We need to promote the use of safe, best practice, high performing timber construction that will provide the most benefit in supporting delivery of the net zero pathway, alongside other low carbon products and resource efficiency measures. We have therefore also committed in the Net Zero Strategy, the England Trees Action Plan and the 2023 Environmental Improvement Plan to increase the safe use of timber in construction ( TiC) in England, to help reduce embodied carbon in the built environment and drive investment into tree planting, forest management and domestic supply chains, creating new green jobs and industries. But not only do we need to plant trees, we also need to make good use of the materials they provide to us. Government has introduced a statutory tree and woodland cover target which commits to increasing the tree canopy and woodland cover in England to 16.5% by 2050. Rebecca Pow, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Nature) Executive summary I want to thank all stakeholders for their input in creating this document and look forward to continuing to work together to implement the actions outlined within it. I look forward to seeing an increasing number of timber framed homes, public buildings and offices being built into the future. I hope this publication supports the production and use of our home-grown timber whilst boosting associated jobs throughout the country. It is important that the actions we take on timber are aligned to this wider work, for example encouraging hybrid building design that makes the best use of all building material. It sits alongside wider government-industry action on industrial decarbonisation, such as the ongoing work on the decarbonisation of cement as well as the publication of the low carbon concrete routemap and the establishment of the Low Carbon Concrete Group, which has been led by the Green Construction Board. This document has been co-created with significant input from industry partners and academia and sets out the actions needed to ensure we can safely utilise timber in construction as part of this decarbonisation journey. This document sets out actions to drive demand for domestic timber in the construction sector supporting delivery of our new statutory woodland cover target and creating new green jobs in our forestry and wood processing sectors. We recognise that an increase in demand for timber can be encouraged by strong market signals from government and a conscious shift from industry to use alternative materials. Parliament’s very own Westminster Hall is a fantastic case in point, boasting the largest medieval timber roof in Northern Europe – and this document signals the next evolution in our use of timber and wood products to meet changing societal priorities.Įxciting initiatives such as the Department for Education’s Gen Zero project, which has created a prototype ultra-low carbon classroom from UK sourced and manufactured timber products, show the opportunity to connect people with our nation’s forests in new ways - through the very fabric of the buildings they live, study and work in. The Net Zero Strategy set out our plans for decarbonising whilst growing the economy, and further detail was published in Powering Up Britain earlier this year.Īrchaeological evidence indicates that we have been using timber as a building material in the UK since the Neolithic era. Reducing these emissions is a priority for government, in order to deliver our carbon budgets and net zero target. The built environment is responsible for approximately 25% of total UK greenhouse gas emissions. Our new statutory woodland cover target to increase tree canopy and woodland cover in England to 16.5% by 2050 will also stimulate tree planting of both hard and softwoods.Īlongside these benefits utilising timber in the built environment will support progress towards the Net Zero Target. We have awarded £7.6 million through the Woodlands into Management Forestry Innovation Funds to develop new technologies and working practices that boost homegrown timber. We have committed to growing and maintaining a sustainable and long-term supply of domestic timber and wood products in the 2023 Environmental Improvement Plan. More and safe use of timber in construction will be a key step in supporting the forestry and wood processing sectors to grow and innovate, creating new green jobs and helping level up rural economies. Increasing our home grown supply of wood, importantly, will reduce our reliance on imported timber. We have identified that increased use of timber in the construction industry would make a significant difference to stimulate demand for domestic planting stock in England. Photo credit: Forestry Commission Ministerial forewordĪlongside increasing tree planting rates, we need to make good use of the timber arising from the trees we grow, both hardwood and softwood.
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