500 Emma

500 Emma is a three-story workforce housing project that exemplifies modular, repeatable mass timber design. Working closely with Modus Studio, Sterling Structural provided CLT floor and roof decks, optimized for material efficiency and streamlined construction. The structural system pairs stick-frame load-bearing walls with mass timber horizontal elements, enabling a hybrid approach that balances cost, performance, and speed. 

Prefabricated bathroom pods further support modular construction goals, while a second building using traditional framing is being built concurrently to compare outcomes. Targeting residents at 30–60% AMI, 500 Emma is a forward-thinking model for affordable, scalable housing.