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In a major push toward greener construction practices, Environment Minister Mary Creagh unveiled an ambitious expansion of the Timber in Construction (TiC) Roadmap at the Timber in Construction Summit in London. This initiative aims to supercharge Britain’s use of timber in the built environment, fostering economic growth, revitalizing rural employment, and driving sustainable housebuilding.
Initially launched in late 2023, the newly enhanced TiC Roadmap takes sustainability and innovation even further. The UK Government is doubling its commitment to bolster the domestic timber industry, stimulate construction sector growth, and ensure quality, safety, and emissions reduction remain at the forefront. Timber isn’t just a building material—it’s a climate solution.
The roadmap aligns with the government’s broader economic and sustainability goals. It encourages the adoption of low-carbon building materials while embedding carbon-conscious design, construction, and building operation into future policies.
Buildings are a significant source of emissions—accounting for 25% of the UK’s total greenhouse gas output. Shifting towards engineered timber products instead of concrete could be a game-changer, allowing more significant buildings to store up to 400% more carbon. Despite its potential, 80% of the timber used in the UK is imported, exposing the industry to supply chain vulnerabilities.
The updated roadmap introduces crucial new measures designed to strengthen timber’s role in construction while addressing supply chain resilience, sustainability, and safety concerns. Key developments include:
Encouraging Demand – The government will assess how Government Buying Standards can be leveraged to increase the adoption of sustainable, low-carbon building materials.
Boosting Safety & Durability—Over the next five years, a collaboration between industry leaders, academia, and the Building Safety Regulator will drive research to address outstanding questions on mass timber’s safety, durability, and structural competency.
Circular Economy & Biodiversity – A heightened focus on reuse, species diversification, and circular construction will reduce waste while attracting new investment into domestic timber processing and supply chains.
This roadmap represents more than just policy—it’s a blueprint for a construction revolution. By championing timber as a core material, the UK aims to build a low-carbon, resource-efficient, and economically vibrant future. The question is no longer if timber will reshape construction—how soon the industry can fully embrace it.
Environment Minister Mary Creagh CBE MP said: “This Government is getting Britain building. Our Plan for Change will build 1.5 million homes this Parliament. Timber will play a vital role benefitting development and nature.”
David Hopkins, Chief Executive Officer of Timber Development UK, said: “The Government’s commitment to the Timber in Construction Roadmap is a real boost to the low-carbon construction sector. We have a great opportunity to increase our housing stock while growing our forests and reducing our emissions output.
“As a bio-based industrial supply chain, the timber sector can play a unique role in the low-carbon economy – sequestering emissions in the forest and storing them in our buildings. With a rough value of £10 billion to the UK, this growth in timber construction can also play a vital role in the Government’s wider growth agenda.”
Forestry Commission Chief Executive Richard Stanford said: “To reach net zero, we must increase timber production from homegrown trees and use that timber in our buildings to sequester carbon. The Timber in Construction Roadmap will propel forestry production in England to ensure timber security, reduce our dependence on imports, and address the nature crisis by boosting biodiversity, improving water quality, and providing more green spaces for people.”
Alex Goodfellow, Chair of the Confederation of Timber Industries and CEO of Donaldson Offsite represented the timber industry when he said: “The Minister’s support for the Timber in Construction Roadmap shows the Government’s firm commitment to a growth agenda: growth for forestry, for housing, for low-carbon skills and for the economy. The timber supply chain is a major economic player in the UK, connecting rural and urban environments.
“Timber frame construction is a well-proven technology and business model for delivering houses rapidly and sustainably while improving quality. By accelerating this growth, we can build more low-carbon housing today while providing a market pull for expanding forests. As a supply chain we will support the Government to deliver on all of the goals in the Roadmap and help build a more sustainable future.”
Stuart Goodall, Chief Executive of Confor, commented: “Confor welcomes the UK Government’s commitment to working with partners, including the timber industry, to deliver the important ambitions of the Timber in Construction Roadmap. In light of domestic timber security, we particularly welcome the roadmap’s focus on increasing productive forestry and on promoting the use of homegrown wood-based construction products. Both of these actions will make an important contribution to achieving the UK’s net zero target and economic growth.”
Andrew Carpenter, Chief Executive of the Structural Timber Association, said: “This is a substantial step forward, and we are extremely pleased to see the Government underlining its commitment to meeting these ambitious house-building targets. Increasing the use of structural timber and offsite manufacturing is one of the most effective ways of ensuring the rapid and high-quality delivery of these vitally needed homes while also meeting urgent decarbonization obligations.”
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