For decades, most city skylines have been composed of skyscrapers and tall buildings made of concrete, steel and glass.

But what if there were a building material that was strong enough to construct an 18-story building, came from entirely renewable resources, didn’t make cities hotter and helped sequester carbon and other pollutants?

Meet mass timber, the durable, beautiful, fire-resistant and environmentally-friendly building material that is changing the face of skylines. This wood-based building material has a considerably lower carbon footprint, generating fewer carbon emissions during and after construction.

In fact, one study found a 19 percent reduction in emissions when comparing a mass timber structure with an equally sized steel structure.¹ Mass timber also comes from a renewable, naturally-growing resource: trees.

In this guide, we’re looking at the benefits of mass timber and how it is reshaping the commercial building industry. We’re also taking a close look at the story of 619 Ponce, an entirely locally-sourced mass timber structure championed in part by the Georgia Forestry Foundation in the heart of Atlanta.

• What is Mass Timber (and why is it important)?
• Types of Mass Timber Products
• Why are Mass Timber Buildings Gaining Popularity?
• What Type of Trees is Mass Timber Made From?
• What are the Benefits of Mass Timber?
• Examples of Mass Timber Buildings
• 619 Ponce Mass Timber Building Success Story
• New England Forestry’s Role in the Mass Timber Revolution

What is Mass Timber (and why is it important)?

Mass timber is made from prefabricated, multilayered, solid wood panels that create solid timber building materials, such as:

• Beams and columns,
• Floor, roof and wall panels,
• Tall wall framing studs and roof rafters,
• Door and window headers, and more.

Types of Mass Timber Products

Mass timber products, like those made with New England Forestry timber, come from renewable and sustainably-harvested wood products. Types of mass timber products include:

• Cross-laminated timber (CLT): Layers of wood stacked and glued at right angles, creating strong, stable panels ideal for walls, floors and roofs.
  
  
• Glue-laminated timber (glulam): Long beams made from layers of wood bonded together, often used for load-bearing columns and arches. It can be curved or bent for unique architectural designs during its construction.
  
  
• Nail-laminated timber (NLT): Panels made by nailing or screwing layers of wood together, a cost-effective choice for floors, walls and roofs. This material also can be customized for a variety of textured appearances and unique forms.
  
  
• Structural composite lumber (SCL): Engineered wood made from wood strands or veneers, using a moisture-resistant adhesive. SCL can come in panels as much as 8 feet wide and is designed for use in beams, headers, columns and other structural components.

Why are Mass Timber Buildings Gaining Popularity?

Using mass timber is a tremendous win for builders, architects, designers, consumers and environmentally-responsible cities seeking healthier and more eco-functional building materials to benefit their cities and citizens.

Until recently, mass timber was used only in residential homes and smaller buildings no larger than six stories or 85 feet. This was due in large part to outdated building codes, which were established with more traditional lumber materials in mind.

However, in light of the specific qualities that make mass timber different, such as its fire resistance and sturdiness even against natural disasters, changes to International Building Codes in 2021 deemed it safe to use mass timber in buildings up to 18 stories high.

What Type of Trees Is Mass Timber Made From?

Common species used in mass timber include Douglas fir, pine, and spruce—all of which are known for their strength and renewability. 

One of the biggest misconceptions about modern timber materials is that they are sourced from forests in a way that will deplete timber resources.

Today, the majority of timber products are sourced from sustainably managed forests grown for the purposes of harvesting.

These forests are then replanted, beginning the process of growing timber all over again.

What are the Benefits of Mass Timber?

Mass timber offers specific benefits across three main areas: the environment, the economy, and human well-being.

Environmental Benefits of Mass Timber 

When you compare the impacts of building with sustainably grown trees to traditional building materials, like steel and concrete, the environmental benefits are significant. For instance:

• Renewable resource: Trees used to manufacture mass timber products are grown in sustainably managed forests and replanted after harvest, making mass timber an entirely renewable resource.
  
  
• Minimized waste: Sawmill residues are typically used in mass timber manufacturing, helping reduce waste associated with production.
  
  
• Reduced resource extraction: Unlike concrete and steel, mass timber does not require mined materials or fossil fuels.
  
  
• Biodegradable and repurposable: Mass timber is biodegradable or, in some cases, can be repurposed—like barn wood.
  
  
• Water efficiency: Mass timber production uses far less water than concrete and steel.
  
  
• Carbon storage: Studies have also shown mass timber can help store carbon and other pollutants for the life of the building.²
  
  For example: A 2024 study showed mass timber materials have the potential to store between 9.9 and 16.5 million tons of CO₂ per-year, spanning 50 years, from 2020 to 2070. These carbon benefits equate to 12-20% of the total U.S. harvested wood products carbon storage for 2020.³
  
  
• Long-Term Carbon Impact: Experts and advocates have even suggested mass timber can help the North American construction industry store more carbon than it emits by 2034.⁴

All of these characteristics contribute to making mass timber a low-carbon material compared to concrete and steel.

Economic Benefits of Mass Timber

Research has shown building with mass timber has economic benefits for builders and construction companies, including:

• Faster Construction Time: Mass timber construction can be faster than traditional methods.
  
  For example: According to reports from builders of mass timber structures, such as the Ascent, a 25-story mass timber hybrid building in Milwaukee, mass timber can speed construction time by 20-30%.⁵ Studies have also shown mass timber shortens construction time.⁶
  
  
• Improved Project Efficiency: The use of prefabricated mass timber products requires less on-site assembly, streamlining the construction process and enhancing overall project efficiency.
  
  
• Increased Safety: In addition to improved building time, project safety is improved due to the prefabrication of the materials, which requires less on-site construction in high or precarious places.
  
  
• Reduced Labor Needs: Using mass timber requires half the amount of workers, saving companies and their clients money.
  
  
• Cost-Competitive with Traditional Materials: Mass timber is often cost-competitive with conventional materials, as outlined in a case study by the University of British Columbia.⁷
  
  
• Job Creation in Diverse Communities: The growing, harvesting, processing and manufacturing of mass timber products also creates substantial job opportunities in rural and urban communities for people with various skill sets.

Human Benefits of Mass Timber:

Mass timber has numerous benefits to human health and well-being, including:

• Improved Air Quality: Mass timber is one of the only commercial building materials shown to store carbon while not creating extra heat, unlike concrete or steel buildings.
  
  
• Noise Reduction and Tranquility: Research from the University of British Columbia in 2016 showed mass timber buildings provide excellent sound insulation and absorption properties⁸, promoting a peaceful indoor environment.
  
  
• Excellent Fire Resistance: Mass timber’s natural fire resistance makes it a safer building material for homes and offices. When ignited, the outer layers form a char layer, which protects and insulates the inner layers of the material.
  
  
• Overall Health and Wellness Benefits: Ample research has shown exposure to nature and the natural elements, including natural building materials, supports various aspects of health, including: cognitive function, blood pressure, stress response, immune function, faster recovery and healing, and psychological well-being. ^{9 10 11 12}

Bottom line: research has shown mass timber benefits the planet, its people and its economies.

Examples of Mass Timber Buildings

Mass timber buildings, also known as Tall Wood Buildings, are still dwarfed by their steel and concrete predecessors.

However, several cities worldwide have been early adopters of this type of construction. Some North American examples include:

• Carbon 12 building in Portland, Oregon: This eight-story mass timber building includes residences on the upper floors as well as commercial space on the ground floor. Architects Kaiser + Path worked with local and state officials to waive building codes limiting the height of wood buildings. Learn more about how it was built at kaiserpath.com/carbon12.
  
  
• The Brock Commons at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. This 18-story dormitory residential building is the largest mass timber building in the world to date.
  
  
• The Ascent: A 25-story, 285-foot mass timber hybrid building in Milwaukee featuring luxury rentals, the Ascent became the tallest hybrid mass timber building in the world when construction was completed in 2022.
  
  
• The Kendeda Building of Sustainable and Innovative Design at Georgia Tech in Atlanta: The first building in Georgia and 28th in the world to earn Living Building Challenge (LBC) certification, the world’s most ambitious and holistic green building achievement. Used for education, research and outreach, among the building’s accolades are zero carbon construction, net positive energy and net positive water, thanks to a design that incorporates mass timber, a solar canopy and rain capture.
  
  
• The High Line Timber Bridge in New York City: This 260-foot-long bridge is set amidst a lush garden-like landscape in the heart of Manhattan, allowing pedestrians to travel above busy streets.
  
  
• The Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library: The design of this 93,000-square-foot library in Medora, North Dakota, was inspired by Roosevelt’s personal reflections on the landscape, his interest in environmental stewardship and periods of quiet introspection and civic engagement in his life.
  
  
• 619 Ponce: Located in Atlanta next to the popular Ponce City Market, this office and retail space is Georgia’s first building constructed using locally-sourced mass timber.

Supporting Atlanta’s 619 Ponce: A Mass Timber Building Success Story

For an insider’s perspective, we talked to Matt Hestad, Vice President of the Georgia Forestry Foundation (Foundation), about their participation in spearheading the mass timber building, 619 Ponce in Atlanta. Matt noted that the Foundation’s focus on mass timber not only served to support Georgia’s working forests by promoting new markets for locally grown sustainable wood products, but it has also built an important thought bridge between people living in urban Atlanta and the rural parts of Georgia, where sustainable forestry happens every day.

“We can’t underestimate the importance of everyday Georgians knowing where the wood products that they depend on every day come from and the trust that is built from knowing that it is sustainably produced and sourced,” he says.

Georgia’s Forestry Leadership in Mass Timber Production

It is commonly presumed that tree-adorned Washington State or Oregon are the country’s largest source of timber. 

However, as Matt told us, Georgia is the #1 forestry state in the nation, with 22 million acres of commercially available private timberland.¹³ Georgia also leads the country in annual timber harvest volume, forest product exports and seedling production for reforestation.

But the Foundation hasn’t been alone in its quest to support mass timber development.  Since 2017, through the work of its parent organization, the Georgia Forestry Association (GFA), several pieces of legislation have been passed by Georgia’s Legislature to advance opportunities for mass timber construction in the state.

These include stopping a ban on the use of lumber in buildings over 3 stories, adopting international building codes that allow construction with mass timber up to 18 stories, and creating a sustainable development carbon registry that allows builders to register and monetize the carbon stored in mass timber buildings.

Anticipating the impact mass timber could have on community sustainability

“As the top forestry state, we have an abundant supply of available timber that can be locally sourced for mass timber construction projects,” Matt says.

“Mass timber can play a significant role in the sustainability of our communities because more than 40 percent of the world’s emissions come from the built environment. When you think about the fact we can replace carbon-emitting materials like steel and concrete with mass timber where, as trees grow in a forest, it’s sequestering carbon and releasing oxygen,” he says. “It’s also holding carbon as 50% of the dry wood, so that’s locked up in the building materials. We have a huge opportunity to start shifting the emissions portfolio of our communities from a really carbon-intensive process to one where we’re storing carbon.”

Benefits for Timberland Owners and Local Economies

GFF also sees mass timber benefiting private timberland owners and local economies: 

“From a markets perspective, we understand that forestry and land management investments follow the demand for forest products,” Matt explains.

“If society values the products that come from working forests, it will value the land as a real estate asset. If the land is valuable, landowners will be incentivized to continue using their own dollars to invest in forest management and reforestation.”

Making timberland investments even more valuable

“Mass timber layers on another value proposition for society, and therefore is an opportunity to further incentivize those forest landowners, which makes their timberland even more valuable,” Matt says.

A New Market for Mass Timber Beyond Single-Family Homes

In addition, GFA sees mass timber as a solution to the lack of demand for new construction single-family homes, which has plagued the forestry market since the housing collapse in 2008.

“The forestry sector has traditionally relied on single-family homes to drive the need for lumber. Since 2008, that market has been lagging,” Matt says. “I think mass timber shows a lot of promise in introducing a new market for forest products in which we have the opportunity to increase demand for mass timber as a primary structural material for multi-family and mixed-use developments.”

Expanding Mass Timber’s Role in Mid-Rise Buildings

Many experts believe that the most significant opportunity lies in mid-rise (Type IV) buildings. These traditionally four- or five-story buildings are ideal uses for mass timber, as they replace the need for concrete and steel and can be built faster and more efficiently.

One such example is the aforementioned 619 Ponce, a showcase mass timber building  developed by Jamestown LP next door to the iconic Ponce City Market in Atlanta. The Georgia Forestry Foundation launched its Seedlings to Solutions Initiative to tell the story of mass timber and the benefits of sourcing it locally. One feature of the project includes the Torus Arch, a mass timber education feature. The video below shows how it was made:

“On this project, Jamestown was told the best, most cost-effective way to obtain the mass timber was to import it from Austria because the market is much more mature in that part of the world.

“Right now, the only mass timber facility in the U.S. South is in Dothan, Alabama. So, unfortunately, it is more expensive, in some cases, to source mass timber locally, but that’s changing,” Matt explains. “We hope that, with people like Jamestown investing in mass timber, it will bring more mass timber manufacturing to the U.S. South, and developers will be able to greater realize the cost savings with faster construction time and less labor.”

The project went forward using mass timber sourced locally from West Georgia on Jamestown-owned land.

Per a U.S. Forestry Service Forest Inventory Analysis, Georgia grows enough wood to supply a mass timber building of the scale of 619 Ponce every 16 minutes.¹⁴

Andres Villegas, Vice President of Public Affairs and Communications at New England Forestry, has been on the Georgia Forestry Foundation Board since 2015 and currently serves as the Vice Chairman. He recounts his experience watching the construction of 619 Ponce in comparison to a traditional concrete and steel building happening simultaneously:

“It was surprising to see an entire building go up quickly with only 8-10 workers and a crane on the worksite. Mass timber has clear advantages in terms of the speed, efficiency and beauty compared to traditional construction projects that is measurable from a profit and loss perspective. That is important because the buildings not only have to be appealing to consumers, they also have to be competitive for the developer to build.” 

Far-reaching aesthetic and environmental benefits

“Today, 619 Ponce is a beautiful, warm and inviting space,” Andres says.

“It’s interesting to see, when you take people on tours, they automatically want to hug one of the mass timber beams! You can’t deny the biophilic benefits of being in this natural environment, and developers tend to do a good job making sure there’s plenty of sunlight. It is a key differentiator of the space. It feels different.”

“At the end of the day, that allows investors to realize an appreciation in their rent,” he says. “They can charge a little bit more to folks leasing these spaces because they know that their tenants are looking for a sustainable option that gives them a competitive edge with recruiting great talent and retaining great customers.”

Exploring Carbon Credits with Mass Timber

Matt also mentioned the benefits of mass timber for acquiring and selling carbon credits.

“In 2022, we asked ourselves: ‘What if we supported developers for investing in a building material that reduces carbon emissions rather than emitting them?’ GFA worked with elected officials to pass a bill that expanded Georgia’s existing carbon registry to consider the embodied and embedded carbon in materials—like mass timber. It’s really a first-of-its-kind registry, where developers—if they choose to list their embodied and embedded carbon—can get it third-party verified and listed.

“We’re hoping 619 Ponce will be the first one listed on that registry. Once the carbon is listed, the owners can do whatever they want to with it. For example, they can monetize it and turn it into carbon credits they’d sell to someone trying to offset their emissions.”

Matt acknowledges it’s a long-term play, but projects like 619 Ponce serve as a critical learning environment and a prime example of what’s possible with mass timber sourced within a 600-mile range.

Click here to learn more about GFA’s mass timber projects and initiatives.

New England Forestry’s Role in the Mass Timber Revolution

New England Forestry has been an early adopter and thus has a long history of environmental responsibility and stewardship in forestry.

We practice a land stewardship ethic that integrates reforestation, managing, growing, nurturing and harvesting trees as an economic enterprise with the conservation of natural resources and energy, wildlife and fish habitats and aesthetics.

To date, our working forests sequestered 13 million metric tonnes of carbon in 2023, removing approximately seven times more carbon than our efforts emitted. That’s the equivalent of removing over 3 million cars from the road.

Our commitment to environmental stewardship goes hand in hand with our passion for producing raw materials for environmentally friendly building products from our SFI-certified, sustainably managed forests, such as mass timber.

Wood products have always been used to create beautiful, functional and sustainable structures—long before concrete and steel came along.

We see mass timber as the next generation in sustainable wood construction, and we will continue investing in these innovations through forestry programs and sustainability programs, as well as our continued collaboration with organizations who champion working forests and the sustainable wood products that come from them.

Forests have always provided incredible inspiration and resources for humanity, and we see mass timber as an integral part of shaping a brighter and healthier future.

1. Hemmati, Messadi, Gu, Seddelmeyer and Hemmati. (April 2024.) “Comparison of Embodied Carbon Footprint of a Mass Timber Building Structure with a Steel Equivalent.” MDPI.  https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/14/5/1276

2. “Review of the Performance and Benefits of Mass Timber as an Alternative to Concrete and Steel for Improving the Sustainability of Structures”. Sustainability

3. Nepal, P., Prestemon, J. P., Ganguly, I., Kumar, V., Bergman, R. D., & Poudyal, N. C. (2024). “The potential use of mass timber in mid-to high-rise construction and the associated carbon benefits in the United States”. PLOS ONE, 19(3), e0298379. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0298379

4. “2024 Mass Timber International Report”. https://masstimberconference.com/report/

5. “Mass Timber”. American Wood Council.

6. “Review of the Performance and Benefits of Mass Timber as an Alternative to Concrete and Steel for Improving the Sustainability of Structures”. Sustainability.

7. Case Study: An 18-storey tall mass timber hybrid student residence at the University of British ColumbiaStudent residence Brock Commons Vancouver (18 story hybrid building). https://events.forum-holzbau.com/pdf/37_IHF_2016_Fast.pdf

8. Eighteen Storey Hybrid Mass Timber Student Residence at the University of British Columbia. Journal of Structural Engineering International. DOI: 10.2749/101686617X14676303588553

9. Interior wood use in classrooms reduces pupils’ stress levels. Conference: 9th Biennial Conference on Environmental Psychology At: Eindhoven, The Netherlands.

10. Appearance wood products and psychological well-being. January 2007. Wood and Fiber Science.

11. View through a window may influence recovery from surgery. Science. 1984 Apr 27;224(4647):420-1. doi: 10.1126/science.6143402. PMID: 6143402.

12. Zhong, W., Schröder, T., & Bekkering, J. (2022). Biophilic design in architecture and its contributions to health, well-being, and sustainability: A critical review. Frontiers of Architectural Research, 11(1), 114-141. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foar.2021.07.006 

13. Georgia Forestry Commission. (2011). Georgia Forest Facts. Web; accessed: March 2020.

14. Based on U.S. Forest Service Forest Inventory Analysis Data: Georgia timberlands took 989.8 seconds to grow the 1,845 cubic meters of wood.

The post A Guide to Mass Timber Construction: The Future of Sustainable Architecture and The Role of Forestry appeared first on New England Forestry Stories.

As our world seeks to transition to a low-carbon economy, the demand for land and renewable forest products is on the rise. We believe these resources will play a key role in addressing the impacts of climate change and the excess carbon in the atmosphere.

Many strategies to enhance and sustain the health of our planet will come from the proper use of land. As a landowner responsible for millions of acres of forests, New England Forestry is eager to deliver the land-based solutions our assets can provide.

These land uses address some of the key environmental needs of the world. We believe it’s our responsibility to lead, innovate and collaborate with others to ensure a healthy and sustainable future. We are working closely with community and business leaders to leverage our forestlands to make the greatest positive impact.

New England Forestry views land-based solutions through the following broad categories:

• Positioning land for alternative and additional uses
• Elevating the role our forests play in capturing carbon
• Producing the wood fiber needed to fuel bioenergy and biofuel systems of the future
• Embracing environmental and biodiversity conservation

Positioning land for alternative and additional uses

Alternative uses include solar and wind farms, which produce clean energy, powering homes and businesses while drastically reducing the amount of carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions required to produce that energy.

“Renewables produce energy with a lot less carbon emissions than other traditional forms of power production, such as coal and gas,” explains our Vice President of Energy Resources Rob Fancher.

Renewable energy producers support a healthier environment by reducing air pollution, mitigating climate change, conserving water compared to fossil fuel plants and minimizing noise pollution. They also provide local jobs, increase tax revenue and make communities more attractive to new businesses.

“Many businesses are interested in lowering their carbon footprint and they’re looking to relocate their facilities to areas that have options for renewable energy,” Rob explains.

Leasing land for wind and solar farms

Sites with strong solar and wind potential are plentiful across New England Forestry’s ownership, which is attractive to solar companies because of our large land base and proximity to power substations.

Thanks to advancements in technology, solar power has become one of the most affordable energy sources, with the levelized cost of electricity declining more than 80% from 2008 to 2022, according to this Berkeley Lab study.

Solar makes up more than half of new energy

Due to its relative affordability and positive impact on climate, solar is now making up more than half of all new energy being introduced into the grid, as reported here by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

In 2023, the first solar farm on New England Forestry land came online in Polk County, Texas. Longroad Energy’s 150 megawatt project produces enough clean energy to power 30,000 homes, avoiding an estimated 250,000 metric tons of CO₂ emissions annually.

“When we’re looking for solar developers to pursue a project, we really want a reputable, trustworthy company that shares our core values and our long-term commitment to environmental stewardship,” says Business Development Manager Zan Frederick. He says his team was pleased with the steps Longroad Energy took to protect the environment around the project site.

The solar farm, which includes about 600 acres of New England Forestry land, implements water quality protection measures such as reservoirs and forest buffers. It also was built around wetlands to protect the ecosystems within its boundaries, with solar panels on only 1,300 acres of the approximately 2,500-acre site.

The first wind farm lease on New England Forestry land became operational in 2019 in Pushmataha County, Oklahoma. Established on a high ridge that overlapped our property at the time and a neighboring landowner, the wind farm delivers enough clean energy to power 40,000 homes while the trees continue to grow around it. Our team carefully monitored the construction process to ensure waterways were protected at the same high standard our foresters adhere to when managing our timberlands.

Providing pore space for carbon capture and storage opportunities

In addition to green energy sites, New England Forestry owns land that is well-situated to provide carbon emitters, such as factories and power plants, access to pore space for carbon capture and storage—or, CCS—for their emissions. 

CCS begins with the CO₂ producer, who captures the CO₂ from the atmosphere or the point source of the emissions and pipes them into an underground pipe system. This system transports the emissions to our land in liquid form. The CO₂ is then sent deep underground—a half mile or more—and injected into a rock formation that is intended to store it permanently.

With more than half of the world’s 2,000 largest companies committed to net zero emissions, CCS is expected to be a major contributor to decarbonization. CCS demand is projected to grow rapidly, with an expected compound annual growth rate of 6.2 percent annually from 2023 to 2030, reaching more than 300 Mtpa (million tonnes per annum), according to the World Economic Forum.

Our southern land base includes large tracts of land with geologic capacity for CCS. Many of these properties are within close proximity to high-purity emissions sources as well as existing pipelines and rights-of-way.

As of 2024, New England Forestry has granted 75,000 acres of underground pore space lease agreements. These leases allow emitters to use our land for CCS. By making land available for CCS, we are facilitating a critical solution for reducing carbon emissions, while still preserving the primary use of our land for timber operations.

“By providing CCS pore space while continuing to sustainably manage the forests above, we’re able to deliver even more environmental benefits through our land resources,” said New England Forestry Executive Vice President and Chief Resource Officer Doug Long. “We’re committed to advancing these types of land-based solutions to combat climate change.”

Elevating the role our forests play in capturing carbon

Trees capture and store carbon not only while they’re growing, but also store carbon in the products they become, such as lumber and plywood for housing construction.

Beyond these direct product uses, we are able to leverage our foresters’ expertise and change how our forests are managed to maximize the carbon captured. These management changes produce carbon credits to be sold in offset markets.

In New Zealand, we participate in the nation’s regulated carbon offset market, known as the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme. Through this market, registered forests generate credits known as New Zealand Units (NZUs). Companies looking to offset their emissions purchase the NZUs and “retire” them once they claim that credit. In 2023, New England Forestry generated $23 million in NZU sales.

Across our U.S. lands, where carbon markets are voluntary, we are exploring opportunities to elevate the carbon sequestered within the forests we manage.

Improved Forest Management (IFM) projects currently under consideration could maximize our carbon sequestration using science-driven forestry techniques. This might include extending how long timberlands grow before they’re harvested, establishing alternative native species, or managing the land in a different manner. 

Carbon credits can also be generated from afforestation activity, in which land that has been used for different purposes, such as cattle grazing, is converted into forests.

New England Forestry is currently working on both IFM and afforestation carbon credit projects in the U.S.

Producing the wood fiber needed to fuel bioenergy and biofuel systems of the future

There is a rising need for the wood fiber we grow as manufacturing facilities seek to become more environmentally positive. Wood-based biofuels for airplanes, ships and vehicles as well as electricity generated through wood-based bioenergy reduce carbon emissions. Using these products in place of traditional fuels can significantly reduce the carbon intensity of the energy the world needs.

One specific area of opportunity is bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) facilities. BECCS is a growing area of interest to address manufacturers’ emissions, especially in the U.S. South, where a large portion of our timberlands are concentrated. BECCS facilities burn woody biomass for energy production and then capture and store the emitted carbon—aiming to create a carbon-negative cycle.

The demand for Sustainable Aviation Fuel, known as SAF, is also on the rise. Air travel is currently responsible for 12% of all transportation-related CO₂ emissions, according to this article by the U.S. Department of Energy. Existing aircraft can use a blend of SAF and jet fuel to reduce emissions. 

Members of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), representing more than 80 percent of global air traffic, have committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions from their operations by 2050.  IATA’s Fly Net Zero strategy relies on SAF for 65% of the emission reductions, which will lead to significant increasing demand for SAF in the future.

Embracing environmental and biodiversity conservation

We are committed to sustainable land management practices that balance various uses while ensuring the protection of critical natural habitats. This includes implementing conservation strategies, maintaining or enhancing biodiversity and adhering to environmental regulations to conserve the ecological integrity of significant areas under our stewardship.

We’re actively involved in conservation easement solutions that permanently preclude certain activities such as high-density development or mining from taking place on those properties. These solutions make larger conservation efforts possible in areas near our ownership.

Through biodiversity enhancement efforts, such as the afforestation of lands from other uses to forests, we can prioritize habitat for vulnerable wildlife species, as well as help create continuity of wildlife corridors and sensitive areas, all in an effort to contribute to environmental conservation.

Proud to be Part of the Solution

At New England Forestry, we’re proud to continuously seek more ways to be part of the solution. Through the land-based solutions we work with stakeholders to deliver, as well as our timber business’s climate-smart forest management, we can play an important role in advancing the transition to a low-carbon economy and addressing the risks posed by climate change.

The post What are Land-Based Solutions? appeared first on New England Forestry Stories.

Love or loathe them: screens have become essential to our lives.

According to the Pew Research Center and Statista, approximately:

• 97% of Americans own a cell phone
• 85% own a SmartPhone
• 50% own a tablet
• 74% own a home computer 
• And 122.4 million own televisions. 

But did you ever stop to think about what goes into your SmartPhone, television, computer or tablet?

If you have researched this topic, you know it’s a bit of a downer. 

The hard truth is, device components often require non-renewable materials and, with so much plastic incorporated, they aren’t exactly biodegradable.

However, there is a potential bright side in the use of trees—specifically tree fiber known as nanocellulose—in screen technologies.

To learn more, we talked to a research material engineer for the USDA’s Forest Service, Ron Sabo, Ph.D., about nanocellulose in tech, how it’s used in screens and other technology, and why it may offer a more sustainable choice for the future of tech.

What Is Nanocellulose?

You may have heard of cellulose, the natural fiber found in wood (and all plants) used in various applications including: 

• As an FDA-approved anti-caking and thickening agent in foods
• A binder, coating, filler, or slow-release agent in medicines 
• And in the production of paper goods

Nanocellulose is a smaller, more refined version of cellulose.

Dr. Sabo explains, “Nanocellulose is a wood fiber that’s made smaller either through chemistry or mechanical grinding. It’s so small you can’t see it. One of the first uses of nano-type cellulose was as an anti-caking agent in cheese, ice cream, and [medicine] tablets.”

So, what does teeny tiny wood pulp fiber have to do with screens and tech? Dr. Sabo explains:

“If you pour it [nanocellulose] into a dish and dry it, it creates a transparent and flexible film. It’s almost like plastic in some ways, but from trees. We’ve studied it for about 20 years and have learned a lot about its properties.”

Dr. Sabo continues, “To put it simply, it’s just another wood fiber that’s smaller. It’s not a magic bullet, but it has some neat properties. Seeing transparent wood, that’s what got me!”

A Little History About Wood In Tech 

Nanocellulose isn’t the first component of wood to be used in technology. In fact, wood has been used in various technological devices for decades.

“Generally, wood has been used in circuit boards for a long time,” Dr. Sabo explains. “If you look at the circuit boards in computers, they are made of pulp or fiberglass and coated with metal, and that’s low-tech; it’s more for structure. So it’s not unheard of for wood to be in your computer.”

Since those early days of mega-circuit boards, researchers have been refining their understanding of how wood pulp can be used to enhance technologies. 

Nanocellulose is the brainchild of those years of study, trial and error.

Top 5 Properties That Make Nanocellulose Viable For Use In Screens And Other Technologies

Three things make nanocellulose viable for use in screens and other technological applications:

#1: Strength 

Per Dr. Sabo, “This is one of the things that really attracted people in the beginning. If you measure the crystalline version of cellulose, you’ll find that it’s stronger than steel and other particles.”

#2: Transparency

As previously mentioned, nanocellulose creates a transparent and flexible film when dried. This makes it a potentially more eco-friendly candidate than plastic for creating clear, flexible screens and other technologies.

#3: Low-thermal expansion

“We’ve learned nanocellulose has a low thermal coefficient of expansion. This means if you heat it up, it doesn’t expand—like plastic,” Dr. Sabo says. “This is what technology companies need, materials that don’t expand. And that’s a property people like.”

#4: Flexibility

Films made of nanocellulose are flexible, which, according to Sabo and other sources,  make them appealing as next-generation flexible devices.

#5: Sustainability

Since nanocellulose products can be sourced from sustainably-managed forests and are biodegradable, they offer a more sustainable material than plastic, polymer-based products.

Additionally, researchers have found more eco-friendly ways of manufacturing cellulose using algae (vs. other chemicals), which doesn’t present the same threat to the environment and waterways.

Different Types Of Nanocellulose Have Unique Applications In Tech

There are several different types of nanocellulose, each with different properties and applications. 

Two examples are nano-crystalline cellulose (CNC) and nanofibrils (CNF). 

Says Dr. Sabo: “The nano-crystalline cellulose has some other properties that the nano-fibrils don’t have. In water, they can act as liquid crystals. Dried films of CNCs can also have color attributes, which gives them the potential to be used in devices. 

“The point I’m trying to make is there are all different types of nanocellulose, so we’re still trying to figure out which materials are best for different applications.”

How Nanocellulose Is Used In Screens Today

In an unexpected interview twist, when asked if he could tell us the types of screens and devices in which nanocellulose is used, Dr. Sabo said he didn’t know.

“The last I heard, a Japanese company was supposedly able to make it work. But I don’t know if it’s on the market or not. Certain countries and companies tend to be quite secretive about these things.”

As a forestry company that interacts with various suppliers, pulp mills, wood product manufacturers, trade associations, and end-users, we know nanocellulose is used in screens. 

However, the companies who build the screens use proprietary techniques to which we’re not privy. What we do know is that all of these qualities in nanocellulose could contribute to its usefulness in screen technology.

To prove it, we did some more digging.

In a research paper entitled “Electrochromic Displays Screen Printed on Transparent Nanocellulose-Based Substrates,” the authors explain how they are using different nanocellulose-based substrates to make electronic device manufacturing more sustainable.

“Manufacturing of electronic devices via printing techniques is often considered to be an environmentally friendly approach, partially due to the efficient utilization of materials. Traditionally, printed electronic components (e.g., sensors, transistors, and displays) are relying on flexible substrates based on plastic materials; this is especially true in electronic display applications where, most of the times, a transparent carrier is required in order to enable presentation of the display content. 

“However, plastic-based substrates are often ruled out in end-user scenarios striving toward sustainability. Paper substrates based on ordinary cellulose fibers can potentially replace plastic substrates, but the opaqueness limits the range of applications where they can be used.”

Dr. Sabo added there are also challenges within nanocellulose technology that must be overcome. Including its affinity for moisture, its brittleness, and the costs associated with manufacturing.

“That’s a challenge we have: how to get the properties you want and keep it sustainable.”

Closing Thoughts On The Future Of Sustainable Forestry Products In Tech

Based on our conversation with Dr. Sabo and the literature referenced here, it is clear that the science and tech communities are invested in creating more sustainable products.

And sustainable forest products are already playing a significant role in next-generation technologies.

When asked about his thoughts on the future of forest products in tech, Dr. Sabo shared this:

“I do expect that in the future, more and more materials will come from sustainable sources, including trees. The research community is making major efforts to find an economic or viable method to produce new materials from wood. 

“Just recently, I read in a paper that they’ve developed a new bioplastic extracted from wood. If we can get cheap, easily processed, biodegradable and renewable plastics, that would do a lot to alleviate some of our greenhouse gas emissions.

“I think we’ll have a lot more bio-based economy in the future. We can make basically anything out of wood. It’s just the cost. As we figure out new ways and tricks to process the tree, stuff will get a lot cheaper, leading to increased use and environmental benefits.

My hope is one day we have this circular economy where everything is used again.”

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