Advancing Oregon's Mass Timber Technologies
About Us
The Oregon Mass Timber Innovation Engine builds on the work of the Oregon Mass Timber Coalition to transform the emergent mass timber ecosystem in the state by leveraging Oregon’s strengths in sustainable design, applied research, abundant forest resources, and advanced wood products manufacturing.
Our Vision
Our vision is to create a thriving, inclusive ecosystem that address urgent societal challenges in rural economic development, climate health, and housing that reinvigorates disadvantaged communities and drives the US to become a global leader in mass timber technologies.
Regional Need
Oregon residents are significantly impacted by multifaceted challenges:
- Severe lack of affordable housing
- Increase in drought and catastrophic wildfires caused by climate change
- Widening urban-rural divide exacerbated by the decline of employment opportunities in the forestry sector in rural communities
All these challenges are disproportionately felt by historically marginalized communities.
Solutions Offered by Mass Timber Technologies
The growth of the mass timber innovation ecosystem will:
- Mitigate climate-related threats through innovative and sustainable forest management practices and increase of building construction with low embodied carbon
- Create new quality jobs in modernized forestry and advanced manufacturing, offering new opportunities for underserved and rural communities
- Develop new sustainable building products and resilient building systems
- Alleviate housing shortages through prefabricated housing production
Overarching Goal
Our goal is to accelerate inclusive growth of our mass timber sector from its current position of US leader to one of sustained global competitiveness over the next 10 years.
Related Programming
EDA Build Back Better Regional Challenge: Oregon Mass Timber Coalition
In 2022 the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) awarded 21 regional coalitions through the Build Back Better Regional Challenge. The Oregon Mass Timber Coalition, of which Tallwood Design Institute is a founding member, was awarded $41.4 million to advance Oregon’s sustainable mass timber sector through investment in applied R&D, sustainable forestry, modular manufacturing, and affordable housing.
EDA Pacific Northwest Mass Timber Tech Hub
The Pacific Northwest Mass Timber Tech Hub, led by Oregon State University, aims to be a global leader in mass timber design, manufacturing, and construction. By fulfilling this goal, we will equitably create resilient, well-paying jobs for rural and urban residents, increase housing production and affordability, lower wildfire risk and improve forest health, and reduce the construction industry’s carbon footprint.