George H. Berghorn

George H. Berghorn is an Assistant Professor of Construction Management and Research Director for Mass Timber at Michigan State University (MSU), located within the School of Planning, Design and Construction. He also holds an adjunct role as Assistant Professor of Sustainable Wood Construction in the Department of Forestry. Berghorn earned a PhD in Construction Management from MSU, a Master of Environmental Studies from Yale University, and a Bachelor's in Earth Science and Political Science (magna cum laude) from SUNY Brockport. His research focuses on Mass Timber materials, circular economy principles, building deconstruction (domicology), and sustainable built environment practices. He has led projects addressing energy efficiency in high-security facilities, barriers to mass timber adoption in the U.S., and the role of construction activities in invasive species spread. He advises Sigma Lambda Chi and coaches the Residential Competition Team. Key affiliations include MassTimber@MSU, the MSU Housing & Education Research Initiative, and the MSU Industrial Assessment Center. Notable achievements include NSF funding ($650K for mass timber curriculum development) and a Forest Stewardship Council Leadership Award for the MSU Mass Timber STEM facility. His work integrates risk management methodologies (FMEA, Delphi techniques) with case studies to address urban blight and energy performance contracting challenges in correctional facilities. Current activities include developing tools for cross-laminated timber use and advancing sustainable wood construction education.

His academic contributions span 25+ peer-reviewed articles, with recent emphases on VR-based energy audit training, UN SDG 11 urban resilience frameworks, and interdisciplinary approaches to sustainable apparel industry facilities in South Asia. Berghorn’s research bridges environmental science, policy, and engineering, often leveraging collaborative projects with industry partners to address real-world challenges in construction sustainability.