The construction industry is under pressure from multiple directions. Developers need projects to move faster. Architects and engineers are being asked to design buildings that perform well, use materials efficiently, and reduce embodied carbon. Owners want long-term value without unnecessary complexity.
That is where hybrid mass timber construction deserves a closer look.
Hybrid systems use each material where it performs best. Steel has long been valued for strength, spanning capability, and familiarity in commercial construction. Mass timber brings speed, lighter weight, carbon benefits, and a finished wood aesthetic that many owners and design teams want.
When Mass Ply Panels, or MPP, are paired with steel framing, the result is a system with serious potential for commercial, industrial, and multi-story construction.
What is Hybrid Mass Timber Construction?
Hybrid mass timber construction combines mass timber products with other structural materials, often steel or concrete. In many applications, the goal is to create smarter structural systems by taking advantage of the strengths of each material.
One promising example is a composite floor system made with mass timber panels over steel beams. In a traditional composite steel building, the floor slab is often concrete. Concrete is strong and familiar, but it adds significant weight, requires curing time, may need temporary support, and carries a higher embodied carbon burden.
Mass Timber Offers a Different Path.
A recent project report prepared for Freres Engineered Wood by researchers at Queen’s University examined the structural behavior of MPP-steel composite systems. The report notes that replacing concrete with mass timber in this type of floor system can reduce the floor system weight to approximately one-fifth of the traditional concrete option, while also allowing faster building and lowering embodied carbon.
Less weight can affect everything from structural demands to transportation and installation. Faster building can help compress construction schedules. Lower embodied carbon supports broader sustainability goals.
Why MPP is a Strong Fit for Hybrid Systems
MPP CLT is made from engineered wood veneer, creating a strong and efficient mass timber product. Certified under ANSI/APA PRG 320 MPP CLT is manufactured from veneer rather than lumber laminations, so it offers different structural properties and material efficiencies than other mass timber products.
In the Queen’s University study, researchers specifically investigated MPP-steel composite beam assemblies, an area where limited experimental data has existed. While previous studies have examined steel-timber composite behavior using products like lumber sawn CLT and LVL, the report notes that wide flange steel sections paired with MPP had not yet been investigated in the same way.
The research objectives included small-scale direct shear testing of MPP-steel connections using self-tapping screws, large-scale testing of MPP-steel composite beams, evaluation of different connection types, panel grades, panel widths, and orientations, and the eventual development of design methods that could support future use in North American standards.
Design teams need reliable data before they can detail a system confidently and responsibly. This research is the kind of foundational testing that helps move a building system from concept to broader practical use.
A Stronger Case for MPP and Steel
The research is still ongoing, but the results to date point to an important opportunity for hybrid construction: MPP and steel can work together as a more efficient composite system.
In the Queen’s University testing, researchers studied how MPP performs when connected to steel beams using different shear connection methods. The goal was to better understand composite action, or what happens when the wood panel and steel beam are connected so they act together structurally instead of performing as separate components.
The early findings were promising. In testing, the MPP-steel shear connection showed comparable initial stiffness to a similar lumber sawn CLT connection, while reaching a higher maximum load carrying capacity over 1.66 times as much. The ultimate failure was the brittle failure of the screw shanks at the interface between the steel flange and the MPP slab.
Full- scale beam testing also showed that the composite MPP-steel system improved stiffness and bending performance, twice as much compared to the steel section alone with an MPP panel that was 10% thinner than the lumber sawn CLT that was tested.
This supports the larger case for hybrid systems. When mass timber and steel are detailed correctly, the result can be a smarter structural approach that uses each material where it performs best. Improved shear and load capacities with a thinner panel equates to greater cost savings in the end.
A Recent Example of MPP in Hybrid Construction
One project that shows the potential of hybrid construction is the Coronation Park Sports and Recreation Centre in Edmonton, Alberta. The facility is designed to serve as a community and recreation hub for central-north Edmonton, with plans that include an indoor cycling track, walking/jogging track, gymnasiums, fitness center, multi-purpose rooms and more.
For this project, the design and construction teams selected MPP as part of their search for sustainable building materials. MPP was chosen for its competitive edge over lumber sawn CLT panels and its aesthetic appeal, giving the project both structural value and a finished wood appearance that can remain exposed in the final design.
Building Better in the Future
The future of construction is not likely to be defined by one material. It will be shaped by systems that use materials more intelligently.
Hybrid MPP-steel construction is a strong example of that approach. It gives architects, engineers, and developers another way to think about performance, efficiency, sustainability, and constructability. It also reflects a larger shift happening across the industry: better buildings will come from better combinations.
At Freres Engineered Wood, we are continuing to work with researchers, engineers, builders, and project teams to better understand where MPP can create the most value. The early research into MPP-steel composite beams is promising, and the real-world applications are helping show what is possible when wood and steel are designed to work together.
If you are exploring hybrid mass timber construction for an upcoming project, our Mass Ply team can help you understand where MPP may fit.
Contact the MPP sales team to start a conversation about your project.
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