Mass timber and performance: A data-driven framework for low-carbon, high-performance research facility design

Research facilities rank among the most energy-intensive building types, making them critical proving grounds for sustainable design innovation. This session presents the University of Michigan College of Pharmacy as a case study in integrating hybrid mass timber construction with advanced energy systems to achieve ambitious carbon and performance goals. Session leaders demonstrate how defining clear project drivers, including operational and embodied carbon reduction, user wellbeing, constructability, and cost, enabled systematic data-driven evaluation of every design decision. They examine results of a facility life-cycle assessment: A 40 percent reduction in embodied carbon through the timber structural strategy, while optimized facade design, heat recovery, chilled beams, and high-efficiency laboratory ventilation delivered substantial operational energy savings.