Industry Potential
The production of mass timber, engineered wood products used as structural materials for buildings, is an emerging industry in the United States that can enhance sustainable construction, create high-quality jobs and accelerate the creation of affordable housing. To help realize these goals, Cornellโs Climate Jobs Institute produced a primer titled Mass Timber: Advancing Sustainable Construction and High-Quality Job Creation, and presented it at an event held at the Hyatt Place Albany-Downtown on May 11. The report positions mass timber as a key lever for climate and workforce policy.
Event Details
The event was hosted by the primerโs authors, Lexi Scanlon and Rohan Palacios of the Climate Jobs Institute. It included a panel of speakers featuring New York State Assemblymember Didi Barrett from the Hudson Valley and Jim Mason, president of Carpenters Local 277. Attendees included state legislators, carpenter union members and architects. The gathering focused on how policymakers can support regional timber supply chains to meet decarbonization and housing goals while strengthening local labor markets.
Market Outlook
The global mass timber market is projected to grow to over 1.3 billion dollars by 2030, and North America is poised to become the worldโs fastest-growing mass timber market over the coming decade. Mass timber is more than an alternative, sustainable building material, said Rohan Palacios, training and education support specialist at the Climate Jobs Institute. Weโre just beginning to unearth all the possibilities. There is so much potential, and how far the industry goes depends on how active a role different policymakers take in understanding and promoting the material in the right way.
Policy Takeaways
The primer provides four key takeaways for policymakers. The construction industry accounts for 10 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, and mass timber offers an opportunity to lower emissions, reduce costs and meet housing development needs in the United States. High-quality forest management and sustainable harvesting, especially in regions that have historically led the timber industry and have experienced job losses and mill closures, are critical first steps toward a durable, successful mass timber industry. In a sector characterized by precarious work and recruitment challenges, labor-management partnerships can help bridge workforce gaps, uphold job quality and maintain consistent production schedules. Local sourcing of wood and manufactured timber components will be the most impactful way to reduce emissions and revitalize rural communities.
Report Context
This is a really exciting and unique paper for the Climate Jobs Institute, said Lexi Scanlon, a climate jobs associate. Most of our reports are recommendation-based, centered around suggested policy changes for industries that are well-established and slow to adapt. When it comes to mass timber, New York has the opportunity to examine the full depth of climate impacts and workforce impacts and build a really strong industry from the ground up. At the event, Scanlon and Palacios explained how standing up regional timber supply chains can spur quality job creation, meet building decarbonization goals and accelerate affordable housing construction.
Next Steps
There were great organic discussions that connected across participants, Palacios said, adding that he and Scanlon have already scheduled follow-up meetings with legislators and unions to discuss the future of the industry. The report underscores that mass timber can address multiple policy priorities at once, from emissions reduction to rural economic development and skilled job creation. By aligning forest management, manufacturing, and construction policy, New York and other states can build a durable industry that delivers climate benefits and economic opportunity together.
Image Courtesy: Cornell Chronicle
