Pennsylvania Mass Timber Initiative
Building New Markets for Pennsylvania Hardwoods | Strengthening Forests, Communities, and Domestic Supply Chains
The Pennsylvania Mass Timber Initiative is a statewide, public-private effort led by Team Pennsylvania to position the commonwealth as a leader in next-generation wood construction, specifically hardwood mass timber. At its core, the initiative is about unlocking new demand-driven markets for Pennsylvania’s abundant forest resources while strengthening rural economies, supporting working forests, and contributing to a more resilient domestic supply of building materials.
Across the country, demand for mass timber is accelerating as builders, developers, and public agencies look for high-performance, climate-smart alternatives to steel and concrete. At the same time, U.S. manufacturing capacity, especially for hardwood cross-laminated timber (CLT) remains limited. Pennsylvania is uniquely positioned to meet this moment.
With 16.6 million acres of forest, a global reputation for high-quality hardwoods, and proximity to major East Coast markets, Pennsylvania has the raw materials, industry expertise, and market access to help shape the future of mass timber in the United States.
Why This Matters Now
Mass timber represents a sizable opportunity to create a new, demand-driven hardwood market in Pennsylvania.
A Coordinated Strategy, Designed to Move Together
The Pennsylvania Mass Timber Initiative is intentionally structured around interconnected work streams that are most effective when they advance together. While each stream can move independently, long-term success depends on coordinated progress across the full ecosystem from forests to finished buildings.
Key Activities Required to Maximize Pennsylvania’s Potential
Species Testing & Technical Validation
Advancing structural, bonding, and grading validation for priority Pennsylvania hardwood species to meet building code and performance standards. This technical foundation is essential to unlocking market confidence and adoption.
Economic & Market Analysis
Understanding cost drivers, competitiveness, and break-even scenarios for hardwood CLT relative to other materials. This work ensures the initiative remains grounded in real market conditions and scalable business models.
Value Chain Development
Mapping Pennsylvania’s hardwood-to-mass-timber pipeline to identify gaps, near-term investment opportunities, and ways to strengthen existing assets, including sawmills and manufacturers, to transportation and logistics.
Market Engagement & Demand Activation
Engaging architects, builders, developers, and policymakers to build awareness, reduce barriers, and cultivate early demand through education, convenings, and targeted outreach.
Demonstration & Pilot Projects
Supporting early adopters to prove feasibility, demonstrate demand, and create real-world proof points that build confidence across the market.
Taken together, these work streams reinforce one another, accelerating technical readiness, market demand, and private-sector investment at the same time.
Team Pennsylvania’s Role
We are bringing together leaders across industry, forestry, manufacturing, construction, philanthropy, and government to align around shared goals and move from analysis to action. Our role is to ensure the right partners, data, and resources are connected at the right time to advance a market-driven opportunity at scale.
This initiative reflects how Team Pennsylvania operates more broadly: focused on long-term economic competitiveness, grounded in market demand, and designed to build long-lasting ecosystems.
As part of this work, Team Pennsylvania is actively engaged in the Great Lakes Mass Timber Consortium, collaborating with peer states, national partners, and industry leaders to elevate Pennsylvania’s profile in the broader mass timber ecosystem. Participation in the Consortium helps ensure that Pennsylvania is visible in national conversations shaping the future of mass timber and connected to emerging best practices and innovation.