Mass Timber and Tall Wood Buildings: An Update

Executive Summary

In January 2016, Dovetail Partners released a report addressing modern tall wood buildings. In the conclusion of that report we noted:

“The extent to which tall wood buildings will be developed in the U.S. remains to be seen, but there is little doubt that wood use will increase in high-rise structures. Wood has now re-entered the tall building discussion as one of many materials available to the design community. Its many attributes ensure a greater role in buildings of all kinds going forward.”

Nearly seven years later, this update report summarizes policy and code changes which have occurred in recent years and the trends in adoption of mass timber. We also look ahead to consider the challenges that mass timber may face. This report focuses on developments related to mass timber construction in the United States with some references to resources and information available globally. 

Note:  This report was first published in November 2022 and has been updated as of August 2023.