Shafayet Ahmed | Oregon State University (original) (raw)

Papers by Shafayet Ahmed

Journal of the Construction Division and Management, Oct 1, 2022

Practice Periodical on Structural Design and Construction

Journal of Construction Engineering and Management

Practice Periodical on Structural Design and Construction, May 1, 2023

Construction Research Congress 2022, Mar 7, 2022

Construction Research Congress 2022, 2022

Mass timber has been considered as a promising building material because of its structural rigidi... more Mass timber has been considered as a promising building material because of its structural rigidity, environmental sustainability, and renewability nature. In Europe and Australia, mass timber materials have been used for many different types of construction such as residential, commercial, education, and industrial. However, the construction practitioners in the U.S. are still reluctant to consider mass timber as a mainstream building material. A limited number of case study projects make it difficult for industry personnel to evaluate the actual construction feasibility of mass timber. As a result, a significant knowledge gap has been created that is hindering the progress of mass timber material in the U.S. construction industry. To help solve the problem, this dissertation utilizes a range of research methodologies and data analysis techniques to evaluate the feasibility of mass timber building materials in the US construction industry. The dissertation focuses on four major objectives that will help industry practitioners to adopt mass timber as a mainstream building material. The first objective of the study is to determine the existing perception of the industry practitioners regarding mass timber materials. Using industry-wide questionnaire surveys, this study determines the current awareness level among the practitioners regarding mass timber. It also identifies some of the major advantages and challenges associated with mass timber construction. Finally, the study provides several recommendations to overcome the challenges. The second objective of the study is to investigate the cost compatibility of mass timber materials compared to the other traditional building materials. A case study is used to evaluate the construction cost competitiveness of a mass timber building project with a modeled concrete building. The third objective of the study is to assess the air pollution potential of mass timber material. A mass timber building construction site, a steel building construction site, and a regular location are used to collect four different sizes of particulate matter (PM). The fourth and last objective of the dissertation is to develop a multi-criteria decision-making framework to evaluate the feasibility of mass timber material in the US market. A scientific decision-making tool named choosing-by-advantages (CBA) is used to develop the framework. The dissertation produces a total of nine peer-reviewed manuscripts summarizing the key research contributions. Findings from this dissertation will benefit both construction practitioners as well as the researchers with new knowledge on mass timber building materials. In addition to that, it will increase the acceptance of this material in the U.S. construction industry.

Cleaner Engineering and Technology, 2020

Abstract Timber has been considered as a promising building material because of its structural ri... more Abstract Timber has been considered as a promising building material because of its structural rigidity, environmental sustainability, and renewability nature. In Europe and Australia, timber materials have been used for many different types of construction such as residential, commercial, education, and industrial. However, in the U.S., the familiarity of timber products is gaining momentum. The construction practitioners are still reluctant to consider mass timber as a mainstream building material. A limited number of case study projects make it difficult for industry personnel to evaluate the actual construction feasibility of mass timber. As a result, a significant knowledge gap has been created that hindering the progress of mass timber material in the U.S. construction industry. To help solve the problem, this study aims to identify the existing awareness level among the U.S. building constructors regarding mass timber building materials. It further determines some of the major construction-related difficulties of mass timber buildings and recommendations overcome those difficulties to increase the acceptance of this material. The study performed a semi-structured questionnaire survey to carry out statistical analysis regarding mass timber building material. Analysis of descriptive statistics suggested that the level of awareness and involvement by the U.S. construction practitioners in mass timber building is still significantly low as 55% of the participants indicated no experience on mass timber building construction projects. Qualitative data analysis suggested that lack of experience in timber construction, poor coordination among the project parties, design-related difficulties, and high cost of mass timber panels are the biggest construction-related barriers to adopt this product. To overcome the existing difficulties, the study proposed an increasing number of timber building projects and manufacturing plants, effective early collaboration among the project parties, developing skilled workers, and a nation-wide promotion by the owners and the architects. The outcomes of this study will be helpful for the industry practitioners and the owners to adopt mass timber as a mainstream building material. The study will further increase the acceptance of this material in the U.S. construction industry.

Journal of Building Engineering, 2021

Practice Periodical on Structural Design and Construction, 2021

AbstractMass timber is a promising building material that has been used in Europe for a long time... more AbstractMass timber is a promising building material that has been used in Europe for a long time. Structural rigidity, renewable characteristics, and low-carbon footprint have made this material a...

Journal of Building Engineering, 2018

International Journal of Research in Engineering and Technology, 2015

Construction Research Congress 2022, 2022

Cleaner Engineering and Technology, 2020

Timber has been considered as a promising building material because of its structural rigidity, e... more Timber has been considered as a promising building material because of its structural rigidity, environmental sustainability, and renewability nature. In Europe and Australia, timber materials have been used for many different types of construction such as residential, commercial, education, and industrial. However, in the U.S., the familiarity of timber products is gaining momentum. The construction practitioners are still reluctant to consider mass timber as a mainstream building material. A limited number of case study projects make it difficult for industry personnel to evaluate the actual construction feasibility of mass timber. As a result, a significant knowledge gap has been created that hindering the progress of mass timber material in the U.S. construction industry. To help solve the problem, this study aims to identify the existing awareness level among the U.S. building constructors regarding mass timber building materials. It further determines some of the major construction-related difficulties of mass timber buildings and recommendations overcome those difficulties to increase the acceptance of this material. The study performed a semi-structured questionnaire survey to carry out statistical analysis regarding mass timber building material. Analysis of descriptive statistics suggested that the level of awareness and involvement by the U.S. construction practitioners in mass timber building is still significantly low as 55% of the participants indicated no experience on mass timber building construction pro- jects. Qualitative data analysis suggested that lack of experience in timber construction, poor coordination among the project parties, design-related difficulties, and high cost of mass timber panels are the biggest construction- related barriers to adopt this product. To overcome the existing difficulties, the study proposed an increasing number of timber building projects and manufacturing plants, effective early collaboration among the project parties, developing skilled workers, and a nationwide promotion by the owners and the architects. The outcomes of this study will be helpful for the industry practitioners and the owners to adopt mass timber as a mainstream building material. The study will further increase the acceptance of this material in the U.S. construction industry.

Journal of Building Engineering, 2021

In recent years, timber has been considered as an alternative source of building material because... more In recent years, timber has been considered as an alternative source of building material because of its sustainability and design efficiency. However, the cost competitiveness of timber buildings is still under study due to the lack of available cost information. This paper presents a comprehensive cost comparative analysis of a mass timber building mainly developed with cross-laminated timber (CLT). The actual construction cost of the project is compared with the modeled cost of the same building designed as a concrete option. The result shows that the construction cost of timber building is 6.43% higher than the modeled concrete building. The study further investigated the change orders associated with the project and found that the total cost of change orders contributed 5.62% to the final construction cost of mass timber building. The study is helpful to provide insight into the construction cost of typical mass timber buildings. It also can be used as a guide for the project owners to make decisions regarding their initial investments on a mass timber project.

Practice Periodical on Structural Design and Construction, 2021

Mass timber is a promising building material that has been used in Europe for a long time. Struct... more Mass timber is a promising building material that has been used in Europe for a long time. Structural rigidity, renewable characteristics, and low-carbon footprint have made this material a major structural component in the European construction market. While the concept of mass timber building has been successful in Europe, the US construction practitioners are still dubious to adopt this material on a greater scale. In the US construction industry, mass timber has received very little consideration from the stakeholders. Lack of case study projects, awareness, and work experience in mass timber materials have created an industrywide knowledge gap that is hindering the progress of this innovative building material in the US construction market. This study evaluates the feasibility of mass timber products in the US construction industry by analyzing its level of awareness, existing challenges and difficulties, and recommendations to improve the existing perceptions to help solve the knowledge gap and increase the current acceptability of mass timber products among the US construction practitioners. The research method includes three different sets of semistructured questionnaire surveys, distributed among 1,200 construction companies, 300 architectural firms, and 55 mass timber manufacturers in the US. Data analysis of the surveys suggested that the US construction practitioners have significantly low involvement level and work experience in timber building design and construction. The main perceived benefits of using mass timber material are the requirement of a small workforce during construction, aesthetic appeal, and prefabricated characteristics of timber panels. Major perceived downsides are lack of work experience, insufficient timber manufacturing plants, high cost of engineered wood products, and code limitations. Several recommendations were provided on the survey including from the study such as increasing awareness among the stakeholders by undertaking more timber building projects, establishing more manufacturing facilities, developing codes and standards, and developing a skilled workforce experienced in timber construction. The outcomes of the study will be a helpful reference source for US construction practitioners to evaluate the actual feasibility of mass timber as a building material. It will further help increase the acceptability of mass timber products in the US.

2019 Canadian Society of Civil Engineering Annual ConferenceAt: Montreal, Canada

Construction activities can produce significant amounts of air pollution having a direct effect o... more Construction activities can produce significant amounts of air pollution having a direct effect on the surrounding environment. The level of emissions is distinct for each construction site based on the materials used for construction. Particulate matter (PM) is one of the most important pollutants produced during construction activities. This study aims to detect the concentration of PM emitted from two construction sites using different primary construction materials: cross-laminated timber (CLT) and steel. PM emissions were measured on both sites over a period of five days for four separate PM sizes (PM1.0, PM2.5, PM4.0, PM10) for a total of 600 data points. Data analysis performed for this study suggested that the steel building construction site had a higher concentration of PM than the CLT building construction site. Average concentration rate of the steel building construction site were found to be 55-78% higher than the CLT project. The mean concentration of PM10 and PM4.0 was detected highest of all the sizes for both CLT and steel construction site. Both construction sites satisfied the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) standards for daily PM2.5 and PM10 concentration level. However, the mean concentration of PM2.5 (18.63 µg/m 3) measured at the steel building construction site was found higher than the USEPA national average concentration rate (10.78 µg/m 3). PM10 concentration level was found lower than the national average rate for both construction sites. The inclusion of PM1.0 and PM4.0, which was mostly disregarded in previous studies, will be helpful to analyze the characteristics of different PM sizes.

Journal of Building Engineering, 2019

Construction sites are responsible for generating a high concentration of pollutants in surroundi... more Construction sites are responsible for generating a high concentration of pollutants in surrounding air. Emission
level can be different depending on the materials used for the construction. One of the methods for quantifying
air pollution is to measure particulate matters (PM) emitted on construction sites. This study aims to determine
the concentration of PM produced from two construction sites using different materials; cross-laminated timber
(CLT) and steel. A reference location was also used in order to compare the concentration level with the construction
sites. A total of 900 data points of four different particulate matter sizes (PM1.0, PM2.5, PM4.0, PM10)
were collected from all three locations over a period of 5 days. Data analysis supports that construction sites emit
significantly higher concentration of PM than other locations. In majority of the cases, concentration levels were
found below the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) standard for particulate matters. The
outcomes of this study provide a considerable understanding of PM emission in construction sites and relationship
of emission level with different construction materials and activities. Furthermore, this study determines
the correlations of different PM sizes measured for the study.

This paper assesses the feasibility of rainwater harvesting as a solution to the existing water c... more This paper assesses the feasibility of rainwater harvesting as a solution to the existing water crisis in Dhaka City – a mega city with a population of 15 million. Groundwater is the main source of Dhaka's water supply. To meet the increasing demand, the groundwater table is decreasing at an alarming rate. Dhaka needs to find out otherpotential sources of water. Rivers surrounded by the city would be a solution but due to high pollution, most of those rivers are now out of consideration. In this context, rainwater harvesting could be a potential source of water that will be able to meet a significant part of water demand of the Dhaka city residents. Also a high rainfall rate during the monsoon period is an important factor in this regard. In this study, a six storied high rise building with 80+ residents was investigated. Rainwater harvesting is considered only for the purpose of toilet flushing, washing cloths and house cleaning. In order to understand the social impat of rainwater harvesting, a resident survey was conducted. 88% of the residents agreed that rainwater harvesting wouldbe an acceptable solution of the present water crisis.

Journal of the Construction Division and Management, Oct 1, 2022

Practice Periodical on Structural Design and Construction

Journal of Construction Engineering and Management

Practice Periodical on Structural Design and Construction, May 1, 2023

Construction Research Congress 2022, Mar 7, 2022

Construction Research Congress 2022, 2022

Mass timber has been considered as a promising building material because of its structural rigidi... more Mass timber has been considered as a promising building material because of its structural rigidity, environmental sustainability, and renewability nature. In Europe and Australia, mass timber materials have been used for many different types of construction such as residential, commercial, education, and industrial. However, the construction practitioners in the U.S. are still reluctant to consider mass timber as a mainstream building material. A limited number of case study projects make it difficult for industry personnel to evaluate the actual construction feasibility of mass timber. As a result, a significant knowledge gap has been created that is hindering the progress of mass timber material in the U.S. construction industry. To help solve the problem, this dissertation utilizes a range of research methodologies and data analysis techniques to evaluate the feasibility of mass timber building materials in the US construction industry. The dissertation focuses on four major objectives that will help industry practitioners to adopt mass timber as a mainstream building material. The first objective of the study is to determine the existing perception of the industry practitioners regarding mass timber materials. Using industry-wide questionnaire surveys, this study determines the current awareness level among the practitioners regarding mass timber. It also identifies some of the major advantages and challenges associated with mass timber construction. Finally, the study provides several recommendations to overcome the challenges. The second objective of the study is to investigate the cost compatibility of mass timber materials compared to the other traditional building materials. A case study is used to evaluate the construction cost competitiveness of a mass timber building project with a modeled concrete building. The third objective of the study is to assess the air pollution potential of mass timber material. A mass timber building construction site, a steel building construction site, and a regular location are used to collect four different sizes of particulate matter (PM). The fourth and last objective of the dissertation is to develop a multi-criteria decision-making framework to evaluate the feasibility of mass timber material in the US market. A scientific decision-making tool named choosing-by-advantages (CBA) is used to develop the framework. The dissertation produces a total of nine peer-reviewed manuscripts summarizing the key research contributions. Findings from this dissertation will benefit both construction practitioners as well as the researchers with new knowledge on mass timber building materials. In addition to that, it will increase the acceptance of this material in the U.S. construction industry.

Cleaner Engineering and Technology, 2020

Abstract Timber has been considered as a promising building material because of its structural ri... more Abstract Timber has been considered as a promising building material because of its structural rigidity, environmental sustainability, and renewability nature. In Europe and Australia, timber materials have been used for many different types of construction such as residential, commercial, education, and industrial. However, in the U.S., the familiarity of timber products is gaining momentum. The construction practitioners are still reluctant to consider mass timber as a mainstream building material. A limited number of case study projects make it difficult for industry personnel to evaluate the actual construction feasibility of mass timber. As a result, a significant knowledge gap has been created that hindering the progress of mass timber material in the U.S. construction industry. To help solve the problem, this study aims to identify the existing awareness level among the U.S. building constructors regarding mass timber building materials. It further determines some of the major construction-related difficulties of mass timber buildings and recommendations overcome those difficulties to increase the acceptance of this material. The study performed a semi-structured questionnaire survey to carry out statistical analysis regarding mass timber building material. Analysis of descriptive statistics suggested that the level of awareness and involvement by the U.S. construction practitioners in mass timber building is still significantly low as 55% of the participants indicated no experience on mass timber building construction projects. Qualitative data analysis suggested that lack of experience in timber construction, poor coordination among the project parties, design-related difficulties, and high cost of mass timber panels are the biggest construction-related barriers to adopt this product. To overcome the existing difficulties, the study proposed an increasing number of timber building projects and manufacturing plants, effective early collaboration among the project parties, developing skilled workers, and a nation-wide promotion by the owners and the architects. The outcomes of this study will be helpful for the industry practitioners and the owners to adopt mass timber as a mainstream building material. The study will further increase the acceptance of this material in the U.S. construction industry.

Journal of Building Engineering, 2021

Practice Periodical on Structural Design and Construction, 2021

AbstractMass timber is a promising building material that has been used in Europe for a long time... more AbstractMass timber is a promising building material that has been used in Europe for a long time. Structural rigidity, renewable characteristics, and low-carbon footprint have made this material a...

Journal of Building Engineering, 2018

International Journal of Research in Engineering and Technology, 2015

Construction Research Congress 2022, 2022

Cleaner Engineering and Technology, 2020

Timber has been considered as a promising building material because of its structural rigidity, e... more Timber has been considered as a promising building material because of its structural rigidity, environmental sustainability, and renewability nature. In Europe and Australia, timber materials have been used for many different types of construction such as residential, commercial, education, and industrial. However, in the U.S., the familiarity of timber products is gaining momentum. The construction practitioners are still reluctant to consider mass timber as a mainstream building material. A limited number of case study projects make it difficult for industry personnel to evaluate the actual construction feasibility of mass timber. As a result, a significant knowledge gap has been created that hindering the progress of mass timber material in the U.S. construction industry. To help solve the problem, this study aims to identify the existing awareness level among the U.S. building constructors regarding mass timber building materials. It further determines some of the major construction-related difficulties of mass timber buildings and recommendations overcome those difficulties to increase the acceptance of this material. The study performed a semi-structured questionnaire survey to carry out statistical analysis regarding mass timber building material. Analysis of descriptive statistics suggested that the level of awareness and involvement by the U.S. construction practitioners in mass timber building is still significantly low as 55% of the participants indicated no experience on mass timber building construction pro- jects. Qualitative data analysis suggested that lack of experience in timber construction, poor coordination among the project parties, design-related difficulties, and high cost of mass timber panels are the biggest construction- related barriers to adopt this product. To overcome the existing difficulties, the study proposed an increasing number of timber building projects and manufacturing plants, effective early collaboration among the project parties, developing skilled workers, and a nationwide promotion by the owners and the architects. The outcomes of this study will be helpful for the industry practitioners and the owners to adopt mass timber as a mainstream building material. The study will further increase the acceptance of this material in the U.S. construction industry.

Journal of Building Engineering, 2021

In recent years, timber has been considered as an alternative source of building material because... more In recent years, timber has been considered as an alternative source of building material because of its sustainability and design efficiency. However, the cost competitiveness of timber buildings is still under study due to the lack of available cost information. This paper presents a comprehensive cost comparative analysis of a mass timber building mainly developed with cross-laminated timber (CLT). The actual construction cost of the project is compared with the modeled cost of the same building designed as a concrete option. The result shows that the construction cost of timber building is 6.43% higher than the modeled concrete building. The study further investigated the change orders associated with the project and found that the total cost of change orders contributed 5.62% to the final construction cost of mass timber building. The study is helpful to provide insight into the construction cost of typical mass timber buildings. It also can be used as a guide for the project owners to make decisions regarding their initial investments on a mass timber project.

Practice Periodical on Structural Design and Construction, 2021

Mass timber is a promising building material that has been used in Europe for a long time. Struct... more Mass timber is a promising building material that has been used in Europe for a long time. Structural rigidity, renewable characteristics, and low-carbon footprint have made this material a major structural component in the European construction market. While the concept of mass timber building has been successful in Europe, the US construction practitioners are still dubious to adopt this material on a greater scale. In the US construction industry, mass timber has received very little consideration from the stakeholders. Lack of case study projects, awareness, and work experience in mass timber materials have created an industrywide knowledge gap that is hindering the progress of this innovative building material in the US construction market. This study evaluates the feasibility of mass timber products in the US construction industry by analyzing its level of awareness, existing challenges and difficulties, and recommendations to improve the existing perceptions to help solve the knowledge gap and increase the current acceptability of mass timber products among the US construction practitioners. The research method includes three different sets of semistructured questionnaire surveys, distributed among 1,200 construction companies, 300 architectural firms, and 55 mass timber manufacturers in the US. Data analysis of the surveys suggested that the US construction practitioners have significantly low involvement level and work experience in timber building design and construction. The main perceived benefits of using mass timber material are the requirement of a small workforce during construction, aesthetic appeal, and prefabricated characteristics of timber panels. Major perceived downsides are lack of work experience, insufficient timber manufacturing plants, high cost of engineered wood products, and code limitations. Several recommendations were provided on the survey including from the study such as increasing awareness among the stakeholders by undertaking more timber building projects, establishing more manufacturing facilities, developing codes and standards, and developing a skilled workforce experienced in timber construction. The outcomes of the study will be a helpful reference source for US construction practitioners to evaluate the actual feasibility of mass timber as a building material. It will further help increase the acceptability of mass timber products in the US.

2019 Canadian Society of Civil Engineering Annual ConferenceAt: Montreal, Canada

Construction activities can produce significant amounts of air pollution having a direct effect o... more Construction activities can produce significant amounts of air pollution having a direct effect on the surrounding environment. The level of emissions is distinct for each construction site based on the materials used for construction. Particulate matter (PM) is one of the most important pollutants produced during construction activities. This study aims to detect the concentration of PM emitted from two construction sites using different primary construction materials: cross-laminated timber (CLT) and steel. PM emissions were measured on both sites over a period of five days for four separate PM sizes (PM1.0, PM2.5, PM4.0, PM10) for a total of 600 data points. Data analysis performed for this study suggested that the steel building construction site had a higher concentration of PM than the CLT building construction site. Average concentration rate of the steel building construction site were found to be 55-78% higher than the CLT project. The mean concentration of PM10 and PM4.0 was detected highest of all the sizes for both CLT and steel construction site. Both construction sites satisfied the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) standards for daily PM2.5 and PM10 concentration level. However, the mean concentration of PM2.5 (18.63 µg/m 3) measured at the steel building construction site was found higher than the USEPA national average concentration rate (10.78 µg/m 3). PM10 concentration level was found lower than the national average rate for both construction sites. The inclusion of PM1.0 and PM4.0, which was mostly disregarded in previous studies, will be helpful to analyze the characteristics of different PM sizes.

Journal of Building Engineering, 2019

Construction sites are responsible for generating a high concentration of pollutants in surroundi... more Construction sites are responsible for generating a high concentration of pollutants in surrounding air. Emission
level can be different depending on the materials used for the construction. One of the methods for quantifying
air pollution is to measure particulate matters (PM) emitted on construction sites. This study aims to determine
the concentration of PM produced from two construction sites using different materials; cross-laminated timber
(CLT) and steel. A reference location was also used in order to compare the concentration level with the construction
sites. A total of 900 data points of four different particulate matter sizes (PM1.0, PM2.5, PM4.0, PM10)
were collected from all three locations over a period of 5 days. Data analysis supports that construction sites emit
significantly higher concentration of PM than other locations. In majority of the cases, concentration levels were
found below the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) standard for particulate matters. The
outcomes of this study provide a considerable understanding of PM emission in construction sites and relationship
of emission level with different construction materials and activities. Furthermore, this study determines
the correlations of different PM sizes measured for the study.

This paper assesses the feasibility of rainwater harvesting as a solution to the existing water c... more This paper assesses the feasibility of rainwater harvesting as a solution to the existing water crisis in Dhaka City – a mega city with a population of 15 million. Groundwater is the main source of Dhaka's water supply. To meet the increasing demand, the groundwater table is decreasing at an alarming rate. Dhaka needs to find out otherpotential sources of water. Rivers surrounded by the city would be a solution but due to high pollution, most of those rivers are now out of consideration. In this context, rainwater harvesting could be a potential source of water that will be able to meet a significant part of water demand of the Dhaka city residents. Also a high rainfall rate during the monsoon period is an important factor in this regard. In this study, a six storied high rise building with 80+ residents was investigated. Rainwater harvesting is considered only for the purpose of toilet flushing, washing cloths and house cleaning. In order to understand the social impat of rainwater harvesting, a resident survey was conducted. 88% of the residents agreed that rainwater harvesting wouldbe an acceptable solution of the present water crisis.

Mass timber has been considered as a promising building material because of its structural rigidi... more Mass timber has been considered as a promising building material because of its structural rigidity, environmental sustainability, and renewability nature. In Europe and Australia, mass timber materials have been used for many different types of construction such as residential, commercial, education, and industrial. However, the construction practitioners in the U.S. are still reluctant to consider mass timber as a mainstream building material. A limited number of case study projects make it difficult for industry personnel to evaluate the actual construction feasibility of mass timber. As a result, a significant knowledge gap has been created that is hindering the progress of mass timber material in the U.S. construction industry. To help solve the problem, this dissertation utilizes a range of research methodologies and data analysis techniques to evaluate the feasibility of mass timber building materials in the US construction industry. The dissertation focuses on four major objectives that will help industry practitioners to adopt mass timber as a mainstream building material. The first objective of the study is to determine the existing perception of the industry practitioners regarding mass timber materials. Using industry-wide questionnaire surveys, this study determines the current awareness level among the practitioners regarding mass timber. It also identifies some of the major advantages and challenges associated with mass timber construction. Finally, the study provides several recommendations to overcome the challenges. The second objective of the study is to investigate the cost compatibility of mass timber materials compared to the other traditional building materials. A case study is used to evaluate the construction cost competitiveness of a mass timber building project with a modeled concrete building. The third objective of the study is to assess the air pollution potential of mass timber material. A mass timber building construction site, a steel building construction site, and a regular location are used to collect four different sizes of particulate matter (PM). The fourth and last objective of the dissertation is to develop a multi-criteria decision-making framework to evaluate the feasibility of mass timber material in the US market. A scientific decision-making tool named choosing-by-advantages (CBA) is used to develop the framework. The dissertation produces a total of nine peer-reviewed manuscripts summarizing the key research contributions. Findings from this dissertation will benefit both construction practitioners as well as the researchers with new knowledge on mass timber building materials. In addition to that, it will increase the acceptance of this material in the U.S. construction industry.