The WORKFORCE 16 Housing aspires to address regional challenges in Northwest Arkansas, specifically those faced by essentially employed residents earning $16.00 to $18.00 per hour. The objective is making home ownership a reality for first time homebuyers in this economic strata, and by extension, promoting the ability for associated wealth building.
The WORKFORCE 16 Housing utilizes an innovative mass timber technology, Wave Layered Timber (WLT). Employed through a reciprocal license agreement with WLT Capital Oy, the work executed represents the first WLT construction in North America. The system relies on the use of standard dimensional lumber, processed through a planer/molder to produce a wave pattern in the longitudinal direction. Stick-by-stick, processed boards are threaded together without chemical adhesives or sealant, and post tensioned to form structurally integral, architectural elements such as floors, walls, and roofs. The thermal integrity of the enclosure also promotes lower maintenance and utility costs for homeowners.
