The new Timber in Construction (TiC) Roadmap is being introduced to help Britain build using timber, creating economic growth and rural jobs and helping sustainably meet housebuilding targets.

The TiC Roadmap was first published at the end of 2023. This new and improved version goes even further, highlighting the Government’s ambition to boost the domestic timber industry and kickstart the construction sector without compromising quality, safety or carbon emissions.

It also demonstrates how the use of timber in construction fits with the government’s growth agenda, by encouraging the use of sustainable, low-carbon building materials and ensuring carbon emissions are considered during building design, construction and use.

Using timber in construction is one of the best ways to reduce emissions from buildings. Around 25% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions come from the built environment, and larger buildings can store up to 400% more carbon when constructed out of engineered timber products compared to building with concrete. However, 80% of the timber the UK currently uses is imported.

Key updates to the roadmap acknowledge the importance of reuse and species diversification and reveal decisive actions to create a low-waste circular construction sector and drive further investment into domestic timber and wood-processing supply chains.

These include:

Demand | Government will explore using Government Buying Standards to encourage the adoption of sustainable, low-carbon building materials.

Safety | The Government will work with industry, academia, and the Building Safety Regulator to research outstanding safety, durability, and competency questions over the next five years, with the goal of closing the evidence and competence gaps of engineered mass timber.