Two professors in the Building and Construction Technology programme at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, experts in wood engineering, have written a comprehensive new book, Mass Timber: Materials, Design, and Construction, that serves as a one-stop resource for the rapidly evolving field of mass timber construction.
Published by John Wiley & Sons, Peggi L Clouston and Alexander C Schreyer’s extensive, 576-page volume arrives at a critical time as the architecture, engineering and construction industry increasingly turns to sustainable wood products to reduce the carbon footprint of the built environment.
The book bridges the gap between traditional timber knowledge and modern engineering, covering a wide array of topics essential for students and professionals alike, including:
- Sustainability: an exploration of the climate-related benefits of wood and forest health;
- Materials science: including in-depth technical details on cross-laminated timber (CLT), Glulam and structural composite lumber;
- Practical design: providing guidance on building codes, gravity and lateral loads, and complex connection detailing/
- Construction excellence: offering insights into procurement, risk management and on-site hoisting and storage.
The book also features detailed case studies of pioneering projects, including the John W Olver Design Building at UMass Amherst, one of the most technologically advanced CLT buildings in the USA.
‘We designed this to be both a classroom companion and a valuable desk reference,’ said Clouston. ‘It includes many illustrative examples to make the material relevant for current practitioners, as well as the next generation of builders.’
More information about the book can be found here.


