New Classrooms Being Built With Innovative Wood

SEQUIM, Wash. (AP) — New modular classrooms are being built across Washington state using a new wood that's the buzz of the industry.

Crews began installing four new modular classrooms in Sequim this week as part of a statewide pilot project to create more classrooms using cross-laminated timber, or CLT.

The technology is made by stacking beams in perpendicular layers and then glued or laminated together the layers like a sandwich.

Supporters say it could infuse struggling forest communities with new economic growth while reducing the carbon footprint of urban construction by using a renewable building material.

For the Sequim classrooms, the wood panels came from local trees and were manufactured in Oregon.

Washington state lawmakers set aside $5.5 million in the 2016 capital budget for 20 classrooms made from CLT. Five school districts in the pilot project are in Seattle, Mount Vernon, Sequim, Wapato and Toppenish.