American Wood Council Praises Department of Defense Potential Use of Mass Timber Construction

Amendment 358 to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2021, is being lauded by the American Wood Council (AWC). The amendment contains language the directs the Secretary of Defense to review the incorporation of innovative wood products in the construction of, or renovation of Department of Defense facilities. According to the AWC this will includes the use of mass timber building techniques. AWC’s president and CEO Robert Glowinski said in a statement released by the AWC that, “Innovative wood products, such as mass timber, present an unparalleled opportunity for military installations to shorten facility construction times while utilizing low-carbon alternatives to traditional building materials. Mass timber panels are prefabricated, meaning that a building can go up as fast as one or two floors per week, a rate unmatched by other construction materials.”