5 Benefits of Building with Cross-Laminated Timber, especially in California

With construction accounting for nearly 40% of global carbon emissions — one of the primary drivers of human-induced climate change — designers, builders and other industry stakeholders are working to reduce their environmental footprint by integrating renewable materials and sustainable design into their projects. 

Cross-laminated timber (CLT) is emerging as a popular material of choice for both residential and commercial structures across the United States. Originally developed in Europe in the 1990s, CLT is a wood product made of several layers of structural grade lumber that are arranged crosswise and glued together.

CLT is unique in that it has a strength-to-weight ratio that’s comparable to concrete, despite being five-times lighter. Since 2015, when CLT was first incorporated into the International Building Code, the material has been used as a sustainable alternative to form walls, roofs, floors and even ceilings.

Some of the key benefits are:

1. Carbon storage

2. Fire resistance

3. Seismic durability

4. Faster installation

5. Job creation

   
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Cross laminated timber blocks. Photo by Oregon Department of Forestry, Flickr Creative Commons.