Timber takes centre stage at COP26

A host of in-person and virtual events during COP26 this autumn are currently highlighting  the important role that timber construction can play in the fight against climate change.

Architects, engineers, specifiers, social housing providers, housebuilders and construction professionals joined forces with leaders and policy-makers from around the world to learn about the impact of the built environment on global warming and how building materials such as timber can help to mitigate the risk.

The Wood for Good conference took place at the 2nd of November at the Construction Scotland Innovation Centre. Part of the wider BE@COP26 showcase, this one-day in-person conference featured a headline talk from Andrew Waugh, director of architects practice Waugh Thistleton, as he shared his 20 years’ experience in timber construction and his vision for a future made from wood.

This was followed by a series of sessions including speakers from Confor, Stewart Milne Timber Systems, Cities4Forests, SNRG and ECOSystems Technologies, including stories behind the Innovate UK-funded Transforming Timber modular home, made for COP26 from Scottish homegrown mass timber; engineering the future of construction; bringing timber construction into the mainstream; managing sustainable forests; and growing zero carbon communities.

Sarah Virgo, campaign manager at Wood for Good, said: “By using more timber in construction, we can capture carbon and reduce CO2 emissions, helping to reduce the impact of climate change.

“COP26 provides the ideal opportunity for architects, specifiers and policy-makers alike to learn from best practice in timber construction throughout the UK and across the globe.

“The series of Wood for Good sponsored events running during and after COP26 will shine a spotlight on the construction industry and examine ways in which we can help to reduce carbon emissions produced by buildings in use and the methods and materials used to build them.

“For visitors to COP26 in Glasgow, we want to highlight as many exemplary examples of timber in construction within the city as possible. We’re therefore asking for suggestions to include in the Wood for Good COP26 interactive map which will be continually updated over the coming weeks.”