Speaking at a GATE (gaining added value from timber in Europe) conference in Gdansk, Poland, Dr Enjily said timber houses were quick to build, long lasting, safe and energy efficient, but added: “Try telling that to a suspicious building industry.”
GATE, a three-year European project led by Forestry Commission Wales, aims to increase the use of timber for construction.
Speaking to delegates Dr Enjily said there were limitations working against timber in construction. “In practice, the severity of the requirements for wood might work as a barrier to free competition between materials if they are set unrealistically high,” he said.
“The regulatory authorities, including the industry, may not always be fully aware of the influences their regulations have on the use of different materials – there is also uncertainty and a lack of in-depth knowledge of Building Regulations relevant to the use of wood in construction.”
GATE project manager Mike Over said extensive research had already shown that timber buildings were safe and could be built to well within fire and noise transmission specifications.
But, he added, the problem was convincing a sceptical industry across Europe that timber was as good – if not better – than alternatives.
“Changing that view is a vital part of the work that GATE will be carrying out,” he said.
Cross-border links between key players in the timber sector across Europe would build relationships to change the way builders, planners and architects looked at wood, he said, adding that by creating new markets for timber in construction the value of woodlands would be increased.
