Conventional construction takes a lot of energy, emits CO2 and creates a lot of waste in the production of materials. Cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels can be manufactured from wood off-site, and are produced to requirement. HAUT is the tallest CLT building in the Netherlands, measuring 73 metres and hosting 52 apartments. CLT retains the CO2-storing properties of wood and reduces waste because its panels can be created more efficiently and more specifically to the needs of construction.

The production of construction materials is typically energy-intensive and produces a large amount of waste and inefficiency. This is because traditional construction materials are produced on-site, in sub-optimal conditions that lead to inefficient production. Furthermore, the materials are heavy, and their transport and production on-site produces emissions. Upon demolition, it is often hard to reuse traditional construction materials, making it necessary to recycle them and lose value, or simply dispose them and entirely lose their value.

HAUT utilises cross-laminated timber, a new material designed to be manufactured in a modular fashion from wood connected with glue. CLT panels are maunfactured in a factory and then transported to the site of construction, where they are connected in a modular fashion. This means that once the fundament and core of the building, which is made from concrete for stability reasons, HAUT can be assembled in no more than seven months. Because HAUT's construction time is reduced greatly compared to a conventional high-rise and CLT panels are much lighter than traditional construction materials, emissions from construction are much lower. Furthermore, CLT panels can be manufactured in a specialised factory, allowing for greater efficiency in materials. Because HAUT will be assembled from modular panels, its parts could also be reused in other CLT buildings after its disassembly.