Using Mass Timber in Multi-Storey and Non-Residential Construction Projects: Motivations and Barriers for Professionals in Quebec
Despite their environmental benefits and technical viability, mass timber structures adoption remains limited. As an alternative to steel and concrete in non-residential and multi-storey construction, they represent only 10.2% of buildings four or fewer storeys high, 1% of those five or six storeys...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
North Carolina State University
2025-01-01
|
| Series: | BioResources |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://ojs.bioresources.com/index.php/BRJ/article/view/23815 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1823859627970789376 |
|---|---|
| author | Baptiste Giorgio Aline Barlet Pierre Blanchet Matheus R. Cabral Cédric Perez Adrien Gaudelas |
| author_facet | Baptiste Giorgio Aline Barlet Pierre Blanchet Matheus R. Cabral Cédric Perez Adrien Gaudelas |
| author_sort | Baptiste Giorgio |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Despite their environmental benefits and technical viability, mass timber structures adoption remains limited. As an alternative to steel and concrete in non-residential and multi-storey construction, they represent only 10.2% of buildings four or fewer storeys high, 1% of those five or six storeys high and 4% of those seven to twelve storeys high in Quebec. Based on a purposive sample of 42 interviews with various construction industry professionals in Quebec (Canada), the representation of mass timber construction was highlighted. A thematic analysis approach enabled a study of the motivations and barriers to adopting mass timber and the specific reasons behind them, and to determine whether respondents’ perceptions differ significantly depending on their main professional activity. The results corroborate existing literature while offering deeper insights into motivations and barriers, revealing new viewpoints. Respondents cited construction costs, expertise, manufacturing capacity, regulatory limits, and material specifications as the most critical barriers, while environmental impact and aesthetics of wood as key motivators. The response profile analysis suggests that private developers and general contractors should be the primary targets of measures promoting mass timber adoption. This research will aid in refining policies and strategies to encourage the widespread adoption of mass timber in construction practices. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-97b0c740c3604af1846ed90e552bfb04 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1930-2126 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | North Carolina State University |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BioResources |
| spelling | doaj-art-97b0c740c3604af1846ed90e552bfb042025-02-10T23:56:27ZengNorth Carolina State UniversityBioResources1930-21262025-01-01201193119702010Using Mass Timber in Multi-Storey and Non-Residential Construction Projects: Motivations and Barriers for Professionals in QuebecBaptiste Giorgio0https://orcid.org/0009-0008-1331-550XAline Barlet1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2794-6117Pierre Blanchet2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6348-0289Matheus R. Cabral3https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8245-8813Cédric Perez4https://orcid.org/0009-0009-5641-5700Adrien Gaudelas5https://orcid.org/0009-0008-3627-0121 NSERC Industrial Research Chair on Eco-responsible Wood Construction (CIRCERB), Forest and Wood Sciences Department, Université Laval GRECCAU lab, Higher National School of Architecture and Landscape of Bordeaux NSERC Industrial Research Chair on Eco-responsible Wood Construction (CIRCERB), Wood and Forest Sciences Department, Université Laval, 2425 De La Terrasse Street, Quebec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada NSERC Industrial Research Chair on Eco-responsible Wood Construction (CIRCERB), Forest and Wood Sciences Department, Université Laval NSERC Industrial Research Chair on Eco-responsible Wood Construction (CIRCERB), Forest and Wood Sciences Department, Université Laval NSERC Industrial Research Chair on Eco-responsible Wood Construction (CIRCERB), Forest and Wood Sciences Department, Université LavalDespite their environmental benefits and technical viability, mass timber structures adoption remains limited. As an alternative to steel and concrete in non-residential and multi-storey construction, they represent only 10.2% of buildings four or fewer storeys high, 1% of those five or six storeys high and 4% of those seven to twelve storeys high in Quebec. Based on a purposive sample of 42 interviews with various construction industry professionals in Quebec (Canada), the representation of mass timber construction was highlighted. A thematic analysis approach enabled a study of the motivations and barriers to adopting mass timber and the specific reasons behind them, and to determine whether respondents’ perceptions differ significantly depending on their main professional activity. The results corroborate existing literature while offering deeper insights into motivations and barriers, revealing new viewpoints. Respondents cited construction costs, expertise, manufacturing capacity, regulatory limits, and material specifications as the most critical barriers, while environmental impact and aesthetics of wood as key motivators. The response profile analysis suggests that private developers and general contractors should be the primary targets of measures promoting mass timber adoption. This research will aid in refining policies and strategies to encourage the widespread adoption of mass timber in construction practices.https://ojs.bioresources.com/index.php/BRJ/article/view/23815decision-makingmass timber adoptionstakeholder perceptionsstructural materialsustainable buildingwood building |
| spellingShingle | Baptiste Giorgio Aline Barlet Pierre Blanchet Matheus R. Cabral Cédric Perez Adrien Gaudelas Using Mass Timber in Multi-Storey and Non-Residential Construction Projects: Motivations and Barriers for Professionals in Quebec BioResources decision-making mass timber adoption stakeholder perceptions structural material sustainable building wood building |
| title | Using Mass Timber in Multi-Storey and Non-Residential Construction Projects: Motivations and Barriers for Professionals in Quebec |
| title_full | Using Mass Timber in Multi-Storey and Non-Residential Construction Projects: Motivations and Barriers for Professionals in Quebec |
| title_fullStr | Using Mass Timber in Multi-Storey and Non-Residential Construction Projects: Motivations and Barriers for Professionals in Quebec |
| title_full_unstemmed | Using Mass Timber in Multi-Storey and Non-Residential Construction Projects: Motivations and Barriers for Professionals in Quebec |
| title_short | Using Mass Timber in Multi-Storey and Non-Residential Construction Projects: Motivations and Barriers for Professionals in Quebec |
| title_sort | using mass timber in multi storey and non residential construction projects motivations and barriers for professionals in quebec |
| topic | decision-making mass timber adoption stakeholder perceptions structural material sustainable building wood building |
| url | https://ojs.bioresources.com/index.php/BRJ/article/view/23815 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT baptistegiorgio usingmasstimberinmultistoreyandnonresidentialconstructionprojectsmotivationsandbarriersforprofessionalsinquebec AT alinebarlet usingmasstimberinmultistoreyandnonresidentialconstructionprojectsmotivationsandbarriersforprofessionalsinquebec AT pierreblanchet usingmasstimberinmultistoreyandnonresidentialconstructionprojectsmotivationsandbarriersforprofessionalsinquebec AT matheusrcabral usingmasstimberinmultistoreyandnonresidentialconstructionprojectsmotivationsandbarriersforprofessionalsinquebec AT cedricperez usingmasstimberinmultistoreyandnonresidentialconstructionprojectsmotivationsandbarriersforprofessionalsinquebec AT adriengaudelas usingmasstimberinmultistoreyandnonresidentialconstructionprojectsmotivationsandbarriersforprofessionalsinquebec |