Conference celebrates use of sustainable timber

Building contractors, specifiers and government procurers were given a positive insight into using certified timber products at “The Value of Sustainable Timber in Construction” conference in London.

The event was hosted by The Timber Trade Federation at the Building Centre and also sponsored by the Department for International Development, TRADA Technology, Jacobs Engineering UK, the Environmental Investigation Agency and the Construction Industry Environmental Forum.

Finnforest’s Frank Werling squashed some myths surrounding timber use in larger projects, explaining how fire and sound performance, thermal efficiency and fast construction processes can all be achieved.

DFID’s Hugh Speechly said as the UK was the world’s third largest timber importer, it needed to be at the forefront of resolving illegal timber issues.

He said the UK had blossomed into a world-leading model for government procurement, while continuing to press for further advances, most notably being EU legislation to allow prosecutions against individuals importing illegally felled wood products.

Architect Craig White, who chairs the Wood for Gold campaign to maximise wood use in the Olympics build programme, showed how sustainable timber products can be used in a range of public and private projects.