About the cover:

LeMay – America’s Car Museum

Tacoma, Washington

The 165,000-square-foot facility was created to celebrate America’s love affair with the 

automobile. 

Architect: Grant Price Architects

Contractor: JTM Construction

Engineer: Western Wood Structures

Completed: Spring 2012
Wood and Other Materials Used to Construct

Nonresidential Buildings

in the United States

2011

Craig Adair, Director of Market Research

APA – The Engineered Wood Association

7011 So. 19th St

Tacoma, WA 98466-5333

Chris Gaston, Ph.D

FPInnovations

2665 East Mall

Vancouver, B.C. Canada V6T 1W5

David B. McKeever, Research Forester

USDA Forest Service

Forest Products Laboratory

Madison, WI 53726-2398

Margaret Stewart

MSC Marketing Solutions Consulting Ltd.

1833 Dublin Street

New Westminster, B.C. Canada V3M 3A2

Project Sponsors:

APA

American Wood Council

Canadian Wood Council

FPInnovations

Forest Economic Advisors

Forestry Innovation Investment

Natural Resources Canada

RISI

Southern Forest Products Association

USDA Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory

Western Wood Products Association

Wood Products Council

Research Conducted by:

Home Innovation Research Labs TM

400 Prince George’s Boulevard

Upper Marlboro, Maryland 20774

March 2013

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Wood and Other Materials Used to Construct 

Nonresidential Buildings in the United States 2011

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

David B. McKeever, Research Forester

USDA Forest Service

Forest Products Laboratory

Madison, WI 53726-2398

ABSTRACT

The construction of low-rise nonresidential buildings is an important market for lumber, 

engineered wood products, and structural and nonstructural wood panels in the United States. 

This report examines low-rise nonresidential buildings of six or fewer stories. Those with more 

than six stories are normally severely restricted by building codes from being wood framed. 

The value of all low-rise nonresidential buildings constructed in 2011 totaled $208 billion. 

Construction in 2011 was still being severely impacted by the lingering recession of the late 

2000s, and when measured in inflation adjusted dollars, was 35 percent below the high reached 

in 2008. Total floor area constructed was also impacted. The 733 million ft2 built in 2011 was 

just under two-thirds of that built in 2008. This value of construction and floor area resulted in 

the consumption of 627 million board feet (bf) of lumber, 27 million linear feet of wood I-joists, 

67 million bf of glulam timber, 6 million cubic feet of structural composite lumber, 1 million 

square feet, 3/8-in. basis (ft2

) of engineered rim boards, and small amounts of cross- laminated 

timber, as well as 712 million ft2 of structural panels, and 19 million ft2 of nonstructural panels.

When converted to board feet equivalents 1

(bfe), total wood products consumption was 

estimated to be 1,214 million bfe. These volumes were used to construct nearly 10,500 new 

buildings and major additions and for alterations and renovations to numerous existing 

buildings. Volumes include allowances for onsite waste and loss. Not included are the amounts 

of wood used for interior finishing, outdoor structures, and facilitation (temporary uses such as 

concrete forms, shoring, etc.)

Keywords: Nonresidential construction, wood products consumption, value of new construction, 

lumber, structural panels, nonstructural panels, engineered wood products, wood I-joists, glulam 

timber, structural composite lumber, engineered rim boards, cross-laminated timber.

 1 Board foot equivalents (bfe) are the amounts of non-lumber wood products converted to equivalent 

board foot volume based on the following conversions: 1 lf (I-joist) = 2 bfe; 1 ft3 = 16 bfe, and, 1 ft2

, 3/8-in.

basis = 0.5 bfe.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The construction of low-rise nonresidential buildings (buildings with six or fewer stories above 

ground level) is an important market for lumber, engineered wood products, and structural and 

nonstructural wood panels, as well as a promising market for newly developed wood products 

such as cross-laminated timber. Annual consumption of wood products is dependent on many 

factors, including the number, types, and geographical locations of new buildings started, building 

size and height, architectural characteristics, and principal framing type. The extent of alterations, 

renovations, and remodeling to existing buildings also affects wood products consumption. In a 

study conducted in conjunction with the USDA Forest Service and others in 2003 and updated with 

new construction value and wall-framing incidence data in 2008, low-rise nonresidential buildings 

were defined to be buildings with four or fewer stories. A re-evaluation of the International Building 

Code suggested that a sizeable number of buildings with five or six stories could readily be 

constructed of wood with minor design changes. For this reason, this study was based on buildings 

with six or fewer stories. Also, the 2003 and 2008 studies were based on a limited number of 

buildings in which the quantities of specified wood products in the blueprints were used to develop 

factors of wood use. The current study is based on a much larger sample and with a detailed 

database of buildings currently or soon to be under construction. For these and other reasons, 

consumption values from the current study are not strictly comparable to earlier studies, although 

relative measures of activity are still appropriate.

CONSTRUCTION VALUE AND FLOOR AREA

In 2011, all types of construction activity in the United States were still being severely impacted by 

the continuing economic recession that began in the late 2000’s. Total value of all construction in 

the United States 

was valued at $778

billion (USDC 2013) 

(Fig. ES-1). 

Residential and 

nonresidential 

buildings were 

nearly equal in value 

at 36 percent and 35 

percent of total 

construction, 

respectively. Other 

nonresidential 

construction 

accounted for the 

remaining 29 

percent of total value. Other nonresidential includes all construction that is not buildings, such as 

bridges, highways, dams, etc. 
The construction of all nonresidential buildings in 2011 was valued at $289 billion current dollars or 

$228 (inflation-adjusted constant 2005 dollars), about 54 percent of all nonresidential construction

(Fig. ES-2). This 

level of 

nonresidential 

buildings was at its 

lowest mark since 

2002, nearly 35 

percent below the 

high of $355 billion 

reached in 2008. 

The gap between 

buildings and other 

nonresidential 

construction was 

also at its low mark 

over the 10-year 

period. The 

construction of lowrise nonresidential buildings (buildings with six or fewer stories) was estimated to be $164 billion 

(2005 $) in 2011, about 72 percent of all nonresidential buildings. 

Total floor area in new and major additions to low-rise nonresidential buildings totaled 733 million 

ft2 in 2011, which was less than two-thirds of the area built in 2008 (Reed Construction Data 

2013). The use of wood and other building products is ultimately dependent on new floor area 

added. Changes in floor area will be reflected in changes in building product consumption.

In 2011, total low-rise nonresidential building construction was $208 billion current dollars (Table 

ES-1). Figure ES-3 

shows the value of 

construction by 

building type. 

Schools and Public 

buildings had the 

highest value of 

construction at 

approximately $47 

billion each, or a 

combined 45 percent 

of total construction. 

This is a dramatic 

change from 2008 

when Schools and 
Public buildings accounted for just 19 percent of all construction. The value of buildings publically 

financed as a percentage of total value in 2011 stood at 42 percent, 7 percent above the 10-year 

average. This increase may be partially attributable to the The American Recovery and 

Reinvestment Act of 20092

. Religious and Hotels were the two lowest valued building types at 

under $4 billion each, for a combined 3 percent of total low-rise nonresidential construction.

The continuing economic recession also affected the mix of new construction (new buildings 

and major additions) to remodeling (alterations and renovations) in low-rise nonresidential 

buildings. During times of slow economic growth, new construction tends to fall while 

remodeling of existing structures tends to increase as a proportion of total construction value. 

Older buildings are refurbished in favor of new construction. The same is evident in residential 

construction. In 2003, new construction accounted for 82 percent of all construction (McKeever, 

Adair, O’Connor 2006) but fell to 54 percent of all construction in 2011. Some building types, 

such as Public were much less affected by this drop in new construction to remodeling than 

other buildings type such as Schools (Fig. ES-3).

WOOD PRODUCTS CONSUMPTION

In 2011, the construction of new and major additions to low-rise nonresidential buildings and 

alterations, renovations, and remodeling of existing buildings required 627 million board feet 

(million bf) of lumber, 222 million board feet equivalents (million bfe) of engineered wood 

products, 712 million 

square feet, 3/8-in. 

basis (million ft2

), of

structural panels, 

and 19 million ft2 of 

nonstructural panels

(Table ES-1, Fig. 

ES-4). Engineered 

wood includes 27

million linear feet 

(million lf) of wood Ijoists, 67 million bf 

of glulam timber, 6

million cubic feet 

(million ft3

) of 

structural composite 

lumber (SCL), 1 million ft2 of rim boards, and small amounts of newly certified cross-laminated 

timber. When converted to board feet equivalents, a combined 1,214 million bfe of wood was 

consumed for low-rise nonresidential construction in 2011. Included in this figure are framing, 

columns, stairs, siding, soffit, fascia, exterior trim, sheathing, and underlayment, as well as 

 2 http://www.recovery.gov/About/Pages/The_Act.aspx (Accessed March 24, 2013)
645

431

496

360

178

201

112

130

41

37

9

0 250 500 750

Stores

Schools

Public

Offices

Health

Colleges

Religious

Hotels

Misc.

Recreation

Industrial

Million BFE

Actual

Potential

Figure ES-5. Actual and incremental potential wood products 

use in low-rise nonresidential buildings in the U.S., 2011.

797

619

597

475

406

328

241

231

80

66

13

Total, Actual + Potential: 

3,854 Million BFE

allowances for onsite waste and loss. Just 1 percent of the 1,214 million bfe was for 

nonstructural type uses (siding, soffit, fascia, exterior trim). Total volumes represent about 1 

percent of total U.S. lumber consumption, 3 percent of total structural panel consumption, and 

15 percent of engineered wood products consumption in 2011. Not included are amounts of 

wood used principally for interior finishing, outdoor structures, and for facilitation (temporary 

uses such as concrete forms, shoring, etc.).

The South was by far the region with the highest level of wood products consumption in 2011, at 

531,120 bfe (Tables ES-1, ES-2). Each other region consumed less than half as much as the 

South. Regional wood consumption patterns follow closely regional population patterns with the 

exception of the West. The Northeast and Midwest each consumed wood at about the same 

proportion as their population, while the South consumed about 7 percent more wood than their 

population, and the West 7 percent less. Consumption by divisions within regions generally 

reflect use patterns of their respective region. The South Atlantic and West South Central were 

the top two consuming divisions with combined lumber, engineered wood, and wood panels, 

accounting for about 38 percent of total consumption. This percentage is the same as the 

bottom five divisions, which also consumed 38 percent. The Pacific and East North Central 

divisions were intermediate in consumption. 

Wood products consumption is dependent not only on the overall extent of construction, but 

also on the types of buildings being constructed. Health, Schools, and Stores ranked first, 

second, and third in total wood products consumption in 2011. Combined, they accounted for 

nearly one-half (47 

percent) of all wood 

consumption—569 

million bfe (Table 

ES-2). High levels of 

construction of 

Hotels and Offices 

in 2008, and to a 

lesser extent in 

2003, helped to 

reduce their overall 

construction levels 

in 2011, dropping 

them from first and 

second ranking in 

2008 to seventh and 

sixth, respectively. 

Health buildings 

were not only 

ranked first overall 

in 2011, but were 

also first in lumber 

and structural panel use, and third in engineered wood and nonstructural panel use. 

Conversely, Misc., Recreation, and Industrial were the lowest wood product-using building 

types, accounting for a combined 72 million bfe, just 6 percent of all wood consumption.
Stores 24%

Public 

Buildings 19%

Office 

Buildings 

14%

Figure ES-6. Wood potential for new low-rise 

nonresidential buildings in the U.S., by principal 

building groups, 2011.

Schools & 

Colleges 24%

Healthcare 

7%

All Other 12%

Total potential: 

2,640 Million BFE

POTENTIAL WOOD PRODUCTS CONSUMPTION

Great potential exists for increasing the amounts of wood products used for low-rise 

nonresidential building construction. Potential is defined as the incremental amounts of wood 

that could be used if all major building applications (framing, columns, stairs, siding, soffit, 

fascia, exterior trim, sheathing and underlayment) in concrete or steel- framed buildings were 

built entirely with wood, and if all major building applications in wood-framed buildings that were 

not wood were converted to wood. However, not all buildings and applications can be built from 

wood. To qualify for wood construction, specific characteristics of the building must meet the 

International Building Code standards for allowable wood construction. Potential applies only to 

new construction and major additions. Alterations and renovations are typically too varied and 

not so dependent on building codes as new construction to reliably estimate incremental 

potential. Wallframing type is a key 

determinant of wood 

potential. In 2011, 

an estimated 12 

percent of all 

nonresidential lowrise buildings were 

categorized as wood 

framed, based on 

principal exterior 

wall framing material 

(Table ES-3). This is 

a small increase 

from 10 percent in 

2003 and 11 percent 

in 2008. Most 

building types 

exhibited modest 

changes of plus or minus 7 percentage points in wood-framed share between 2011 and 

previous years with the exception of Religious and Misc. buildings, which increased their wood 

shares by more than 12 percentage points each. Conversely, Stores, Industrial and Public 

buildings had the lowest at 7 percent each. This would suggest that Religious and Misc 

buildings should have lower incremental wood potential, while Stores, Industrial, and Public 

should have higher incremental potential. This is in fact the case for all of these building types 

with the exception of Industrial buildings which have the lowest incremental potential (Table ES4). Many Industrial buildings do not meet the building code criteria needed to be a candidate for 

wood framing. 

In 2011, an additional 2,640 million bfe of wood products could have been used in low-rise 

nonresidential buildings if all low-rise concrete and steel-framed buildings had been built entirely 

from wood, and if nonwood components of wood framed buildings were built with wood (Table 
ES-4). This potential consisted of 1,253 million bf of lumber, 700 million bfe of engineered wood, 

1,298 million ft2 of structural panels, and 78 million ft2 of nonstructural panels. The combined 

additional volumes represent more than a two-fold increase in wood use. If all of the incremental 

potential were to be achieved, total consumption would increase from 1,214 million bfe to 3,854 

million bfe (Figs. ES-5, ES-6).

The South was not only the region with the highest level of actual wood products consumption 

in 2011, but was also the region with the highest potential to incrementally increase 

consumption. Nearly 47 percent of the total 2,640 million bfe of potential wood consumption was 

in the South (Table ES-4). Each other region accounted for about 18 percent. Regional wood 

potential patterns follow closely regional patterns of actual consumption. Potential consumption 

by divisions within regions generally reflect use patterns of their respective region. The South 

Atlantic division had by far the highest potential with combined lumber, engineered wood, and 

wood panels accounting for about 27 percent of total potential. The bottom two divisions 

(Mountain and East South Central) each accounted for less than 7 percent of total potential.

COMPARING 2011 TO A TYPICAL YEAR

The continuing U.S. economic recession that began in the late 2000’s started to negatively impact 

low-rise nonresidential building construction in 2009, continued through 2011 and into 2012 and 

2013. Based on information from Reed Construction Data (2013), floor area added for new and 

major additions to low-rise (six and fewer stories above ground) nonresidential buildings during the 

2009 through 2011 period averaged just 735 million square feet (ft2

). Prior to 2009, floor area 

added during the more typical construction period 2005 through 2008 averaged in excess of 1,300 

million ft2

. This 44 percent reduction in floor area from typical, coupled with other recession 

related changes, was responsible for dramatically reduced levels of building products 

consumption.

To answer concerns about the effects of the current recession ion nonresidential construction, and 

the potential for volume growth, we remade 2011 into a more typical “normal” nonresidential 

construction year. The assumptions used were: (Tables ES-5, ES-6).

1. Assume a total of 1,300 million ft2 of new floor area added.

2. Assume the same distribution of floor area to building types in 2011 as in a more typical year 

to avoid recession related effects. Since 2003 was more typical than 2011, and since it’s the 

only non-recession year for which we have building type distributions, the 2003 distribution was 

used.

3. Assume the same ratio of new and major additions construction to alterations, renovations 

and remodeling (R&R) as in 2003. This will help negate any shifts to R&R caused by a 

recession as in 2011.

4. Use 2011 framing type distributions because they reflect recent shifts between wood, 

concrete and steel framing preferences.

5. Use 2011 wood use factors (use per ft2 of floor area) because they reflect current building 

practices.
Based on these assumptions, total wood use for all new and major additions construction 

increased from 786 million board feet equivalents (bfe) in 2011 to 1,411 million bfe in a more typical 

year, a 1.8 fold increase. (Table ES-7). Wood use for alterations, renovations and remodeling fell 

from 429 to 379 million bfe (Table ES-8). This reduction was based largely on lower rates of R&R 

activity in a typical “good” year as compared to a “bad” recession year. 

Overall, total wood use for all low-rise nonresidential construction increased from 1,214 in 2011 to 

1,790 million bfe in a typical year. This was a 1.5 fold increase (Table ES-9). It may take three to 

five years for nonresidential construction to return to a typical year. When it does, wood use will be 

much higher than in 2011, which was influenced by recession.

The potential incremental volume gained by converting concrete and steel buildings and buildings 

with less than 100% wood construction was 2,640 million bfe in 2011. In the typical year, with more 

overall construction, the potential increase was 4,508 million bfe (Table ES-10). This represents a 

1.7 fold increase from 2011.

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

Nonresidential building construction is an important market for wood products, but one that 

should not be taken for granted. Nonwood building products are continually challenging wood in 

many nonresidential building applications. But at the same time, new wood products and 

innovative building practices are working to increase the use of wood. The acceptance by code 

and consumers of cross-laminated timber building systems, for example, could substantially 

increase wood use in the future. 

In 2011, Health and Schools were the building types with the highest wood use. Combined, they 

accounted for more than one third of total consumption. Industrial and Recreation buildings 

were the lowest, using just under 3 percent of all wood. Stores and Public were the building 

types with greatest potential, while Industrial and Recreation were the lowest. Schools had 

much of their potential attributable to very high levels of nonstructural panels. Schools 

accounted for more than 90 percent of nonstructural panel potential. 

The South consistently used more wood in total than any other region, and also used more of 

each product group. Two divisions in the South, South Atlantic, and West South Central, led all 

divisions in total wood use, and in all product groups except for engineered wood. The South 

and its divisions consistently led all other regions and divisions in potential wood consumption.

A large unfulfilled potential exists to greatly increase wood products consumption in 

nonresidential construction. While the strategies needed to fill this potential were not a part of 

this study, the data here may provide clues and approaches for the wood products industry as it 

plans for the future. One such approach would be the development of new wood-based 

products that are competitive in performance and value to concrete and steel, thereby creating

an advantage for wood. Wood is, must remain, and must become even more competitive in 

order to maintain and increase its share of the low-rise nonresidential building market.
REFERENCES

McKeever, David B. 2010. Wood Products Used in the Construction of Low-Rise 

Nonresidential Buildings in the United States, 2008. Tacoma, WA: APA-The Engineered Wood 

Association. 47 p.

http://treesearch.fs.fed.us/pubs/37935 (Accessed March 24, 2013)

McKeever, D.B.; Adair, C.; O’Connor, J. 2006.Wood Products Used in the construction of LowRise Nonresidential Buildings in the United States, 2003. Tacoma, WA: APA-The Engineered 

Wood Association. 63 p.

http://www.treesearch.fs.fed.us/pubs/27124 (Accessed March 24, 2013)

Reed Construction Data. 2013. Annual Construction Statistics 2003-2011. Special tabulation. 

Norcross, GA: Reed Construction Data. 

http://www.reedconstructiondata.com (Accessed April 16, 2013)

U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census. 2013.

http://www.census.gov/construction/c30/c30index.html (Accessed March 24, 2013)
Constrution Rim Softwood

value I-Joist Glulam SCL2 Board3 CLT4 Total5 Plywood OSB Total

Characteristic Mil. $ Th. bf Th. lf Th. bf Th. ft3 Th. ft2 3/8" Th. ft3 Th. bfe Th. bfe Th. ft2 3/8" Th. ft2 3/8" Th. ft2 3/8" Th. ft2 3/8" Th. ft2 3/8" Th. bfe7 Th. bfe

Building type

 Stores 19,796 71,281 0 3,398 250 51 0 7,432 78,712 147,847 351 148,198 0 148,198 74,099 152,811

 Industrial 9,377 3,084 12 2 20 0 0 353 3,437 2,500 0 2,500 0 2,500 1,250 4,687

 Offices 12,294 63,606 96 396 389 53 0 6,835 70,442 63,652 25,517 89,169 0 89,169 44,584 115,026

 Hotels 3,542 40,262 7,646 2 1,567 199 0 40,468 80,730 41,254 0 41,254 0 41,254 20,627 101,357

 Schools 47,511 105,232 6,528 19,999 1,502 342 5 57,339 162,571 28,446 3,612 32,058 17,719 49,776 24,888 187,459

 Colleges 23,547 68,510 529 325 779 104 0 13,901 82,412 88,095 0 88,095 173 88,268 44,134 126,546

 Religious 2,709 88,674 4,388 2,257 297 123 0 15,845 104,519 50,777 53 50,830 0 50,830 25,415 129,934

 Health 31,465 112,537 3,634 6,797 1,143 167 0 32,433 144,970 135,995 30,249 166,244 767 167,011 83,506 228,475

 Public 47,302 47,237 1,734 18,252 132 206 0 23,936 71,173 56,494 977 57,470 810 58,280 29,140 100,313

 Recreation 4,584 11,559 0 8,284 25 8 0 8,686 20,245 18,124 0 18,124 0 18,124 9,062 29,308

 Misc. 6,251 14,772 2,367 7,370 144 111 0 14,460 29,232 17,932 0 17,932 0 17,932 8,966 38,198

 All buildings 208,380 626,755 26,935 67,082 6,249 1,364 5 221,689 848,443 651,115 60,759 711,874 19,468 731,343 365,671 1,214,114

Region

 Northeast 39,480 108,719 3,483 12,572 1,345 250 0 41,175 149,894 113,095 13,693 126,788 2,976 129,764 64,882 214,776

 New England 13,051 41,059 1,050 5,366 646 99 0 17,860 58,918 38,762 3,144 41,906 1,243 43,149 21,575 80,493

 Mid Atlantic 26,429 67,660 2,432 7,206 698 151 0 23,315 90,976 74,333 10,549 84,881 1,733 86,614 43,307 134,283

 Midwest 36,135 126,683 5,727 16,663 1,747 316 0 56,221 182,904 132,212 12,157 144,369 4,718 149,087 74,543 257,447

 E N Central 22,222 73,317 2,900 11,204 1,160 206 0 35,670 108,986 75,335 7,982 83,317 3,247 86,564 43,282 152,268

 W N Central 13,914 53,367 2,827 5,459 586 110 0 20,551 73,918 56,877 4,175 61,052 1,470 62,522 31,261 105,179

 South 79,268 284,991 12,556 25,627 2,226 543 0 86,628 371,619 285,024 25,532 310,557 8,446 319,002 159,501 531,120

 South Atlantic 40,284 149,584 5,980 15,071 1,256 302 0 47,272 196,856 156,188 14,797 170,984 3,542 174,526 87,263 284,119

 E S Central 10,861 40,034 1,928 3,734 328 71 0 12,875 52,910 40,742 3,599 44,341 1,351 45,691 22,846 75,755

 W S Central 28,123 95,373 4,648 6,822 642 170 0 26,481 121,854 88,095 7,137 95,231 3,554 98,785 49,393 171,246

 West 53,497 106,361 5,169 12,220 931 255 5 37,665 144,026 120,784 9,377 130,161 3,329 133,490 66,745 210,771

 Mountain 15,393 37,195 1,836 2,350 295 75 5 10,852 48,047 40,293 2,997 43,290 1,176 44,466 22,233 70,280

 Pacific 38,104 69,166 3,334 9,870 637 180 0 26,814 95,980 80,491 6,380 86,871 2,153 89,024 44,512 140,492

 U.S. 208,380 626,755 26,935 67,082 6,249 1,364 5 221,689 848,443 651,115 60,759 711,874 19,468 731,343 365,671 1,214,114

TOTAL

TABLE ES-1: CONSTRUCTION VALUE, AND LUMBER, ENGINEERED WOOD, & WOOD PANELS USED IN LOW-RISE NONRESIDENTIAL 

BUILDING CONSTRUCTION IN THE U.S., BY BUILDING TYPE AND GEOGRAPHIC AREA, 2011.

Lumber, Engineered Wood, and Wood Panels

Lumber & Engineered Wood Wood Panels

Lumber TOTAL 1

Engineered wood

TOTAL

Structural Panels NonStructural 

Panels6

6

Includes hardboard, insulation board, particleboard, medium density fiberboard, and hardwood plywood.

7

1 ft2, 3/8" basis = 0.5 BF equivalents.

1

Includes framing lumber, boards, wood trusses, and shakes, shingles and siding.

2

Structural composite lumber (SCL) includes includes laminated veneer lumber, parallel strand lumber, laminated strand lumber, and oriented strand lumber.

3

Includes OSB and strand lumber rim boards.

4

Cross-laminated timber (CLT). Small volumes due to product infancy.

5

Includes glulam, and the board foot equivalent of engineered wood (1 lf I-joist = 2 BF equivalents; 1 ft3 SCL and CLT = 16 BF equivalents, 1 ft2, 3/8" basis = 0.5 BF equivalent).
Building Type Th. bf Building Type Th. bfe Building Type Th. ft2

 3/8" Building Type Th. ft2

 3/8" Building Type Th. bfe

1 Health 112,537 Schools 57,339 Health 166,244 Schools 17,719 Health 228,475

2 Schools 105,232 Hotels 40,468 Stores 148,198 Public 810 Schools 187,459

3 Religious 88,674 Health 32,433 Offices 89,169 Health 767 Stores 152,811

4 Stores 71,281 Public 23,936 Colleges 88,095 Colleges 173 Religious 129,934

5 Colleges 68,510 Religious 15,845 Public 57,470 Stores 0 Colleges 126,546

6 Offices 63,606 Misc. 14,460 Religious 50,830 Industrial 0 Offices 115,026

7 Public 47,237 Colleges 13,901 Hotels 41,254 Offices 0 Hotels 101,357

8 Hotels 40,262 Recreation 8,686 Schools 32,058 Hotels 0 Public 100,313

9 Misc. 14,772 Stores 7,432 Recreation 18,124 Religious 0 Misc. 38,198

10 Recreation 11,559 Offices 6,835 Misc. 17,932 Recreation 0 Recreation 29,308

11 Industrial 3,084 Industrial 353 Industrial 2,500 Misc. 0 Industrial 4,687

All buildings 626,755 All buildings 221,689 All buildings 711,874 All buildings 19,468 All buildings 1,214,114

Rank Region Th. bf Region Th. bfe Region Th. ft2

 3/8" Region Th. ft2

 3/8" Region Th. bfe

1 South 284,991 South 86,628 South 310,557 South 8,446 South 531,120

2 Midwest 126,683 Midwest 56,221 Midwest 144,369 Midwest 4,718 Midwest 257,447

3 Northeast 108,719 Northeast 41,175 West 130,161 West 3,329 Northeast 214,776

4 West 106,361 West 37,665 Northeast 126,788 Northeast 2,976 West 210,771

All regions 626,755 All regions 221,689 All regions 711,874 All regions 19,468 All regions 1,214,114

Rank Division Th. bf Division Th. bfe Division Th. ft2

 3/8" Division Th. ft2 3/8" Building Type Th. bfe

1 South Atlantic 149,584 South Atlantic 47,272 South Atlantic 170,984 W S Central 3,554 South Atlantic 284,119

2 W S Central 95,373 E N Central 35,670 W S Central 95,231 South Atlantic 3,542 W S Central 171,246

3 E N Central 73,317 Pacific 26,814 Pacific 86,871 E N Central 3,247 E N Central 152,268

4 Pacific 69,166 W S Central 26,481 Mid Atlantic 84,881 Pacific 2,153 Pacific 140,492

5 Mid Atlantic 67,660 Mid Atlantic 23,315 E N Central 83,317 Mid Atlantic 1,733 Mid Atlantic 134,283

6 W N Central 53,367 W N Central 20,551 W N Central 61,052 W N Central 1,470 W N Central 105,179

7 New England 41,059 New England 17,860 E S Central 44,341 E S Central 1,351 New England 80,493

8 E S Central 40,034 E S Central 12,875 Mountain 43,290 New England 1,243 E S Central 75,755

9 Mountain 37,195 Mountain 10,852 New England 41,906 Mountain 1,176 Mountain 70,280

All divisions 626,755 All divisions 221,689 All divisions 711,874 All divisions 19,468 All divisions 1,214,114 1

Includes new construction, major additions, and alterations, renovations, & remodeling.

2

Includes framing lumber, boards, wood trusses, and shakes, shingles and siding.

3

Includes I-joists, glulam, structural composite lumber, engineered rim boards, and cross-laminated timber.

4

Includes softwood plywood and OSB.

5

Includes hardboard, insulation board, particleboard, medium density fiberboard, and hardwood plywood.

6

Includes lumber, and board foot equivalent of engineered wood and wood panels. See Table ES-1 for conversion factors.

TABLE ES-2: LUMBER, ENGINEERED WOOD, & WOOD PANELS USED IN LOW-RISE NONRESIDENTIAL BUILDING

Rank

Lumber2 Engineered Wood3 Structural Panels4 Non-Structural Panels5 All Wood Products6

CONSTRUCTION1

 IN THE U.S., BY BUILDING TYPE AND GEOGRAPHIC AREA,

RANKED HIGH TO LOW, 2011.
Building and Building and

framing type 20032 20082 20113 framing type 20032 20082 20113

STORES RELIGIOUS

 Wood 7% 13% 7% Wood 22% 27% 34%

 Concrete 29% 26% 20% Concrete 21% 21% 19%

 Steel 63% 62% 73% Steel 58% 52% 47%

INDUSTRIAL HEALTH

 Wood 2% 1% 7% Wood 25% 30% 18%

 Concrete 38% 39% 47% Concrete 16% 14% 17%

 Steel 61% 60% 46% Steel 59% 56% 65%

OFFICES PUBLIC

 Wood 12% 12% 12% Wood 7% 2% 7%

 Concrete 33% 32% 23% Concrete 39% 11% 23%

 Steel 55% 57% 65% Steel 55% 88% 69%

HOTELS RECREATION

 Wood 59% 58% 54% Wood 12% 10% 13%

 Concrete 11% 19% 17% Concrete 29% 23% 26%

 Steel 30% 23% 28% Steel 60% 67% 62%

SCHOOLS MISC.

 Wood 11% 6% 9% Wood 6% 7% 29%

 Concrete 26% 24% 23% Concrete 22% 20% 35%

 Steel 63% 71% 68% Steel 72% 72% 36%

COLLEGES ALL BUILDINGS

 Wood 15% 17% 18% Wood 10% 11% 12%

 Concrete 21% 16% 23% Concrete 29% 26% 25%

 Steel 64% 67% 59% Steel 61% 63% 63%

1

New construction and additions only.

2

Based on low-rise buildings with four or fewer stories.

3

Based on low-rise buildings with six or fewer stories.

Sources: 2003 and 2008: McKeever 2010.

TABLE ES-3: WALL FRAMING TYPE INCIDENCE IN LOW-RISE

Percentage of buildings Percentage of buildings

NONRESIDENTIAL BUILDING CONSTRUCTION1

 IN THE U.S.,

BY BUILDING TYPE, 2003, 2008 & 2011.
Building type Th. bf Building type Th. bfe Building type Th. ft2 3/8" Building type Th. ft2 3/8" Building type Th. bfe

1 Stores 392,261 Public 284,837 Stores 463,124 Schools 49,960 Stores 644,636

2 Schools 218,009 Schools 156,706 Offices 198,991 Public 26,872 Public 496,487

3 Offices 178,775 Offices 81,706 Public 152,441 Health 822 Schools 431,457

4 Public 121,994 Hotels 46,311 Colleges 131,256 Colleges 463 Offices 359,976

5 Colleges 106,576 Health 36,676 Health 104,752 Stores 0 Colleges 201,038

6 Health 88,512 Colleges 28,603 Hotels 90,107 Industrial 0 Health 177,975

7 Religious 68,804 Stores 20,813 Schools 63,525 Offices 0 Hotels 130,030

8 Hotels 38,665 Religious 20,387 Religious 44,744 Hotels 0 Religious 111,563

9 Misc 21,030 Recreation 12,737 Recreation 21,548 Religious 0 Misc 41,483

10 Recreation 13,354 Misc 11,002 Misc 18,904 Recreation 0 Recreation 36,865

11 Industrial 4,532 Industrial 53 Industrial 8,437 Misc 0 Industrial 8,803

All buildings 1,252,512 All buildings 699,829 All buildings 1,297,828 All buildings 78,115 All buildings 2,640,314

Rank Region Th. bf Region Th. bfe Region Th. ft2 3/8" Region Th. ft2 3/8" Region Th. bfe

1 South 631,296 South 286,052 South 596,069 South 32,876 South 1,231,820

2 Midwest 251,445 Midwest 167,982 Midwest 295,713 Northeast 17,789 Midwest 574,227

3 Northeast 196,145 Northeast 125,102 Northeast 212,869 Midwest 13,888 Northeast 436,576

4 West 173,626 West 120,694 West 193,177 West 13,563 West 397,690

All buildings 1,252,512 All buildings 699,829 All buildings 1,297,828 All buildings 78,115 All buildings 2,640,314

Rank Division Th. bf Division Th. bfe Division Th. ft2 3/8" Division Th. ft2 3/8" Division Th. bfe

1 S Atlantic 377,618 S Atlantic 160,531 S Atlantic 350,429 S Atlantic 17,432 S Atlantic 722,080

2 W S Central 159,314 E N Central 113,304 E N Central 180,213 New England 14,467 E N Central 362,611

3 E N Central 154,138 W S Central 98,561 W S Central 155,162 W S Central 10,533 W S Central 340,723

4 Mid Atlantic 111,914 New England 71,982 Mid Atlantic 141,892 E N Central 10,126 Mid Atlantic 237,641

5 W N Central 97,307 Pacific 70,422 W N Central 115,501 Pacific 9,575 Pacific 219,674

6 E S Central 94,364 W N Central 54,678 Pacific 103,812 E S Central 4,910 W N Central 211,617

7 Pacific 92,558 Mid Atlantic 53,120 E S Central 90,478 Mountain 3,988 New England 198,935

8 New England 84,231 Mountain 50,273 Mountain 89,364 W N Central 3,762 Mountain 178,017

9 Mountain 81,068 E S Central 26,960 New England 70,977 Mid Atlantic 3,322 E S Central 169,018

All divisions 1,252,512 All divisions 699,829 All divisions 1,297,828 All divisions 78,115 All divisions 2,640,314 1

New construction and major additions only.

2

Includes framing lumber, boards, wood trusses, and shakes, shingles and siding.

3

Includes I-joists, glulam, structural composite lumber, engineered rim boards, and cross-laminated timber.

4

Includes softwood plywood and OSB.

5

Includes hardboard, insulation board, particleboard, medium density fiberboard, and hardwood plywood.

6

Includes lumber, and board foot equivalent of engineered wood and wood panels. See Table ES-1 for conversion factors.

TABLE ES-4: NET POTENTIAL CHANGE IN LUMBER, ENGINEERED WOOD, & WOOD PANEL VOLUME IN LOW-RISE

Rank

Lumber2 Engineered Wood3 Structural Panels4 Non-Structural Panels5 All Wood Products6

NONRESIDENTIAL BUILDING CONSTRUCTION1

 IN THE U.S., BY BUILDING TYPE AND GEOGRAPHIC AREA,

RANKED HIGH TO LOW, 2011.
Building Wood Conc Steel Lumber

Eng 

wood

Str 

panels

Nonstr 

panels

type % % % Bf/ft2 Bf/ ft2 Ft2

/ft2 Ft2

/ft2

Stores 37% 7% 20% 73% 0.324 0.037 0.680 0.000

Industrial 15% 7% 47% 46% 0.033 0.004 0.027 0.000

Offices 12% 12% 23% 65% 0.607 0.065 0.852 0.000

Hotels 3% 54% 17% 28% 1.611 1.621 1.715 0.000

Schools 12% 9% 23% 68% 0.358 0.184 0.109 0.060

Colleges 5% 18% 23% 59% 0.739 0.145 0.963 0.002

Religious 3% 34% 19% 47% 4.600 0.814 2.643 0.000

Health 6% 18% 17% 65% 0.953 0.264 1.411 0.007

Public 1% 7% 23% 69% 0.426 0.219 0.524 0.008

Recreation 4% 13% 26% 62% 0.417 0.291 0.663 0.000

Misc 1% 29% 35% 36% 0.683 0.780 0.979 0.000

 All bldgs 100% 12% 25% 63% 0.551 0.189 0.649 0.014

Building Wood Conc Steel Total Wood Conc Steel Total

type Mil. ft2 Mil. ft2 Mil. ft2 Mil. ft2 Mil. ft2 Mil. ft2 Mil. ft2 Mil. ft2

Stores 34.2 98.8 353.5 486.4 10.7 31.0 110.8 152.5

Industrial 14.7 91.4 90.3 196.4 6.4 40.0 39.5 85.8

Offices 18.8 34.8 98.3 151.9 10.7 19.9 56.0 86.6

Hotels 20.3 6.5 10.5 37.3 11.5 3.7 6.0 21.2

Schools 13.1 34.7 103.6 151.3 13.1 34.9 104.1 152.0

Colleges 12.5 16.0 41.7 70.2 9.2 11.9 30.9 52.1

Religious 15.3 8.7 21.3 45.2 4.4 2.5 6.2 13.2

Health 13.1 12.9 48.2 74.1 12.4 12.3 45.8 70.4

Public 1.2 4.0 11.7 16.9 5.2 16.8 49.7 71.7

Recreation 6.8 13.9 33.1 53.8 2.4 4.8 11.6 18.8

Misc 4.7 5.8 6.0 16.5 2.5 3.1 3.2 8.8

 All bldgs 154.5 327.4 818.1 1,300.0 88.7 180.8 463.7 733.1

Floor area, typical year Reported floor area, 2011

TABLE ES-5: 2003 BUILDING TYPE DISTRIBUTION, 2011 

FRAMING TYPE DISTRIBUTION, AND 2011 WOOD USE FACTORS 

USED TO ESTIMATE TYPICAL YEAR WOOD USE FOR NEW AND 

MAJOR ADDITIONS.

Building 

type 

distribution, 

2003 

%

Framing type 

distribution, 2011 Use per ft2 of floor area, 2011

TABLE ES-6: ESTIMATED FLOOR AREA BY FRAMING TYPE FOR 

NEW AND MAJOR ADDITIONS, TYPICAL YEAR AND 2011.
Building Lumber

Eng 

wood

Str 

panels

Nonstr 

panels Total Lumber

Eng 

wood

Str 

panels

Nonstr 

panels Total

type Mil bf Mil bf Mil ft2 Mil ft2 Mil bf Mil bf Mil bf Mil ft2 Mil ft2 Mil bf

Stores 157.6 17.9 330.7 0.0 340.9 49.4 5.6 103.7 0.0 106.9

Industrial 6.4 0.7 5.3 0.0 9.8 2.8 0.3 2.3 0.0 4.3

Offices 92.2 9.9 129.5 0.0 166.8 52.5 5.6 73.8 0.0 95.1

Hotels 60.1 60.5 64.0 0.0 152.5 34.1 34.3 36.3 0.0 86.6

Schools 54.1 27.9 16.5 9.1 94.8 54.4 28.0 16.5 9.2 95.2

Colleges 51.8 10.2 67.6 0.1 95.9 38.5 7.6 50.1 0.1 71.1

Religious 207.9 36.8 119.5 0.0 304.5 60.5 10.7 34.8 0.0 88.7

Health 70.6 19.6 104.6 0.5 142.7 67.1 18.6 99.4 0.5 135.6

Public 7.2 3.7 8.8 0.1 15.4 30.5 15.7 37.6 0.5 65.3

Recreation 22.4 15.7 35.7 0.0 56.0 7.8 5.5 12.5 0.0 19.5

Misc 11.3 12.9 16.1 0.0 32.2 6.0 6.9 8.6 0.0 17.2

 All bldgs 741.7 215.6 898.3 9.9 1,411.4 403.7 138.8 475.6 10.3 785.5

Building Lumber

Eng 

wood

Str 

panels

Nonstr 

panels Total Lumber

Eng 

wood

Str 

panels

Nonstr 

panels Total

type Mil bf Mil bf Mil ft2 Mil ft2 Mil bf Mil bf Mil bf Mil ft2 Mil ft2 Mil bf

Stores 12.7 0.2 43.1 0.0 34.5 21.9 1.8 44.5 0.0 46.0

Industrial 0.4 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.5 0.3 0.0 0.2 0.0 0.4

Offices 44.0 8.3 88.2 0.0 96.4 11.1 1.2 15.3 0.0 19.9

Hotels 1.1 0.6 1.0 0.0 2.2 6.2 6.2 5.0 0.0 14.8

Schools 6.7 3.8 5.7 12.4 19.5 50.9 29.3 15.5 8.5 92.2

Colleges 9.3 1.3 14.7 0.8 18.4 30.1 6.3 38.0 0.1 55.4

Religious 30.6 9.4 18.7 0.0 49.4 28.1 5.1 16.0 0.0 41.3

Health 12.9 2.8 29.1 4.6 32.6 45.4 13.8 66.8 0.3 92.8

Public 2.8 1.1 5.4 11.6 12.3 16.7 8.2 19.9 0.3 35.0

Recreation 6.8 1.1 6.9 0.0 11.4 3.7 3.2 5.7 0.0 9.8

Misc 4.6 83.4 26.7 0.0 101.3 8.7 7.6 9.3 0.0 21.0

All bldgs 131.9 112.0 239.7 29.5 378.5 223.0 82.9 236.2 9.2 428.6

TABLE ES-7: ESTIMATED WOOD USE FOR NEW AND MAJOR ADDITIONS, 

TYPICAL YEAR AND 2011.

Estimated actual wood use, typical year Reported wood use, new & additions, 2011

TABLE ES-8: ESTIMATED WOOD USE FOR ALTERATIONS, RENOVATIONS AND 

REMODELING (R&R), TYPICAL YEAR AND 2011.

Estimated R&R wood use, typical year Reported R&R wood use, 2011
Building Lumber

Eng 

wood

Str 

panels

Nonstr 

panels Total Lumber

Eng 

wood

Str 

panels

Nonstr 

panels Total

type Mil bf Mil bf Mil ft2 Mil ft2 Mil bf Mil bf Mil bf Mil ft2 Mil ft2 Mil bf

Stores 170.4 18.1 373.8 0.0 375.4 71.3 7.4 148.2 0.0 152.8

Industrial 6.8 0.7 5.4 0.0 10.2 3.1 0.4 2.5 0.0 4.7

Offices 136.2 18.2 217.7 0.0 263.2 63.6 6.8 89.2 0.0 115.0

Hotels 61.1 61.1 65.0 0.0 154.8 40.3 40.5 41.3 0.0 101.4

Schools 60.8 31.7 22.2 21.5 114.3 105.2 57.3 32.1 17.7 187.5

Colleges 61.2 11.5 82.3 1.0 114.3 68.5 13.9 88.1 0.2 126.5

Religious 238.5 46.2 138.2 0.0 353.8 88.7 15.8 50.8 0.0 129.9

Health 83.6 22.4 133.7 5.1 175.4 112.5 32.4 166.2 0.8 228.5

Public 9.9 4.8 14.2 11.7 27.7 47.2 23.9 57.5 0.8 100.3

Recreation 29.3 16.8 42.6 0.0 67.3 11.6 8.7 18.1 0.0 29.3

Misc 15.9 96.2 42.8 0.0 133.5 14.8 14.5 17.9 0.0 38.2

All bldgs 873.6 327.6 1,137.9 39.3 1,789.9 626.8 221.7 711.9 19.5 1,214.1

Building Lumber

Eng 

wood

Str 

panels

Nonstr 

panels Total Lumber

Eng 

wood

Str 

panels

Nonstr 

panels Total

type Mil bf Mil bf Mil ft2 Mil ft2 Mil bf Mil bf Mil bf Mil ft2 Mil ft2 Mil bf

Stores 1,251.5 66.4 1,477.6 0.0 2,056.7 392.3 20.8 463.1 0.0 644.6

Industrial 10.4 0.1 19.3 0.0 20.1 4.5 0.1 8.4 0.0 8.8

Offices 313.5 143.3 349.0 0.0 631.3 178.8 81.7 199.0 0.0 360.0

Hotels 68.1 81.6 158.8 0.0 229.1 38.7 46.3 90.1 0.0 130.0

Schools 217.0 156.0 63.2 49.7 429.5 218.0 156.7 63.5 50.0 431.5

Colleges 143.7 38.6 177.0 0.6 271.0 106.6 28.6 131.3 0.5 201.0

Religious 236.3 70.0 153.7 0.0 383.1 68.8 20.4 44.7 0.0 111.6

Health 93.2 38.6 110.2 0.9 187.3 88.5 36.7 104.8 0.8 178.0

Public 28.7 67.1 35.9 6.3 116.9 122.0 284.8 152.4 26.9 496.5

Recreation 38.2 36.5 61.7 0.0 105.5 13.4 12.7 21.5 0.0 36.9

Misc 39.2 20.5 35.3 0.0 77.4 21.0 11.0 18.9 0.0 41.5

 All bldgs 2,439.8 718.6 2,641.6 57.5 4,508.0 1,252.5 699.8 1,297.8 78.1 2,640.3

Reported actual wood use, 2011

TABLE ES-10: ESTIMATED POTENTIAL WOOD USE FOR NEW AND MAJOR 

ADDITIONS, TYPICAL YEAR AND 2011.

Estimated potential wood use, typical year Reported potential wood use, 2011

TABLE ES-9: ESTIMATED WOOD USE FOR ALL NONRESIDENTIAL 

CONSTRUCTION, TYPICAL YEAR AND 2011.

Estimated actual wood use, typical year