About the session...

Despite growing adoption worldwide, mass timber projects are still too often met with skepticism from investors, regulators, clients, and the public. Persistent misperceptions — around environmental impact, cost and constructability, and financial performance — can stall projects before their full value is understood.

This interactive roundtable, led by Jacqueline Murello, Senior Director for Communication at the National Alliance of Forest Owners, brings together industry leaders to directly address and reframe three of the most common market misperceptions facing mass timber today. Through candid discussion and real-world examples, panelists will explore how project teams can communicate more effectively with stakeholders and align messaging with proven data and outcomes.

Topics include…

• how modern forestry underpins credible ESG claims and strengthens the mass timber value proposition (Troy Harris, Jamestown);
• how advances in manufacturing, design integration, and modularization are reducing cost and complexity (Giulia Natalini, Western Archrib);
• construction efficiencies related to schedule, labor, and risk (William Silva, Swinerton); and
• the measurable financial upside for owners and investors, including leasing performance and market differentiation (Michael Hensley, Pickard Chilton and Troy Harris, Jamestown).

Attendees will leave with practical strategies to address skepticism, strengthen the business case, and move mass timber projects forward.

Giulia Natalini

Pre-Construction Specialist
Western Archrib

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William Silva

Director, National Mass Timber
Swinerton Builders

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Troy Harris

Managing Director, Timberland and Innovative Wood Products
Jamestown

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Michael Hensley

Principal
Pickard Chilton

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Session CEUs

Course Description

This interactive roundtable explores the persistent misperceptions that can stall or undermine mass timber projects and offers practical strategies for reframing the value proposition to key stakeholders. Despite growing adoption of engineered wood construction, mass timber continues to be met with skepticism related to environmental impact, cost, constructability, and financial performance. Panelists from communications, development, pre-construction, and mass timber leadership will candidly address common misconceptions and share real-world examples of how to communicate evidence-based outcomes, align messaging with proven data, and strengthen the business case for mass timber. Emphasis will be placed on effective stakeholder engagement, credible environmental storytelling rooted in modern forestry and ESG frameworks, and techniques for articulating measurable benefits to clients, regulators, and the broader public.

Learning Objectives

1. Identify common misperceptions in the mass timber market—including concerns about environmental impact, cost, constructability, and financial performance—and explain why they persist.
2. Describe evidence-based strategies for communicating the sustainability benefits of mass timber, including how modern forestry and credible ESG claims can strengthen stakeholder confidence.
3. Evaluate techniques for addressing cost and constructability concerns through messaging that reflects advances in manufacturing, design integration, modularization, and construction efficiencies.
4. Apply practical approaches to aligning project value propositions with stakeholder priorities, enhancing the ability to articulate measurable outcomes such as schedule, risk mitigation, and financial returns to owners and investors.