At the end of 2023, the government launched the Timber in Construction Roadmap, a bold initiative aimed at integrating timber more prominently into the UK construction sector and helping the UK to achieve net zero carbon emissions. As we hit the one-year mark, it’s time to evaluate the progress made, challenges faced and the innovations shaping the Roadmap’s future.
The main objective of the strategy is to lower carbon emissions by increasing the use of timber as a principal building material. In recent years, there has been push for the use of timber in UK construction due to its many advantages over other building materials, including its cost-effectiveness, speed and, most importantly, its lower environmental impact.
Timber offers a low-carbon alternative to, energy-intensive materials like steel and concrete, which are significant contributors to global carbon emissions. While these materials certainly have a role to play, timber differs as it enables contractors to avoid compromising on other building performance factors such as safety compliance, alignment to The Building Safety Act and building integrity. By replacing these materials with sustainable timber, the UK can not only reduce embodied carbon emissions but also make strides in addressing its growing new building demand through innovative, eco-friendly building solutions.
The material’s adaptability has been demonstrated from largescale infrastructure works across a range of sectors such as housing, education and healthcare. These efforts not only align with the Roadmap but also with Labour’s broader green agenda, which priorities decarbonisation across all sectors.
However, simply prioritising timber over other materials isn’t enough to achieve a net zero future, it’s important to ensure that it is ethically sourced.
One promising development which will help companies be certain that their timber for construction is of the highest quality is the integration of tracking technology into timber supply chains. Ensuring sustainability in timber sourcing is a complex task that requires transparency which certifications from reputable industry bodies can help with.
Construction firms should source their timber from the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) as the main goal of these programmes is to promote the production, fulfilment and delivery of ethically-sourced, sustainable forestry products and work to reduce the production and sale of illegal timber.
As well as allowing construction firms to increase safety, maintain expenses, and ensure that projects are finished on time and within budget, tracking technology empowers consumers and firms to make informed, reliable and eco-friendly choices. As adoption of these tools grows, they have the potential to standardise sustainable practices across the sector, making it easier to scale up timber usage in line with the roadmap’s goals.
Despite the Roadmap’s progress in encouraging the use of timber in construction and increasing the sustainable supply of timber, challenges remain, such as the gap in skills and knowledge within the construction workforce. Many professionals are unfamiliar with timber’s unique properties and design requirements, leading to hesitancy in adoption. Training programmes and further education opportunities, such as apprenticeships, are crucial to addressing this gap and building confidence in timber’s potential to reduce embodied carbon in the built environment.
As the UK works towards its net zero targets, The Timber in Construction Roadmap is an important step in rethinking the built environment. By embracing timber as a sustainable, scalable and trackable material, the building sector has the opportunity to lead the way in decarbonisation.
Although there are ongoing difficulties, the Roadmap’s success will be largely dependent on the industry’s ability to collectively improve knowledge about the benefits of timber, alongside a continued push to ensure that, wherever possible, technology can be used to ensure certainty about timber’s origins and provenance.
Article submitted by Jack Randall, Director at Net Zero Panels
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