UK Launches Ambitious Plan to Increase Use of Timber in Construction

The UK government on Monday (12-11-23) unveiled an ambitious new roadmap to increase the use of timber in the construction of homes and buildings throughout the country in a move designed to reduce emissions and reach net zero carbon emissions goals.

The announcement follows COP28 urbanization day where ministers met to discuss urbanization. Stepping up domestic timber production and its use in construction will significantly reduce emissions and lock up carbon in buildings, helping to meet net zero ambitions, the government said.

Using timber in construction is one of the best ways to reduce emissions from buildings. Around 25% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions are from the built environment, and larger buildings can store up to 400% more carbon when built out of engineered timber products rather than concrete.

The Timber in Construction Roadmap sets out the vision to increase the use of timber in construction, while also presenting valuable opportunities for economic growth, rural jobs, and levelling up. Currently, 80% of the timber used in the UK is imported. Increasing domestic capacity will create new green jobs in the forestry and wood processing sectors, which contribute over £2bn to UK economy.

Key actions in the plan include the following:

• 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

A full copy of the roadmap is available here.