College of Agriculture & Natural Resources Mass Timber

Muskegon, Mich – Nearly 150 professionals, academics, and students engaged in mass timber projects, research, and initiatives gathered in Muskegon today for the 2024 “Michigan Mass Timber Update.” Now in its third year, the event hosted by MassTimber@MSU, Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR), and Renewable Resource Solutions (RRS), celebrated Michigan’s growing mass timber momentum in the ideal venue: the mass timber event center and restaurant at Adelaide Pointe, a waterfront redevelopment in Muskegon.

Mass timber is an umbrella term for a variety of huge, engineered wood building construction materials that can be used structurally like steel or concrete in big buildings—even skyscrapers. After emerging in Europe about 40 years ago, mass timber materials are now gaining market share across the United States and in Michigan because they offer a suite of benefits including more efficient construction; a lower carbon footprint; and improved occupant health, wellbeing, and productivity (an effect known as biophilia).

“People want to live, work, study, and play in beautiful mass timber buildings,” said Sandra Lupien, Director, MassTimber@MSU, a program at Michigan State University that conducts research, teaching, and stakeholder engagement to advance mass timber construction in Michigan, the Great Lakes Region, and beyond. “That’s why mass timber demand has more than quintupled in the U.S. since 2018, why Michigan now has more than 50 mass timber buildings in the pipeline, and why people are looking to Michigan as a mass timber leader in the Great Lakes Region and Eastern United States.”

The State of Michigan has taken several important mass timber actions this year. The soon-to-be-adopted 2021 Michigan Building Code defines three new mass timber building types, including a category of up to eighteen stories. In addition, Michigan Mass Timber Update co-host Michigan DNR will soon complete its Customer Service Building in Newberry, the first building ever to use mass timber panels made from Michigan wood – Red Pine. And, the State’s Fiscal Year 2025 Budget includes a $1MM investment – to be programmed by DNR – to “aid in the research and development of a mass timber market in Michigan.”

“The State of Michigan sees mass timber production as a key economic development opportunity, particularly in rural forested communities, and as an important tool in the State’s strategy to achieve net-zero carbon by 2050 as outlined in the MI Healthy Climate Plan,” said Patrick Mohney, Managing Director of Michigan DNR’s Office of Public Lands OPL. “Mass timber presents a unique opportunity to benefit Michiganders in cities, suburbs, and rural communities in both Peninsulas.”

As an example of the State’s commitment to advancing mass timber, Mohney cited a $500,000 commitment made by his office in support of MassTimber@MSU earlier this year. He also announced that, with the $1MM from the FY 2025 budget, his office will launch the “Michigan Mass Timber Catalyst Fund,” that will include grants to support early mass timber adopters. The program takes a cue from mass timber accelerators launched in several major U.S. cities but is expected to be the first such state-level program.

MassTimber@MSU, with DNR and RRS, hosted the first Michigan Mass Timber Update in December 2022. Meant to provide a growing Michigan mass timber community of practice with a high level overview of the breadth of new mass timber building projects, research, developments in manufacturing, workforce training opportunities, policies, and more, the event features 5-minute “lightning talks;” this year the agenda featured presentations by 26 people sharing how they are actively engaged in Michigan’s expanding mass timber ecosystem.

Speakers highlighted new mass timber buildings in development and under construction in Muskegon, Kalamazoo, Newberry, Ann Arbor, Battle Creek, Laingsburg, and Monroe. Others discussed mass timber workforce training programs and expanded availability of mass timber materials in the Great Lakes Region, including some made from wood species that grow in Michigan. Researchers and educators from Michigan State University, Michigan Technological University, and Lawrence Technological University presented on a broad range of mass timber initiatives from MSU’s supply and demand analysis and construction management education, to MTU’s grading and strength-testing of Michigan hardwoods for mass timber, to LTU’s mass timber design studio. And, East Lansing’s Principal Planner, Landon Bartley, spoke about a development incentive recently adopted to make it easier for early adopters to choose mass timber.

Adelaide Pointe founders and owners Ryan and Emily Leestma welcomed attendees to their new mass timber event space, which opened in the summer. “Lumber and innovation is the history of Muskegon,” said Ryan Leestma. “We are proud to partner with the mass timber industry to lead the way on what sustainable development can be in beautiful spaces.”

Mass timber condominiums are also under construction at Adelaide Pointe, and event attendees toured the near-complete six-story waterfront structure before heading back to the mixed-use building to Muskegon Brewing Company—the restaurant downstairs from the event space to enjoy a networking happy hour hosted by the team that designed and built Adelaide Pointe: Catalyst Construction, Korb Architects, Kinsol, Britt, Peters and Associates, Thornton Tomasetti, Architektura, and Progressive Companies.

Each year, the Michigan Mass Timber Update has a theme: in 2022 it was ‘Momentum & Inspiration;’ 2023 was ‘Breaking New Ground.’

“This year’s theme was ‘Opening Doors,’” said Kari Divine, owner of Renewable Resource Solutions, a consulting firm based in the Upper Peninsula. “Growing Mass Timber production in the state could open doors to a new market for Michigan timber, providing important incentives for sustainable forest management and supporting the forest products industry—from the landowners that manage the land to the loggers that harvest the wood to the mills that produce the lumber. I look forward to seeing what 2025 brings.”

The co-hosts plan to hold the fourth annual event in December 2025; date and location to be determined. The Michigan Mass Timber Update is produced in part with funding from a USDA Forest Service Wood Innovation Grant.