Government Publishes New ‘Timber in Construction Roadmap’
We were interested to read the policy paper launched in early December 2023. It’s a long-term mission to increase the supply of quality homegrown UK timber but we are pleased to see the higher importance and sharper focus given to boosting the use of timber in construction and increasing sustainable domestic timber supply.
On 11 December 2023, the Government launched a new plan, the ‘Timber in Construction Roadmap’, which sets out their vision to boost the safe use of sustainable UK timber in construction and to increase domestic timber supply.
In a move designed to reduce emissions and reach net zero, the Roadmap sets out the Government’s vision to increase use of timber in the construction of homes and buildings. As the built environment accounts for approximately 25% of UK greenhouse gas emissions; reducing emissions in this sector will be vital. Using timber in construction is one of the best ways to reduce emissions from buildings, for example, cross-laminated timber emits 75% less carbon dioxide compared to reinforced concrete. Achieving lower embodied carbon in new buildings will be key to meeting the UK’s 2050 net zero target.
The Timber in Construction Roadmap also focuses on increasing the supply of homegrown timber, as currently 80% of the timber the UK uses is imported. Increasing domestic capacity will create new green jobs in the forestry and wood processing sectors and improve longer-term sustainability.
Key actions set out in the plan include:
Improving data on timber and whole life carbon
Promoting timber as a construction material
Boosting skills, capacity and competency across the supply chain
Increasing the supply of sustainable timber products
Addressing fire safety concerns to safely expand the use of engineered mass timber
Building collaboration with insurers, lenders, and warranty providers
Promoting innovation and high performing timber construction systems
Forestry Commission, Chief Executive, Richard Stanford said:
If we are to achieve net zero we must produce more timber through home grown trees and lock up carbon using the timber in our buildings. We need to boost productive forestry in England to support timber security and reduce our over reliance on imports at the same time as tackling our nature crisis by improving biodiversity, improving water quality and giving people access to green spaces.
We look forward to working closely with partners across the timber, forestry and construction industries in this hugely important area of our work for years to come.
Timber Development UK, CEO, David Hopkins said:
Timber construction has been recognised as essential to tackling built environment emissions by key advisory bodies such as the Environmental Audit Committee and Climate Change Committee. We are delighted to see the government action the recommendations of these bodies through the long-awaited Timber in Construction Policy Roadmap.
By expanding low-carbon timber construction, particularly in the housing sector, we can decarbonise our built environment whilst simultaneously building high quality, efficient buildings. Expanding timber construction also offers a range of economic benefits, helping regions to ‘level up’ with green jobs, and creating localised manufacturing bases across the country which add value to raw timber products. Timber Development UK welcomes the policy roadmap, which marks a crucial point in our bid to reach net zero by 2050.
To read the Roadmap go to: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/timber-in-construction-roadmap
Reducing the embodied carbon in new constructions will play a crucial role in attaining the UK's net-zero target by 2050.
WL West Timber is a family-owned sawmill & timber merchant in West Sussex with over 155 years’ industry experience. We provide a wide range of air-dried oak and kiln-dried oak timber products and supplies. We also build and install custom projects for our customers.
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