ReThinking opportunities

Identifying and improving sustainability in our supply chain and products are vital. We’ve reached the point where sustainability is an identifiable and rapidly growing sector; it’s also a fantastic opportunity for the timber trade. It’s about increasing efficiency and effectiveness, raising the bar in design and quality, developing new ways of working and expanding markets and customers.

ReThink, a Timber Trade Federation (TTF) initiative, is a commercial consultancy, working to develop sustainability information and awareness in the supply chain and inform customers. I’m working with importers, merchants and sawmills to communicate with architects, engineers, interior designers, developers, housebuilders, commercial property companies and sustainability professionals, who all need information on timbr specification and timber construction techniques.

ReThink covers three main service areas: building, forestry and business. In building we are working to improve the integration of timber in sustainable design and construction. My background is in sustainable design and engineering consultancy, and this is an area I will focus on. Forestry will be supported by the TTF’s Rachel Butler and look at the delivery of responsibly-sourced timber. In business we’re looking at optimising existing operations in the supply chain through sustainability. This will cover sustainability audits and assessment of product energy, waste and resource footprints, and their subsequent management. Further projects will identify market opportunities in sustainable construction and specification.

Through this work we are improving sustainability in the timber sector to ensure we meet existing and future low carbon economy requirements.

It’s early days at ReThink but I’m really excited about our progress. We’re keen to hear from any companies that would like to collaborate on projects in this area. Please contact me on rethink@ttf.co.uk or 07825 640 665. For further information visit www.rethinkconsultancy.com.

? TTJ Industry Updates are a forum for trade bodies to address key issues.