Bay Area Council Visit to Portland Highlights Technology Making Housing Cheaper, Faster, and More Sustainable

Last week a delegation of Bay Area Council members led by oWow! Construction President Andy Ball visited Portland, Ore., at the invitation of the Oregon Mass Timber Coalition for a “forest-to-frame” tour that highlighted innovative construction technologies that could have valuable applications in California.

The delegation included leaders from the development community, UC Berkeley, the NorCal Carpenters Union, a California lumber mill company, and more. Delegates traveled to the Mount Hood National Forest to see sustainable timbering practices that reduce wildfire risks while providing safe, affordable and durable construction materials, including mass timber.

Mass timber is a group of wood technologies that bind lumber components into larger, stronger structural components like pillars, beams, and walls. Mass timber technology has the exciting prospect of driving rural economic development, urban advanced manufacturing jobs, cost-savings in construction, increased labor productivity, higher paying construction jobs, sustainability in construction materials, and so much more. California could build more housing at lower costs while reducing wildfire risk by learning from Oregon’s success.

The Council is working to help facilitate a “California Mass Timber Coalition” to help foster the economic development, affordable construction techniques, and wildfire reduction benefits now in place in Oregon.  To participate in the Council’s work on innovative construction techniques in California, please contact Patrick Kallerman, Vice President of Research, and Louis Mirante, Senior Vice President of Housing Policy.