As cities across the globe intensify their efforts to lower their carbon footprint, mass timber is emerging as a revolutionary material in sustainable construction. Known for its ability to significantly reduce a building’s embodied carbon emissions, mass timber offers a compelling alternative to traditional building materials. Its benefits, including storing carbon, reducing material waste, and enhancing occupant experience through biophilic design, align perfectly with the sustainability goals of many cities. In response to this growing trend, the Softwood Lumber Board (SLB) is excited to announce the success of its recent mass timber accelerator programs and that it is seeking additional cities and funding partners for 2026.
Three recent mass timber accelerator programs in Boston, New York City, and Atlanta demonstrate the impact of a coordinated approach between cities, federal agencies, and lumber industry organizations. These programs utilized investments from the SLB, the USDA Forest Service, and other organizations to provide funding for active mass timber development projects in the early phases of project planning and design. These projects also receive technical assistance from WoodWorks, an SLB-funded program staffed with technical experts on wood construction. To lay the groundwork for these projects, the accelerator programs bring together local officials and the building community to explore funding sources, optimal construction types, and labor and supply chain considerations for mass timber projects in the cities.
The Walter Gladwin Recreation Center in Tremont, Bronx, was an awardee of the NYC Mass Timber Studio. Rendering Credit: MARVEL.
Although Atlanta, New York City, and Boston have constructed notable mass timber projects, these accelerator programs provide crucial funding and expertise to less experienced project teams, building momentum in these cities. Boston, for example, issued a final report for its program that launched in 2021, finding that mass timber is accelerating in the city and region, with eight active projects totaling over 1.3 million square feet projected to be constructed with mass timber materials and 22 future projects totaling over 4.3 million square feet. Assessments of these mass timber buildings found embodied carbon savings of 35% to 80% compared to similar steel structures, helping the city meet its ambitious goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.
“The mass timber accelerator programs have given participating cities a faster way to meet their sustainable development goals and to develop knowledge of low-carbon building methods within their building communities,” says SLB President and CEO Cees de Jager. “These initiatives show that focused and cooperative public and private partnerships can reduce barriers to mass timber construction and can lead to more sustainable buildings for our cities.”
“Growing mass timber construction is a win-win for cities and forests,” says John Crockett, Deputy Chief of State, Private and Tribal Forestry for the USDA Forest Service. “Sustainably harvesting trees to manufacture wood products such as mass timber improves forest health and resilience amidst the growing prevalence of wildfires, while also supporting the construction of sustainable buildings and helping cities reach their carbon reduction goals.”
“The NYC Mass Timber Studio is a prime example of how New York City is taking bold action to scale our city’s clean construction industry and transform the carbon impact of our built environment,” says New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) President & CEO Andrew Kimball. “We applaud the SLB on launching additional accelerator programs and look forward to working together on continuing to advance the growth of sustainable design and construction practices across New York and help power our green economy.”
Expanding the Impact to More Cities
The SLB is now inviting other cities, especially those with strong sustainability goals, to join this movement by applying for funding and support for their own mass timber accelerator programs. With the success of the inaugural programs, the SLB is eager to expand its impact and support the growth of mass timber construction nationwide through combined investments of $100,000 to $250,000 per selected city.
Cities interested in accelerating mass timber projects in their regions and contributing to a more sustainable future are encouraged to submit a short application for more information on funding opportunities and program support. Together, we can build a greener, more sustainable urban landscape.