- TIMBERBIZ.COM.AU - A La Une - Hier 01:08

Oregon mass timber project steps up

A University of Oregon-led initiative to revolutionize the mass timber sector in the Pacific Northwest has been selected as a semifinalist in the highly competitive National Science Foundation Regional Innovation Engines program. Source: Timberbiz The NSF Engine: Oregon Mass Timber Innovation Engine, led by principal investigator Judith Sheine, professor of architecture in the UO College of Design and director of design of the TallWood Design Institute, is among just 29 semifinalist teams nationally. The announcement builds on the project’s momentum from a US$1 million NSF Engine strategic planning award granted in 2023 and the work of the TallWood Design Institute, a joint initiative of the UO and Oregon State University. “This exciting next step affirms our region’s potential to lead a national transformation of our construction industries,” Ms Sheine said. The mass timber initiative “leverages Oregon’s world-class strengths in timber R&D, abundant forest resources, and manufacturing capacity to build a thriving and resilient mass timber ecosystem.” The initiative targets three pressing national and regional challenges: rural economic resilience, forest health and affordable housing. By advancing technologies across smart forestry, advanced manufacturing and resilient building systems, it aims to revitalize and modernize Oregon’s legacy timber industry and generate high-wage, future-ready jobs in both rural and urban communities. Mass timber, an engineered wood product, can be made from small-diameter logs and underutilized timber species, providing commercial markets for logs thinned from forests to reduce wildfire risk and promote forest health. It provides an alternative to steel and concrete in construction. Due to its ability to be prefabricated in factories, the method speeds production, in housing in particular, and reduces waste and carbon emissions. The new terminal at the Portland International Airport is a visually stunning testament to mass timber’s diverse uses. The initiative proposes to amplify R&D and commercialization in: Smart forestry: high-tech harvesting, fibre supply mapping and assistive technology for loggers Advanced manufacturing and building products: new bio-based materials, robotic fabrication and product innovation Resilient building systems: modular housing, retrofits for seismic and climate resilience and design-for-disassembly strategies The 2023 NSF Engine strategic planning grant allowed the UO to build a regional coalition of more than 90 collaborators — including industry, accelerators, tribal nations, higher education, workforce and career mentoring organizations, and investment firms, including key partners Timberlab, Freres Engineered Wood, the Port of Portland, Oregon State University, Washington State University and Portland Community College — to develop a blueprint for scaling innovation and translation to commercialization. Ms Sheine said the project is a comprehensive strategy to reimagine forest management, revitalize rural communities and strengthen the domestic construction supply chain while creating scalable housing solutions and resilient building systems. “The Oregon Mass Timber Innovation Engine is an extraordinary opportunity to harness use-inspired research and translate innovation into real-world practice,” said Anshuman “AR” Razdan, vice president for research and innovation at the University of Oregon. “The proposed efforts leverage the world-class research and innovation capacity from our state’s R1 research intensive institutions while driving workforce and economic growth for Oregonians, particularly those in rural areas.” The NSF Engines program, launched in 2022, is designed to supercharge regional innovation ecosystems and foster economic growth in critical technology areas. The program has already yielded a tenfold return on federal investment through public-private and philanthropic commitments nationwide.