

Think Wood is a communications and education campaign that provides commercial, multifamily, and single-family home design and build resources to architects, developers, and contractors.

ABOUT THINK WOOD

The contractor-focused JLC Live in Providence, Rhode Island, and the 2026 International Builders’ Show (IBS) in Orlando marked a deliberate shift in Think Wood’s trade show strategy.

Think Wood Attracts Builders and Contractors with Live Demos

With unused office space reaching record highs, how can new office developers make their projects stand out with prospective tenants
or employees?

Office Project Case Studies Inspire Architects and Developers

Think Wood Features Repeatable Mass Timber Student Housing

by the numbers

think wood

Lead Conversion
Rate

44%

100%

Think Wood leads converted to new projects by WoodWorks improved from 35% in 2025 and 11% in 2024

+9% IN Q1

Highly Engaged
Prospects

63,039

100%

+1,923 IN Q1

Qualified Leads (SQLs)
2,401 Cumulative SQLs

119

100%

28% OF YE GOAL (vs. 2,700 YE goal)

New Contacts
Generated

4,876

100%

28% OF YE GOAL (vs. 22,500 YE goal)

Parcel Friends | Studio Bardo
Photo Credit: Chris Cox

SLB Story 3

Amazon Delivery Station D115
Photo Credit: ZGF Architects

Amazon Highlights WoodWorks-Supported
Mass Timber Logistics Facility

Warehouses, logistics facilities, and data centers are examples of segments where changing the mindset of a few massive enterprises can have an outsize impact on lumber demand. One industry expert estimates 10% of mass timber sold in 2025 went to data center-
related projects.

Warehouses are a priority construction segment in the SLB’s strategic plan, with an incremental volume opportunity of 178 MM BF at just
5% market share, with significant upside as penetration increases.
As a trusted advisor to several companies exploring wood solutions nationwide, WoodWorks is laying the groundwork for broader industrial adoption, positioning lumber for growth as warehouse and data center construction gains momentum nationwide.

The first large-scale owner-occupied logistics facility in the United States built with mass timber, Amazon’s new Delivery Station DII5,
is now on the WoodWorks Innovation Network and was featured at International Mass Timber Conference. A keynote presentation by Amazon and Meta focused on how these companies are exploring mass timber for campuses, warehouses, and data centers. Amazon also discussed its facility in depth during a panel discussion that included project team members from ZGF Architects, KPFF, Graycor, and Sterling Structural.

WoodWorks served as a technical advisor on this project, with multiple staff providing support. Delivery Station DII5 sets a new benchmark for sustainable industrial construction, incorporating 40 carbon-reduction initiatives and demonstrating how incorporating lumber-based structural systems can reduce the embodied carbon of warehouses and contribute to occupant well-being through biophilic design.
It includes a hybrid panelized wood roof system and CLT walls in the warehouse and two 550-foot-long mass timber canopies on the building’s exterior. Mass timber is also used extensively in the office block. The project includes more than 1,100 CLT panels manufactured from U.S.-sourced southern pine.

STORY 3 of 3

The AWC protected market access for wood products in wildfire zones through its engagement on wildfire-resilient construction standards.

Over the past two years, the International Code Council’s Multi-Hazard Resiliency for Residential Construction Standards Committee has been developing the ICC 605 Standard for Residential Construction in Regions with Wildfire Hazard. Early in the process, the AWC raised concerns that ICC 605 would overlap significantly with the International Wildland-Urban Interface Code (IWUIC), which risked causing confusion and creating contradicting requirements. At that time, ICC staff stated that ICC 605 would be independent from the IWUIC.

However, after two years of work and a draft standard in hand, the ICC Board reversed course in late 2025, ending the formal development of ICC 605 because it would have included conflicting and competing provisions with the IWUIC. This outcome aligns with the AWC’s initial concerns that ICC 605 would conflict with the IWUIC.

Throughout the process, the AWC worked to ensure that draft provisions remained performance-based, technically sound, and free from unjustified material restrictions. With the ICC Board’s ruling, the draft provisions in ICC 605 have now been given to the ICC Fire Code Action Committee to review for potential inclusion in the IWUIC. As an FCAC member and participant in the initial ICC 605 development, the AWC is well positioned to continue guiding how the IWUIC evolves and to ensure the performance of lumber is recognized and protected.

The IWUIC, along with other codes and standards related to wildfire resilience, are critical areas for the AWC to continue to stay involved in, as these codes and standards directly affect the use and acceptance of wood products and influence public perception of safe construction.

MARKET IMPACT

Ensure wood products have a strong, science-based footing in future code development.
Protect market access for wood products in wildfire zones.

AWC FEATURE

WUI Standards Development Protects
Access to Wood Construction

STORY 2 of 3

The AWC is protecting the safe use of North American lumber by engaging with building standards that influence market acceptance and regulatory compliance. For example, the AWC is engaged in many ASTM standards that directly influence the wood products industry, including the D07 Committee on Wood, E06 on Building Construction, and E33 on Acoustics. ASTM International sets the test methods and material performance standards that often become the gateway for product acceptance in building codes and regulatory systems worldwide.

AWC staff has had several recent successes in these committees. These include supporting the development of multiple wood standards and moving them closer to completion in D07 and chairing an E06 subcommittee that maintains standards related to panel strength testing and shear wall testing. In the E06 subcommittee, the AWC has pushed against the reapproval of an outdated shear wall test standard that had not been updated in more than 20 years. Early this year, the subcommittee voted in support of AWC’s position, meaning the standard is expected to be withdrawn. This marks an important step in ensuring the use of current, performance-based standards that better reflect modern wood construction systems.

ASTM standards, and standards of other organizations, continue to impact market access and the safe use of North American wood products. The AWC’s leadership and participation in ASTM standards ensures the provisions are performance-based and fair.

MARKET IMPACT

Safeguard wood products’ market competitiveness.
Reinforce wood as a trusted, safe building material.

AWC FEATURE

The AWC Safeguards Lumber’s
Competitiveness Through Engagement
in Wood Standards

STORY 1 of 3

The 2027 International Codes have entered the final year of their three-year development cycle, making 2026 a decisive period for outcomes affecting residential, commercial, and mass timber construction. The AWC submitted a comprehensive package of public comments to the International Code Council in preparation for the Public Comment Hearings held in April.

The AWC has already achieved important wins throughout the cycle, such as inclusion of references to the AWC’s Fire Design Standard, taking several Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) threats off the agenda, and defeating a proposal to roll back the allowance for 100% exposed mass timber ceilings in Type IV-B buildings first introduced in the 2024 IBC.

A deeper look at one code change proposal—increasing the fire-resistance rating for separation between a podium parking garage and residential units above from two hours to four hours—illustrates the major market impact of even seemingly esoteric code matters. Originally proposed because of the rise of electric vehicles, the change risks increased construction costs, disproportionately affecting mid-rise residential wood construction, without demonstrating a quantified safety benefit. By opposing G116-25, the AWC is working to prevent almost $221,000 in unnecessary added cost per affected building and a precedent for code increases unsupported by empirical evidence.

MARKET IMPACT

Ensure broad regulatory acceptance of wood products.
Prevent unnecessary construction costs, making wood projects more competitive.

AWC FEATURE

2027 I-Code Wins Keep Wood Products Competitive

1501 Mike Fahey
Photo Credit: Dan Schwalm

by the numbers

the american wood council

Total Attendees Across All Events

5,366

100%

27% OF YE GOAL (vs. 20,000 YE goal)

Fire Service
Trainings Held

100%

17% OF YE GOAL (vs. 30 YE goal)

Events
held

100%

21% OF YE GOAL (vs. 80 YE goal)

Total Contact
Hours Logged

9,411

100%

24% OF YE GOAL (vs. 40,000 YE goal)

1501 Mike Fahey
Photo Credit: Dan Schwalm

The AWC is the nation’s leading technical authority and advocate for
the sustainable wood building products industry in the codes, standards,
and sustainability arenas.

ABOUT AWC

The AWC protected market access for wood products in wildfire zones through its engagement on wildfire-resilient construction standards.

WUI Standards Development Protects Access to Wood Construction

The AWC is protecting the safe use of North American lumber by engaging with building standards that influence market acceptance and regulatory compliance.

The AWC Safeguards Lumber’s Competitiveness Through Engagement in Wood Standards

2027 I-Code Wins Keep Wood
Products Competitive

If you have any questions about any SLB reports,
please email info@softwoodlumberboard.org.

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The Softwood Lumber Board (SLB) is an industry-funded initiative established to promote the benefits and uses of softwood lumber products in outdoor, residential, and non-residential construction. Programs and initiatives supported by the SLB focus on increasing the demand for appearance and softwood lumber products in the United States.