It may come as a shock to some, but deputy prime minister John Prescott does occasionally talk sense.
For the timber industry, the most positive example of this phenomenon to date came last week when he announced that the government is drawing up a “Code for Sustainable Building” . The initiative follows a recommendation from the Sustainable Building Task Group, with the aim of improving environmental sustainability in both new build and refurbishment.
Without murdering a single bit of syntax, Mr Prescott said that the Code represented the best opportunity “for generations to change the way we build”.
“It is time,” he said, “to apply the highest environmental standards to new and existing buildings if we are to tackle climate change and achieve quality design for communities where people will want to live. By doing things differently we will benefit both people and the planet.”
With its forecast stress on energy efficiency, low embodied energy and ‘recyclability’, the Code is expected to boost the use of timber generally in UK construction. And, according to the UK Timber Frame Association, timber frame will benefit in particular, as it will meet even the “more aspirational” of the new guidelines.
The government was the source of other good news for timber this week, announcing its approval of the UK Wood Chain Group as the official “lead body” for the industry. This should enable the sector to tap into more government training funding and influence new training initiatives.
Marketing assistance seems to be on hand for timber windows too, this time from the World Wide Fund for Nature. The latter is compiling a report, undertaken in conjunction with the TTF, on the relative environmental and performance merits of wood and plastic windows. In the document’s conclusions the latter are expected to take one on the chin worthy of our punchy deputy prime minister.
