## 1 Introduction  
The alarming global climate scenario, which has rapidly worsened in recent decades, has highlighted the urgency of reversing the consumption patterns practiced by various economic sectors, demanding the establishment of increasingly ambitious collective climate and energy mitigation goals. As a growth strategy for a modern, competitive, resource-efficient economy which is, consequently, conducive to sustainable development, one of the priorities outlined by the European Union is achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 [1]. In this context, the prioritization of revising the traditional models replicated by the construction sector becomes crucial when confronted with data regarding their impact. The production and processing of materials for the sector hold the most significant share of energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions [2], with cement and steel accounting for 4 to 7% [3] and 5% [4] of global CO\({}_{2}\) emissions per year, respectively. Wood, then, emerges as a promising construction material as an alternative to concrete and steel, with the benefit of its inherent contribution to emission reduction through its carbon storage capacity--approximately 0.9 t CO\({}_{2}\)/m\({}^{3}\) of material--and lower embodied energy [5]. The population growth, coupled with the urbanization trend that will lead more than 2/3 of the global population to live in urban areas by 2050 [6], requires the establishment of increasingly dense urban forms, which often translates into high-rise buildings. According to the UK Committee on Climate Change [7], by 2060, 230 billion square meters of new construction will be added, with 2 billion square meters per year between 2019 and 2025 [8], contributing to the release of approximately 415 G\(\mathrm{t}\)CO\({}_{2}\) into the atmosphere over the next 40 years [9]. Thus, population and urban expansion turn cities into opportunities for sustainable development [10], highlighting the potential of the timber industry to provide carbon-neutral solutions [11]. Constructing tall buildings with timber under the current standards is a pioneering effort made possible by innovations in the timber-based industry, both at the product and process levels. The introduction of Engineered Wood Products (EWP), such as laminated veneer lumber (LVL), and, in particular, cross-laminated timber (CLT), has optimized the structural properties of timber and overcome many of its limitations [12], reinventing and propelling the industry with products that exhibit high stability, rigidity, and competitive mechanical properties compared to concrete and steel [13]. On the other hand, the development of CAD/CAM (Computer-Aided Design/Computer-Aided Manufacturing) technology combined with the use of CNC (Computer Numeric Control) equipment and the integrated approach of various specialties within the BIM methodology has increased the precision and quality of wood products. Produced in a controlled factory environment, these products minimize on-site activity, thereby reducing construction time, site costs, noise, pollution, waste, accident risks, the need for traditional construction equipment, and material deterioration due to exposure to moisture [14; 15; 16; 17; 18]. An example is the Forte building, located in Melbourne and inaugurated in 2013. At that time, it was considered the largest timber apartment complex in the world, with 10 floors and 30% less construction time than that estimated for a similar structure using conventional materials [19]. According to APA [20], using a case study analysis, opting for prefabricated wood panels over conventional materials can result in even more substantial assembly time savings, exceeding 50%. The objectives of this state-of-the-art review on timber modular construction are multifaceted, aiming to present a comprehensive and innovative analysis of the current landscape of this modern and promising construction typology that integrates sustainable building practices and efficient resource utilization.