Mass Timber Market Updates - September 2025 - Week ThirtySeven

Headlines are easy; proof is better. This week we track real progress you can use: a global seminar that brings steel, concrete, and timber into one hybrid toolkit; a UK system that simplifies glulam frames, CLT floors, and cassette façades; and a practical moisture guide that turns a common risk into a clear plan. We dig into why hybrids are winning on cost, speed, and carbon—and how design teams can standardise details to deliver predictable results on live sites.

We also spotlight hands-on learning. The Think Wood and SUNY construction management workshop in Syracuse offers 2.5 days of practical skills—erection sequencing, vibration criteria, fire and acoustic planning, logistics, and shop drawing review—so students and professionals can move from curiosity to capability. Then we head to Arkansas, where the Anthony Timberlands Center anchors research and making under one roof: wood and metal shops, 3D printing, and an external yard designed for prototyping joints, testing moisture strategies, and validating spans. It’s a living lab that links regional forestry to high‑performance design and transparent carbon accounting.

Finally, we celebrate a civic milestone: Ireland’s first privately developed net‑zero public building, a mass timber crèche and community centre at Altador Gardens. It’s proof that responsible sourcing, fabric‑first envelopes, and smart systems can bring down embodied and operational carbon in everyday buildings—not just flagships. Along the way, we share links, resources, and ways to participate, from the international seminar in Italy to open guides and our LinkedIn updates. If you value practical timber knowledge, subscribe, share this episode with a colleague who needs a hybrid playbook, and leave a quick review to help others find the show.

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Episode Transcript

SPEAKER_01 (00:00):
Ladies and gentlemen, we are alive.
This is the moment you all havebeen a waiting on.

SPEAKER_00 (00:49):
Good morning, good afternoon, or good evening
wherever you are in the worldtoday.
Welcome to Mass TimberConstruction Podcast.
It's another amazing week ofupdates from around the world.
Don't forget that Rotoblast havea mass timber seminar, an
international mass timberseminar at their headquarters in
Italy on the 1st and 2nd ofDecember of this year.
What does it mean?

(01:09):
Well, those working with steeland concrete may want to
integrate mass timber and hybridsolutions into their project.
So this Mass TimberInternational Seminar is going
to be providing those peoplesystems that are able to help
transform the way that theydesign, build, and think about
timber as an inclusive materialwith all other materials as a

(01:31):
hybrid composite.
So if you want to secure yourspot, please head to Rothobias
Mass Timber SeminarInternational in Italy, 1st and
2nd of December 2025.
Mass Timber Conference inInnsbruck is just around the
corner, so it's related, so youcan head to there as well.
And uh they are great sponsorsand supporters of our podcast,

(01:53):
Rothelbust, so please do supportthem in return.
And news out of the UK and moreThistleton Architects has
created a market ready timberbuilding system.
There is a great JPEG that showshow the superstructure being a
glue lamb frame with CLT floorplates and uh cassette sort of

(02:16):
wall facade system is is on thetheir LinkedIn feed, and you can
use the download for thisparticular uh design guide or
book to complement the way thatyou would work with timber.
Surprisingly enough, uh we spokeabout previously the Danish
Technology Institute and Buildin Wood community, um, creating

(02:39):
a demonstrator.
Um, they've also done a bookleton management of moisture, and
this is a complementary workbookfor a blueprint for sustainable
low-carbon buildings, makingmass timber accessible,
reliable, and scalable.
So if you're interested ingetting that book, please head
to Build in Wood or WarThistleton Architecture, you'll
be able to see uh the documentthere.

(03:00):
If you're heading to New York inuh October 20 to 22nd, uh
Syracuse in New York State, soupstate, not Manhattan, uh, you
will be able to go to the uhThink Wood uh and also the State
University of New York, uh,headed up by Paul Cravella, a

(03:22):
good friend to the editorialboard of our journal and also
personal friend of mine in themass timber construction
industry.
They're hosting a 2.5 day, twoand a half day Think Wood
workshop that is going toprovide real insights and
hands-on experience to look atthe way that mass timber can be
used in construction management.

(03:43):
It's delivered through theconstruction management faculty
and it's going to bring cuttingedge mass timber knowledge into
the classroom so it can supportpeople with their understanding.
So if you're in New York State,upstate, and you're interested
in mass timber, you might wantto uh register for this
particular um workshop.

(04:04):
And news out of the Universityof Arkansas: the Anthony
Timberland Center for Design andMaterials Innovation is a nearly
45,000 square foot uh building,primarily made of mass timber,
includes wood and metalfabrication workshops, a 3D
printing lab, externalfabrication yard, and a lecture
hall.
More than 62,000 cubic meters ofArkansas timber was used in the

(04:30):
43 million dollar US dollarfacility, which is part of the
Faye Jones School ofArchitectural Design.
Mass timber buildings areobviously prefabricated,
manufactured, and assembled onsite.
According to the news report,the new applied research center
will focus on Arkansas's timberand wood products and offer
students hand-on experience withinnovative design and

(04:52):
construction materials accordingto the press release.
The building is beautiful.
There are two posts and aLinkedIn feed with different
types of imagery.
If you want to go and have alook at this impressive
building, please do, you willnot be disappointed.
And it's great to see masstimber spreading around the
world.
And here's some news we don'toften hear from a location.

(05:14):
It's Ireland, and D-Rezannounces Ireland's first public
building built in net zerocarbon philosophy.
Developer DRes has started workon the 3.2 million pound
landmark project at AltadorGardens development, and it is
an innovative development withIreland's first net zero public

(05:39):
building, which will be a crashand a community center.
These facilities primarilyconstructed using responsibly
sourced mass timber products andmarks a significant step forward
for sustainable construction inIreland.
As a result, the this will beIreland's first privately
developed mass timber publicbuilding.
Congratulations to the entireteam.

(06:00):
We look forward to seeing theprogress.
We have an on-site inconstruction shot on our
LinkedIn feed if you're veryinterested in having a look.
And that's it, folks.
That's all we've got time forthis week in Mass Timber
Construction Land.
We hope that you have a greatweek and that we look forward to
catching up with you in the nearfuture for more episodes and
more news.

(06:21):
Please do not forget to hitsubscribe to this podcast on all
platforms where you might getgood podcasts and also our
LinkedIn feed.
And if you've got an academicjournal, please do send through
a manuscript.
We'd be very pleased to reviewit and see it.
Uh, and we look forward tocatching up with you all very,
very soon.

(06:41):
A good morning, good afternoon,or good evening wherever you are
in the world today.
This is Paul Kramer signing offon the Mass Timber Construction
Podcast.