Mortenson Cuts $2M From Western Washington University Mass Timber Project

Mortenson saved $2 million and reduced the construction timeline by 25% on the $55 million Kaiser Borsari Hall at Western Washington University by using mass timber and early BIM coordination, the contractor said in a case study. Savings stemmed largely from relocating the four-story hall's electrical room from the basement to the first floor. Mass timber's lighter weight versus steel eliminated the need for a basement foundation, cutting concrete usage. Prefabricated components and value engineering, including a variable refrigerant flow HVAC system and optimized sewer routing, further reduced costs. Mass timber installation was expedited by roughly two months. Timber components were supplied by British Columbia-based Kalesnikoff from within 600 miles of the site. The building broke ground in 2023 and opened in early 2025. It has received Zero Carbon and Zero Energy certifications from Living Future.