In a recent conversation with Streamly, Ryan Zizzo, Founder and CEO of Mantle Climate, sat down to explore how modular construction, mass timber, and whole-building life cycle assessments (LCAs) are transforming the industry—and what it will take to accelerate that change.
The Climate Case for Modular Mass Timber
Mass timber has been gaining ground as a carbon-smart building material—and for good reason. Compared to conventional concrete and steel systems, timber stores carbon and can significantly reduce the embodied emissions of new developments. When combined with modular construction methods, the climate and cost benefits are amplified: faster construction timelines, reduced waste, and greater precision that helps avoid costly inefficiencies down the line.
But these innovations don’t scale themselves. Ryan highlights how aligning incentives and integrating life cycle data into procurement and design processes are essential for unlocking the full potential of low-carbon materials.
The Role of Data in Driving Decisions
Too often, embodied carbon is overlooked in early project planning. Ryan emphasizes that without robust LCA data, it’s nearly impossible for project teams to make informed trade-offs that align with sustainability goals. Mantle’s work ensures that developers, policymakers, and design teams have the carbon insights they need—right from the start.
As policy shifts (like Toronto’s embodied carbon caps and federal Buy Clean initiatives) raise the bar on performance, LCA tools are becoming more than just a best practice—they’re a requirement.
Scaling What Works
Ryan shares lessons from real-world projects across Canada and the U.S., where clients are already combining modular delivery, LCA reporting, and low-carbon material procurement to meet both regulatory and climate performance targets. The future of construction, he argues, lies in systems that are replicable, adaptable, and rooted in climate science.
Mantle is proud to be supporting developers, manufacturers, and governments in leading this shift.
Watch the Interview
To hear more insights from Ryan on modular mass timber, embodied carbon, and the future of climate-aligned construction, watch the full interview on Streamly: 🎥 Watch Now
