Exploring the Applications of Thermally Modified Lumber in the United States' Construction Industry

Elijah Hill

Abstract:
Modern literature cites that the construction industry is responsible for up to thirty-nine percent of global carbon emissions, meaning it contributes a significant amount to the ever-pressing issue of climate change. With that in mind, it is crucial that more ecologically sustainable materials and processes become available to the country's building market. While this notion sounds all well and good, such a proposal is meaningless if the suggested materials do not show themselves to be practical both functionally speaking as well as economically speaking. One material that has the potential to meet both of these criteria is thermally modified lumber (TML), also referred to as thermally modified wood. TML is a rot-resistant wood that is created through a simple steam treatment process. Though it is not new within the global material market, this alternative to pressure treated lumber has seen little application within the United States despite its prospective environmental benefits. This project seeks to justify the implementation of TML in the American construction industry by examining the structural applications of the material, the environmental benefits it poses, and the provisions required to make it an economically feasible option. In doing so, one would hope to see a national recognition of its benefits and a movement towards making thermally modified wood more commonplace in the American construction disciplines.