RWU Construction Management and Biology Faculty Partner on Sustainability Study on Mass Timber in Coastal Environments

September 16, 2025By Matthew Milotakis '25

Supported by USDA grants, Assistant Construction Management Professor Shay Kurzinski, Assistant Biology Professor Joel Singley, and RWU alumnus Andrew Mungovan '25 installed two mockups along the Shell Path on the Bristol campus that will examine how mass timber responds to coastal elements.

BRISTOL, R.I. - You've probably seen the wooden structure surrounded by an array of electronic gadgets and fenced off in one of the clearings next to the shell path and wondered what exactly it is.

Earlier this summer, Roger Williams University faculty launched a yearlong sustainability study to explore the impact of coastal environments on mass timber. Supported by a U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service Wood Innovation Grant, two mockups installed on the Bristol campus will aid researchers in examining how mass timber responds to elements such as wind, humidity, and salt.

Mass timber, also known as engineered wood, is a renewable construction material gaining popularity in the U.S. because of its strength and reduced carbon footprint. Unlike standard two-by-fours, mass timber is made by bonding layers of dimensional lumber - either cross-laminated timber (CLT) or glue-laminated timber - to form structural components used in modern construction.

"Using wood has both embodied and operational benefits. It requires less energy and produces fewer carbon emissions than traditional materials like steel," said Shay Kurzinski, Assistant Professor of Construction Management. She is leading the study with the help of Assistant Professor of BiologyJoel Singley, and RWU alum Andrew Mungovan '25. The interdisciplinary team fabricated CLT test structures in the School of Engineering, Computing, and Construction Management(SECCM) and then installed them along the shell path in late May.

As part of the study, researchers are comparing two types of protective coatings - one developed in the lab and one commercially manufactured - applied to the timber. Sensors embedded in the structures monitor internal moisture levels, while an on-site weather station tracks environmental conditions like sunlight, precipitation, and humidity.

"If one of the treatments or timber types responds differently to weather conditions, we'll be able to pinpoint when that happens and how it progresses," said Singley.

Mungovan, a Construction Management graduate with a Businessminor, played a key role in the project's development. He began working with Kurzinski as an undergraduate and helped design and install the test structures. His involvement led to attending the International Mass Timber Conferenceand a job offer from South County Post and Beam, the company that donated commercial-grade CLT for the project.

"I've always loved building things," Mungovan said. "I've done carpentry every summer, and this was a chance to go beyond the classroom to not only build something new but also learn about mass timber. Getting involved with Professor Kurzinski directly led me to getting a job."

Kurzinski wants to show that students can be introduced to a myriad of different materials and that there is not one set path for Construction Management majors at RWU.

"When students get admitted to Construction Management, they think that construction is only about timber frames, but then they get to know what a more sustainable way to build is, and that's my hope," said Kurzinski. "I hope to explain the sustainable forestry aspect of it, and how it eventually helps to lessen the carbon footprint."

Building codes are increasingly embracing mass timber, making it critical for students to understand the evolving industry. Because of this, Kurzinski is implementing her research in all of her classes, including a new construction elective on mass timber in residential housing.

"I really hope that they find jobs and are just introduced to timber more," said Mungovan. "You don't know what you'll learn until you dive in. It opens doors, and that's what I love most."