Advanced Structures

Can different technologies make a home more livable? Do specific technologies change a home's affordability, durability, energy use, and disaster resistance? The answer to both questions is “yes” and research at the Forest Products Laboratory has played a critical role in making it so. 

The Forest Products Laboratory is a world leader in housing-related research. This includes work on engineered wood products and structures, moisture control, material design and performance, coatings and finishes, adhesives, wood preservation, and composites. 

Many of the materials and technologies currently used in wood-frame housing were developed through basic research at the Forest Products Laboratory in cooperation with industry, academia, and government. 

Because construction is a huge use of energy and creates considerable waste, scientists at the Lab are also studying the environmental effects and energy use of wood-based structures and the processes of updating and remodeling them. 

How Does It Apply?

A cadre of Forest Products Laboratory researchers focus on housing structure and practical technologies that can be readily adopted by homebuilders, industry, and consumers. 

As a federal research and development facility, the Forest Products Laboratory shares skills, knowledge, and technologies with industries, universities, and other government agencies to ensure that scientific and technological developments are accessible to a wide range of users. The Lab has also played an active role in the development of building codes and standards.

A good example of how the Forest Products Lab shares technological advances is research leading to the development of a residential tornado shelter that meets industry safety standards and can be built into an existing home using readily available materials and tools. The 8-ft by 8-ft room can be built by a local contractor, or even assembled by a handy homeowner, which can result in substantial cost savings. The lab also provides supporting materials including six how-to videos illustrating the step-by-step construction process.

To accelerate the use of new technology and research into today’s structures, the Forest Products Laboratory has partnered with academic institutions and industry leaders to form the Coalition for Advanced Wood Structures (CAWS).