Michigan creates mass timber program in construction adoption push

Dive Brief:

• Builders in Michigan who aim to use mass timber could potentially win cash and guidance from the Wolverine State and other experts for their projects, according to an Oct. 22 announcement from the state Department of Natural Resources.
• The Michigan Mass Timber Catalyst Program provides financial and technical support to project teams in the early planning and design phases of new builds that use mass timber as a primary structural or architectural material, according to the news release. Cash awards can range from $25,000 to $75,000.
• Eligible applicants include property owners, design professionals or real estate developers with an active, commissioned project in Michigan that is prioritizing or considering use of mass timber, per the release. These projects can include commercial, industrial, public/institutional, multifamily residential and other building types that demonstrate innovative and optimized use of mass timber.

Dive Insight:

The push for mass timber lines up with the state’s belief that it can eventually become a large part of its economy. To wit, Michigan’s forest products economy already generates more than $26 billion annually, said Sandra Lupien, director of MassTimber@MSU, a Michigan State University organization dedicated to the advancement of mass timber use in construction.

The material has gained ground in construction over the past decade as a lower-carbon alternative to traditional building materials. Tech companies in particular have flocked to it — Meta, for example, is turning to the material amid the data center boom in an effort to create greener facilities, while Amazon made it a main component of its HQ2 complex in Virginia.

The labor side of construction is also working to embrace mass timber — ironworkers, for example, are training to work with the material due to its similarities to structural steel, already a fixture for the trade.

“By advancing this technology, we’re not only reducing the carbon footprint of our buildings but also strengthening local economies and reimagining what’s possible for design and construction in our state,” said Cheri Holman, executive director of the Michigan Green Building Collaborative, in the news release.

Winning teams will participate in a cohort led by MassTimber@MSU and WoodWorks, a mass timber-focused nonprofit. The groups will work through design, procurement, cost estimation and code approval processes, among other facets.

Funding for the program comes from a one-time State General Fund appropriation to the DNR in Public Act 121 of 2024, according to the news release.