Building a sustainable home could get more expensive under Trump

The United States is making progress on mass timber and other sustainable building practices, but Trump’s proposed tariffs could derail those efforts.

Mass timber construction—which uses factory-made, engineered wood boards and beams as structural and exterior components—has exploded in recent years, exemplified by buildings like Ascent, a high-rise in Milwaukee, and the new terminal at the Portland Airport. Industry group Woodworks predicts 20% growth in new projects. And passive house design, the ultra-energy efficient methodology of building with exemplary insulation, has also exploded, with numerous examples of homes, hospitals, high-rises, and even affordable housing built according to the standard. 

But this progress is at risk with a new Trump administration coming into power next year. Proposed tariffs by the incoming Trump administration may increase the prices of many items at the store. But for architects and advocates working on more efficient and sustainable buildings, there’s fear that tariffs could impact specific materials and machines that are key to their work.