This report on the greenhouse gas abatement potential of increasing the use of timber in construction in the UK, led by the BioComposites Centre at Bangor University, informed the Committee on Climate Change’s 2018 report on the role of Biomass in a low-carbon economy.
- The main objective of the report was to develop a detailed understanding of the emissions savings that could be achieved through greater use of timber-framed techniques as well as newer engineered wood products like cross-laminated timber when compared on a like-for-like with other construction materials.
- The paper sets out scenarios for increasing the share of homes built with timber frames to up to 270,000 per year, which would deliver 8-1.0 Mt CO2e/yr lower total embodied emissions in 2050, along with carbon sequestration of around 3 Mt CO₂e/yr.
- It also considers a similar contribution from use of engineered wood products in public and commercial buildings, although the evidence is less strong.
- It looks at fire risk, thermal efficiency and indoor air quality in timber structures drawing on stakeholder evidence.
Down load the report via the Committee on Climate Change website here.
