The environmental position of wood is increasingly positive and the underlying message in this year’s wide-ranging programme of activities clearly reflects this, particularly in the advertising element of the mix.

There is to be a series of full page ads running from March to June and from September to November which will appear in publications such as RIBA Journal; Building; Building Design; Regenerate; Structural Engineer; LABM; HABM – and, of course, TTJ.

The first ad to appear – “We grow. You build. We grow.” – is aimed at architects, designers and developers. It emphasises that their business is primarily about building, while our business is about growing the materials for them to build with. The inference is: the more architects build with wood the more we grow, unlike other non-renewable building materials.

The second in the series is “Your plans. Our planet”. It is aimed at the same audience and challenges them to seriously consider the impact that their choice of construction materials has on the wider environment.

Olympic programme

Other ads are being worked on and one will include a message that centres on how the potential of the 2012 Olympic building programme – and its legacy – will act as a catalyst to help embed a wood culture at all levels in the UK. Attention will be drawn to the sustainable and economic benefits of timber across all industry sectors – from roofing, flooring, windows and fencing, through to timber frame housing and even bridges and lamp-posts.

This year will see the introduction of the new Part L of the Building Regulations, which deals with thermal insulation, and, in addition, the Code for Sustainable Homes will come into force. Government projects are also now required to meet more stringent BREEAM and EcoHomes standards. These are developments that present real opportunities for us to press home the message about sustainably sourced wood.

In 2005 wood. for good activities were seen, or heard, by more than four million homeowners, 50,000 architects and engineers and tens of thousands more construction professionals – and this year looks set to top that.

For the professional audience, in addition to the advertising activity, there will be a major ongoing PR campaign, a series of trade shows, seminars, CPD modules and a number of other initiatives. Literature will continue to be published to the same high standard as before and two new titles are already available – ‘Tackle Climate Change’ and ‘Case Studies’, which looks at examples of sustainable timber buildings.

For the consumer, ‘Living with Wood’ activity will continue to feature wood in its various applications as a garden or DIY product – and this includes an appearance at the Ideal Home Exhibition.

CPD learning modules

One totally new departure is the launch of CPD accredited e-learning modules. These are to be aimed at Architects, offering them the opportunity to go online at their own convenience and learn more about designing and building with wood. Test modules are to be launched at Interbuild in conjunction with partnering organisations – TRADA; Sikkens; Timbmet; Arch and the Timber Decking Association.

A short feasibility study, commissioned by wood. for good through TRADA, to provide a base understanding of the Olympic framework, its procurement requirements, the amount of timber likely to be used and the activities of competing material sectors can be accessed on the wood. for good. website at www.woodforgood.com/events/2012Olympics.html.