In June, architects, engineers and local authority representatives from around the UK assembled at the annual FOOTPRINT+ property conference to discuss the future of British construction. Alongside the panels and presentations on emerging technologies and state-of-the-art construction techniques (from heat networks to the latest developments in decarbonising concrete), a significant portion of the events focused on a much more ordinary building material: wood. 

‘Timber has an exciting future,’ says David Hopkins, managing director at Timber Development UK. ‘It is the single most important material when it comes to decarbonising construction. That is no exaggeration.’

In a paper published last year, researchers at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research estimated that by building mid-rise wooden residences to house growing urban populations, around 106 gigatonnes of additional carbon dioxide emissions could be prevented through 2100.

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Written by Bryony Cottam
The timber-constructed Wood Hotel in Norway is the world’s tallest wooden building. Image: Kristin Spalder/Shutterstock