Our in-house sustainability expert, Amanda Lunger, participated in the 2025 International Mass Timber Conference this month.

Amanda attended several sessions to better understand the benefits of Mass Timber—beyond sustainability—for developers and building owners.

Here are four key insights.

Mass timber creates opportunities for rental premiums.

One developer shared that in their spec-built office building, there was a 20% upfront cost premium for mass timber over light gauge steel, but their building commanded a 40% rental premium when compared to other conventional structures in the area!

Mass timber results in cost-savings.

Although the base material cost of wood is currently high, savings from shorter project timelines, reduced onsite labor, lower import duties, and other operational efficiencies can offset the initial premium. Plus, mass timber performs better thermally, further enhancing its long-term cost-effectiveness.

Mass timber is a long-term investment.

Mass timber structures are valuable long-term investments thanks to their adaptability. CLT panels are easily cut into and filled in, making mass timber structures flexible to the changing needs of a building program and ideal for tenant improvement projects. Mass timber structures are also often inherently designed for disassembly, meaning they can likely be deconstructed and reconstructed in another place in the community when densification happens.

Mass timber requires design team expertise.

The first question an insurance company will ask is whether the design and construction team has any experience with this typology. It’s critical to have an architect who understands the specific moisture, fire, and building code concerns that come with wood buildings.