December 17, 2024
The SLB Q3 Report: Expanding and Diversifying Demand for Softwood Lumber
By expanding and diversifying demand for softwood lumber, the SLB and its funded programs create steady industry growth through a variety of economic cycles. Explore the Q3 Report to see how the SLB’s results last quarter demonstrate the impact of that approach with significant gains in lumber demand.
Key Q3 highlights include:
- 360 MM BF of incremental demand generated in Q3 and nearly 1.3 BBF year-to-date.
- The SLB sponsored Build Fest, a unique initiative that allowed postsecondary students to not only conceptualize but also physically construct designs using wood, giving them hands-on experience.
- The AWC released three regional EPDs for U.S. softwood lumber, which marks the first time the U.S. lumber industry has developed and published regional EPDs; previous industry EPDs have been North American in scope. The updated EPDs represent the AWC and the wood products industry’s response to continued requests for more granular carbon data.
- A new Think Wood webinar, Mass Timber 2030: Preparing Your Practice, was hosted for an audience of architects from the 26 largest AEC firms in the U.S. Think Wood will use an on-demand version of the webinar for future lead nurture and continuing education both on the Wood Institute and with media partners, where it will help push existing leads further toward specification and generate new contacts to educate and inform.
- WoodWorks hosted a tour of a factory using 3D computer modeling to manufacture light-frame wood wall panels and trusses, followed by a visit to a large affordable housing project where the panels are being used. The tour sold out within days of the invitation, signaling that the design community is not just interested in touring mass timber projects, but light-frame manufacturing and sites too.
- The SLB sponsored “Managing Mass Timber: From Forest to Future,” a traveling exhibit and lecture series aimed at showcasing the benefits of mass timber directly to students and faculty at leading engineering, architecture, and construction management schools across the Northeast and Great Lakes regions.
- The SLB and USDA Forest Service announced the $1.8M Mass Timber Competition: Building Sustainable Schools, the first competition focused on a sector or building type: K-12 education. Of the education market’s 1.7 BBF annual opportunity, according to an FEA outlook, K-12 projects are the largest sub-category by area and also the category with the most projected growth. The competition is designed to increase the use of mass timber, deepen industry experience with wood construction, strengthen the supply chain, and showcase the benefits of biophilic design.
For more information, comprehensive program updates, and additional SLB news, view the Q3 2024 Report below. We always welcome industry feedback, which can be sent to info@softwoodlumberboard.org. We wish you a happy new year and look forward to continuing to build on our success and momentum in 2025.