Nearly 150 professionals, academics, and students engaged in mass timber projects, research, and initiatives gathered in Muskegon on December 10th for the 2024 “Michigan Mass Timber Update.” Now in its third year, the event hosted by MassTimber@MSU, Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR), and Renewable Resource Solutions (RRS), celebrated Michigan’s growing mass timber momentum in the ideal venue: the mass timber event center and restaurant at Adelaide Pointe, a waterfront redevelopment in Muskegon.

Stay tuned for more event highlights in the coming weeks. In the meantime, check out the event photos and event article below.

Following the Michigan Mass Timber Update, we co-hosted a WoodWorks workshop on December 11th. The event featured presentations from key members of the Adelaide Pointe project team, including Emily and Ryan Leestma, Owners & Developers of Adelaide Pointe, along with representatives from Korb, Thornton Tomasetti, and Britt Peters. Speakers from Catalyst Construction, Kinsol Timber Systems, and Element5 also shared their expertise on supply chain strategies, pre-construction planning, and installation techniques.

We were able to announce at the MI Mass Timber Update last week another major step forward in #MIMassTimberMomentum: the adoption of the 2021 Michigan Building Code, which will officially take effect on April 9, 2025!

Michigan is currently operating under the 2015 Michigan Building Code, but the new 2021 code will allow mass timber buildings up to 18 stories. In the new year, MassTimber@MSU will collaborate with the American Wood Council and WoodWorks to help prepare the AEC community with training opportunities.

The East Lansing City Council unanimously approved a groundbreaking zoning code update, making it the first city in Michigan—and one of the first in the U.S.—to incentivize mass timber construction. This latest example of #MIMassTimberMomentum also opens the door to mass timber production right here in Michigan State University's backyard.

On December 5th, the U.S. Green Building Council of West Michigan (USGBC-WM) celebrated its 20th anniversary and honored six winners and two honorable mentions at its Annual Leadership Awards Ceremony. This year, our Director Sandra Lupien had the honor of being the keynote speaker. You can watch Sandra’s keynote and learn more about the 2024 Leadership Award winners on the USGBC-WM website.

A 2024-25 MI Healthy Climate Corps (MHC Corps) member, Calista joins us as an Outreach Associate. She’ll focus on understanding how mass timber might support economic development, health, and well-being in under-invested and climate-affected communities in Michigan.

Welcome to the team, Calista!

Each year, we organize a Michigan delegation to the International Mass Timber Conference in Portland, Oregon. This is the premiere mass timber event with an enormous industry expo, fantastic educational programming, and tour of mass timber buildings, manufacturing facilities, and forests. Our Michigan group always comes back with new ideas and information, along with new partnerships to advance Michigan mass timber momentum. Please join us this year!  

To register for the 2025 International Mass Timber Conference, please start with this link. Scroll down, choose the appropriate pass for you, and click the green "Register" button for that window. At the pay window, use the code IMTC25MSUGROUP10 to save 10% off your General Full Pass or 1-Day Pass. For lowered government, student, and non-profit rates, please register using your .mil, .gov, .edu, or .org email address. PLEASE NOTE: Since Edu/Gov/NPO passes and Student passes are already heavily discounted, they are not eligible for the group discount. 

Once you’ve registered, email Sandra Lupien at lupiensa@msu.edu so we can be sure to loop you into Michigan delegation communications so you won’t miss any opportunities to connect with the group in Portland!