Environmentally Responsible Wood Cladding

This case study focuses on the solutions provided for the Bell Museum at the University of Minnesota. Our design team worked with the client to create a wood facade solution that meets their institutional requirements for durability, cost, and maintenance - and embodies their commitment to sustainability and climate resilience.

Often, university facilities departments prioritize cost, durability, and minimal maintenance when evaluating facade materials for their new building projects; and struggle to include sustainability in their calculations. Despite good intentions, university leadership often feels compelled to lessen sustainability goals to meet budget and maintenance requirements. Our team designed and specified an environmentally responsible building facade assembly that aligned with the client’s budget, values, and aspirations; while meeting institutional durability and maintenance requirements.

Several wood cladding products were evaluated for cost, durability, source, warranty, and appearance. A single product met the client’s criteria. Thermally modified wood cladding was installed on their new building within a learning landscape and urban wildlife habitat. 98.5% of the wood in this building is FSC Certified. This sustainable solution enabled the university client to meet the project budget while embodying the values and cultural goals of the institution within the building facade.

The initial project-focused research has evolved into a larger research topic that continues to bring together a variety of local academic and industry experts, as well as architecture firms interested in employing sustainable wood products in their projects. As we continue to learn more about the capabilities of these wood products, we hope the demand for them helps to grow the environmentally responsible wood products industry so that we have continued and enhance opportunities to use them on our building projects.