Louisiana Tech University School of Agricultural Sciences and Forestry professors Nan Nan and Joshua P. Adams received a $300,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service’s Wood Innovations Grant Program. The grant will fund their research into monitoring and investigating the Forest Products Innovation Center, a newly-designed mass timber building on Louisiana Tech’s South Campus.

The study aims to provide a case model to guide forest products manufacturers by exploring the potential of sustainable construction materials in Louisiana which can be applied broadly in the southeast and nationally. By examining the use of mass timber, a renewable building material, the project seeks to support innovation in the construction industry and promote the use of wood in future commercial, institutional, and multifamily buildings.

“This project will complement our upcoming Forest Products Innovation Center building by turning the whole building into a laboratory to showcase new ways to use our state’s greatest renewable resource: the trees,” Louisiana Tech Forestry Program Chair Josh Adams said.

In addition to supporting healthier forests, Louisiana’s largest renewable and natural resource, the USDA grant program helps grow local economies by investing in forest product industries.

“This project can help to strengthen the research and education in sustainable wood products at Tech and enhance the communication and collaboration with the forest products industry,” Nan said.

The Forest Service’s investments in local wood economies encourages innovation, expands wood energy markets, and promotes wood as a viable alternative to traditional building materials. Nan and Adams’ research will contribute to this ongoing effort to create healthier, more prosperous communities across the country.

About Louisiana Tech University School of Agricultural Sciences and Forestry:

The School of Agricultural Sciences and Forestry at Louisiana Tech University offers undergraduate programs in agricultural sciences, agricultural business, forestry, and geographic information science. The forestry program faculty and students are dedicated to advancing research in forest industry from seedling to finished products.

About the USDA Forest Service’s Wood Innovations Grant Program:

The USDA Forest Service’s Wood Innovations Grant Program supports innovative approaches that promote sustainable wood use in construction and wood energy markets. The program seeks to improve forest health, increase the use of wood products, and provide economic opportunities for rural communities.