A vital resource
for the planet
Mass Timber
Contact
Project Gallery
Benefits
About Mass Timber
Save the planet.
Build with wood.
A vital part of our low-carbon future
Building with mass timber—when compared to concrete or steel—reduces a structure’s carbon footprint because wood is a lower carbon material. Additionally, mass timber is a renewable resource that can be sourced locally from sustainably managed forests, reducing vehicle miles traveled.
See our Mass Timber Projects
Reduced
Construction Time
Mass Timber Construction
Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.
Goal 8
08
Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation.
Goal 9
09
Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.
Goal 5
05
United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
We actively support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their subtargets.
We’ve identified these seven relevant SDGs:
Ranked among ENR’s
Top Green Contractors
from the start
248 LEED® projects
completed, over
43 million-SF
Platinum member of
the U.S. Green Building
Council
Skanska ranked #17 on
Fortune’s annual “Change
the World list in 2020”
First U.S. contractor
to achieve ISO 14001
certification
Keystone member of
the international
WELL Building Institute
Charter member of the
institute for Sustainable
Infrastructure
Fitwel
Champion
U.S. Sustainability Statistics
At Skanska, we have built multiple projects and bring best practices about the benefits, durability and how to build with the different variations. The statistics below provide a high-level overview of our mass timber experience.
By the numbers
Mass timber is an exciting new design component that has many benefits.
+
192,934-linear feet
of mass timber
+
Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.
Goal 12
12
Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.
Goal 11
11
Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.
Goal 13
13
Strengthen the means
of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development.
Goal 17
17
Climate
Transformative solutions for a climate-smart built environment
Creating transformative solutions drives our business forward and enables our customers to succeed in
fulfilling their sustainability goals. These solutions need to be low in carbon, circular, smart and sustainable. And identifying these solutions involves education, insight and learning. We partner to share knowledge and to develop and innovate net-zero solutions for the built environment.
Our goal is to transition to low-carbon construction across all our projects and ultimately achieve
net-zero carbon emissions by 2045.
Many of today’s buildings and spaces are not designed for the challenges faced by modern society – challenges such as extreme weather, air pollution, energy shortages and water scarcity. They also may not be designed for changes in social patterns, such as rising urban population density and changing living habits. Our vision of offering healthy, inclusive and resilient places involves forming partnerships with local communities to cultivate social value, designed to meet long-term needs. We combine social sustainability and environmental perspectives to leverage the sustainability impact we deliver through our business.
We envision a world where sustainability is simply built into living–and a future filled with
healthier, more sustainable, more resilient urban spaces. Places shaped together–for all.
Healthy resilient places for all
Resilience
Being a responsible business, inside and out, means having a strong and committed health and safety approach that protects lives and people’ well-being. It means using our full potential by embracing diversity
and creating inclusive environments. It means acting fairly and ethically, exercising integrity in all decisions,
and being a trusted business partner with respect to the supply chain. It means operating with care for
local environments and communities. As a responsible business, we are guided by the UN Sustainable
Development Goals and Global Compact principles.
We are transparent about our sustainability direction and disclose our performance.
A responsible business for people and planet
Responsibility
Innovate + Collaborate + Accelerate = Together
Over the next ten years, approximately 80 to 90 percent of the
carbon emitted from new construction will be embodied carbon—the emissions associated with building construction, including extracting, transporting and manufacturing materials.
767,831-cubic feet
of mass timber
31,088 tons
of CO2 stored carbon
Cost
Efficient
Sustainable
Aesthetically
Appealing
A Commitment to
Sustainability
Portland International Airport (PDX)
Terminal Core Redevelopment
What is mass timber?
Mass timber is a term that most often describes a structural framing system of solid heavy
timber or engineered wood members used for wall, ceiling or roof panels.
Defining the different timber products:
Cross Laminated Timber
Mass Plywood Panels
A panel made from layers of laminated stock in which each layer is placed perpendicular to the adjacent layer. Panels are made in limited quantities in the western United States and more commonly in Canada and Europe. Dimensions are: 6’ wide by 24’ to 36’ in length. Thicknesses range from 3.5” to 12”.
A large-format plywood product that is made from laying up multiple 1” plywood sheets to form panels that can be 12’ wide and 48’ long and up to 2’ thick. About 10 percent stronger than cross laminated timber (CLT) panels at the same thickness typically at a lower cost and less waste.
A panel made of nominal lumber (2”x 6” or similar) stacked on edge and fastened together with a wooden rod. Panels are typically 4’ wide by 18’ to 24’ long.
Dowel Laminated Timber
A panel made of nominal lumber like dowel laminated timber (DLT), but each board is nailed to the adjacent one. Panels are typically 4’ wide by 18’ to 24’ long.
Nail Laminated Timber
See how this structure was selected to showcase the
Port of Portland’s commitment to sustainability, and showcase the region’s economy and natural resources.
Watch Video
Building locally
We aim to improve the communities in which we live and work, recognizing that we’re accountable to future generations.
Skanska is setting panels at Nashville’s newest
mass-timber project located in Greenhills, TN. While most mass-timber projects use Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) for beams, columns, and floors; this project takes it to the next level by using it for the exterior walls as well. The cutting edge structure will soon become the future home of The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee.
Learn More
Mass Timber Construction
Our Projects
Cross Laminated Timber (CLT)
Tahoma School District
Tahoma High School and
Regional Learning Center
Maple Valley, WA
Seattle, WA
University of Washington
Life Sciences Building
Vashon Island, WA
Vashon Island School District Vashon Island High School
Beaverton, OR
City of Beaverton Public
Safety Center
Lake Oswego, OR
Lake Oswego School District Lakeridge Middle School
Portland, OR
Portland International Airport (PDX)
Terminal Core Redevelopment
Bend, OR
Bend Metro Parks and Recreation District New Administration Building
Burien, WA
Highline Public Schools–
Highline High School
Redmond, WA
Microsoft Campus
Refresh
Nashville, TN
Community Foundation of
Middle Tennessee
Atlanta, GA
Kendeda Building for
Innovative Sustainable Design
Seattle, WA
Tommy Bahama
Corporate Headquarters
Pullman, WA
Washington State University PACCAR Environmental
Technology Building
Vancouver, WA
Vancouver Public Schools McLoughlin Middle and Marshall Elementary Schools
Cincinnati, OH
Cincinnati Public Radio,
New Headquarters
Building with renewable resources
Skanska’s approach to mass timber construction is an exercise in thoughtfulness, creativity, diligent planning and waste control. Mass timber is advertised as faster or cheaper than other construction techniques. In our experience, significant early coordination is required to achieve these benefits. By coordinating closely with designers and suppliers early in the project, we can proactively reduce and eliminate production and installation delays.
Skanska has completed several mass timber projects across the country with more on the horizon.
Building responsibly with a lower carbon solution.
Contact
Project Gallery
Benefits
Close
Close
Atlanta, GA
Georgia Institute of Technology
Kendeda Building for Innovative
Sustainable Design
Kendeda Building of Sustainable Design was built with the goal to create the most environmentally advanced education and research facility in the Southeast. During this project Skanska took on the Living Building Challenge which requires crews to use renewable construction materials whenever possible. Skanska found a creative solution to meet this expectation at The Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design at Georgia Tech. The building includes a 170-person auditorium; classrooms; makers spaces; and an outdoor space with a green roof, native plants and an apiary. The project goal was to achieve a net-positive footprint for energy, water and waste with sustainable elements, such as composting toilets, solar roof panels, wetlands to naturally treat runoff, and salvaged features.
Beams and columns linear feet: 6,030
Roof and wall cubic feet: 29,525
Burien, WA
Highline Public Schools–
Highline High School
The replacement of the existing Highline High School including a renovation of a portion of the historic brick fa ade at the building's entry to become a gateway to the new 256,000-SF facility. The new building includes classrooms and dispersed laboratory spaces athletic facilities a full district production kitchen and new 400-seat theater.
Close
City of Beaverton
Public Safety Center
Beaverton, OR
Skanska provided preconstruction and construction services for this 72,000-SF, three-story public safety center for the Beaverton Police Department and Emergency Management Operations. This new structural steel framed building will have open office spaces, conference and multi-purpose rooms as well as storage rooms for various departments.
The facility is a hybrid structure with steel frame and cross-laminated timber (CLT) decking and patio. This building was constructed to be earthquake resistant and at higher-than-standard seismic resiliency.
Close
Washington State University PACCAR Environmental
Technology Building
Pullman, WA
The 96,000-SF five-story engineering research building was built to foster collaboration and interdisciplinary interaction across departments. To achieve this goal, the university’s program included the creation of flexible laboratories for sustainable and renewable materials, atmospheric research, water quality, and support spaces, requiring tightly controlled environments and structural testing capabilities.
The western portion of the building is framed in engineered wood products including cross-laminated timber (CLT), as well as glue-laminated timber and laminated-veneer lumber. The facility attained LEED® Gold certification.
Close
Vashon Island School District Vashon Island High School
Vashon Island, WA
A 78,683-SF high school with three science classrooms, 21 general classrooms, a fabrication shop, 250-seat performance hall and open commons and study areas. The project included utility relocations; new HVAC; and site improvements, such as pavement, new exterior lighting, updated parking lots, new concrete plazas, a rain garden and expanded septic drain field.
As a two story primary wood framed building, it is a mostly exposed structure using glulam beams, wood framed walls, structural insulated panels (SIP) for the roof, four by six tongue and groove structural floor decking (car decking) and metal web wood joists.
Close
Tahoma School District
Tahoma High School and
Regional Learning Center
Maple Valley, WA
A 325,000-SF integrated high school and regional learning center for 2,400 students in grades 9-12. Work also encompassed the creation of classrooms breakout areas a variety of lab and shop spaces sports fields and parking.
Close
Bend Metro Parks and Recreation District New Administration Building
Bend, OR
The Bend Metro Parks and Recreation District, Administration Building serves as the centerpiece of the Bend riverfront park. The building utilizes both wood and steel framing members, exposed concrete floors and a blend of exterior finish systems. The building interiors include ‘interior” rain screen assembly, steel stairs with integral bamboo, bamboo frames and doors, custom eco friendly casework, eco friendly furniture, carpet, and several other high end finishes. The facility contains sustainable features, including radiant floor heating, eco-roof, daylight harvesting, and solar hot water. The facility attained LEED® Gold certification.
Project includes wood and glue laminated beam framing, and a metal clad wood window system.
Close
Portland International Airport (PDX)
Terminal Core Redevelopment
Portland, OR
A 860,000-SF modernization of PDX to ensure sufficient capacity for future passenger demand world-class customer experience and airport flexibility. The project involves renovation and expansion of the terminal as well as a new terminal roof structure and reconstruction of concourse B. The scope of work also includes seismic resiliency upgrades and replacement of aging systems and infrastructure.
This project helped implement Mass plywood panels, a brand new product. A 400,000-SF roof with 80’ curved glulam beams prefabricated onsite and lifted into position.
Close
Lake Oswego School District Lakeridge Middle School
Lake Oswego, OR
A 138,000-SF phased replacement middle school project to accommodate 1,100 students. The first phase required demolition of the existing school, construction of temporary classrooms, restrooms and gymnasium. The second phase involved construction of the new school. In addition, the scope included new sitework, bus drop-off, parking and offsite improvements.
Seven specialty timber products were used including whole trees, parallel strand lumber (PSL), dowel laminated timbers (DLT), laminated veneer lumber (LVL), tongue and groove decking (T&G), glue laminated beams (GLB) and tapered GLBs. Also 29 trees were harvested onsite and repurposed by WholeTrees as structural columns throughout the school.
Close
Microsoft Campus Refresh
Redmond, WA
The development program proposes three million square feet of new construction spread over 16 new buildings on a 72-acre site. The predominant use is workspace with about 500,000 square feet set aside for amenities services and other supporting uses. It will employ progressive approaches in green infrastructure with designed landscapes that are productive and functional and not merely cosmetic. The campus will be a bike-and-walk-only zone where intra-campus short hop transportation needs are served predominantly by pedestrian and bicycle linkages.
The various mass timber elements used are CLT, Nail Laminated Timber (NLT) and glulam.
Close
University of Washington
Life Sciences Building
Seattle, WA
Designed to foster team-oriented science, the complex includes seven floors (two down/five up), a 187,000-SF research and teaching facility, and a 20,000-SF research greenhouse. The research floors feature an open floor plan and flexible, modular spaces, which can be adjusted to meet the evolving demands of biological teaching and research. The first floor has an active, open entry to the building at grade and includes four research/teaching laboratories. The upper four floors are modular in design consisting of ten research labs per floor with the procedural program on the north side, laboratories in the center and offices along the south bay. The two below-grade levels house growth chambers and research facilities.
For this project, our Skanska senior project manager and one of our senior project engineers joined the architect and the owner on a hike to a forest to hand pick ten old growth trees. The forest belonged to a University of Washington Biology professor who bought the forest with his wife to save a salmon creek.
Close
Community Foundation of
Middle Tennessee
Nashville, TN
Skanska is providing preconstruction and construction management services on the 18,500-SF two-story office building that connects Middle Tennessee's leading charities to funding and nonprofit support. The new office building is located on a six-acre brownfield site with 52 parking spaces. The project includes a two-story main office which consists of meeting spaces offices and a reception area.
The project features a Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) as the basis of design for the wall floor roof panels glulam beams columns and stairs.
Close
Vancouver Public Schools McLoughlin Middle and Marshall Elementary Schools
Vancouver, WA
The Vancouver Public Schools McLoughlin Middle and Marshall Elementary Schools’ project scope included demolition of the existing middle school, renovation of the elementary school and a new K-8 school. Each school has a designated wing with a central core to house administrative and shared functions for efficiency.
The project features a variety of unique structural components including exposed SOG concrete slabs, complicated exposed concrete tilt panels, steel HSS with wood framing and exposed Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) diaphragm supported by Glulam beams. CLT was analyzed in preconstruction for the Vancouver Public to provide substantial cost savings to the client. The benefits include a lightweight material that is strong and has superior acoustic, fire and seismic performance in addition to a lighter carbon footprint.
Close
Tommy Bahama
Corporate Headquarters
Seattle, WA
Skanska provided general contracting services at 400 Fairview to build the corporate headquarters for Tommy Bahama. Our team worked with SkB Architects to design a flexible, open-floor plan that represents the Tommy Bahama brand in an environment that fosters team interaction. This was achieved via ample natural daylight from a side-loaded core and outdoor accessibility on its fourth-floor deck overlooking South Lake Union. The project achieved schedule and budget goals, along with a high-quality, tailored design that matches Tommy Bahama’s credo and brand. In addition to contemporary office space needs, non-traditional spaces such as showrooms and mock rooms were an important part of the project. These spaces are highly controllable, AV-heavy interior environments. Ensuring that these spaces also had views and daylight was achieved through flexible dividing glass walls and carefully zoned preset controls, allowing each space to function independently or as part of the larger system.
Close
Currently in preconstrution
Cincinnati, OH
Cincinnati Public Radio,
New Headquarters
Cincinnati Public Radio's $20 million, 35,000-SF headquarters will include a performance and recording facility, production studios, podcast booths, studio vestibules, music library, control room and a guest green room. It features an open public plaza on the first floor; other spaces include executive and open offices, board room and meeting/training spaces.
The entire column and beam structure, second floor, roof structure, as well as a selection of interior shear walls and exterior perimeter walls will be made from Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT), an environmentally friendly, attractive and economical material.
About Mass Timber
Benefits
Sustainability
Mass Timber Construction
Lower carbon emissions
Over the next ten years, approximately 80 to 90 percent of the carbon emitted from new
construction will be embodied carbon—the emissions associated with building construction, including extracting, transporting and manufacturing materials.
Building with mass timber—when compared to concrete or steel—reduces a structure’s carbon footprint because wood is a lower carbon material. Additionally, mass timber is a renewable resource that can be sourced locally from sustainably managed forests, reducing vehicle miles traveled. A team at the University of Washington recently ran a lifecycle analysis comparing a “hybrid, mid-rise, cross-laminated timber (CLT) commercial building” to “a reinforced concrete building with similar functional characteristics.” They concluded that the CLT building represented a 26.5 percent reduction in global warming potential.
Mass timber is seismically sound and resilient, it is cost-effective, and it is one of the most sustainable and easily
replenished materials to utilize.
Mass timber can be sourced locally from sustainably managed forests, reducing vehicle miles traveled. A shorter transportation route reduces carbon emissions.
Building for a better society
Combatting climate change by reducing carbon emissions is a critical focus area for industries and companies across the world—and Skanska is no different.
We see mass timber as an important step in reaching our group-wide goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2045 within our own operations and across our entire value chain.
Using mass timber in buildings can speed up the construction schedule because it requires less labor, equipment and tools on the jobsite. The wood can be detailed, designed and prefabricated in an offsite shop, so when it’s delivered to the site, workers are simply linking pieces together.
The forestry and timber industry is a key part of our environmental and industrial heritage and a vital part of our low-carbon future.
Skanska has a Target of Net-Zero Carbon by 2045
2015
Contact
Project Gallery
Benefits
2020
2030
2045
Construction
Usage
Material
production
Transportation
Demolition and
recycling
Innovation
Net-zero emissions
Cost Efficient
Benefit
It’s much safer, quicker and cost effective to have these penetrations performed within a controlled environment than to have the work performed onsite. With field cutting eliminated, further work simply requires mechanical, electrical and plumbing subcontractors on site to place the ducting, electrical cables and other items.
Reduced
Construction Time
Benefit
Mass timber may be left unfinished—a purposeful choice that adds a rustic, natural and even streamlined look, while eliminating added costs such as wall finishes. The aesthetic nature of wood allows for unique architectural designs to stand out in building interiors and exteriors.
Aesthetically Appealing
Benefit
Building with mass timber—when compared to concrete or steel—reduces a structure’s carbon footprint because wood is a lower carbon material. Additionally, mass timber is a renewable resource that can be sourced locally from sustainably managed forests, reducing vehicle miles traveled.
Sustainable
Benefit
About Mass Timber
