Mass Timber Buildings: The good, the bad and the ugly

The urgent need to limit global warming has led to the rise in the use of mass timber construction for high rise buildings. This paper outlines key advantages and disadvantages of mass timber construction within a spectrum of good, bad or ugly. Advantages include the increased speed of on-site construction through prefabrication, off-site processing, suitable for design for manufacture and assembly (DfMA). However, mass timber products are not manufactured everywhere adding a complexity of logistical strategies manufacturing, delivery and storage of components. Among the uglier end of the spectrum, lies the fact that the use of timber in tall buildings increases the complexities of fire safety. The lack of understanding of the problem, coupled with the limited number of skilled professionals, create a hazard in timber buildings. Finally, the absence of insight into the true environ-mental impact in relation to the Life CycleAnalysis of timber buildings is discussed.