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“ ”10 Great Lakes Logging • Expo Edition 2025Continued from page 9
entirely from mass timber,” said
We see mass timber
DNR Senior Project Engineer
Michelle Crook.
“We see mass timber production
as a key economic development
opportunity that benefits Mich-
iganders in cities and suburbs
and rural communities across the
state.”
The new building is approx-
imately 10,000 square feet,
production as a key
economic development
opportunity that benefits Michiganders in
cities and suburbs and rural communities
featuring office space and a com-
munity center.
across the state.
The goal was to build the new
center from Michigan-sourced
mass timber, specifically red
pine.
“It’s our fourth most common
Michelle Crook
DNR Senior Project Engineer
tree species in Michigan; we have
a lot of planted stands of red pine
as well as native stands. It recov-
ers naturally after forest fires
and is one of our fastest-growing
trees,” Crook said.
Architecture and design firm
Lord Aeck Sargent designed the
new building and shared how
timber was utilized in its con-
struction.
The exterior walls and roof
decking were made from red pine,
while the beams and posts were
made from Douglas Fir.
Lord Aeck Sargent later com-
pleted an environmental study
and determined that, through the
use of mass timber instead of
structural steel, there was an 89
percent reduction in the build-
ing’s carbon footprint.
Lupien complimented the
design of the buildings and said
it’s a great addition to the New-
berry community.
“Newberry is a pretty small
community, but this beautiful
building just grows right out
of the landscape and makes an
impression like tall trees that are
part of a forest,” Lupien said.
The webinar also featured Russ
Vaagen of Vaagen Timbers, who
supplied the cross-laminated
timber panels for the Newberry
project and received certification
to use red pine on the project.
“There were challenges with
certification because nobody had
used red pine specifically in the
U.S. from Michigan,” Vaagen
said.
Vaagen received certification
for the pine, opening the door for