S2. Ep. 06: Better Options for Mass Timber Procurement | Mass Timber Podcast

Mass timber procurement has a direct impact on structural design decisions, connection design, fabrication, and project delivery. In this episode, Senior Principal Paul Becker and Vice President Kristina Rogers discuss how supplier involvement in the SD (schematic design) phase, with or without a formal design-assist process, can help architects and structural engineers better align their designs for mass timber systems with available materials, fabrication methods, and erection sequences. The conversation focuses on why fabricator input is especially important in mass timber construction. Because products, species, connection preferences, and manufacturing processes vary by supplier, early coordination helps teams design to the material’s strengths, streamline coordination, minimize late changes, and improve constructability. Paul and Kristina also discuss options for connection design responsibilities and how that decision can impact design, fabrication and speed of erection. And they look at ways to adjust the design-bid-build delivery process – which doesn’t lend itself to design-assist – so it works more effectively for mass timber projects. Through examples including the Samuel H. Scripps Theater Center, the Roux Institute and Goldfinch Lofts, they explain how experienced teams collaborate to maintain flexibility, clarify performance expectations, and coordinate with suppliers to support successful delivery. Key Insights: Early supplier involvement can improve mass timber efficiency. Bringing a supplier or fabricator into the process early helps the design team align the structural system with available products, material dimensions, and fabrication preferences. Design assist helps reduce uncertainty. Fabricator input gives engineers and architects a clearer understanding of manufacturing capabilities, connection preferences and erection methods before key design decisions are locked in. Connection design requires close collaboration between engineers and fabricators, no matter who performs the scope. In mass timber buildings, connections can influence member sizing, load capacity, structural geometry and coordination with architectural intent. DFMA is central to successful mass timber delivery. Designing for manufacturing and assembly helps teams move from an abstract structural concept to a system that can be fabricated, shipped, and erected efficiently. Complex geometry benefits from fabricator collaboration. Curved glulam, long-span members and non-rectilinear systems often require early input on curvature limits, splice locations, connection options, and shipping size constraints. Traditional design-bid-build can work, but it needs adaptation. When early supplier selection is not possible, teams may need clearer performance criteria, more conservative assumptions, and additional coordination after the fabricator is selected. Better communication leads to better cost and constructability outcomes. The episode reinforces that mass timber projects benefit when engineers, timber fabricators, detailers, and erectors are part of the same technical conversation early enough to influence design. Topics Covered: Mass timber procurement strategies Design-assist for mass timber projects Early supplier/fabricator involvement Design-bid-build delivery for mass timber Mass timber connection design responsibilities Fabricator-led connection detailing Design for manufacturing and assembly, or DFMA Glulam roof geometry and curved timber systems Supplier selection Timber erection sequencing Constructability coordination Public, university and institutional procurement constraints Mass timber cost and schedule considerations