The Alliance for Sustainable Building Products (ASBP) has launched a new international project to develop practical guidance on managing water and moisture risk throughout the lifecycle of mass timber buildings.
Funded by the Softwood Lumber Board (SLB) and Swedish Wood, the project will bring together existing research and industry expertise to produce practical guidance that supports the design, construction and long-term management of resilient, durable and insurable mass timber buildings.
As mass timber continues to be adopted across a wider range of building types, there is growing recognition of the importance of designing for effective water and moisture management, and a clear need for practical guidance that brings together current best practice on prevention, detection and control, helping to support confidence across the construction and insurance sectors.
The new guidance will build on the success of the Mass Timber Insurance Playbook, published by ASBP and co-authored by Dr Jim Glockling. The Playbook has been downloaded thousands of times, received endorsement from the Association of British Insurers and was subsequently adapted for the US market by WoodWorks with support from the SLB, demonstrating international demand for practical, insurer-backed guidance.
The project will focus specifically on water and moisture management, bringing together current knowledge into a single practical guide covering every stage of a building’s lifecycle, from design and manufacture through construction, occupation, maintenance and eventual reuse.
The guide will:
- Help designers minimise water and moisture risk.
- Set out construction practices that reduce water exposure during assembly.
- Showcase moisture monitoring, leak detection and early warning technologies.
- Provide guidance on managing escape of water, flooding and condensation.
- Outline practical measures that support long-term resilience and insurability.
- Promote approaches that improve durability, maintainability and repairability throughout a building’s service life.
The guidance is intended for architects, engineers, contractors, manufacturers, insurers, investors and building owners, helping to establish a shared framework for managing water and moisture risk throughout the lifecycle of mass timber buildings.
The project is being led and managed by ASBP, with technical leadership from Dr Jim Glockling. An international steering group comprising representatives from the insurance, construction and timber sectors across the UK, Europe and North America will help shape the guidance, ensuring it reflects current best practice while remaining applicable across multiple markets.
Unlike fire safety guidance, which is often shaped by national regulations, the principles of moisture management are largely governed by universal building physics. The guidance will therefore be developed as an internationally applicable resource, with regional considerations incorporated where appropriate.
The project began in May 2026 and will conclude in October 2026 with publication of the guidance.
Source: asbp.org.uk
