The UK’s first Commercial Timber Guidebook has launched, to promote the use of structural timber in office construction.
Timber is known as a regenerative material that you can grow, unlike concrete.
The initiative was spearheaded by Elliott Wood, Waugh Thistleton Architects and OFR Consultants, working with insurance consultants Lignum Risk Partners to engage the wider sector.
The project, kickstarted with a €200,000 grant from the Built by Nature network and fund, also attracted co-funding and support from major developers Stanhope PLC, British Land, Lendlease, Related Argent, Derwent London, Landsec, MUSE, Berkeley Estate Asset Management (BEAM) and Great Portland Estates — all seeking to overcome existing barriers to mass timber adoption.
Paul King, chief executive of Built by Nature, said: “This guidebook is a very significant demonstration of the collaboration that is emerging across the industry, with major developers, designers and insurers coming together to overcome the perceived barriers to using low-carbon timber and natural construction materials in large-scale commercial projects.”
The network and grant funder has previously partnered with industry leaders on a series of technical guides to promote the use of mass timber, including the City Handbook for Carbon Neutral Buildings; the New Model Building and the Mass Timber Insurance Playbook.
There is a growing market shift towards more sustainable, lower-carbon construction materials and methods. These include BEAM’s 38 Berkeley Square in Mayfair, Landsec’s Timber Square in Southwark and Related Argent’s 3 Copper Square in Brent Cross.
To increase its impact, the guidebook will be published by Timber Development UK and distributed across key industry networks, including the UK Green Building Council, the Better Buildings Partnership, and the Institution of Structural Engineers, ensuring wide-reaching influence and uptake across the sector.
