Timber roadmap launched to reduce emissions and boost UK construction

In this instance the saying goes, better in then out. The government have announced new plans to encourage the use of timber in construction as it helps keep carbon inside buildings walls.

According to recent statistics the built environment makes up around 25% of UK greenhouse gas emissions. If the sector was left untouched, plans to reach net zero by 2030 would be deemed impossible.

In a bid to address this shocking statistic, this week the government have announced a new roadmap to increase the use of timber when building new homes.

Following this, research has found that when timber is used for bigger buildings, they can store up to 400% more carbon than when they are built using concrete.

However, currently only 80% of the timber the UK uses is imported, meaning if the supply is increased more green jobs would be created in the foster and wood processing sectors, which contribute over £2bn to the UK economy.

The key elements highlighted in the government new roadmap 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

‘Investing in timber is investing in growth and levelling up. The built environment is responsible for a huge proportion of UK carbon emissions, and using home-grown timber in construction is key to reducing emissions,’ Rebecca Pow, forestry minister said. ‘Promoting the use of timber as a building material is a key part of the government’s net zero strategy. It will innovate the economy, play a role in creating green jobs and also help meet our tree-planting targets.’

As well as Ms Pow welcoming the news with open arms, David Hopkins, Timber Development UK CEO has said the announcement is vital for ‘tackling built environment emissions.’

David 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.’

News of the new roadmap announcement comes following COP28 urbanisation day where world leaders gathered to discuss stepping up domestic timber production and its use in construction. Officials agreed increasing the use of the material will help lock up carbon in buildings.

Image: Aleksandar Radovanovic

More on the built environment:

enfinium announces plans for £800m investment in carbon capture project

Retail investors could unlock crucial infrastructure net zero funding