Sterling Structural’s “CLTower Shaft Wall Kit-of-Parts” Named as a 2026 Pro Builder MVP Award Winner
PHOENIX, Ill. (March 18, 2026) – Sterling Structural, a leading manufacturer of cost-effective, pre-fabricated mass timber and hybrid structural systems in North America, today announced that its CLTower Shaft Wall Kit-of-Parts has been selected as a winner in the 2026 Pro BuilderMVP Awards. The prestigious awards, now in their 8th year, recognize residential building products that solve real challenges for builders, meet evolving homeowner expectations, and drive the future of residential construction.
The CLTower Shaft Wall Kit-of-Parts is a prefabricated Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) solution designed to accelerate construction schedules while reducing costs and embodied carbon. Unlike traditional masonry shaft walls that require multiple trades, face weather delays, and take weeks to complete, Sterling’s CLT shaft walls can be installed in just hours by a single crew, in any climate.
“We are honored that the CLTower Shaft Wall Kit-of-Parts has been recognized with a Pro Builder MVP Award,” said Michaela Harms, Vice President of Mass Timber at Sterling Structural. “This validation confirms what we’ve been demonstrating on projects across the country: mass timber products are more than just beautiful architectural accessories—they deliver real, measurable cost and time savings while providing practical alternatives to traditional building materials and processes.”
The CLTower Shaft Wall Kit-of-Parts addresses one of construction’s most time-consuming and costly elements. Traditional masonry or concrete shaft walls create schedule bottlenecks, require favorable weather conditions, and demand coordination across multiple specialized trades. Sterling’s prefabricated CLT alternative eliminates these challenges through:
• Accelerated Installation: Panels install in hours rather than weeks, with no weather dependencies
• Single-Trade Efficiency: One crew handles installation, eliminating coordination complexity
• Factory Precision: Pre-manufactured components reduce field rework and simplify inspections
• Proven Fire Performance: Meets 1-hour and 2-hour fire rating requirements for elevator and stair shafts
• Sustainability: Dramatically reduces embodied carbon compared to concrete or masonry alternatives
“The Sterling CLTower Shaft Wall Kit‑of‑Parts takes one of the slowest parts of construction and turns it into a fast, predictable install,” said David Catta, General Manager of Sterling Structural. “Factory precision, single‑trade installation, and proven fire performance give builders a smarter way to deliver projects on schedule.”
The system has been successfully deployed on projects including the Candlewood Suites Hotel at Fort Bragg—a six-story, 207-room, 122,000-square-foot building constructed almost entirely from mass timber, including elevator and stair shafts designed to meet highly restrictive military Anti-Terrorism and Force Protection (ATFP) requirements.
Entries for the MVP Awards are evaluated on innovation and technology, builder benefit, market relevance, and design impact. Winners receive coverage across Pro Builder‘s print, digital and social channels, and recognition at the NAHB International Builders’ Show (IBS) in February 2026.
About Sterling Structural
Sterling Structural is a unit of Sterling Solutions, America’s largest manufacturer of Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) mats, panels and systems. Our TerraLam line of products is sustainably-sourced, domestically-produced, high-quality and cost-effective. Our Structural unitdelivers cost-effective, pre-fabricated mass timber and hybrid structural systems complemented by exceptional technical expertise and project management for seamless delivery, making mass timber accessible to the wider AEC industry.
For more than 75 years, Sterling Solutions has innovated and delivered sustainable solutions that meet customer needs, create jobs and economic opportunity across the supply chain, and reduce the risk and environmental impact of industrial, commercial and residential construction projects. More information is available at www.sterlingsolutions.com
About Pro Builder
Published since 1936, Pro Builder is the leading provider of reliable, timely, and accurate content for the U.S. housing industry, and is the official publication of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). Published by Endeavor Business Media, Pro Builder serves more than 120,000 home builders, design professionals, and other industry stakeholders through print, digital, video, email, social media, and live events.
Media Contact
John Williams, Scoville PR for Sterling
+1-206-660-5503
jwilliams@scovillepr.com