How Sustainable Timber Buildings Can Help Fight the Climate Crisis

The report How Sustainable Timber Buildings Can Help Fight the Climate Crisis explores how timber buildings can contribute to climate mitigation while addressing the environmental pressures on forests. It highlights the significant role timber can play in reducing the embodied carbon footprint of the building sector, as well as the importance of sourcing timber from sustainable practices. The report warns against overharvesting and emphasizes the need for sufficiency and circularity in timber use. It also provides policy recommendations to ensure timber’s role in the transition to a low-carbon economy.

Key Takeaways

• Timber’s Role in Construction: Timber buildings can store carbon and have a lower embodied carbon footprint compared to concrete and steel. However, timber must be sourced sustainably to prevent negative impacts on forests.
• Overharvesting Concerns: Global wood consumption currently overshoots what forests can sustainably provide, leading to biodiversity loss and reduced carbon sink capacity.
• Policy Recommendations: Policies should promote ecological forestry, prioritize long-lasting timber products, and ensure circularity in timber use to maximize its climate benefits.

How It Can Help You

This report is useful for policymakers, environmental researchers, and construction professionals who are:

• Looking to understand the role of timber in reducing the carbon footprint of buildings.
• Interested in policy strategies to ensure timber is sourced sustainably and used efficiently.
• Exploring the potential of timber as a long-term carbon storage solution in construction.

Key Learnings

1. Sustainable Sourcing: Timber buildings can only help mitigate climate change if the timber is sourced from ecologically managed forests.
2. Circular Economy Principles: Ensuring timber products are reused and recycled can prolong their carbon storage benefits and reduce the demand for new timber.
3. Comprehensive Policy Framework: Governments need to implement robust frameworks that address both the climate and biodiversity impacts of increased timber use in construction.

Date: March 2023