Forest trump: green sources
Wood is the original sustainable material. But where should you buy it and how should you use it?
on the up...wood
Timber is the only renewable, natural building material. Not only is it recyclable and easy to reuse, but it can counteract CO2 emissions. Trees act as carbon sinks, extracting carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and converting it into carbohydrate for the tree;s growth. And the by-product of that process is oxygen.
Wood-processing industries are also far less energy-intensive that those for other common matierials.
Strength for strength, concrete uses five times more energy to produce than timber, for every cubic metre of wood used instead of other building maternials, CO2 is saved from the atmosphere.
That means that if all houses in the UK built since 1945 had been timber framed, more than 300 million to0nnes of CO2 would have been saved. Duncan Baker-Brown of BBM Sustainable Design.
People often shy away from wood because they think of deforestation, but timber is one of the most sustainable materials. We should be encouraging people to use wood, as long as it's grown and sourced responsibility.
Why buy local?
As well as cutting down on transport pollution, sourcing wood locally sustains both the local economy and identity. Duncan Baker-Brown says, 'It encourages architects to work within a local architectural language.'
There are roughly 6.77 million acres of woodland in the UK (12% of the land area), and by 2020 timber production is forecast to increase to more than 39.5 million acres.
British-grown larch and Doublas fir can be used for structural frames, as well as for cladding, floors and finishes. Even red cedar, usually imported from Canada (which has a flourishing, sustainable forestry industry), can be sourced from the Duchy Estate.
Green sources
Repair, restore or adapt something you already have. Each year, up to 420,000 tonnes of wood waste is produced by UK households. Search for local recyclers.
Buy second-hand, recycled or reclaimed timber. Search for reclaimation centres, or try the architectural salvage and antiques yeard Salvo.
Buy local, certificated timber. The two main certification systems in the UK are the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC). Look out for their logos.
If you have to buy from abroad, make it sustainable. Both PEFC and FSC operate globally, and other Defra-approved schemes include the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) and the Sustainable Forrestry Initiative (SFI). Check the wood is from a sustainable source on the Friends of the Earth Good Wood Guide.
This article appeared in the December edition of Inside Out magazine.
