Our Solution: Performance-Driven Action

Our approach is grounded in data, tailored to unique constraints and guided by long-term thinking. These three steps can help your school shift away from quick fixes and toward long-term performance.

Step 1: Centralize Your Utility Data

Bring all your utility accounts and building automation systems into one place. When data is unified, facility teams gain real-time visibility into building performance, making it easier to track usage, benchmark efficiency and spot opportunities to reduce waste. This transparency also helps your campus community—students, faculty and parents—to see progress toward sustainability goals.

Step 2: Start Small

Most buildings lose 30–50% of energy through ventilation, heat rejection or inefficient systems. Begin by analyzing your centralized data to uncover quick wins like optimizing airflow, reusing heat or lowering hot water temperatures. These small changes can significantly cut energy demand and operating costs while setting the stage for long-term improvements.

Step 3: Build a Plan That Works for Your School

Use the insights from your data to create a roadmap tailored to your budget and timeline. A clear plan helps prioritize actions that reduce energy costs and free up funds to reinvest where it matters most: enhancing learning environments and supporting your students and faculty.

Arch Energy acts as your partner throughout this process, providing the tools to centralize your data, uncover actionable insights and guide you in building a practical, cost-effective energy roadmap that’s right for your campus.

Where We’re Doing It

Energy Optimization at Phillips Academy — Andover

When Phillips Academy set out to optimize energy use across its campus, the goal was clear: reduce costs and carbon footprint while empowering students to take part in the journey. By integrating 240 electric, steam and HVAC data points across 75 buildings, the school gained real-time insights that transformed decision-making. The results speak for themselves: upwards of 10% in energy savings and a campus-wide culture shift. During the student-led Green Cup Challenge, dorms competed to lower their energy use, achieving 6.3% reductions and sparking conversations about sustainability that extended beyond the classroom.

Contact

Kailash Viswanathan, CEM, LEED AP
kviswanathan@consigli.com | LinkedIn
As Director of Energy for Arch Energy, Kailash leverages over three decades of engineering and operations experience to help clients navigate through different stages of the decarbonization journey by planning and implementing low-carbon infrastructure strategies.

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Consigli’s Circular Construction Model

Consigli’s circular construction strategies are built on three key pillars:

1. Internal infrastructure;
2. Strategic investment in circular materials and equipment; and
3. The right partners.

Internal Infrastructure

Our fully integrated Supply and Equipment division is backed by Consigli-owned warehouses, trucks, labor and systems that streamline logistics and accelerate procurement. This unique infrastructure enables our team to recover excess materials from jobsites and return them to our warehouses where they’re cataloged, preserved and prioritized for reuse. When another Consigli site requests materials or equipment, our centralized purchasing team’s first step is to evaluate what’s available internally, minimizing new purchases and keeping valuable resources in circulation. By tapping into our existing inventory, we reduce waste, cut costs and improve speed to site—all while advancing our circular construction operations.

Strategic Investment in Circular Materials and Equipment

Selecting products with long lifespans reduces reliance on single-use resources while lowering procurement costs and waste removal fees. Take STARC panels—modular wall systems designed for repeated use—for instance. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Consigli deployed more than 1.5 miles of these walls on emergency healthcare projects, including triage units at local hospitals. With dedicated warehousing and logistics in place to collect, store and redistribute recycled construction materials, those same STARC panels remain in active use across Consigli projects today. This kind of strategic investment in durable, reusable materials and equipment reduces environmental impact and delivers measurable cost savings across projects.

The Right Partners

Engaging the right partners is essential to closing resource loops across the value chain and extending circular strategies beyond a single organization. By working with like-minded organizations, we amplify impact. Through our partnership with Evolve Resource Management (EvolveRM), we transformed our dated hardhats into plastic pellets, which were then used to manufacture pallets. These pallets are now actively used by our Supply and Equipment division. In the Boston market, Consigli also deploys Wasted* portable restrooms—units that use diversion technology to convert human waste into slow-release fertilizer for gardening. Partnerships like these ensure that waste-to-resource solutions are not just internal goals. They’re shared, long-term commitments.

Scaling Circularity Across the Construction Industry

Consigli’s circularity model challenges the notion that sustainable building is a cost center. By implementing systems that streamline material reuse and reduce construction waste, the model directly addresses rising costs, resource scarcity and the growing demand for sustainable practices. Now, Consigli is committed to building a collaborative circular economy in construction where contractors share recycled construction materials across job sites and organizations, transforming surplus into opportunity. This scalable approach sets a new industry standard, proving that waste reduction, resource sharing and sustainable construction can drive both operational efficiency and long-term environmental impact.

“Consigli’s circularity model has the potential to reshape construction’s environmental footprint—turning waste into opportunity. We’ve seen firsthand how this approach delivers operational efficiency, financial value and measurable sustainability for our clients and our jobsites.”

Jon Burton, Director of Supply and Equipment

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Over the past three decades, Consigli has evolved from a local, family-run contractor into one of the largest construction management firms in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Caribbean. Throughout that growth, the company has remained guided by a consistent principle: technology should solve real problems, not just follow trends.

“We don’t invest in technology for technology’s sake,” Matthew shared. “We look for tools that make our people’s work safer and smarter, while delivering lasting value for clients.”

Matthew discussed how Consigli’s innovation strategy blends centralized R&D with employee-driven idea generation, allowing the company to test and scale solutions that make a meaningful difference in day-to-day work. Consigli’s approach includes the use of tools like AI-assisted estimating, robotics for safety and quality, and data-driven project insights—all implemented with a clear purpose and a human lens.

“Our job as leaders is to connect the dots from new tools to better work, and to build trust in the process. When teams see how it helps them achieve real results, adoption—and progress—follows,” said Matthew.

This collaborative approach ensures that new technologies are introduced with clear intent and ownership from the teams who use them every day.

“When you view technology as a way to elevate people, not replace them, it becomes a catalyst for performance, safety and connection,” Matthew noted. “That’s where real innovation happens.”

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With Arch Energy, Consigli’s energy division, we specialize in helping organizations plan and implement smart, cost-effective and energy-efficient retrofitting strategies that don’t just reduce energy use but improve how buildings function.

The Challenge: Aging Infrastructure & The Impact of Inaction

Facility managers and public leaders face the same problem: managing 30-, 50-, even 100-year-old buildings that were built before energy efficiency was a priority and when fossil fuels were cheap. The consequences are clear:

• Increasing energy costs
• Frequent maintenance calls and repairs
• Uncomfortable or unhealthy indoor environments
• Strained capital budgets

The Shift: From Short-Term Fixes to Long-Term Value

Upgrading a building’s energy systems isn’t a cost—it’s an investment. Like managing our health, we don’t wait to act on signs of a cognitive issue or ignore high blood pressure until there’s an emergency. Investing in prevention is always effective.

Energy efficiency is the preventive care of building health. It reduces risk, improves comfort and avoids expensive surprises down the line. The key is in shifting away from quick fixes and toward long-term performance.

Our Solution: Practical, Performance-Driven Action

Our approach is grounded in data, tailored to unique constraints and guided by long-term thinking:

• Grounded in data: We provide targeted energy and heat loss audits and benchmarking services to understand what’s working and what isn’t, and inform next steps.
• Tailored to unique constraints: Every building has distinctive operating schedules, occupant needs and budget limitations. We develop energy efficiency measures—from design to installation—that satisfy unique constraints.
• Guided by long-term thinking: We help clients plan and prioritize improvements that yield lasting value.

How we do it: Reduce. Reuse. Electrify.

Reduce: Reduce energy through smarter systems. Lighting controls, tighter building envelopes, digital controls and optimized HVAC scheduling are low-hanging fruit that deliver immediate savings.

Reuse: Capitalize on what’s already available. Many aging buildings have functioning infrastructure that can be upgraded and integrated into high-efficiency operations. We focus on reusing—or recovering—wasted energy from that infrastructure to cut energy use without major overhauls:

• Heat recovery from ventilation systems can pre-warm or pre-cool incoming air.
• Water-side heat recovery can capture thermal energy from drains, condensers and other equipment to reuse for space heating or domestic hot water.

Electrify: Where it makes sense, replace fossil-fuel-based systems with high-efficiency heat pumps. Electrification increases building resilience, simplifies maintenance and supports compliance with changing energy codes and carbon regulations.

The Benefits: Energy Efficiency as a Strategic Asset

1. Lower Operating Costs: Targeted retrofits reduce annual energy costs by 20–40% or more. That money can be reinvested into services, staffing or capital reserves.
2. Reduced Maintenance: Fewer breakdowns means fewer emergency repairs. Arch Energy ensures the designs we implement minimize complexity and are easy to operate and maintain.
3. Improved Comfort and Health: Thermal comfort, air quality and lighting quality directly impact occupant performance, productivity and satisfaction.
4. Resilience and Adaptability: Efficient systems make your building more flexible and able to adapt to future technologies, climate events and tenant needs. This means that your heating and cooling equipment is available during extreme events.
5. Environmental Impact: Every upgrade shrinks a carbon footprint, which means cleaner air, regulatory compliance and a facility that contributes to sustainability targets.

Why Now? Energy Efficiency as the Foundation of Compliance

Across the U.S., local laws and building performance standards are raising the bar on energy use, emissions and operational transparency. Like New York City’s Local Law 97 and Boston’s BERDO, jurisdictions are mandating change, and aging buildings are at the center of it.

Energy efficiency is the first, most cost-effective step toward compliance. Benchmarking helps understand a building’s carbon footprint, and efficiency upgrades reduce penalties and extend compliance timelines. Waiting increases the risk of fines, unplanned capital expenses and tenant dissatisfaction. Early action, guided by a clear roadmap, puts you in control of your building’s future.

The Power of Partnership: Why Collaboration Matters

Energy efficiency isn’t a one-time checklist. It requires collaboration, practical know-how and follow-through. That’s where Arch Energy comes in—not just as a contractor, but as a partner to:

• Help reduce costs by identifying the right mix of strategies, incentives and phasing.
• Take ownership of outcomes, guiding the design, construction and commissioning processes.
• Supplement your internal resources, bringing the focus, time and energy that overburdened teams often don’t have.

For our team, energy efficiency is not an afterthought—it’s a priority. Building managers are weighed down by years of deferred decisions, and Arch Energy can help. With countless technologies and pathways, a partner who knows how to turn a vision into action is key.

Where We’re Doing It

Massachusetts State Transportation Building Energy Project

While the 1,000,000 sq. ft. building remained occupied, Consigli and its Arch Energy division replaced legacy lighting with LEDs, added wireless occupancy and daylight controls, upgraded 1,300 Variable Air Volume (VAV) boxes and converted the entire building from pneumatic air to Digital (DDC) controls and cooling and heating plant optimization. $1.89 million in utility funding was secured to support the project.

The Impact:

• 5 million kWh saved annually (equivalent to powering 450 homes)
• 10,000 MMBtu in thermal energy saved
• 2,300 MTCO₂e avoided (like taking 500 cars off the road or planting 38,000 trees)

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Commercial buildings account for over 30% of all U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. With increasing local, regional and federal laws and disclosure requirements requiring reduced operational carbon emissions, businesses are compelled to prioritize decarbonization, or face penalization. Take New York City and Boston—two major cities issuing fines to commercial buildings for failing to comply with reducing carbon emissions:

New York City – Local Law 97: Local Law 97 mandates large buildings to significantly reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, aiming for a 40% reduction by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2050. It is considered one of the most ambitious plans in the nation.

Boston – Building Emissions Reduction and Disclosure (BERDO): BERDO requires large buildings to report their annual energy and water use to the city by February 2025 and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 2023 in line with set targets, with the ultimate goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050.

By 2030, more than a dozen cities will follow suit, establishing their own regulations resembling New York City and Boston’s goals.

Planning for Successful Decarbonization

With 2030 approaching, the time for planning is now. Arch Energy, Consigli’s energy division, can help guide the planning of your decarbonization project starting with these key actions:

Benchmark Your Emissions: Compare your building’s energy performance to similar buildings. Collect energy data on your building and calculate the emissions using the factors written in the law.

Engage Collaborative Partners: Ensure the success of your decarbonization projects by involving experienced partners from the beginning. The key to effectively decarbonizing older buildings lies in the early and active collaboration of all essential participants—architects, engineers, builders and clients.

Analyze Emissions Data: Identify areas where your building may be falling short of compliance and pinpoint emission hotspots. Collaborate with your design and construction team to evaluate the data and determine the most effective low-carbon projects or infrastructure upgrades for your property.

Reduce, Recover, Electrify: Identify waste heat not only to reduce your energy demand, but to see where heat can be reused to save 30% to 40% of carbon emissions. Once you reduce and recover available waste heat, begin to implement electrification measures.

Leverage Available Incentives: Understand the guardrails to qualified scope for incentives on planning and construction projects. Secure dollars by leveraging eligible tax credits and local utility and state incentives that enable zero carbon infrastructure.

Accelerating energy efficiency improvements can achieve more than a third of the total carbon dioxide (CO2) emission reductions needed between now and 2030, aligning with the goal of reaching net zero emissions by 2050.

The Advantage of Decarbonization

Adopting sustainable practices in building management offers advantages, both financially and reputationally. To transform your legacy building into a model for decarbonization, start today.

Economic: By adhering to sustainability standards, building owners can avoid potential fines and adapt more easily to new market conditions. Additionally, sustainable buildings typically have lower operating costs, longer lifespans and reduced environmental impact, which can translate into better financial performance over time.

Market Value: Decarbonization is a necessary step in reaching Net Zero goals and meeting stakeholder expectations, including those of tenants, investors and the community. Companies that prioritize sustainability not only enhance their reputation and brand value but also increase customer loyalty, attract new clients and provide a competitive edge in the market. By positioning a decarbonized legacy building as a premium, resilient asset, businesses improve their market standing.

Where We’re Doing It 

345 Hudson, owned and currently being repositioned by Hudson Square Properties (HSP), is a model for sustainable practices, incorporating Nordic design principles of holistic energy recycling and electrification and serving as a scalable solution for Local Law 97 compliance. Because of its natural gas operations, mid-tier energy rating and carbon emissions, the 990,000 sq. ft. 345 Hudson was destined to face recurring Local Law 97 carbon emissions fines starting in 2035. Over a seven-year period, 345 Hudson is undergoing infrastructure changes that will make its decarbonization a reality.

Learn more about the project here.

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With Consigli’s prefabrication and self-perform experts, the project team identified a viable, cost-neutral solution for the building’s exterior wall panels to save on schedule. Upon presentation to and approval from the University, Consigli planned and executed the pre-fabricated exterior wall panels to condense a traditionally six-week building enclosure timeframe into just two weeks with its own self-perform craftspeople.

Design

Engaging the right design partners confirms accurate design details of pre-fabricated building elements and mitigates the risk of rework once materials leave the warehouse.

Consigli engaged a third-party delegated design team to review and confirm details for connections on the exterior wall panels. Excel Engineering, a specialty engineering firm with expertise in cold form steel, was hired to detail the panels and confirm all structural details. Excel converted the façade into panels that could be transported from Consigli’s prefabrication facility to the jobsite as they were ready to be installed.

Prefabrication

In addition to improved quality control and productivity, implementing prefabrication strategies on higher education projects takes work off campus and minimizes on-site construction activity.

Self-perform at Prefabrication Warehouse

At Consigli’s regionally based prefabrication shop, self-perform crews assembled 130 panels totaling 15,000 sq. ft. to enclose the residence hall addition. For eight weeks, five self-perform craftspeople precisely fabricated all exterior wall panels in sequence of how they would be placed on the building. This process brought approximately 1,800 hours of labor hours off of the University’s campus and into the warehouse, reducing on-site construction traffic and supporting a quieter job site in the process.

The well-lit, heated, ground-level space at the warehouse provided an ergonomic working environment—one that a construction site cannot always guarantee among the noises of intrusive trades on site, especially amid February weather in New England. When preparing the panels for load and delivery to site, the project team employed a project-specific quality assurance checklist developed and implemented by Consigli’s Quality department to safeguard the quality of every panel. All dimensions and details were reviewed on multiple occasions, and once each panel passed inspection, the panel was loaded on the flatbed to leave for the site. Panels were loaded onto four flatbed trucks for just-in-time deliveries so the panels could be picked and flown directly onto the building upon arrival to the job site.

Delivery & Installation

Parallel processing of material fabrication and installation supports faster, higher-quality construction by simultaneously managing multiple trades.

Pre-fabricated Exterior Wall Panel Install

While the crew in the prefabrication shop fabricated panels and loaded the trucks, six Consigli craftspeople at the jobsite received and unloaded the panels to be flown and placed on the building. Consigli’s simultaneous workflow—also known as parallel processing—maximized time both on site and in the warehouse. The Consigli field team had pre-checked the concrete foundation wall perimeter at the jobsite to ensure it was flat and level to quickly and accurately receive the first-floor panels set to rest on top of it.

The fast-tracked, two-week installation in February allowed the project team to enclose the exterior and start heating for interior tradework throughout the winter. And, because the building was enclosed and work was moved indoors, the construction site quickly quieted for the campus community, especially for the students in the adjacent dormitory.

The benefits of Consigli’s hands-on ownership of the pre-fabricated exterior wall panels went beyond the accelerated project schedule. Exterior wall system prefabrication ensured a quality product was fabricated and installed efficiently and with the campus’s best interest in mind—from decreased on-campus activity to the maintenance of a clean, safer and substantially quieter construction site.

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5 Traditional Roadblocks:

1. Fluoropolymer Coated Stainless Scrubbed Exhaust Systems

These specialized exhaust systems, essential in semiconductor manufacturing, are designed to transport and neutralize hazardous by-products safely. With the equipment’s long-lead times, it is critical to order specialty ductwork early, given their complex design and custom fabrication needs.

2.  Alternative Suppliers for Specialty Gas Equipment in Semiconductor Facilities

Exploring alternative suppliers for specialty gas equipment like Valve Manifold Boxes and Gas Cabinets in semiconductor manufacturing can significantly reduce lead times, prevent costly project delays, and enhance supply chain adaptability, ensuring timely and efficient project completion. Understanding owner project requirements and site standards early drives success throughout the project.

3. Challenges with Electrical Substation and Switchgear Lead-times

The rising demand from data centers, the EV market, and battery manufacturing plants has strained supply chains for essential electrical components like transformers and switchboards, making it crucial to engage custom suppliers early in the procurement process to ensure timely project delivery.

4. Toxic Gas Monitoring System Installation and Commissioning

Essential for semiconductor manufacturing, the installation and commissioning of a Toxic Gas Monitoring System (TGMS) ensure the early detection and management of hazardous gas leaks. Engaging gas suppliers early in the preconstruction phase is crucial for a seamless integration, safeguarding both operations and personnel.

5. System Start-up Coordination for Semiconductor Facilities

The successful start-up and commissioning of semiconductor facilities demand meticulous coordination among multidisciplinary teams. Engaging M/E/P trade partners early in the planning process is essential for final testing, ensuring that all integrated systems are rigorously tested and fully operational before transitioning to production.

Access a full PDF of this information here: Semiconductor Chip Fab Construction Project Traditional Roadblocks.

Contact:

James Kehoe, Director of Advanced Technology
jkehoe@consigli.com

James is a seasoned expert in semiconductor fabrication construction with over two decades of industry experience. His technical expertise and forward-thinking approach have been instrumental in navigating many of the industry’s most complex construction challenges and making significant contributions to the field. James’s commitment to innovation and excellence continues influencing the semiconductor construction industry, driving advancements and new solutions.

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With many academic institutions re-evaluating campus needs as we evolve during this pandemic, Consigli brings a strong interdisciplinary approach to assessing existing campus facilities and providing practical scope recommendations with associated costs, focused on five strategic solutions.

Reduced Budgets

Our Solutions:

• CM Buying Power. Leveraging multiple project relationships with key partners resulting in greater control over project costs & lead time risks.
• Reduced Cost. Full-time on-site management with the resources to cover multiple projects on concurrent work schedules maximizing cost efficiency

Energy Efficiency

Our Solutions:

• Energy Optimization. Provide solutions to reduce energy use by 15% to 25%, like peak demand shaving, networked lighting controls, etc.
• Deep Energy Retrofit. Provide a more comprehensive look at all your energy consuming systems including building envelope & try to achieve 50% to 60% reduction in energy usage.
• Building Intelligence. Design & implement building management systems, with data driven analytics on your HVAC system operations.
• Healthy Buildings. Ensure that your buildings are meeting or exceeding enhanced ventilation needs.

Consigli’s Arch Energy group provides and implements integrated solutions to create sustainable, healthy and intelligent buildings powered by low-carbon infrastructure, reducing costs and increasing building efficiency across all markets.

Deferred Maintenance

Our Solutions:

• Building Assessments. Exploratory work to identify existing conditions & minimize cost & schedule impacts.
• Informed Estimates. Scope menus & prioritization of the most critical deferred maintenance items.
• M/E/P Services. Provide data driven strategies that maximize long-term value with lower maintenance & operating costs.
• Right Sizing. Develop strategic equipment solutions that balance project & operating costs.

Streamlining Procurement

Our Solutions:

• Trade Bundling. More competitive pricing through resource loading & personnel leveling between multiple projects.
• Design-Build Services. Lead an assembled team of design specialists to assist in master planning, campus assessment & project scope development.

Staffing Resources

Our Solutions:

• A Dedicated Staff. Provide multi-project management solutions with transparent documentation & reporting for less strain on in-house resources.
• Expanded Resources. Connect with Project Service Group resources (VDC, Scheduling & M/E/P) to develop task focused project management planning & solutions.

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To support lower carbon emissions by 2032, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) Section 48 Energy Credit offers new construction and energy projects up to 6-50% of costs as a tax credit to private and tax-exempt entities. Backed by Arch Energy—Consigli’s energy division—we help clients secure dollars by leveraging eligible tax credits to advance clean energy solutions and get one step closer to decarbonization.

How Consigli Can Help

Step 1: Identify the Project’s Energy Scope

With our Arch Energy experts, Consigli provides the guardrails to qualified eligible scope for developed projects.

Step 2: Quantify the Project’s Energy Output

Based on the eligible scope, Consigli quantifies your energy project output, including the total rated capacity of heating and cooling.

Step 3: Relate the Design to Domestic Content

Our team identifies any iron, steel and manufactured products within the project scope that can be sourced domestically to maximize benefits from the “Made in USA” Domestic Materials Bonus.

Step 4: Manage Labor Requirements

In preconstruction, Consigli develops a plan for prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements based on total heating and cooling output (if applicable). The project may require that 100% certified payroll and 15% total labor hours be performed by a certified apprenticeship.

Step 5: Identify Other Bonuses or Tax Credits

As Consigli helps secure IRA incentives, we will also evaluate other cost-saving incentives for use on your project, including bonus credits and local tax rebates.

Where We’re Doing It

University of New Hampshire, Thermal Energy Storage Tank

In lieu of installing a new chiller plant to meet a campus need for increased cooling, the University of New Hampshire (UNH) called for the construction of a TES tank that will store and deliver a minimum of 10,400 ton-hours of thermal energy as chilled water at 42°F. The implementation of this project will be a significant step in helping UNH achieve their sustainability goals highlighted in their Climate Action Plan, WildCAP. Consigli supported the University to maximize IRA credits, including:

• Review of tank components and steel for domestic content requirements.
• Subcontract development to clearly define apprenticeship requirements from each subcontractor.
• Tracking system creation and management to ensure weekly that all certified payrolls and apprenticeship hours were properly logged and submitted to the University.

Learn more about the project here.

Arch Energy or Consigli does not provide accounting, tax or legal advice to its clients, and all clients are strongly urged to consult with their own tax or legal advisors regarding any potential strategy. We have provided this information for educational purposes only.

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Since the introduction of Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) to the U.S. more than a decade ago, Consigli has been on the forefront of erecting structures utilizing this sustainable structural solution. Over the last three years, we have seen a 300% increase in the number of projects utilizing and considering mass timber, not limited to CLT.

By integrating CLT with Glue Laminated Timber (GLT) to create entirely wood superstructures, design teams have been able to reduce the quantity of concrete in buildings thereby reducing carbon emitting materials in the built environment. The increased adoption of mass timber by clients is a major driver in green building, and we’re amidst exciting trends in the adoption of mass timber in the Northeast.

Trends in Construction Manager Selection

We have witnessed Construction Managers (CMs) with self-performing carpentry capabilities lead the industry’s mass timber adoption. The advantage that CMs with self-perform capabilities have over those without is a better understanding of constructability, coordination and installation strategies. With hands-on experience handling timber elements with their own craftspeople, self-performing CMs like Consigli are equipped with more timber package procurement options and can more accurately price early-stage designs based on experience from field operations personnel who routinely manage rigging, crane selection and material handling.

Trends in Sourcing Domestically

The majority of CLT’s global supply is based in Austria and Germany, where the material originated. However, we are seeing recent projects specified with Buy America goals and client requests to source timber materials locally. Additionally, logistics planning for the delivery of non-domestically sourced materials has been a challenge in the last two years, causing CMs to look for domestically produced materials.

While CLT production remains new to the U.S. market, Consigli has been requesting locally sourced lumber and partnering with laminators to explore ways to incorporate lumber from regional forests. Although glue laminators have been in the U.S. for decades, we are just now starting to see increased interest in New England forests as a prime location for mass timber manufacturing. Some mass timber suppliers have recently consolidated in the U.S. market.

Additionally, select modular and light wood frame panel manufacturers have moved into computer numeric controlled (CNC) wall panel fabrication and incorporated CLT floor and wall plates into their design solutions. We have also seen novel methods of all-wood construction through alternatives to CLT and GLT, like the introduction of Nail Laminated Timber (NLT) and Dowel Laminated Timber (DLT), Mass Plywood Panels (MPP), Parallel Strand Lumber and larger block glued timber elements.

As the European market continues to innovate timber manufacturing methods (e.g. introducing massive Parallel Strand Lumber elements as alternatives to glulam columns and beams, using timber cords and plywood webs on light box girders for lighter timber roof structures, etc.,) Consigli is advocating to bring those products to the U.S. market by serving in leadership roles on the Engineered Wood Products Committee for the Memorandum of Understanding Concerning Cooperation in Forestry between Finland and the State of Maine and the Maine Mass Timber Advisory Council.

Innovation of Mass Timber Products

When a new building material like mass timber is introduced to the market, it creates an environment ripe for innovation. In partnership with the University of Maine Advanced Structures and Composites Center, Consigli is working on an alternative to CLT floor plates with the intent of finding more efficient ways to laminate timber while also maximizing the timber resource.

We have also seen new product development with the intent of reducing the quantity of wood fiber volume in long span roof plates, such as Austria’s Kielsteg product. Though it is not yet available to the U.S. market, we see it as a significant advantage for long-span, unrated roof plates.

Additionally, we have been introduced to a new cross laminated product called Lignor, which inventively laminates highly efficient, stranded composite lumber into a laminated billet that utilizes a significantly more efficient use of the timber resource.

The emphasis on sustainability and reducing carbon footprints in construction is no longer just a desire—it’s a necessity. Continued innovation and more options for U.S.-based sources will lower the risk of supply-side sourcing of mass timber products and drive clients and contractors toward more efficient solutions. The future of mass timber will be driven by innovations in engineering more efficient uses of the lumber resource, further elevating mass timber’s sustainability advantage over traditional structural systems.

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