Stepping up to the big challenge

Brits love bricks and mortar and maybe most of us always will. The origins of the passion are lost in the mists of time, but probably started because, by the time we began to build housing on a mass scale, we'd chopped down most of our trees to build ships, graze sheep or grow turnips.

Today, however, a growing proportion of the population are turning their house building affections elsewhere. The Scots fell for timber frame a while back, with over 50% of all new houses now using it. But the the rest of us are also now increasingly appreciating its attractions.

As our special feature on the market highlights, the reasons for this are varied. It's down to a combination of the growing choice available in timber building; increased pressure for off-site construction methods; and mounting emphasis on "sustainable" building from the government and architects. All these combined are resulting in both developers pushing timber frame and consumers actively selecting it. The self-build community, which accounts for 20,000 new homes a year, is also smitten.

Overall this spells an increase in UK timber consumption given that the average timber frame house uses 10m³ of wood, against a brick home's 5m³.

One question mark still hanging over the market is whether the benefits from the growth in timber frame will trickle down through the trade. Some fear that the lion's share of the business could be tied up by the big timber frame producers, leaving few openings for the small- to medium-sized merchant. Others say that, as the timber frame industry grows, it will diversify, creating new opportunities for all types and size of wood business. UK Timber Frame Association chief executive Bryan Woodley also predicts that the sector will grow a "long tail", improving perceptions of timber in building generally and potentially increasing demand for other wood products, from timber doors and windows, to decking and garden products.

It's precisely to help the wider industry identify and capitalise on these opportunities that wood. for good is organising its Big Challenge conference on September 20. The message is clear, if there's a time for timber to woo British architects, builders and home owners, it's now.