In this episode, we talk to Paul Kremer, an influential figure in Mass Timber Construction and host of the Mass Timber Construction Podcast. He discusses the origin and benefits of mass timber construction, its connection to Building 4.0, and how to get involved in the field. Engineering Quotes: Here Are Some of the Questions We Ask Paul: What is mass timber construction and how did it came about? What are the benefits of using mass timber besides its quick construction time? Could you go into the growth of mass timber, e.g., its adoption rates and how it's progressing in North America, Australia, and other parts of the world? Can you explain what the Building 4.0 concept is and how mass timber construction fits into it? From the engineering side, what does that look like for the structural engineer if they have a mass timber project? Could you go into some of the more notable mass timber construction projects around the world? For engineers who are trying to get into mass timber, do you have any advice or resources that they can go to learn more about it and to get into it? Here Are Some of the Key Points Discussed About Exploring Mass Timber Construction: The Benefits, Origins, and Opportunities: Mass timber construction involves using large format panels made by laminating or gluing boards of timber together. The technique has its origins in a patent for Composite Timber filed in 1923 in the U.S. and has been used to build mid-rise structures up to around 20-30 stories high. Mass timber construction is effective because it requires no wet trades or steel reinforcement and is being developed in hybrid forms that incorporate concrete cores and other materials to enable taller buildings. Mass timber is a renaissance of using timber as a construction material, which sequesters carbon from the environment and is a renewable resource. Mass timber construction has health benefits for the occupants of the building, including good air tightness and stable internal climate conditions. While mass timber may be more expensive than concrete in terms of dimensional thickness, it can save labor, time, and site costs, resulting in up to 20% savings over other construction approaches. Mass timber is only 1.6% of global concrete production, and 1% in the U.S. specifically. European manufacturers are more competitive due to their experience and the special mechanical properties of their timber species. Despite this, mass timber can still be cost-effective due to its stiffness and spanning capabilities, and can provide numerous benefits such as carbon sequestration, renewable resources, and health benefits. In Singapore, most of the mass timber used is European and designed using the Euro Code, requiring the European technical assessment to harmonize with the code. There is a design of the structure and verification testing on the ground in Singapore using various laboratories. The Europeans have a good hold on how to distribute their product globally. Building 4.0 refers to the integration of digital technology into the construction industry, with tools such as BIM, machine learning, virtual reality, and augmented reality. The goal is to create a more efficient building process, with digital fabrication as the ultimate objective, where buildings are constructed from digital files that are sent directly to computer-controlled machines for assembly on-site. While this is still a utopian view of the future, Building 4.0 aims to transform the industry through modern methods of construction and the use of digital technology. Digital design can lead to perfect alignment in construction, as seen in a large building project where service risers were precisely placed using a digital model and CNC machines. However,