Resources – Built By Nature

All bio-based building carbon climate Document Dutch infrastructure investment policy risk management sustainability timber wood

DUTCH – Groei Industriële Houtbouw in Nederland

Industriële Houtbouw Innovatiecatalogus 2023

In 2023 neemt de productie van grotendeels geprefabriceerde houten woningen in Nederland verder toe. In bijgaand artikel uit de Innovatiecatalogus 2023 van Duurzaam Gebouwd wordt een overzicht gegeven van het ontstaan van een moderne offsite bouwindustrie. Houten woningen en appartementen worden in 3D-modules voorbereid of aangevoerd in flat packs en in een mum van tijd geassembleerd op locatie. Door over te stappen op modulair hout en andere biobased materialen, kan de Nederlandse bouw de circulaire doelstellingen en het Klimaatakkoord van Parijs verwezenlijken.

Peter Fraanje

January 2023

The growing role of forest products in climate change mitigation & the need for nationally determined forestry approaches to achieve net zero emissions

Dalberg Forest-products-and-climate-change

This report addresses the future supply and demand patterns of the full range of wood and fibre products towards the promotion of a sustainable forest product market within national, regional and global contexts. Its scope covers the importance of wood and fibre-based products in relation to climate change mitigation ambitions; an analysis of the impact of climate change policies and other macro trends on wood products demand, and comparison of demand to supply while illustrating sustainable supply gaps in meeting demand. The report also outlines a high-level overview of potential interventions by policymakers and other decision-makers to curb a possible supply-demand gap by the year 2050.

Dalberg Advisors: Mokena Makeka, principal. Supported by Osato Noah, Devang Vussonji, Geraldine Worship, Iminza Mbwaya, Mugambi Wahomean, Divine Mutonia, Carren Mwanzia, Linnie Kamanda.

November 2022

Dutch scientists respond to concrete and cement industry report acknowledging role of biobased materials, questioning numerous assumptions and findings

Response CA4BM report

As the construction sector continues to steam ahead with current building practices, it’s clear that we will exceed our 1.5-degree CO₂budget within five years – and it’s clear that time to act is running out. In a recently published report, the concrete, ceramics and cement industry has assessed the potential climate impact of biobased building materials.

As a group of concerned and engaged Dutch scientists and climate ambassadors, we welcome the direction of the report and the dialogue it stimulates, but it has become necessary for us to fact-check the content of this report and refute several of the claims and conclusions of the report.

Prof. Gert-Jan Nabuurs (Wageningen University & Research), Prof. Jan Rotmans (Erasmus University), Prof. Arjan van Timmeren (Technical University Delft), Prof. Andy van den Dobbelsteen (Technical University Delft), Dr Pablo van der Lugt (AMS Institute – Technical University Delft), Jan Willem van de Groep (Gideon), Norbert Schotte (Gideon)

October 2022

Bio-based and circular buildings for healthy, clean cities: a Handbook to help cities reduce embodied carbon in construction

220718_J1261-CKIC-NetZero-Playbook-3

This Handbook shares lessons learned from the Healthy, Clean Cities: EUropean CIties for climate-Neutral COnstruction (EU CINCO) project. Contains resources and step-by-step processes to align stakeholders’ efforts around objectives of carbon reduction, greater circularity in the built environment and leveraging urban projects to influence changes in the supply chain. Designed as an interactive manual and tracking instrument, the Handbook helps users better understand the metrics used by different actors and their use to create benchmarks, visualise processes and create models for collaborative decision making.

Dr.-Ing. Mira Conci, Alicia Carvajal, Oliver Burgess, Alexa Waud, Juan Lopez Aranguren, Jacqueline Oker-Blom, Celia Puertas, Charlotte May, Manuel Alméstar, Rufus Grantham

2022

Overview of Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) and Timber Structure Standards Across the World

Overview-of-Cross-Laminated-Timber-CLT-and-Timber-Structure-Standards-Across-the-World

This paper reviews design standards for CLT and associated timber structures from Europe, North America, Japan, South Africa, Brazil, Australia and China, with recommendations for future development of CLT standardisation (recognising that multiple standards have been developed with minimal harmonisation). Current versions of each are briefly outlined, with the potential application of existing standards in those countries yet to adopt a CLT standard. This review can be a useful resource for researchers, manufacturers, companies, and investors.

Shaghayegh Kurzinski, Paul Crovella and Paul Kremer

2022

Mass Timber: Challenges & Potential Solutions — Summary report of the ASBP’s Timber Accelerator Hub

TAH_online_final

A report exploring the primary challenges of fire safety, regulation and insurance for mass timber construction on the road to a nature-based transformation of the UK built environment sector. Presenting opportunities and solutions to overcome these challenges and unlock the wider uptake of mass timber products.

Joe Giddings, Timber Accelerator Hub

2022

Climate KIC and Efeca Ltd 2019

Climate-KIC-3S-Framework-final-report-201219-final_594511857-1

An overview of the 3S framework to utilise “sink, storage and substitution” principles to effectively leverage forest climate mitigation potential. The analysis considers the optimal combinations of the sink, storage and substitution functions of forests and wood products, and the need for engagement of the entire supply chain and cross-sector coalitions of key stakeholders.

Liz Betser, Rose McCulloch

2019

Insurance industry guide to mass timber in UK construction

https://timefortimber.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/STA-Insurers-Guide-to-Mass-Timber-FINAL.pdf

This paper provides information to better understand the use of timber in construction from a risk management perspective. The issue of climate change is covered in detail, and the risks brought about by the lack of clarity around combustible/ durable materials (specifically structural timber) in construction are also addressed.

Structural Timber Association

2021

Wood buildings as a climate solution

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666165920300260#

A meta-analysis of studies with life cycle comparisons of mid-rise buildings using mass timber and conventional building materials -- unanimous in showing emissions reductions when building with mass timber. Covers implications for policy makers and the investment community.

Austin Hymes & Gwen Busby

2020

Biogenic Carbon in buildings: a critical overview of LCA methods

https://journal-buildingscities.org/articles/10.5334/bc.46/

This critical review finds a lack of consensus and guidance for life-cycle assessments of bio-based construction products and buildings using bio-based materials, with regulators, the construction industry and the construction products industry directly affected by this lack of comparability. Recommends the adoption of dynamic biogenic carbon accounting for future assessments.

Endrit Hoxha, Alexander Passer, Marcella Ruschi Mendes Saade, Damien Trigaux, Amie Shuttleworth, Francesco Pittau, Karen Allacker, Guillaume Habert

2020

Promoting sustainable building materials and the implications on the use of wood in buildings: A review of leading public policies in Europe and North America

https://unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/timber/publications/SP-38.pdf

This publication describes the current policy and regulatory environment regarding sustainable construction materials in Europe and North America; how member states might enhance the use of wood in buildings, and policy measures taken to overcome the lack of knowledge and misunderstanding of wood construction.

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

2016

The impact of policy instruments on the first generation of Tall Wood Buildings

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/epub/10.1080/09613218.2021.1905501?needAccess=true

This research qualitatively examines the impact of policy instruments on individual Tall Wooden Buildings, based on reviews and interviews conducted with policymakers and professionals involved in 37 projects across eight countries, including Austria, Finland, Germany, Norway, Sweden and the UK.

Eduardo Wiegand and Micheal Ramage

2020

Embodied GHG Emission of Wooden Buildings – Challenges of Biogenic Carbon Accounting in Current LCA Methods

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2021.729096/full

This analysis of life cycle assessments shows that the average reported values of embodied GHG emissions of wooden buildings are one-third to half of those from buildings in general; with transparency and conformity in biogenic carbon accounting essential for comparability and to avoid distortions in reporting.

C. E. Andersen, F. N. Rasmussen, G. Habert and H. Birgisdóttir

2021

Construction Stored Carbon: A Financial Metric for Carbon Storage in the Built Environment

https://climatecleanup.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Construction-Stored-Carbon-V8-11-2021-5.pdf

An examination of Construction Stored Carbon (CSC) as a metric for physical carbon stored in biobased buildings and infrastructure, in project investments or portfolios, to address questions around storage duration by bringing lifespan in line with a 100-year timeframe.

Climate Cleanup and Gideon

2020

100 Projects – UK CLT

https://www.thinkwood.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Think-Wood-Publication-100-Projects-UK-CLT.pdf

A comprehensive overview of the benefits of mass timber design and construction, demonstrating to clients, contractors, and authorities that any code requirements that are met by concrete and steel can be met and exceeded by timber. With 100 demonstration projects providing proof-of-concept in the UK.

Waugh Thistleton

2018

Research and resources