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Structural Timber Association
Timber Roadmap Gets Green Light The recent ministerial approval of the Timber in Construction Roadmap as part of the Labour Government’s Plan for Change is hugely encouraging. Andrew Carpenter, Chief Executive of the STA sees it as positive step in building our future sustainably.
T
he announcement by Environment Minister Mary Creagh CBE on 27 February 2025, reaffirming the Government’s commitment to the Timber in Construction Policy Roadmap, marks a significant milestone in the UK’s journey toward sustainable construction. This renewed commitment, unveiled at the Timber in Construction Summit in London, aligns with the Government’s Plan for Change and establishes a clear framework to address multiple national priorities: delivering 1.5 million homes during the next Parliament, achieving net zero targets by 2050, and stimulating economic growth through green industries. As the Structural Timber Association (STA), we have long advocated for the expanded use of timber in construction, recognising its potential to revolutionise how we build while dramatically reducing the environmental impact of the construction sector. Working alongside Timber Development UK (TDUK) and the Confederation of Forest Industries (Confor), we have been instrumental in shaping the original policy roadmap and welcome its ambitious evolution.
A bold vision for construction The updated roadmap represents far more than incremental change – it signals a fundamental shift in how the UK approaches construction. With approximately 25% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions coming from the built environment, the case for timber is compelling. Large buildings constructed from engineered timber products can store up to 400% more carbon compared to concrete alternatives, making timber one of the most effective tools for decarbonizing the construction industry. Currently, around 80% of timber used in the UK is imported. The new roadmap aims to reverse this trend by boosting domestic
Structural Timber Magazine – Issue 38 – Spring 2025
An ambitious plan to deliver 1.5 million homes over this Parliament are unlikely to be delivered without adopting offsite construction methods
production, creating green jobs in forestry and wood processing sectors that already contribute over £3billion to the UK economy. The revised roadmap places clear emphasis on several critical areas where the timber construction industry has been making significant progress: Improving Data on Timber and Whole Life Carbon Led by TDUK, work continues to improve embodied carbon measurement in timber construction. This includes supporting voluntary initiatives to reduce carbon footprints, enhancing data collection on timber projects, and improving the quality of timber Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs). Future plans will explore implementing embodied carbon limits for buildings and developing more comprehensive carbon assessment methodologies. Increasing Skills, Capacity, and Competency Across the Supply Chain With Napier University leading efforts to map competency routes for timber-related occupations, the industry is addressing the skills gap that has historically limited wider
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