Prior to Construction – Design, Planning, and Procurement

All current commercial building projects are fully planned in a three-dimensional (3D) digital design process that is commonly described by the term building information model. Digital building design also commonly includes analysis software, where an existing 3D building model may be analyzed for structural performance or energy consumption levels. Accurate budgeting and cost estimating can be the most crucial steps in determining the feasibility of a mass timber project. Early budgeting is often challenging due to the lack of detailed design information. When pursuing a supplier, it is often an important distinction whether they can provide all required material types from their own factories, or whether they can combine their own product with other products that they source but bid together, or whether a general contractor must source multiple products separately.