The British Woodlands Survey (BWS) gathers evidence about Britain’s woodlands and those who care for them. The BWS aims to provide an evidence base on which future policies and practice can be developed. The British Woodlands Survey is coordinated by Sylva Foundation and run in partnership with a large number of organisations. Summary results are […]
Home-Grown Homes Updates – September
With just a few months left of the Home-Grown Homes Project we are now focused on pulling together all findings from the research into usable design guides and tools to leave a lasting legacy from the project. Project Governance update The project’s steering group met in September. It reviewed project progress and in particular discussed […]
Net-Zero targets for Wales
Building on the work of the UKGBC and LETI, the Home-Grown Homes Project have developed a graphical net-zero guide with a set of targets & principles that we believe are achievable within a Welsh context. The guide is aimed at helping developers, designers and manufacturers achieve net-zero whole life carbon. This means tackling upfront carbon, […]
How do you compare building standards and net zero operational targets?
Good Homes Alliance and Woodknowledge Wales commissioned an energy modelling report to compare different low energy building standards. The paper seeks to illustrate how the choice of a building standard affects the amount of renewable energy generation that is required to comply with a net zero operational outcome. The report does not take into account […]
Are modern UK forests suited to help restore biodiversity?
Can productive forests provide both carbon storage and enhanced biodiversity? In the public debate across national media and the twittersphere this seems unlikely. Confor’s new Biodiversity, Forestry and Wood report makes the case that planting and managing trees in the UK to produce wood can deliver biodiversity benefits as well as playing a vital role […]
Demonstration of Practical Building Performance Measurements
Woodknowledge Wales (WKW) believes that we can only improve the performance of housing and really deliver zero carbon through the measurement of whole life carbon and testing of building performance. Otherwise we live in the dark. How do we make building performance measurement practical and affordable? Woodknowledge Wales and Cardiff Metropolitan University recently carried out […]
Home-Grown Homes Project updates- July 2020
A new timber frame manufacturing group, an extension request for project partner Cardiff Met and trying out an overheating risk assessment tool. Home-Grown Homes project manager David Hedges, brings us the latest up dates from the project. Project Governance update The project’s Steering Group has met twice in June and July to review progress, consider […]
Re-foresting: the potential for timber villages
Results from a study on production strategies for the Northern Forest. As England is launching a consultation on its future tree planting strategy, we’re looking at results of a recent study by Simon Feather. ‘Re-Foresting: A Strategy for Production within the Northern Forest’ investigates collaborative approaches between architects and the forestry sector to define future […]
Biodiversity Forestry and Wood
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State of the nation review. Performance evaluation of new homes
Woodknowledge Wales have helped fund and support a report published by researchers at Oxford Brookes University. The report has revealed for the first time a detailed national picture of the actual performance of new build homes through a detailed analysis of building performance evaluation projects. With the UK committed to achieving net zero emissions by […]
