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Building Elements

Circular wood use for accelerated global decarbonisation

October 26, 2023 by Sarah Lawton

New research calls for cross-sectoral coordination to maximize net zero benefits of wood recycling

Perhaps not just a pile of old pallets or biomass?

Whilst less than 1% of waste wood goes to landfill in the UK, a new study published in Nature Communications proposes further efficiencies. A team of researchers from Bangor University, the University of Galway in Ireland and Woodknowledge Wales, analysed the whole life cycle of the current timber value chain. They believe collaboration and system change is needed to achieve even longer sequestration of the carbon locked within timber already in use within the supply chain.

The full paper, Circular wood use can accelerate global decarbonisation but requires cross-sectoral coordination [1], was written by Eilidh Forster, John Healey, Gary Newman and David Styles. It was published online by Nature Communications on 25 October 2023 and is open access. The original press release can be read via Bangor University’s news page. [2]

“The UK is currently able to produce only a fraction of the wood it requires yet recovered wood ‘waste’ is an under-valued resource. Improved transparency, reporting and management of recovered wood could create a multitude of circular business opportunities.” Eilidh Forster, lead author and PhD researcher, Bangor University

Enhancing the benefits of timber towards net zero

Wood harvested from sustainably managed forests is an important source of renewable biomaterial and global demand for wood is forecast to increase by up to 170% by 2050. In 2022, UK timber imports cost £11.5 billion.

Carbon captured during tree growth is retained in wood from harvested trees. The manufacture of timber products already tends to minimise greenhouse gas emissions relative to the manufacture of materials such as concrete and steel. Additionally, timber products are excellent carbon stores throughout the full life cycle of those products.

The benefits of timber towards net zero can be enhanced further by applying the principles of the circular economy. By identifying new ways to use, then reuse timber, before reusing that wood again – perhaps in the form of chipboard or wood fibre – there is huge potential to extend the service life of wood. By doing so, that captured atmospheric carbon is stored within that wood. Additionally, reusing wood in this ‘cascading’ manner (a concept introduced and explained in detail in Forster et al’s first paper [3]) brings down the demand for fresh supplies. As a result, there are also increased net carbon sequestration gains from reduced harvesting of virgin wood and reduced transport costs for timber imports.

Biogenic carbon material flow from wood harvest going to Hierarchical or ‘cascading’ use [2, Figure 3]

A circular or cascading wood flow as shown in the reproduced Figure above, delivers multiplied efficiencies in the journey to net zero. The report presents results that indicate a circular approach to recycling medium-density fibreboard (MDF) in the UK alone could deliver ‘75% more cumulative climate-change mitigation by 2050’ when compared with the current, ‘business-as-usual’ single-use approach. In combination with the complementary, if slower, long-term benefits of planting new forests for wood production, the cumulative effects of these two approaches alone could mitigate 258.8 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions. Which equals 61% of the total of net territorial emissions of the UK in the single year of 2021.

“Planting new production forests to meet future wood demand is a very important priority for achieving net zero, however it will take several decades for this benefit to be realised, and we can’t afford to wait that long to reduce the current rate of global warming. Therefore, we also need to act urgently to increase the efficiency with which we reuse current wood products to reduce the pressure that we are placing on global forests to meet our needs.” John Healey, study co-author and Professor of Forest Sciences, Bangor University

System change needed to maximise potential benefits of timber

The new research highlights that, while there are many potential benefits for net zero to be leveraged further, the current UK timber manufacturing system incorporates significant barriers that will first need to be overcome. The aims of the paper were to highlight these barriers and propose solutions that might enable maximum efficiency towards net zero across the timber value chain.

The researchers cite uncertainty of land-use subsidies, poor transparency of material flow through the value chain, and a lack of agreed circularity metrics among other barriers. They also note that low public awareness means the industry isn’t under social pressure and that this, in turn, has enabled conservatism towards change. To resolve these issues, the authors recommend industry collaboration towards cross-sector co-ordination, government intervention on matters such as compulsory deconstruction planning requirements for the built environment, and extended responsibility from manufacturers across the entire life cycle of their products.

“To substantially increase the efficiency of the whole system will require some significant changes in the wood using industries in UK, backed-up by better-targeted government policies, to substantially improve their co-ordination from afforestation to better wood recovery and reuse.” David Styles, study co-author and Associate Professor in Agri-sustainability, University of Galway.

Use, reuse, and reuse again before end-of-life biomass

Currently, a huge proportion of our out-of-service timber products are burnt as biomass to generate heat or electricity. The research team point out that there is opportunity to re-use or recycle these products several times prior to what should be perceived only as a final, end-of-life use as biomass.

Collect, recycle, reuse – striving for a zero-waste economy Source: Circular Economy, Kronospan

There are already several pioneering projects here in Wales that do employ circular thinking to timber reuse with great success. Particleboard manufacturers are increasing their use of recycled wood chips and innovative methods are being used to recover wood fibres from MDF board recovered from residential demolition. Recovered wood fibres can then be used as insulation, locking in the carbon for many more tens of years again within new build homes. If installed with recovery in mind, this same insulation might then be recoverable for further use in the next generation of new builds. This circular thinking can extend the use of the original harvested tree for hundreds more years.

“Moving to a circular economy is difficult but essential if we are to meet both our decarbonisation targets as well as our future resource needs. This paper shows the size of the win and makes practical suggestions for how we might get there. Woodknowledge Wales is an experiment in the kind of cross-sector coordination advocated by this research.” Gary Newman, study co-author and Chief Executive of Woodknowledge Wales.

References

1: Forster, E. J., Healey, J. R., Dymond, C. & Styles, D. , Circular wood use can accelerate global decarbonisation but requires cross-sectoral coordination. Nature Communications, 14:6766, (2023) DOI 10.1038/s41467-023-42499-6

2: Recycling used wood can make a big contribution to net zero but it needs much better coordination, Press Release, https://www.bangor.ac.uk/news/ [Accessed 26 October 2023]

3: Forster, E. J., Healey, J. R., Dymond, C. & Styles, D. Commercial afforestation can deliver effective climate change mitigation under multiple decarbonisation pathways. Nature Communications, 12:3831 (2021) DOI 10.1038/s41467-021-24084-x

Further reading

  • W Howard and MDF Recovery agree UK and Ireland licensing deal
  • Kronospan: Making circularity a reality

Filed Under: Academic, Afforestation, Building Elements, Housing, Insulation, Manufacturing, Mass Timber, News, Timber Structures, Timber Systems, Welsh Timber, Whole Life Carbon

W Howard and MDF Recovery agree UK and Ireland licensing deal

October 16, 2023 by Sarah Lawton

Member news

W Howard Ltd, has agreed a multi-year licence for the use of MDF Recovery’s unique MDF recycling technology to produce loose-fill wood fibre insulation in the UK & Irish markets. Work on a new facility in Newtown Powys has started and first production is expected early next year.

Natural insulation is one of the fastest growing market sectors in Europe. In a growing market for natural construction materials, wood fibre has many benefits including ease of use, thermal mass, breathability and appeal to increasingly CO2 conscious house builders and consumers.

“This is a very exciting collaboration between two Woodknowledge Wales members. Making better use of waste wood is just as important as growing more trees. Added to that, the UK desperately needs domestic production of wood fibre insulation. I’m delighted that this ground-breaking project is combining both insulation production and the upcycling of waste wood and is happening in Wales.” Gary Newman, CEO, Woodknowledge Wales

“MDF Recovery’s technology is unique and we are delighted to have obtained the exclusive licence for the production of loose fill insulation in the UK and Ireland,. As a company, we are always seeking new and innovative products that fit in our vision of ‘products in every home’. The demand for natural building materials is only going to increase and the addition of a recycled wood fibre insulation is an exciting addition to our product portfolio,” Jonathan Grant, Group Chief Executive, W Howard

The latest information from FAOSTAT indicates that over 110 million m3 of MDF was produced around the world in 2021. Significant volumes of waste are generated as new MDF boards are converted into products such as furniture and shop fittings with more material entering the waste stream at the end of its first user life. Until the advent of MDF Recovery’s patented and cost-effective technology, far too much of this waste has been sent to landfill or incinerated. W. Howard will now also be able to recover their waste products as well as offering its customers a closed loop supply chain so they can return end of life products for conversion back into to wood fibre for insulation.

“W Howard’s commitment and investment in the first production plant using our technology is a significant step forward for MDF Recovery. The market, governments and consumers are all keen to encourage re-use of materials and the circular economy. Waste MDF – either during processing or at end of life – is no longer a problem that has to be dealt with, but a valuable resource of high-quality wood fibres. We look forward to seeing W Howard’s loose fill insulation product meeting the needs of house builders and the construction industry across the UK and Ireland.” Craig Bartlett, CEO, W Howard

The past three months have been momentous for MDF Recovery. The deal with W Howard comes soon after the announcement of a global partnership with PAL, part of the Italian multi-national equipment manufacturer IMAL PAL, for the use of MDF Recovery’s technology in MDF manufacturing and a successful £1.7 million pound fund raising.

Filed Under: Building Elements, Insulation, Members, News, Products, Resources Tagged With: Recycling

Why invest in woodfibre insulation manufacturing in Wales | Policy Briefing

September 29, 2023 by Sarah Lawton

A healthy, high performance and low carbon built environment is an essential element of the Welsh Government’s ambitious decarbonisation strategy. Welsh Government policy aims to ensure that low carbon homes are increasingly delivered by local companies using sustainable Welsh supply chains. The Welsh Government regards woodfibre insulation as a key material to decarbonise existing as well as new homes. 

Woodfibre insulation has reached a level of market acceptance in the UK construction sector that justifies the establishment of a Wales based production centre. The Welsh Government believes that the high cost of transport from the continent is now critically hindering market growth for woodfibre insulation products in the UK market. Locating the UK’s first woodfibre insulation manufacturing facility in Wales benefits from the following key advantages: 

— The development of the forest industries sector in Wales is a strategic priority and part of the Welsh Government’s plans to re-focus the Welsh economy upon the sustainable use of the country’s natural resources. 

— The Welsh Government is implementing a range of ambitious policy interventions at both the industrial and the community levels to increase economic resilience and to support ambitious decarbonisation plans for Wales. 

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Filed Under: Building Elements, Building Performance, Housing, Insulation, News, Policy Briefing, Resources Tagged With: Building Elements, Building Performance, Policy Briefing, Social Housing

Wood Fibre Insulation – Specification Guidance

June 1, 2021 by admin

A building’s thermal performance is now as important an aspect of the building’s design and construction as its structure. Energy prices and climate change are often cited as the principal reasons for the increased energy and CO2 reduction standards required of our built environment. Less known is the fact that insulation can also play a major role in our health, safety, comfort and wellbeing.
When higher levels of thermal performance are required, this has a significant impact on building physics and other dynamic elements of a building’s performance.
Woodfibre insulation has a number of properties that enables it to provide a multifunctional role within the construction of a home. When specified and installed correctly, woodfibre provides protection against summertime overheating, enhanced acoustic performance and moisture control. The latter provides a building fabric with additional insurance against potential moisture problems that could otherwise undermine the integrity of the building and the health of the occupants.
Woodfibre is highly sustainable, locking up considerably more CO2 than is produced in manufacture. It can therefore play an essential part of a strategy for mitigating climate change.
This document provides information for specifiers and procurement specialists working on social housing projects. It is designed to help with the specification of wood fibre insulation within a social housing context. It provides performance criteria and indicates what needs to be considered when specifying woodfibre insulation.
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Filed Under: Building Elements, Building Performance, Design & Specification, Guidance, Home-Grown Homes, Insulation, New-Build, Resources, Retrofit Tagged With: Building Elements, Building Performance, Design Specification, Guidance

Wooden Windows-Specification guidance for timber windows

January 28, 2021 by admin

Windows provide an outlook on the world. They help set the tone and character for a building and the area in which it stands. Windows define natural lighting levels and thermal comfort essential for the wellbeing of residents. They offer sound protection and keep homes safe from intrusion. Windows are an essential part of the building fabric and as such contribute to a development’s overall energy performance.
Modern factory-finished timber windows have a better environmental performance than any other window material. They have a longer service life and lower whole life costs than uPVC windows. Wooden windows can be repaired and recoated throughout their lifetime and are the best option for achieving zero carbon buildings. They can be sourced from local manufacturers using home-grown timber and support economic recovery in Wales.
The multiple benefits wooden windows deliver over their life-span in terms of maintenance, durability, embodied carbon, and other social and environmental aspects make them excellent value for money.
This document provides information for specifiers and procurement specialists working on social housing projects. It is designed to help with the specification of low-carbon timber windows in a social housing context. It provides performance criteria and indicates what needs to be considered to achieve these in practice. Windows are an essential element of the building fabric and should not be discussed in isolation. They should be considered very early in the design process when deciding what build system to use.
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Filed Under: Building Elements, Building Performance, Design & Specification, Home-Grown Homes, Housing, Resources, Windows Tagged With: Building Elements, Building Performance, Design Specification, Guidance, Home Grown Homes, Maintenance, Windows

Timber Cladding—Specification Guidance for Social Housing

January 19, 2021 by admin


Timber cladding has become increasingly popular, mainly for its sustainability credentials and low environmental impact: It has a low carbon footprint as it requires less energy to produce than any other construction material and helps lock carbon into the building fabric. It is made from renewable material – wood – and can be reused, recycled or used as fuel at the end of its service life. Timber cladding is widely available from sustainably managed forests and can be sourced locally.
With correct detailing, proper installation and appropriate materials, timber cladding will provide a long lasting decorative and functional façade to any type of development, new build or existing stock.
This document provides information for specifiers and procurement specialists working on social housing projects. It is designed to help with the strategic selection of timber cladding as an external rainscreen in a social housing context. It provides performance criteria for specifying timber cladding and indicates what needs to be considered to achieve these in practice. The document highlights performance benefits across a range of intended design outcomes and is designed to help ensure that timber cladding is used appropriately. Timber cladding should not be viewed in isolation and should be considered very early on in the design process when specifying details and deciding on what build system to use.
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Filed Under: Building Elements, Cladding, Design & Specification, Guidance, Home-Grown Homes, Housing, New-Build, Resources, Retrofit Tagged With: Building Elements, Cladding, Design Specification, Guidance, Home Grown Homes, Maintenance

Wood Fibre Insulation in the UK

October 20, 2020 by admin

A relatively old report written in 2013 on wood fibre insulation in the UK authored by our now Chief Executive, Gary Newman, when acting as an independent consultant for Forestry Commission Scotland and Woodknowledge Wales. The report was never published but we consider it highly relevant to today’s discussions about how Wales can become a high value forest nation and delivery zero carbon housing (both new and existing) by 2050.  Access to the full report here.

Filed Under: Building Elements, Insulation, Manufacturing, Resources, Technical Briefing Tagged With: Building Elements, Building Performance, Technical Briefing

From garden sleeper to beautiful window. Challenging perceptions about Welsh timber

September 10, 2019 by admin

Custom Precision Joinery rose to the challenge laid down by Dainis Dauksta at a Woodknowledge Wales knowledge event on Developing the Welsh Joinery Sector – Barriers and Opportunities for Windows by offering to make a demonstration window from (1) local Welsh timber (2) to a specification acceptable to housing associations and (3) have it ready for WoodBUILD 2019. We were not disappointed!
This second knowledge event in our “Campaign for Wood Windows” looked at how the Welsh Joinery sector can respond to the real and growing demand from the social housing sector to supply wood windows and ultimately how the joinery sector can access home-grown timber to be used in making those windows.

Larch on planer showing straightness of the grain

Larch for the windows on planner. This photo shows the straightness of the grain after the first 20-30cm which can be removed.

During the event Dainis Dauksta (sawmiller, designer and consultant) had challenged perceptions that Welsh (and UK) forest plantations provide low grade softwood which is only fit for fence posts and biofuel. He urged us all to learn more and not to make the mistaken judgement that fast grown is always inferior to slow grown or that large ring width means low density. His talk illustrated how large Welsh logs which are currently being used in low value markets such as fencing and bio-fuel can provide high grade joinery timber.

The Timber

Two reject larch garden sleepers (2.4m*250mm*125mm) obtained from BSW were resawn (by Dainis Dauksta) into joinery sizes as specified by Custom Precision Joinery. The sleepers, which had been air dried were cut so that the juvenile corewood [1] was specifically sawn out and excluded from the final joinery grade product, this is because the core wood can have properties which are significantly different, and variable compared to the mature wood.

“Home grown larch is currently such an under-utilised joinery timber” said Dainis Dauksta who supplied the material used by Custom Precision Joinery. “High quality joinery grade timber is currently going into low value end markets which is such a waste of our resources.  This project showed just how easy it was to select and cut joinery grade timber from larch that was being sold as reject garden sleepers.”

Custom Precision Joinery checked the joinery grade larch on delivery and confirmed that it was fit for purpose. The scantlings where then conditioned in their workshop for two weeks before machining into the required profiles.

British grown larch is a moderately durable softwood with a colour that ranges from a light to dark brown heartwood to a white sapwood. It has a density of around 550kg/m3 at a moisture content of 12%.  When wet it has a tendency to distort but once dry it is generally stable.  Potentially large volumes of larch could become available in Wales because of the Phytophthora ramorum epidemic.  Larch is a very useful construction timber and larch grown in Wales can already be visually strength graded to C24.  It can be used for cladding, structural and joinery applications. High-quality stainless-steel fixings should be used to avoid corrosion of fixings.

The Windows

2 windows displayed on a table at a conference trade show

Two windows made by Custom Precision Joinery from Welsh larch and on display at WoodBUILD 2019.

Two windows were made at Custom Precision Joinery in Buckley, north Wales, they were the same design but had different paint finishes.  The windows were made to a design supplied by Coastal Specialist Ironmongery Ltd (also participants in our windows workshop). The design used was one which has already been approved as suitable for social housing.

“We are very pleased with how these windows turned out” said Colin Morris from Custom Precision Joinery. ”A large percentage of home grown timbers are generally of a higher standard than that of imported timbers. However, the Welsh supply chain is an issue for manufacturers in the joinery sector like us. But with the right investment and perseverance Wales has a unique opportunity to enhance this sector.”

What next?

Profile detail of window made by Custom Precision Joinery, fixtures by Coastal Specialist Ironmongery and paint finish by Remmers (UK) Lrd.

This project has shown that high quality joinery items can be made from Welsh timber that is currently being sawn and sold for low value garden sleepers. Just by grading and sawing that same material in a different way it has been transformed into a high value joinery grade timber.
Simple interventions like this could help develop the supply chain for Welsh timber and offer smaller sawmills opportunities to diversify and provide higher value products into the joinery sector. However, the demand for joinery products made from Welsh timbers need to developed. One way to do this is by working with housing associations and local authorities. This is being done through the Home-Grown Homes Project, led by Powys County Council which is exploring supply chain interventions to encourage growth of the timber sector in Wales.
At the end of the Home-Grown Homes Project a set of recommendations will be presented to Welsh Government with case studies to demonstrate how interventions could help improve the supply of Welsh timber to Welsh house building manufactures to build more and better homes.

Woodknowledge Wales would like to thank Custom Precision Joinery for offering to make these windows from Welsh timber and putting them on show at WoodBUILD 2019. We would also like to thank Coastal Specialist Ironmongery for their part in providing the specification for the window design and Craig Lovatt, formally of Custom Precision Joinery and now of Remmers (UK) Ltd for initiating the project.

[1] Corewood or ‘juvenile wood’ is found within the first 10–20 annual rings adjacent to the pith.

Filed Under: Case Study, Grading, Joinery, Processing, Resources, Welsh Timber Windows, Windows Tagged With: Building Elements, Case Study, Home Grown Homes, Processing

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