20 November, 2024
UK Construction Industry Consortium Launches Groundbreaking Guidebook for Commercial Timber Buildings
LONDON, November 20. A major collaboration between property developers, insurers, and technical experts has led to the launch of the UK’s first Commercial Timber Guidebook. The guide, which aims to promote the use of structural timber in office construction, represents a key step toward broader adoption of sustainable timber construction practices within the commercial building sector. Commercial buildings make up 16% of all new UK buildings, according to the Office for National Statistics (March 2023).
The initiative is spearheaded by Elliott Wood, Waugh Thistleton Architects and OFR Consultants, working with specialist 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.
The Guidebook aims to drive the adoption of timber by demonstrating both its technical viability and its insurability. The project team worked directly with architects, developers, and engineers to create a consensus of good practice on how to incorporate structural timber into new office buildings. For example, the Guidebook has input from the country’s leading fire engineers, resulting in unprecedented cross-industry consensus around how to achieve fire safety in timber office buildings of various typologies.
The Guidebook particularly focuses on good practice for the design of large-scale timber commercial buildings, an essential stage as the lack of consensus on design and construction standards has made it difficult for insurers to accurately assess and price the risk. By providing clear and agreed guidelines, the Guidebook helps developers, designers and insurers align on risk mitigation strategies, ensuring that timber buildings can be constructed with confidence.
Commenting on the launch of the Guidebook, Built by Nature CEO Paul King 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.”
It is the latest addition to an inventory of practical knowledge, supported by Built by Nature. The network and grant funder has previously worked in partnership 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 amplify 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.
Media Contact
Jenny Jobs, Elliott Wood
j.jobs@elliottwood.co.uk
Ben Walker, Built by Nature
b.walker@builtbn.org