Western hemlock to be used for building kits

by Emma Maple

PORT ANGELES — The Composite Recycling Technology Center and the Makah Tribe have signed a collaboration agreement with the end goal of creating sustainable housing for the tribe.

The three-step partnership is a circular process: the Makah Tribe will turn coastal Western hemlock into lumber, using a sawmill that the Composite Recycling Technology Center (CRTC) helped build.

The CRTC will then buy the lumber from the tribe and, using a thermal modification process, build housing kits using a cross-laminated timber panel system.

After members of the tribe are trained and certified by the CRTC as installation specialists, the Makah Tribe will buy housing kits and assemble them in Neah Bay for members of the tribe.

“Through this partnership, we are dedicated to advancing affordable housing initiatives that not only meet the immediate needs of tribal members but also foster long-term growth and sustainability for the community,” Makah Tribe Chairman Timothy Greene Sr. said in a press release.

The first housing kit, which CRTC CEO Dave Walter called “the model home,” will be built at some point in the next year.

The house, which was designed in collaboration with the Makah Tribe, will be 900 square feet with two bedrooms and one bathroom.

After that, Walter said he expects the tribe to purchase about 10 more houses to be built over the next two years.

These houses could be a combination of three designs: the two-bedroom, one-bathroom version; a four-bedroom, two-bathroom house that is about 1,200 square feet; or a one-bedroom house that is about 400 square feet.

Each house will be sold for about $200 per square foot, Walter said. He was not sure what the cost of production would be.

This agreement is unique in a number of ways, Walter said.

First, coastal Western hemlock isn’t often used as a building material. Walter said it grows so fast that it tends to warp and crack when it is dried. However, the thermal modification process pressure treats the wood without using chemicals, negating the warping and cracking and creating usable lumber.

“[It] helps to make the homes very strong and durable,” the press release stated.

The partnership itself also is unique. Walter said he wasn’t aware of another not-for-profit working with a tribe to create affordable housing.

“I think it’s a pretty novel idea,” he said. “I’m really excited about it.”

While the first order of housing kits will go to the Makah Tribe, Walter said the CRTC likely will sell kits to others in the future.

“Because it’s their wood, we wanted to work with them first,” he added.

After members of the tribe are certified to build and install these homes, Walter said they could be hired to install a house for others in the future.

“It’s economic development, in addition to housing,” he said.

The CRTC and Makah Tribe also have agreed to work together to secure funding for future housing initiatives.

At this point, Walter said he’s not sure what that might look like. He said they could apply for funding from the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Housing and Urban Development or other organizations.

“It just really depends,” Walter said. “It’s the power of a not-for-profit working with a tribe.”