English-grown timber has ‘major potential’ in sustainable construction, research finds

It found that English hardwoods can play a significant role in structural applications when selected and specified appropriately.

The project also developed hybrid engineered timber products that combine hardwood and softwood within the same structural element.

Testing showed that hybrid cross-laminated timber and glued-laminated timber products (glulam) met all required strength and durability criteria using existing manufacturing methods.

The use of hardwood in key structural zones also allowed for material savings of approximately between 10% and 15%.

Real-world examples included the Building from Forests display at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, and the installation of a hybrid hardwood-softwood glulam beam in NMITE’s new Skills Hub building in Hereford.

The project also found that the greater use of English timber could reduce embodied carbon, increase long-term carbon storage in buildings, support more resilient and biodiverse forests, and strengthen rural economies through local manufacturing and value-added processing.

The findings mark a step towards a future where forests, manufacturing and construction work together to create sustainable buildings while supporting healthier landscapes and stronger local economies, the research said.

The research also aligns with the UK government’s Timber in Construction Roadmap and wider net zero ambitions.

David Bole, head of green economy and skills at the Forestry Commission, said: “By unlocking the potential of our forests, we can reduce reliance on imported and carbon-intensive materials, support healthier and more resilient woodlands, and create new opportunities for sustainable growth across the forestry, manufacturing and construction sectors.”

Louise Rogers, impact manager of housing and manufacturing at BE-ST, said: “This work directly supports the ambitions of the Timber in Construction Roadmap by providing evidence that innovation, domestic manufacturing capability and supply chain collaboration can help accelerate the transition to a lower-carbon built environment.”

Last month, researchers at the University of Manchester found that future climate change will need a clear shift in the sector towards summer cooling requirements in social housing.

In April, a housing association urged social landlords to step up their efforts to improve biodiversity, saying it is “in the sector’s interest” to invest in nature recovery.