LU_Lab at University of Miami Secures Landmark Certification for Southern Yellow Pine Mass Timber in Miami-Dade County
LU_Lab at University of Miami Secures Landmark Certification for Southern Yellow Pine Mass Timber in Miami-Dade County
Product approvals for Southern Yellow Pine Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) products have been accepted by Miami-Dade County for use in construction, marking a significant milestone for sustainable building practices in Florida. This certification allows Southern Yellow Pine timber products, much of which is sourced from Florida, to be used as the primary structural system in construction projects throughout the state’s most stringent building jurisdiction.
The University of Miami’s Littoral Urbanism Lab (LU_Lab), led by Christopher Meyer, secured this Florida Building Products certification through a grant from the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities titled Making Southern Yellow Pine Mass Timber Florida Market Ready.
“This achievement is a testament to the dedication and collaborative efforts of our entire team,” said Christopher Meyer, director of the LU_Lab. “By working closely with regional manufacturers, testing labs, engineers and county officials, we’ve been able to pave the way for greater sustainability in Florida’s construction industry.”
The project team, backed by the Endowment’s grant, successfully obtained Notices of Approval (NOA) for cross-laminated timber products in 3-ply, 5-ply, and 7-ply configurations, as well as for glue-laminated (glu-lam) columns and beams. The grant initiatives culminated in a wood-based educational exhibition held at Miami’s first mass timber structure, House In A Garden, designed by Atelier Mey Architects. The efforts behind the mass timber product certifications were highlighted during Open House Miami, allowing the public to engage with Atelier Mey about designing and working with mass timber in such structures
“The Endowment is proud to have supported this pioneering effort to establish Florida as a leader in sustainable forestry and construction,” said Alicia Cramer, chief operating officer of the Endowment. “By using locally-sourced materials and locally-owned suppy chains, this project demonstrates the potential for state buildings to lead the way in environmentally-conscious design.”
The certification of Southern Yellow Pine CLT products marks an important step towards a more sustainable future for Florida’s construction industry. This achievement sets the stage for wider adoption of mass timber technologies and the use of local, renewable resources in the built environment.
“These product approvals are the start of sustainable and environmentally driven architecture in Florida. Industry education will be crucial in the next steps to ensure that mass timber buildings are designed and constructed effectively,” added Shawna Meyer, principal at Atelier Mey and LU_Lab collaborator.
About the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities:
The U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities is a not-for-profit public charity collaborating with partners in the public and private sectors to advance systemic, transformative, and sustainable change for the health and vitality of the nation’s working forests and forest-reliant communities. To learn more about the Endowment, please visit our website at www.usendowment.org.
