The Uncomfortable Truth About Mass Timber Construction Middle East: Feasibility Gaps, Code Questions, and Saudi First Pilots

The idea of mass timber construction Middle East is moving from talk to early use, but the region is still at the beginning. One industry report says the Middle East is shifting from concrete-and-steel-based construction to timber, with the UAE and Saudi Arabia leading. At the same time, it notes that the number of timber buildings currently constructed is limited. This gap between ambition and built reality is where feasibility and code questions become critical.

Demand signals are rising. Wood Central reported that imports of plywood and other timber products to Dubai and Riyadh have tripled over the past 12 months, as cited by Wood & Panel Europe. A supplier mentioned in a Reuters logistics story also described having 17 containers of white wood on the way when a new phase of conflict began on February 28. These details do not prove widespread mass timber delivery yet, but they show a market pulling more wood into the region.

Saudi Arabia is linking greener materials to national goals. Wood & Panel Europe reports Saudi Arabia has pledged to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2060. It also says Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman confirmed the Gulf state will invest over US $180 billion in decarbonization efforts, including the use of greener construction materials. This helps explain why timber is being discussed in large projects, even as execution remains complex.

Feasibility Reality: Mega-Projects Shift, Costs Rise, and Supply Gets Complicated

Feasibility reviews are now part of the story around Saudi mega-projects. Middle East Eye reported Saudi Arabia asked consultants to review whether plans for “The Line” are feasible. It described The Line as a 170km long, car-free city. Bloomberg was cited saying plans were being cut back, with fewer than 300,000 residents anticipated instead of 1.5 million people by 2030, and only 2.4km expected to be completed by 2030. Reuters also reported Saudi Arabia suspended planned construction of the Mukaab cube-shaped skyscraper while it reassessed financing and feasibility.

These feasibility pressures matter for timber because first-of-kind material shifts need stable project scopes and timelines. When project scope changes, procurement changes too. That is especially true for engineered wood and other imported timber products. If the number of timber buildings is still limited, then every delay slows the learning process that would normally help close code gaps through repeated local delivery.

Logistics can also reshape feasibility. Reuters reported that routing timber via Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea port of Jeddah was being considered, but that it would involve higher shipping charges and trucking 1,500 kilometres across the Arabian Peninsula to Qatar, raising per-piece costs. Reuters also reported Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Transport announced measures including allowing empty refrigerated trucks from other Gulf countries to enter the kingdom and creating shared storage and redistribution zones at King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam. For mass timber construction Middle East, cost and routing risk are not side issues. They can decide whether a timber option stays “green” on paper or becomes too hard to deliver on site.

So what counts as Saudi “first pilot” momentum today? Wood & Panel Europe highlights NEOM as a major opportunity. It reports Weathertex is kitting out 1500 residencies with Australian weatherboards, wall panels, and cladding. This is not the same as a full mass timber structure, but it is a visible step: wood products moving into a flagship development. In parallel, the same report says Saudi’s Vision 2030 includes heavy investment in reforestation in mountain, valley, and mangrove forests. Together, these signals point to a region testing timber in real projects while still needing clearer pathways to scale.