Before starting the SI Partnership consultancy, I ran sustainability strategy delivery for construction companies, building project teams’ awareness of the use of low impact materials. I made the point that materials like low carbon concrete and recycled steel always come second to timber in terms of sustainability: steel recycling uses a lot of energy and low cement concrete still has a relatively high carbon footprint.
There’s a limit to the volume of materials that can be replaced with timber in a building, but there is still potential to develop its use if clients and designers are properly informed and engaged. Much of the drive though needs to come from the timber trade. It has the knowledge of the material and, if it wants to see change in construction, it has to make certified timber easy to use.
The challenge is that the construction industry isn’t just looking at sustainability. Its overriding concern is building profitably. Using credibly certified timber should add little or no extra cost. But extra expense can be incurred through suppliers or subcontractors being unfamiliar with chain of custody (CoC) management, buying certified material and the related business process requirements. So anything the timber trade can do to help buyers understand these issues is welcome. The good news is that companies often tell us that gaining CoC certification improved business administration and made them more efficient and profitable.
Many main contractors and some developers are also starting to specify FSC-certified buildings using the FSC Project Certification procedure. And the BREEAM and Code for Sustainable Homes standards also encourage contractors to specify certified timber. So there is increasing market pressure towards certification in the timber supply chain. Any construction company going for the FSC Project Certification needs a reliable supplier of certified timber that can provide the CoC paperwork automatically and easily and there’s a growing market advantage for companies that can do that.
One last thing, if anyone can supply FSC-certified trusses let me know. Constructors are crying out for them.
