Is it time for timber in UK building to go mainstream?

In September, Timber Growth UK turned the most important timber provide chain physique within the UK following the merger of the Timber Commerce Federation and TRADA, bringing collectively greater than 1,500 companies. As TDUK seems to be forward to the way forward for the timber commerce sector, TDUK chief govt Dave Hopkins asks whether or not timber in UK building has a bigger position to play

Timber is considered a sustainable resource in UK construction- particularly within the constructed atmosphere. Not like different supplies, timber is renewable and usually produces much less carbon throughout manufacturing than different sources comparable to metal and concrete.

The UK built environment is responsible for approximately 25% of total UK greenhouse gas emissions. With a legally binding goal to succeed in internet zero by the 12 months 2050, the federal government has additionally dedicated to reaching 68% reductions in carbon emissions by 2030.

We now discover ourselves at a novel second in time with initiatives in areas comparable to sustainability and decreasing embodied and whole-life carbon excessive on the agenda. That is forcing the trade right into a interval of unprecedented self-reflection because it reconsiders the kind of supplies used and the best way buildings are constructed.

Advantages of timber in UK building

Timber, particularly fashionable engineered timber comparable to cross-laminated timber, brings a number of benefits, together with being nicely suited to prefabrication and meeting offsite in manufacturing facility situations very best for Modern Methods of Construction. It’s also considerably lighter than concrete and metal making it simpler to work with and extra environment friendly to move.

You’ll be able to already see this in operation immediately by way of the trussed rafters, that are seen on constructing websites everywhere in the UK.

Trussed rafters are manufactured offsite and transported to website, this not solely eliminates the issue of storage however builders can add the trussed rafters straight on to the constructing – saving the time required to assemble and minimising the necessity for on-site corrections.

With the event of versatile engineered timbers, this precept can now be utilized to many extra building actions, together with frames, high-rise and modular building merchandise.

On the identical time, wooden is a pure materials, aesthetically pleasing whereas offering consolation throughout seasonal modifications due to its biophilic properties. Using timber has additionally been confirmed to spice up productiveness and wellbeing, whereas being well-suited to developments round sustainability.

Limitations to mainstream adoption of timber building

In England, wooden tends to play an even bigger half in inside design, from wood furnishings to fixtures and fittings. It’s heading in a very good course; nevertheless, there are apparent obstacles to wider adoption comparable to a scarcity of incentives to be used of timber for large-scale building, rules which favour concrete and metal and, most vital of all, a expertise hole for using timber.

If timber was to play an even bigger position in UK building, additionally it is vital to contemplate the present state of the trade. The fragmented nature of the timber provide chain is a key difficulty that the formation of Timber Growth UK will start to deal with to assist it compete with metal and concrete.

The UK can even want to make sure there’s a regular provide of sustainable sources of timber when demand will increase – and that the logistics are in place to make sure a internet zero provide chain.

Upskilling for timber building

Maybe the most important hurdle surrounding the use of timber in the UK is schooling.

With metal and concrete firmly embedded in UK building, it is very important guarantee engineers, architects and specifiers have a powerful understanding relating to using timber, comparable to how you can construct with it, its properties and the way it pertains to present Constructing Laws.

Timber Growth UK is working with Edinburgh Napier College and NMITE to offer in depth sources to designers and the trade at massive, nevertheless it’s clear to us {that a} important cultural shift might want to happen within the UK if timber is to turn into a first-choice constructing materials.

New developments in timber building

Suggestions on how timber can help a internet zero trade have been talked about within the Building to Net Zero: Costing Carbon in Construction by the Environmental Audit Committee. The report included suggestions on mandating whole-life carbon assessments, which might give automated incentives to the development trade to start out selecting lower-carbon supplies and to undertake strategies of building to which timber is nicely suited.

It’s also vital to contemplate the developments we’re seeing outdoors of the UK. We’re seeing cities such as Amsterdam and Toronto putting in plans to build entire neighbourhoods from wood and we might start to see this pattern going mainstream within the subsequent few years.

Taken collectively we see a once-in-a-lifetime alternative for utilising timber in UK building to turn into a mainstream possibility. By forming the most important commerce affiliation for the timber trade, Timber Growth UK is able the place we are able to unite the sector to make this occur.