A wide variety of wood products exist for both structural and non-structural uses; however, these products are underutilized in non-residential construction in the US. Since architects are one of the key decision makers for material selection in the construction sector, we investigated architects’ familiarity, use, and perceptions of wood products. We targeted American Institute of Architects certified architects on the US West Coast, a prominent area for the forest product industry, for our survey. Respondent familiarity with wood products and their specification of wood products showed a positive relationship. Durability, fire resistance, and strength were seen as weaknesses of wood products, a common theme from the last two decades of research on this topic. Despite any weaknesses, respondents from Washington and Oregon predict the use of wood in the construction industry to grow more in the next five years compared to steel and concrete. The tools architects value most for gathering information about building materials have evolved, with an increased use of digital media and internet. Moreover, collaboration with engineers, the other key technical specifiers, has been found to be relevant to increase knowledge as well as the use of wood in construction. The authors recommend that the forest products industry improves its internet presence, reaching professionals across disciplines (i.e., engineers and architects) to increase the use of wood as a construction material for the structure and building enclosure in non-residential buildings.
