Mass timber offers builders and developers clear carbon savings at the point of construction. That is according to Daniel Wright, Business Development Director of Australian Sustainable Hardwoods (ASH) – Australia’s largest hardwood manufacturer, who, armed with a new Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) confirmed that ASH’s MASSLAM product – when produced from fibre coming from Tasmania’s Western Junction Sawmill (WJS) showed a carbon benefit of -748 kg CO₂e per cubic metre (A1–A3 stages), including biogenic carbon stored during tree growth – a level that far outperforms steel and concrete.
“This supports a growing shift toward bio-based, renewable materials that offer immediate and measurable reductions in emissions,” according to Wright, who said MASSLAM’s lifecycle performance was independently verified in line with EN 15804 and ISO 14025. “(And) unlike many recycled or ‘circular’ materials that rely on theoretical future reuse, which is yet to be realised, mass timber solutions like MASSLAM offer clear carbon savings at the point of construction.”
And the timing could not be any more critical…
A new report by the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA), Our Homes Weigh a Tonne, revealed that upfront carbon emissions are now seven times more impactful than operational emissions over a building’s lifespan. And whilst the report focused on Class 1a dwellings, Wright said it also raises concerns for more carbon-intensive building types, including Class 2 (multi-residential) and Class 5 (commercial) assets. According to Wright, MASSLAM’s carbon advantage stems from a tightly integrated manufacturing system: “ASH and WJS control everything from the log to the finished product. That gives us complete visibility on sourcing, processing, energy use, and waste,” he said.
Wright said sustainability is embedded in MASSLAM’s manufacturing process.
- Zero timber waste — Offcuts and sawdust are repurposed, including sawdust used to fuel timber drying kilns, accounting for 80% of total on-site energy use
- On-site renewables — The largest site is powered entirely by solar.
- Vertical integration — Logging, machining, and energy processes are aligned for maximum efficiency.
- Biogenic carbon capture — Trees used for MASSLAM store over -1,090 kg CO₂e per cubic metre in hardwood
In May, Wood Central reported that ASH was utilising state-of-the-art laser scanning technology to transform wood destined for export, pallets, and wood chips into long-lived, carbon-storing structures. According to Wright, ASH can now supply enough timber to build 2,000 houses a year, all thanks to modern methods of construction. Wright also believes this data should change how sustainability budgets are allocated: “Instead of prioritising rooftop solar systems that marginally reduce future emissions, some consultants are looking at where real impact starts: in the structure,” he said.
“A rooftop solar array might reduce future emissions modestly. Replacing concrete and steel with timber can eliminate hundreds of tonnes of CO₂ upfront, based on current lifecycle data. Mass timber also builds 20–30% faster and cheaper, but hesitancy around cost assessments and contingencies still slows uptake.”
According to Wright, the conversation around circularity is also shifting. “The 2025 Circularity Gap Report by thinkstep-anz,” he said, “shows Australia’s material circularity is declining, despite increased awareness.” And that puts pressure on immediate emission reductions rather than future recycling hopes: MASSLAM don’t rely on a future circular practice to deliver impact. They reduce emissions today, while remaining renewable, bio-based, and recyclable at the end of life, he said.
