Participants will gain an understanding of the general properties, design, engineering, project financing considerations, and carbon impacts of Cross Laminated Timber construction. 

Architects, engineers, state, and local climate leaders face substantial challenges with regard to meeting increasingly aggressive climate goals in the built environment. Interest in Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) is beginning to expand in the United States, due to a combination of technology improvements, emerging acceptance among building code officials, local economic development potential, carbon sequestration, construction waste reduction and other benefits. An expert panel will explore the potential to harvest native northeast tree species for CLT production, and examine design, engineering and CLT project finance considerations. The panel will conclude with a Q&A segment, and a brief joint exercise to help identify CLT market development priorities.

Meet the Panelists

Galen Nelson, Chief Program Officer at MassCEC, will moderate the panel.

Dr. Peggi Clouston is a Professor of timber engineering and wood mechanics at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Her current research involves engineering cross laminated timber panels from northeastern species. A registered professional engineer since 1992, she also serves as Associate Editor of the ASCE Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering.

Colin Booth is the Strategic Director of Placetailor, a Boston-based design-build-develop cooperative focused exclusively on Passive House and Zero Emissions workforce housing.  With 20 years in design, Colin’s expertise is in the integrated design process and integrated delivery models necessary for the rapid adoption of more sustainable technologies. 

Jennifer Hardy AIA is a Senior Associate at Payette and a 2020 AIA Young Architect Award recipient.  Jennifer is currently leading a team designing a hybrid mass timber structure and exploring different ways to integrate carbon reduction into a project while enhancing design goals.

Patrick McCafferty, PE is the Structural Engineering Leader and a Project Director of Arup in Boston. Patrick specializes in the design of architecturally expressed structural engineering solutions across a wide spectrum of building typologies. He and his teams regularly employ mass timber design solutions on their many projects, including for the design of the MADOT Aeronautics Division’s Regional Airport facilities recently deployed throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.