Wood use in nonresidential buildings: opportunities and barriers.

The North American nonresidential construction sector represents a substantial market for structural building materials, yet it is relatively untapped by wood. This study explored wood use and perceptions held by architects and engineers with respect to the structural use of wood in nonresidential buildings, using an extensive mail survey and a series of specifier focus groups in select geographic regions. Several clear barriers for wood emerged across code, technology transfer, and research and development categories. Key problem areas identified were fire-related building code limitations, wood's cost-competitiveness with steel, wood's design difficulty, and poor training for designers and wood tradespeople. Recommendations for addressing these impediments in both the short and long term are offered.