Washington State moving to promote mass timber construction with legislation

Washington State lawmakers are taking measures to promote the use of mass timber construction.

Washington, which has a significant timber industry, has already adopted a law directing the state’s building code council to adopt rules for mass timber products for residential and commercial building construction. The law will spread the regulatory framework for widespread adoption of mass timber buildings.

A bill in the legislature would require that all public buildings in the state rising 12 stories or less be built using Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT). Should it become law, it would be the first in the country requiring mass timber construction.

The bill is currently in committee, and legislators have not provided a timeline for when it may be enacted.