A move toward wooden buildings would lead to a host of positive environmental, economic, and livability outcomes.

"Forest ecosystems and wood buildings can be our most important climate allies," argue Frank Lowenstein, Brian Donahue, and David Foster in a New York Times opinion piece. While concrete and steel are ubiquitous construction materials, they are not sustainable.
Using sustainably harvested wood for buildings, however, offers a range of benefits, they say. "This will allow us to pump carbon from the atmosphere and store it both in forests and in cities. It will also support rural economies, improve wildlife habitat and create more affordable housing."
Engineered wood available as cross-laminated timber is what is allowing for taller, fire-safe wooden buildings. "We should minimize the conversion of forests, enable more wood construction and incentivize private landowners to improve their stewardship," urge Lowenstein, Donahue, and Foster.
FULL STORY: Let’s Fill Our Cities With Taller, Wooden Buildings

Montreal Mall to Become 6,000 Housing Units
Place Versailles will be transformed into a mixed-use complex over the next 25 years.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Four Reasons Urban Planners Can’t Ignore AI
It’s no longer a question of whether AI will shape planning, but how. That how is up to us.

Bend, Deschutes County Move to Restrict Major Homeless Encampment
City and county officials are closing off portions of an area known as Juniper Ridge where many unhoused residents find shelter, hoping to direct people to housing and supportive services.

High Housing Costs Driving Down Transit Ridership in LA
When neighborhoods gentrify and displace lower-income residents, transit ridership suffers, new research shows.

Iowa Legalizes Accessory Dwelling Units
A new law will allow property owners to build ADUs on single-family lots starting on July 1.
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