Mass Timber Adoption: Leading Sustainable Construction Innovation in the AEC Industry

The construction industry is searching for better ways to build—faster, smarter, and more sustainably. One solution gaining serious momentum is mass timber.

But mass timber adoption isn’t just about changing materials.

It requires new mindsets, stronger collaboration, and leaders willing to rethink how buildings are designed and delivered.

In this episode of Activating Curiosity, I sat down with Kristen Slavin, founder of Conifer Advising, to explore how mass timber is reshaping sustainable construction and what it will take for the AEC industry to scale adoption.

Kristen has spent more than a decade working across the entire mass timber ecosystem—from sustainable design in Portland to prefab manufacturing and now advising developers, architects, and contractors on projects across North America.

That cross-industry experience gives her a unique perspective on one of the biggest questions facing construction today:

How do we turn construction innovation into scalable industry change?

Why Mass Timber Is Driving Sustainable Construction Innovation

Mass timber is more than a material. It represents a broader shift toward industrialized construction, prefabrication, and integrated project delivery.

These approaches change how buildings are designed, coordinated, and constructed.

As Kristen explained during our conversation:

“While I think we were doing amazing work… I wanted to see how I could scale this impact into something that’s a lot bigger than just our small team and small projects.”

That desire to scale impact is what’s driving much of the current innovation around mass timber adoption.

Instead of treating projects as isolated efforts, leaders in the industry are beginning to think about systems, processes, and long-term learning.

The Real Barriers Slowing Mass Timber Adoption

Despite its potential, mass timber adoption still faces several industry barriers.

Interestingly, most of them aren’t technical.

They’re organizational.

Insurance and Risk Perception

Insurance premiums are often one of the first challenges teams encounter.

Because mass timber is still considered “new,” some insurers apply additional premiums during construction.

Kristen explained that navigating those requirements often requires experienced project advisors.

“The insurer said they could insure the mass timber project, but one requirement was that they had to have experience on the team.”

That requirement highlights a broader theme across construction innovation:

expertise reduces risk.

Supply Chain Misconceptions

Another common concern is manufacturing capacity.

Many teams assume the supply chain can’t support growing demand.

But Kristen pointed out that the reality is very different.

“People think there’s simply not enough manufacturers… but if you look at the market studies, they’re actually under capacity. They would love more projects.”

The challenge isn’t production.

It’s awareness and coordination across project teams.

Fragmented Project Delivery

Traditional construction workflows often separate architects, contractors, developers, and manufacturers into different silos.

Mass timber projects require something different.

They require early collaboration across the entire value chain.

Without that alignment, teams struggle to coordinate fabrication requirements, sequencing, and installation logistics.

Kristen has seen firsthand how this fragmentation slows innovation.

“What I found is that in architecture, you’re not really used to knowing where your trees are coming from… but with wood, we feel more connected to it and want to understand that supply chain.”

That deeper understanding becomes critical when projects move toward prefabrication and industrialized construction.

Why Collaboration Is the Key to Construction Innovation

One theme that kept emerging throughout our conversation was collaboration.

Mass timber projects succeed when architects, engineers, contractors, and manufacturers work together early in the process.

That collaboration often requires teams to rethink their roles.

Instead of protecting traditional boundaries, teams begin solving problems collectively.

Kristen described how this approach plays out during real project coordination.

“I just need to understand your logic a little bit so I can build that logic into the thing that I’m doing.”

That mindset shift—from isolated decision-making to shared problem-solving—is essential for accelerating mass timber adoption.

The Power of Hands-On Learning in Construction

Another key takeaway from this episode is the importance of experiential learning.

Many construction professionals learn about mass timber through conferences or continuing education sessions.

But real understanding happens when teams see the work up close.

Kristen believes the industry needs more hands-on opportunities.

“There is nothing that will teach you something faster and more thoroughly than being on a job site doing the thing you’re trying to do.”

When architects, engineers, and builders experience the installation process firsthand, they gain a deeper understanding of how prefabricated systems actually function.

That knowledge leads to better design decisions and more efficient project delivery.

Why Early Adopters Are Taking a Long-Term View

One of the most interesting insights from the conversation is how some developers approach mass timber adoption strategically.

Instead of expecting immediate perfection, they treat early projects as learning platforms.

Kristen shared an example of teams intentionally building portfolios of mass timber projects.

“Their goal is to create a portfolio of projects that use that system… so the next one goes a little better and a little better.”

That mindset reflects something we talk about often on this podcast: innovation requires iteration.

Every project becomes an opportunity to refine the system.

The Leadership Opportunity in Construction

At its core, the conversation around mass timber isn’t just about sustainability.

It’s about leadership.

The construction industry needs leaders who are willing to:

• Challenge traditional project delivery models

• Encourage collaboration across disciplines

• Support experimentation and learning

• Build cultures where innovation can thrive

Kristen highlighted an important reminder for architects and engineers.

“Architects were trained in design thinking… and that’s a skill that can be applied far beyond just designing buildings.”

Design thinking can help teams rethink how projects are structured, how collaboration happens, and how construction innovation spreads across the industry.

Activating Curiosity Across the Construction Industry

One of the things I appreciate most about the mass timber community is its openness.

People share lessons learned.

They collaborate across companies.

They help move the entire industry forward.

Mass timber adoption isn’t just about building differently.

It’s about thinking differently.

And curiosity is what drives that shift.