Big News: SBWI Awarded $45,000 Through Michigan Mass Timber Catalyst Program
As reported by WLEN over the weekend, SBWI was awarded $45,000 through the Michigan Mass Timber Catalyst Program, along with a year of technical assistance, to help integrate mass timber into the design and realization of our new educational facility.
By incorporating mass timber into the construction of our new school, we are intentionally aligning construction innovation with our job training programs. This award supports the Enrollment Growth Project on several fronts: it supports the mass timber construction elements of the building; it brings SBWI into a cohort of projects learning together how to implement mass timber successfully; and it strengthens our partnership with Michigan State University as we co-design the mass timber educational curriculum that will be taught in the new school- preparing the next generation of builders and craftspeople for careers rooted in sustainable, forward-looking construction.
Although students can learn the overlapping art of timber framing at SBWI all year, in the fall of 2027, students will be able to complete a full career training program in mass timber construction, surrounded by a building created from the same materials. The result will be a truly living classroom, where students can study our building and experience the benefits of mass timber construction each day.
The Michigan Mass Timber Catalyst Program is a statewide initiative that provides both financial support and expert technical guidance to early adopters of mass timber construction- including funding to offset the additional time and resources required and access to peer learning and professional assistance across key design, code, cost, and project delivery areas.
We’re grateful for the support and excited to be part of a growing movement to advance mass timber construction and workforce education in Michigan.
Read MSU’s full announcement and learn more about the partnership here.
Read more about Mass Timber and the MSU here.
Architectural renderings of our new school, set to open in 2027.
