Designers dedicated to restoring ecosystems and enhancing social conditions through the built environment know that wood can contribute significantly to this aspiration. Although timber used as structural elements in taller buildings is not a new concept, it has been largely abandoned as a solution in favor of other materials. Projects around the world are demonstrating the potential of engineered, mass timber products as structural elements for tall buildings, and wood is re-emerging as a viable and beneficial option. …

Until the middle of the 19^th Century, wood was commonly used as a primary structural building material in many types of non-residential buildings around the world. Many of these timber-built structures remain standing and are still in use today, including factories, warehouses, schools, temples, and churches – some dating as far back as the seventh century. …