Council on Tall Buildings Kicks Off Study of Steel-and-Timber Towers

The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat is seeking volunteers for a research project just underway that is studying steel-and-timber composite structures for tall buildings. The goal is to facilitate the design and construction of buildings taller than 20 stories that use mass timber and steel as the main structural materials, according to CTBUH.

The research will look at case studies of both existing and proposed steel-and-timber structures to evaluate best practices. Work will include life-cycle analysis comparisons across different material and structural types.

According to Daniel Safarik, CTBUH's assistant director for research and thought leadership, the project is funded by $228,000 from constructsteel, the steel construction market development program of the World Steel Association.

The study will run through July 2023. At that time, CTBUH intends to publish a set of guidelines and recommendations for the design of taller composite structures, says Safarik.

Looking for quick answers on construction and engineering topics?
Try Ask ENR, our new smart AI search tool. Ask ENR →

Nadine M. Post, ENR's former editor-at-large for buildings, is an award-winning journalist with 45 years of experience covering trends, issues, innovations, controversies and challenging projects. Post has written about many industry giants, including 10 ENR Award of Excellence winners. And she has covered disasters, failures and attacks, including the 1993 bombing and the 2001 destruction of the World Trade Center. Project stories include the redevelopment of the World Trade Center; the 828-meter-tall Burj Khalifa; Los Angeles’ Disney Concert Hall; and Seattle's Bullitt Center and Rainier Square Tower. In 1985, Post wrote McGraw-Hill's book Restoring the Statue of Liberty (1986) for the restoration’s architects—Richard S. Hayden and Thierry W. Despont.

Post a comment to this article

Live: June 23, 2026 at 2:00 pm EDT New market dynamics like competitive pressures and workforce evolutions are forcing construction companies to re-prioritize their investments. To strengthen cash flow, accelerate operations, and boost profits, learn how the focus now must be on optimizing digital transformation and financial management.