|
Report from
Europe
Construction timber environmental credentials
The Netherlands timber market development organisation
Centrum Hout is working to raise awareness of the
environmental credentials of wood in construction by
increasing its profile in the country’s National
Environmental Database (NMD).
The NMD Foundation is an independent organisation
responsible for managing and developing the
‘Determination Method’ and its associated database with
which the Environmental Performance of Buildings
(MPG) is assessed. Its data forms the basis by which
calculations of the Environmental Performance of
Buildings (MPG). The latter determines how sustainable a
building is based on the materials used.
Until recently, says Centrum Hout, wooden building
materials were underrepresented in the NMD, resulting in
less favourable MPG scores for timber construction.
To change this, it is developing and updating timber
building product cards and processes within the Database.
This contributes to a fairer and more realistic
environmental score for timber construction and stimulates
the use of wood in the construction sector, says Centrum
Hout. To develop new Life Cycle Analyses (LCAs),
Centrum Hout collaborates with various parties within the
Home for the Future project, an initiative of FSC
Netherlands and part of the EU LIFE programme. This
includes collaborations with FSC Denmark, Lister
Buildings, TBI Woonlab, TU Delft and VIA University
College.
The development of the construction product cards, says
Centrum Hout, is an ongoing process and is part of the
broader drive towards 100% circular construction by 2050.
It has already produced numerous new and updated
product cards which have been added to the NMD,
including ones for:
Wood types, including European softwood,
glulam, and LVL, with CLT to follow.
Timber frame and with NBvT and VVNH,
including wooden frames and HSB elements.
Hardwood sheet piles, deck parts and clamped
bulkheads.
It has also developed ‘Process maps’, looking at
performance and sustainability credentials of tropical
wood from Africa, South America and Asia have also
been developed. These efforts actively contribute to a
sustainable and circular construction sector, says Centrum
Hout.
“By improving the representation of wooden building
materials in the NMD, the environmental benefits of
timber construction are better recognized,” it says.
“By making timber construction more attractive to clients
and developers it will strengthen the position of wood as a
sustainable building material within the transition to a
circular economy.”
See: https://www.centrumhout.nl/centrum-hout-nmd/
Tackling barriers to timber frame façades in France
A range of work is underway in France to remove
obstacles to the use of timber frame façades on buildings.
Among its focuses, the sector’s Structure-Envelope
Commission is looking at the compatibility of different
types of exterior cladding used on façades supports. Main
issues, it says, are durability and ‘waterproofing against
deformation’.
As part of this project, a study financed by CODIFAB, the
council for the development of the French furniture and
wood industries and carried out by the FCBA technical
institute has evaluated the resilience of wooden cladding
and HPL or fibre-cement panels on façades.
A new test protocol has been put in place, and a document
validating the installation of wood cladding on any type of
façades should be published by mid-2025, reports French
timber trade association Le Commerce du Bois (LCB).
LCB adds that the tile and terracotta and metal cladding
industry has also been approached to participate in the
ongoing façades project, but that ‘progress remains limited
at this stage’.
The goal is to integrate these new technical findings into
existing standards and LCB reports that work is also
underway to raise awareness among manufacturers and
encourage product certification adapted to requirements
for façades.
See:
https://www.lecommercedubois.org/actualites/1310/maintien-
des-performances-des-bardages-sur-facades-ossature-bois-etat-
des-lieux
Wood construction expertise shared at ‘Build in Wood’
The Build in Wood Conference in Copenhagen gives
stakeholders the opportunity to hear about latest
developments in timber construction and to share
experience and expertise. The event, supported by
conference partner the Danish Timber Trade Federation
(DTTF), takes place on 20-21 May. It has been held
annually since 2018 and is now Denmark’s largest wood
focused conference.
See: https://community.build-in-wood.eu/events/157095
and
https://dktimber.dk/english/
Spanish trade sees positive prospects
The ‘timber trade barometer’ survey conducted by Spanish
timber trade association AEIM at its annual general
assembly showed most delegates were upbeat about
prospects for 2025.
The assembly in early March was attended by delegates
form 112 member companies, with the online, real-time
survey canvassing their opinions on latest trends and the
market outlook.
On trade in 2024, the majority of companies stated that
business had been on a level with 2023 and that stocks at
the end of the year were higher than 12 months before. But
40% said that their sales volume had been better than the
previous year. Barometer results also showed that unpaid
bills and bad debt were at a lower level in 2024 than the
year before, while quotes and general inquiries increased
considerably.
On supply, availability and delivery times, almost a third
of the companies surveyed reported that they had
experienced problems only with African tropical
hardwoods. A fifth said they had experienced problems
with European hardwoods, but hardly any issues were
reported with other timber or panel products.
Looking forward, 63% of the survey respondents said they
anticipate growth in sales volume in 2025, while the
remaining 37% predicted business to be on a level with
last year. Further underlining this positivity, 80% of
participants said they have investment plans and most also
said they plan to expand their workforce in 2025.
Also at the general assembly, EU Deforestation
Regulation, which comes into force at the end of 2025,
was a key topic of discussions, reports AEIM. It says it
will continue to be one of its main focuses through the
year. It will monitor any further developments in the
Regulation and provide training on its application. It will
also follow the development of the GD Holz online EUDR
conformance support software and platform, said AEIM
Secretary General Alberto Romero.
He reported that AEIM members had attended a webinar
on the development of the platform too. It also ran training
sessions for the European Commission’s EUDR
information system and platform.
AEIM, said Mr Romero, had also provided information
and support follow-up on EU antidumping procedures
against plywood and multi-layer flooring from China, as
well as the ongoing sanctions against Russia.
See: https://www.aeim.org/index.php/2025/03/18/asamblea-
general-de-aeim/
and
https://www.aeim.org/index.php/2025/03/19/barometro-del-
sector-2025/
French timber sector – construction and renovatioin
remain in crisis
The 2024-2025 edition of the Memento publication, which
provides data on the French timber industry is now
available. Memento, essentially a profile of the sector, is
produced by the Forest, Cellulose, Wood Construction and
Furniture (FCBA) technical institute. Reporting the
launch of the latest edition, French timber trade
association Le Commerce du Bois (LCB) describes it as
providing a clear and comprehensive overview of the
industry.
Memento opens by setting its data against the current
market context, which it acknowledges is challenging.
“The [French] construction/rehabilitation sector remains in
crisis, as illustrated by the 14% drop in housing starts
compared to 2023, which was already experiencing a
sharp decline,” it states.
“Although inflation remains contained, the overall
economic situation remains strained by the uncertainty
generated by the national and international political
context, which is hampering investment and recovery
efforts. The first signs of falling interest rates are not yet
sufficient to translate into an economic recovery. Standing
timber prices have been trending downward since 2022
but are still higher than in previous years.”
However, longer term prospects are brighter, states
Memento, given the wider environmental benefits of using
timber.
“In terms of the future, the importance of timber resources
in France's carbon sequestration (carbon sink) and
substitution objectives is significant,” says the FCBA.
“Professionals in the sector, the primary stakeholders in
achieving these objectives, are maintaining their efforts
with state support, with a view to ensuring the
sustainability, development, and use of forest resources.”
As well as being free to download online, Memento will
also be published in paper format by the end of April.
See: https://www.fcba.fr/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Memento-
2024-2025-
WEB.pdf?utm_source=Sarbacane&utm_medium=email&utm_ca
mpaign=Memento%202024-2025
https://www.fcba.fr/
https://www.lecommercedubois.org/actualites/1321/le-memento-
fcba-2024-2025-est-desormais-disponible
Broader Market Recognition Coalition development
continues
The interim secretariat of the UK government-backed
Broader Market Recognition Coalition (BMRC) project
says that through 2025 the project will ‘accelerate its
mission to promote national sustainable forestry systems
and secure broader global recognition for responsibly
sourced tropical timber’.
Formed by six tropical timber-producing countries,
Cameroon, Ghana, Guyana, Indonesia, Liberia and the
Republic of Congo the BMRC is described as a multi-
stakeholder coalition bringing together government,
private sector, and civil society to ‘support inclusive forest
governance and drive market transformation’.
The UK timber trade body TDUK has supported the
Coalition from the outset and seed development funding
came from the Forest Governance, Markets and Climate
(FGMC) run by UK Government’s Foreign,
Commonwealth & Development Office.
The BMRC interim secretariat said that securing future
funding sources is a key part of the BMRC Roadmap and
will be addressed as part of establishing BMRC’s
foundations.
In the April to June quarter BMRC is focusing on
initiatives aimed at ‘demonstrating its value and deepening
global engagement’. A central element is development of a
proof of concept to showcase how national forestry
verification systems can serve as credible, country-wide
pathways to sustainability and market access. BMRC is
inviting ideas from stakeholders across its network.
This collaborative approach is reported by the interim
secretariat as central to shaping the Coalition’s agenda,
ensuring it ‘reflects the real needs of producer countries
and resonates with the expectations of the international
timber trade’.
Topics under discussion include ‘strengthening national
ownership, advancing BMRC membership pathways, and
refining criteria and indicators for endorsement’.
BMRC will participate in the United Nations Forum on
Forests (UNFF) in May, where it will host a side event in
New York.
The aim is to communicate the BMRC message and
engage with policy leaders, and ‘strengthen recognition of
national sustainable forestry systems as a credible solution
for climate, trade, and development goals’.
The Coalition is also undertaking market analysis of major
timber importing regions, including the EU, UK, US,
China, Japan, South Korea, and Australia. The interim
secretariat said the BMRC is open for other countries to
join.
See: https://timberdevelopment.uk/tduk-supports-broader-
market-recognition-coalition-bmrc/
and
https://forestgovernance.org/faqs/
and
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/foreign-
commonwealth-development-office
|
