Mass timber engineering advances in construction and manufacturing

Advancements in mass timber engineering are expanding the use of wood in large-scale construction, offering sustainable alternatives to steel and concrete. In Vancouver, Canada, The Hive, a 10-story office building, demonstrates this potential. The structure utilizes glulam beams and columns alongside cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels. Its distinctive exterior wooden diagonal framework acts as a perimeter bracing system designed to dissipate energy and resist lateral forces from wind and seismic activity.

In Spain, the centenarian family business Fusteria Vallès is also evolving alongside these industry trends. Moving from traditional carpentry to specialized technical manufacturing, the company is relocating its headquarters from Jesús to a new facility in Camarles. This expansion, supported by a 150,000 euro loan from the Institut Català de Finances (ICF), allows the firm to focus on complex projects involving technical doors and large-scale wooden macrostructures.