Understanding Woodknowledge Wales’ work to support the housing sector in reducing embodied carbon through the development and rollout of the Early Stage Embodied Carbon Tool (ESECT). Summary This report outlines Woodknowledge Wales’ development, engagement, and rollout of the Early Stage Embodied Carbon Tool (ESECT) to support the housing sector in reducing embodied carbon. The tool […]
Projects & Ventures
Improving the Performance of New Homes
Understanding why new homes often underperform in use and how a Quality Assurance pathway could help close the performance gap and deliver better homes in Wales. Summary New homes in Wales frequently use more energy than predicted, leading to higher bills, discomfort, condensation and mould. This “performance gap” is preventable through better design, construction and […]
Understanding the Performance of Home-Grown Timber for Timber Frame Manufacture
Why is home-grown structural timber often seen as inferior for timber frame manufacturing in Wales and are there practical ways to improve its stability, strength and suitability for timber frame construction? Summary Wales needs 14,000 new low-carbon homes per year, yet home-grown structural timber currently makes up only a tiny fraction of material used in […]
Future-proofing Timber in Construction: Resilience and Prosperity through Circular Wood Use
The findings from a series of webinars and a roundtable which explored how reclaimed and cascaded wood can strengthen the UK timber sector, reduce carbon emissions and support the Welsh Timber Industrial Strategy. Summary This report captures the outcomes of a 2025–2026 event series organised by Woodknowledge Wales in partnership with ASBP and Built by […]
Farm Woodlands: Insights from Early-Adopter Farmers in Mid-Wales
This study explores the experiences of upland farmers in mid-Wales who have established woodland on their farms, alongside insights from forestry advisers working with farming businesses across Wales. It examines the motivations, challenges and opportunities associated with integrating trees into farm businesses. Summary This report brings together perspectives from farmers who have already established woodland […]
Timber in Retrofit, Repairs, Maintenance and Improvement
An exploration of opportunities for using home-grown and reclaimed timber products – including joinery, insulation and sawn wood – in the retrofit, repairs, maintenance and improvement (RRMI) of social housing in Wales. Summary Retrofit, repairs, maintenance and improvement (RRMI) represent a massive and growing market, with significant investment planned in Wales to upgrade the ageing […]
Insights from Woodknowledge Wales Small Sawmill Survey – October 2025
This report provides a concise, updated quantitative snapshot of Wales’ small sawmilling sector in 2025. Wales is at a turning point for its timber industry, yet the picture we have of our sawmilling sector is incomplete. National figures show broad trends, but they are not broken down for Wales which has a small number of […]
Estimating timber value and carbon in complex woodlands using laser scanning
Research shows terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) can accurately estimate timber value and carbon content in woodlands enabling smarter woodland management and improved carbon accounting
Astudiaeth Achos: Tai
Gwynfaen, Penyrheol Mae prosiect tai Gwynfaen yn cynnwys dull ‘pren yn gyntaf’, gan ddefnyddio pren a chynhyrchion pren cartref sy’n cael eu gweithgynhyrchu oddi ar y safle, ac mae’n enghraifft o adeiladu cartrefi carbon isel yng Nghymru Cyflwyniad Mae prosiect tai Gwynfaen yn cael ei adeiladu gan gymdeithas dai yn ne Cymru, Pobl, ar safle […]
Astudiaeth Achos: Gweithgynhyrchydd
Partneriaeth Tai Tarian a SO Modular Mae dau sefydliad yng Nghastell-nedd Port Talbot yn cydweithio i wneud cyfraniad sylweddol at weithgynhyrchu gwell ac at ôl-osod a datblygu tai cymdeithasol newydd yng Nghymru. Mae’r bartneriaeth yn dangos sut mae cyllid wedi’i dargedu gan Lywodraeth Cymru yn hyrwyddo arloesedd a chydweithio Gweithgynhyrchu Mae dau sefydliad yng Nghastell-nedd […]
