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US $2M mass timber competition calls for proposal

Eligible project teams may now submit proposals for the Mass Timber Competition: Building to Net-Zero Carbon, funded by the Softwood Lumber Board (SLB) and USDA Forest Service (USDA) for the purpose of advancing low carbon mass timber construction in the United States. The competition will award funds totalling $2 million to support projects that demonstrate mass timber’s application across select building types and ability to aggressively reduce the carbon footprint of the built environment. The competition entry deadline is March 30, 2022, and results will be announced June 2022 at the AIA Conference on Architecture.

Lessons learned from the competition will be shared with the broader design and construction community to help support future projects, including cost analyses, life cycle assessments, and other research results. Eligible building types include commercial, institutional, industrial, educational, mixed-use, and multifamily housing developments.

Eligible applicants include for-profit building organizations registered in the U.S. including architects, engineers, developers, general contractors, and building owners; not-for-profit organizations incorporated as a not-for-profit corporation or society formed in the U.S. such as colleges, universities, and associations; U.S. local governments; and Native American tribal governments and organizations.

Timber sourced for the project should demonstrate sustainable forest management that contributes to forest and watershed health. Several approaches are used to ensure sustainable supply of wood products, including federal, state, and local regulations, best management practices, third party certifications, and an emerging ASTM standard. Preference will also be provided for projects that commit to using domestically harvested and manufactured mass timber.

WoodWorks, a non-profit staffed with structural engineers, architects, and construction experts, will manage all aspects of the competition including project evaluation by an independent judging committee of industry peers. A judging panel including representation from architecture, engineering, construction, development, forestry, and sustainability will be named at the end of the entry period.

To learn more about the Mass Timber Competition: Building to Net-Zero Carbon and to download the request for proposals, visit www.softwoodlumberboard.org/net-zero.