Like plywood on steroids, cross-laminated timber (CLT) is getting much deserved attention in Maine. Christina Erne from WLBZ toured the laboratories at University of Maine Orono where CLT is stress tested under thousands of pounds. The CLT was made from local Maine spruce, pine, and fir species.
Nicholas Willey, a graduate research assistant for the project talked about why CLT is studied and used. Willey said, “Well it’s a renewable resource. Green energy is where we’re going and we want to reduce carbon emissions and this is a structural material that can help do that.”
Bill Davids, professor and chair of the university’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, spoke confidently on the future of CLT in Maine. “My hope really is that this gets commercialized in Maine. We use Maine woods to make this product and add value to it. We’d like to see a CLT plant here in Maine where it adds jobs and ultimately we want to improve the economy,” said Davids.
Watch the full video of the lab and interviews with WLBZ and read more!