First-Ever Mass Timber Meetup Brings Bay Area Leaders to Berkeley Wood Lab

Last week, the Bay Area Council and UC Berkeley co-hosted the first-ever Bay Area Mass Timber Meetup at the Berkeley Wood Lab. Lab directors Paul Mayencourt and Daniel Sanchez led a tour of the facility, shared key research priorities, and highlighted progress in using California biomass to reduce wildfire risk while helping deliver the housing our region urgently needs. Mass timber offers a way to build more housing while simultaneously reducing the fuel loads in our forests that contribute to catastrophic wildfires. 

Architects, developers, builders, researchers, and suppliers from both inside and outside the Bay Area joined the conversation—making for a strong opportunity to connect with peers and stay current on where the industry is headed. While California updated building codes in 2021 to allow mass timber structures up to 18 stories, significant obstacles remain. The state is the largest consumer of engineered wood products west of the Mississippi, yet none is produced in-state—limiting affordability and scalability. Barriers including supply chain challenges, permitting hurdles, and lack of manufacturing capacity must be addressed to unlock mass timber’s full potential. 

The Council has been working on commercializing forest biomass products for years, including our 2024 Economic Institute report on converting woody biomass into fuels and other products as a wildfire mitigation strategy. By supporting the growth of the mass timber industry, we can create jobs, address climate goals, and help meet California’s need for more affordable housing—all while making our communities safer from wildfire threats. Additional meetups are planned for 2026, and all are welcome.

To learn more and be added to the list for future meetups, please contact Vice President Patrick Kallerman.