Prologis – North America’s First Mass Timber Distribution Center

A Mass Timber Solution for Sustainable Industrial Construction

With a goal of achieving net‑zero emissions by 2040, Prologis is advancing a more sustainable approach to industrial development with this 22,850 m² facility in Brampton, Ontario. Rather than a conventional steel structure, the project team opted for a mass timber structure system – marking a first for an industrial building of this scale in North America.

Building Systems Designed for Energy Efficiency and Future Integration

The project’s sustainability strategy is also reflected in the building systems: electric heat pumps for heating and cooling, charging stations for electric vehicles, and low‑emission paints and sealants support overall environmental performance. In addition, the facility is also designed to accommodate future integration of photovoltaic systems.
Targeting LEED Silver certification and with a commitment to sharing best practices across the organization, this project sets a new benchmark for industrial construction – defined by innovation, sustainability, and forward‑looking design.

Mass Timber Solutions and Services from the HASSLACHER group

The primary load‑bearing structure features glued laminated timber columns and beams reaching heights of up to 12 meters and spans of 16.5 and 18 meters. A total of 23,200 m² of HASSLACHER cross‑laminated timber (CLT) was used for the roof structure. In total, the HASSLACHER group supplied 1,400 m³ of cross‑laminated timber and 1,700 m³ of glued laminated timber, manufactured across it’s facilities in St. Thomas, Canada (Element5), Sachsenburg (NORITEC Holzindustrie GmbH), and Hermagor (HASSLACHER Holzbausysteme GmbH). Compared to a conventional steel construction, the use of mass timber significantly reduces CO₂ emissions.

The project highlights a fully integrated, international supply chain for engineered timber products. The coordinated production and delivery underscore the HASSLACHER group’s ability to execute large‑scale mass timber projects across multiple regions and continents.

The additional services provided by the HASSLACHER group ensured efficient project coordination and precise execution, which are critical to the success of a mass timber facility of this scale. These services included cost consulting, design consulting, pre‑engineering, design review, 3D modeling, structural engineering (connection design), coordination with steel trades, fabrication, pre-assembly, and delivery.