The UK Timber Frame Association (UKTFA) has published an environmental performance statement to push timber’s green construction credentials.
The strategic statement, currently being distributed to UKTFA members, says that “timber is without question, the most environmentally acceptable material in modern construction”.
Members will forward the double-sided A4 statement to clients, while the UKTFA also hopes to send it to target groups.
Environmental benefits listed include sustainability; thermal efficiency; low embodied energy; renewability; and non-toxicity.
The UKTFA says its continuous monitoring provides overwhelming evidence that softwoods used in the timber frame industry are sourced either from well-managed forests or from forests where practices are rapidly improving.
It also encourages members to provide evidence that their timber comes from a sustainably-managed source and backs certification systems such as the Forest Stewardship Council, the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative.
The publication also incorporates the UKTFA’s Code of Practice, which supports sustainable construction practices in the timber frame supply chain and forest industry.
