Set carbon, environmental and performance standards from the start
To get the most from the Implementation Framework explore strategies and actions across each project phase to see how the Principles for Responsible Timber Construction can be applied.
Strategies
Strategy 1.1 Set carbon, environmental and performance standards from the start
Setting clear carbon, environmental, and performance standards at the beginning of a project establishes a strong foundation for responsible timber construction and low-carbon building outcomes. By embedding whole life cycle performance into early project briefs, planning processes, and investment appraisals, teams can make informed decisions that prioritise sustainability, efficiency, and resilience. This includes accounting for all emissions – upfront, operational, stored, and end-of-life – and aligning them with verified benchmarks and ESG reporting requirements. Clear targets help streamline design coordination, accelerate permitting, and strengthen access to green finance. When carbon and environmental performance are treated as key success metrics from the outset, projects are better positioned to achieve net-zero goals, demonstrate leadership in sustainable construction, and maximise the long-term social and environmental value of timber buildings.
Principles for Responsible Timber Construction included in this strategy
Stakeholders
Actions
Use benchmarked carbon data to inform material strategies
Tools and Guidance
Principles included in this strategy
- Accounting for Whole Life Cycle
Embed carbon benchmarks into conceptual design tools and cost models
Sub-action
Use early-stage carbon assessments and benchmarked carbon data to inform material choices, structural systems, and building geometry for optimum embodied emissions performance.
Tools and Guidance
Principles included in this strategy
- Accounting for Whole Life Cycle
Embed upfront and whole-life carbon thresholds into public project procurement
Tools and Guidance
Principles included in this strategy
- Accounting for Whole Life Cycle
Require upfront life cycle carbon assessments and reuse feasibility for demolition permits
Tools and Guidance
Principles included in this strategy
- Accounting for Whole Life Cycle
Require preliminary sourcing plans and certification compliance as part of planning submissions
Tools and Guidance
Principles included in this strategy
- Accounting for Whole Life Cycle
Integrate embodied carbon calculations into early cost modelling tools
Sub-action
Commission pre-application carbon feasibility assessments for planning.
Tools and Guidance
Principles included in this strategy
- Accounting for Whole Life Cycle
Integrate embodied carbon calculations into early project briefs, feasibility studies and cost modelling tools
Tools and Guidance
Principles included in this strategy
- Accounting for Whole Life Cycle
Link financing to compliance with carbon benchmarks or net-zero pathways projects achieving verified reductions in embodied emissions, and compliance with recognised net-zero benchmarks
Tools and Guidance
Principles included in this strategy
- Accounting for Whole Life Cycle
Make lifecycle carbon integral to the investment decision
Sub-action
Require LCA and disaggregated carbon data (biogenic vs fossil) as part of early due diligence.
Tools and Guidance
Principles included in this strategy
- Accounting for Whole Life Cycle
Require LCA and disaggregated carbon data (biogenic vs fossil) as part of early due diligence
Tools and Guidance
Principles included in this strategy
- Accounting for Whole Life Cycle
Tie finance terms to compliance with carbon benchmarks or net-zone pathways
Tools and Guidance
Principles included in this strategy
- Accounting for Whole Life Cycle
