In an article published on March 23, 2023 in the Salt Lake Tribune, Tim Fitzpatrick and Tony Semerad cover the construction of the Baltic Pointe office building in Draper — a breakthrough project that is the state of Utah's first major Mass-Timber building. The authors note that more than 1,600 similar projects already exist across the United States.

Environmental advantage: the steel and concrete industries are responsible for huge carbon emissions due to the extreme heat needed for production. Trees, by contrast, sequester carbon from the atmosphere as they grow, and processing them requires far less energy.

Fire resistance: surprisingly, these thick wood beams are more fire-resistant than steel. In a fire, the outer layer becomes a charred shell that protects the inner timber and preserves structural stability, while steel can warp and collapse under high heat.

Energy efficiency: the building in Draper will be all-electric (no gas) and use advanced heat pumps for heating and cooling.

As a first project, the developers expect it will be more expensive than conventional construction, but they believe that over time, standardization and growing demand will significantly reduce cost. The building is also lighter, allowing smaller and cheaper concrete foundations.

Draper is just the first swallow. The article notes another project in planning in the Sugar House neighborhood of Salt Lake City — a 9-story residential building, also made from wood.