The biggest issues we face are global warming and climate change. According to experts, it’s happening a lot quicker than you think. You probably have already felt its effects this past summer. Areas that are historically colder in climate hit record temperature heights. While many debate on the best climate change solutions, one proposed idea is wooden skyscrapers.
In a 2021 study for the journal Sustainability that NBC News referenced, “mass timber buildings could reduce a building’s carbon emissions 22 to 50 percent compared to concrete.” This study has sparked a sort of construction revolution. It encourages developers to use more wood and further reduce cities’ carbon footprint. This study is also what set off the race to build the world’s tallest, wooden building.
America recently joined the race, approving architecture firm LEVER’s plan for potentially our first wooden skyscraper, located in Portland, Oregon. The project is titled Framework, a fitting name since the wood that will be used is a major part of the foundational frame of the building. It will include 60 affordable housing units and five levels for office use. However, it does not stop there. According to the project website page, the “commercial tenants will be B corporations—businesses certified to meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency”. Meaning, everything from the design to the actual tenants will be dedicated to a more sustainable future.
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